Which half-faired big bike?

[bakerlonglegs]

Hello hello....
I'm looking around at half-faired big bikes at the moment, cuurent short list is:
- Fazer thou (either carb'ed mark 1 or FI mark 2)
- 'onda CB1300
- Bandit 1250 (the newer water-cooled job)

I wanna a perfect bike for Tarka-esque pampering......

Bandit 1250s seem very cheap, you can get a nearly new for less than 5k. Had a look at one in a Suzuki showroom yesterday, not a bad looking bit 'o kit. FI is apparently super smooth but will build quality be shocking?

The mk.2 Fazer thou ('06 onwards) is apparently an R1 with straight bars on and quite titchy. Does look IMHO, but maybe a bit wasted on me as my riding is not so much Mat Melandri, more Miss Marple . Mk.1 Fazers are OK, but seem to need a bunch of work to carbs and suspension to get the best out of them - the youngest ones are 3 - 4 years old now.

CB1300? Big old beast, had a sit on one of those muthas yesterday as well, felt bigger than Bandit (and waaaaaaayy bigger than mk.2 Fazer). I've just got rid of one bike cos it was bigger than I really needed.

Any experience and thoughts? I'm leaning towards a 1250 Bandit.....

Ta!

 

[cherokee]

Honda CBF 1000......

 

[Twotter]

Size matters, get the CB1300

 

[KMD]

My neighbour is an advanced riding instructor and rides a CBFthou. And he makes going fast on it look very easy, but he is good! And a mate has the Bandit and reckons it very highly but he's anal about cleaning and maintenance so probably doesn't suffer the only possible downside of Suzuki ownership.

Choices choices...............

 

[vilguy]

I got a mk1 fazer thou 05 plate for £1400. Its the black engine/frame one so looks loads better.

Its a serious peice of kit, much faster than the bandit 1250 and more easy to ride fast than the fz1. Also for that money it leaves you money left over to buy another bike!

 

[bakerlonglegs]

I got a mk1 fazer thou 05 plate for £1400. Its the black engine/frame one so looks loads better.

Its a serious peice of kit, much faster than the bandit 1250 and more easy to ride fast than the fz1. Also for that money it leaves you money left over to buy another bike!

Blimey! That's a seriously cheap price. Must admit I'm a picky bugger, so have been looking at mint, low mileage bikes, but some of the prices of mk1 Fazer thou's are rather

Cheers for advice all Test riding a mk.2 Fazer thou this weekend....

 

[Arsey]

CB1300S

No comparsion.

Bandit 1250 cheaper,but the CB is has a far superior finish.

Love mine.

It will take you anyway,has great power and pulls like a train in any gear.Handles very well.

But it's just as happy pottering.


Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch



Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch


You can even take it to the beach for a cup of coffee:



Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

 

[bakerlonglegs]

CB1300S

No comparsion.

Bandit 1250 cheaper,but the CB is has a far superior finish.

Love mine.

It will take you anyway,has great power and pulls like a train in any gear.Handles very well.

But it's just as happy pottering.


Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch



Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch


You can even take it to the beach for a cup of coffee:



Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch

Nice, very nice Cheers for posting pics

 

[Eastriding2002]

Fazer Thou Gen 1, cracking, bulletproof engine which as stock is turbine like but "ivanised" gets even better and smoother.

 

[jonnie comet]

CB1300S

No comparsion.

+1.. ...High quality, big, fabulous looking 'bike. Some good 'pre reg' deals around at the moment....