Tyres
The Bandits are fitted with different brands and sizes of tyres. The 600 wears Bridgestone BT56s, with a 120/60 ZR17 front and 160/60 ZR17 rear. Michelin Macadams are original rubber on the 1200, a 120/70 front and 180/55 rear.
BT56s are an excellent all-round tyre for the smaller Bandit, with good stability, grip and wear rates courtesy of their Dual Aligned Compound. The DAC arrangement effectively makes the rubber grippier on the sides of the profile for hard cornering, and tougher in the centre for longer life.
But the BT56s are becoming more difficult to obtain as they're being superseded by the BT010 type. These are superb alternatives. They have the same comprehensive performance as the BT56s, but give even more grip. They'll cost you around £200 to have fitted to loose wheels and balanced, and will last you around 7,000 miles, depending how you ride.
Michelin Macadam 100s for the 1200 Bandit ironically cost slightly less, despite the bigger size of the rear tyre. Around £190 will cover the cost of fitting and balancing them to loose wheels.
The performance of the Michelins is generally good and they're durable enough to last up to 5,000 miles. But their grip isn't so good when they're cold, and heavy-handed throttle use can wear them out in as little as 3,000 miles. That's the price of the 1200's extra power and weight. On the whole expect the bigger Bandit's tyre bills to be around double the 600's.
Fuel economy
Fuel costs are marginally higher on the bigger bike on the whole. Both Bandits have 20 litre tanks - just over 4 gallons in real money. That equates to a useful range of 180 miles on the 600 with its average consumption of 42mpg of unleaded, and 155 miles on the bigger Bandit which is a little thirstier with an average of 35mpg. This difference is reduced if the 600 is ridden very hard, as its engine has to be thrashed so much.
Fuel ranges of both Bandits are long enough to make them practical tourers. Both have fuel taps with a reserve position which gives a warning of only 25miles worth of fuel remaining before running dry. But the 1200 has the luxury of a digital fuel gauge, making the time before refill more predictable to gauge.
Depreciation
Depreciation is a fact of motorcycling life, especially when buying new. Initial losses on the Bandits aren't too bad due to their low cost and high popularity. But after a year expect to lose around £1,000-1,200 on the unfaired models and about £300 more on the faired ones.
Of course mileage and condition are the biggest influences on the value of a used bike, and it should be noted that the finish of the Bandits isn't particularly durable. Alloy parts corrode easily and the paintwork wears and scratches if it's not cared for. It's important to give the bike plenty of TLC to avoid premature deterioration, especially after rides in winter.
Try to get a Bandit a bit cheaper than RRP. Haggling with dealers on Bandits isn't that easy because they're in such demand. A little patience might net a £250 reduction on the price of a 600, and a little more on a 1200. But don't bank on it.
Servicing
Servicing costs for the two Bandits are identical, so there's no saving to be gained in this area one way or the other.
After the initial service at 600 miles when the oil and filter are changed, costing around £20, intervals are every 4,000 miles. These services alternate in cost as one is an interim, and one a major. Interim services, which occur at 4,12 and 20,000 miles, should be priced at around £100. Major work could cost as much as £160 depending on how much work needs to be done on the valve clearances.
The need for new consumables such as air filters, brake pads, tyres, chain and sprockets etc will obviously affect the bills. Expect to pay around £300 for servicing over a 2-year or 10,000 mile period, depending on how hard the bike is used.
