Suzuki Bandit

[Smoky14]

Just picked up a 2005,1200cc this weekend and would like recommendations for oil, maint tips or sites to visit for info.
This is my first bike in almost 25 yrs, the old one had shaft drive etc and this is all new to me.
Thanks Smoky

 

[02zx9r]

what is recommended in the manual as far a soil grade?

10w40- some syn 10w40's (amsoil, M1 4t, schafffers (if they make it) would do good.

The hdeo's like rotella, chevron delo, mobil delvac 1300 15w40's are very popular cycle oils, and are pretty stout.

 

[RWEST]

Smoky - The best Bandit site on the 'net = http://www.maximum-suzuki.com. You'll have to register to view the forums, but, it's worth it - there's more experience (Dale Walker is a regular contributor and has his own Holeshot Performance section, for instance) there than you can imagine.

Once you're registered, and read the FAQ's, go to the Ultimate Oil Topic thread http://www.maximum-suzuki.com/forums/index.php/topic,12638.0.html.

The oil of choice seems to be Mobil 1 15-50, the old Red Cap (if you can find any) or the new Silver Cap, which is supposed (

) to be the same thing. My '02 definitely likes the 15-50. I have a few jugs of the Red Cap that are being held in reserve specifically for that bike.

The jury's still out on the Gold Cap "EP" version.

For oil filters http://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/FilterXRef.html the Suzuki uses a proprietary 20 x 1 thread pitch. I like the guy's note in Section 2 - "None are recommended".

I've been using the Suzuki OEM filter (Oneida Suzuki has great prices) or WIX/NAPA 1359's.

 

[Smoky14]

RWEST: Thanks for the reference. Now how would you like to contribute a jug of Red Cap to a new guy

I'm selling my old,1980, KZ1300 as parts are just no longer available and it is long in the tooth.

Again thanks. Smoky

 

[KW]

I rode a '97 Bandit for a few years and Castrol GTX 20W50 worked very well for Florida street riding and when it became a drag bike Mobil 1 5W30 was the oil of choice. It's my brother's bike now and is a street bike again and he uses Rotella T 15W40 oil in it. I liked the 20W50 best for street riding myself but my brother has ran a lot of miles with the Rotella T so I guess what I'm getting at is the air/oil motor in the Bandit is not all that picky. Just don't set the idle below about 1200 rpm or it will eat the cams. My brother found out the hard way -- he just refused to believe me.