With impressive torque, fuel-efficiency and performance, the Suzuki Bandit 1250 S is a no-frill bike, says Abhijeet Hingway

Think of Suzuki and you think of the Hayabuza. But Suzuki is not just about Hayabuza; there’s the Bandit 1250 S as well. It is a powerful and mean bike that has come a long way in the last about 20 years.

The history of the Bandit goes back to the 1990s when it came with a detuned 1100cc engine from the Suzuki GSX-R1100 in a simple tubular-steel frame, bargain-bin suspension and brakes. Over the years, Bandit matured and grew in every term. Today, it stands in the league of most potent sports bikes. The half-fairing exposing the huge lump of metal nestling below the fuel tank along with the chunky and fat exhaust display the Bandit’s character. The four huge exhaust pipes exiting from the cylinder head look mean. Upfront, the half-fairing is neatly mounted, fully-lined and gels well with the tank. The twin-pod speedometer console is chrome-plated in the 1970s style. The left has an analogue tachometer, with the right one housing a small digital display for speed, fuel, distance and time.

Motorcycles having 200bhp are already on sale in India, and the Bandit’s 96bhp motor falls short in comparison. However, the performance talks a lot. The four-stroke, four-cylinder engine churns out an impressive torque of 107Nm at 3700rpm and that makes a statement. It is better than most of the star bikes like the Honda CB1000R.

The Bandit pulls eagerly from as low as 1000rpm in the sixth cog, at which point the speedometer reads just around 30km/h. This is one of very few motorcycles that can boast of going from 30km/h all the way up to an indicated 250km/h in its topmost gear. The six-speed gearbox transmits the power linearly. Push the bike hard and it will fly past 60kmph mark from naught in a shade over two seconds and zero-100kmph sprint is achieved in just five seconds.

The upright seating position, combined with a supple suspension, makes the Bandit quite comfortable over the undulations. This is a no-frill basic superbike with basic suspension and braking components. Yet for daily usage, this bike can cultivate itself well. Small speed breakers and potholes are dismissed off with ease even at higher speeds. At the turns, the wider tyres — 120/70x17 in the front and 180/55x17 at the rear — inspire confidence. Disc brakes assist both the wheels and are quite effective.

You don’t judge superbikes with their fuel-efficiency, but the Bandit 1250 S is fuel-efficient and a very great performer. In spite of fantastic low-end torque, Suzuki Bandit 1250 S offers mileage of 15kmpl in city. Add couple of kilometres, if you intend to hit the highway.

With the Bandit, Suzuki has managed to set a benchmark and the bike offers absolutely value-for-money. Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom) for a 1255cc CBU import is a tempting price. It even undercuts the only other in-line, four-cylinder street superbike on offer in India — the Honda CB1000R by a good amount.

The Bandit is a very practical no-nonsense superbike, capable of playing multiple roles. It is one of those rare motorcycles that has the ability to do everything well, or at least well enough to satisfy you and justify its price tag.