Backyard Bandit
BACKYARD BANDIT
CW PROJECT
Give us a weekend, we'll give you a better bike
MATTHEW MILES
ALMOST EVERY MOTORCYcle is a project bike: Very few of us leave our machines as-delivered. And while huge pistons. hogged-out cylinder heads and high-lift cams are the stuff of wish lists, most of us are content with minor modifications that make a motorcycle truly ours.
With that in mind. we approached one of our favorite 1 99 I motorcy cles. Suzuki's Bandit 400, with a stack of aftermarket catalogs and the goal of doing a simple cosmetic makeover. We gave ourselves just one stipulation: All work had to be completed in a single weekend.
We began with bodywork. From Suzuki's accessory division came a small, bolt-on quarter-fairing that de livered a sporty look and afforded some wind protection. From the same source, we obtained a rear-seat cowl that continued the roadraev theme. Be warned, though, that the cowl, secured by four screws, requires removal of the passenger section of the seat, in effect converting the Bandit to a solo-only bike. By our standards the fairing-cowling combination. at $370. is a bit overpriced, but it does create a more stylish, more sporting image.
In search of racier looks and a more exciting exhaust note, we contacted Cobra Engineering for one of its FIs slip-on mufflers. We found that the new muffler didn't add to the Bandit's acceleration (indeed. Cobra makes no performance-gain claims for its slip-on systems), but it did deliver a more robust exhaust pitch. And on the Cycle World scales, the FIs was 4.5 pounds lighter than the stock unit.
When we originally tested the Bandit, we commented on its inability to make substantial low-end power. Granted, the Bandit is only a 400. but we hoped that more performance could be coaxed out of the powerband's basement. Along with that, the bike's extremely cold-blooded nature deserved attention.
Dynojet provided us with its Stage 1 jetting kit that included main jets, needles and clips, return springs, drill bits and detailed instructions. Using the base settings given in the instructions, (#96 main jets, needle clips in the third position and fuel-mixture screws two-and-a-half turns out), we were rewarded with quicker warmup and crisper carburetion throughout the entire rev range, but the bike ran a bit lean and wouldn't rev down quickly after blipping the throttle. Fine-tuning the fuel-mixture screws to three turns out solved the problem.
With carburetion sorted, we turned to some detail improvements. The stock tubular handlebar was replaced with a K&N Superbar. Approximately I inch lower and slightly wider than the stocker, the K&N offers better leverage and a more aggressive riding position. While remounting the switchgear housings on the bar, we removed their plastic locating pins to improve adjustability and eliminate the need to drill holes in the new handlebar.
One of the stock Bandit’s glaring problems is its thinly padded seat. Bumps that overwhelm the rear suspension are immediately transmitted to the rider's posterior, creating discomfort in a relatively short period of time. Corbin Saddles replaced the stock foam with thicker, denser padding. and wrapped it in an attractive new cover complete with red piping. Corbin also recovered the back pad onthe rear-seat cowling to match. Not only is the new seat more comfortable for a longer time, but its added height improves the seat-to-footpeg relationship.
The rear fender is often one of the most unattractive features on new motorcycles. Our Bandit was no exception. Simply chucking the 400’s offending plastic fender into the trash bin wasn't an option, as both the ignition module and the tool kit are attached to the fender. Instead, we used a coping saw to cut the fender straight across, just below the turnsignal mounting points. The license plate was then bolted directly to the bobbed fender. A set of Targa's cowl lamps completed the rear-end makeover, replacing the lengthy chromed-plastic turnsignal stalks that looked so out of place on the sporty Bandit. Although extremely close-set and on the edge of legality, the tiny Targa blinkers actually give off plenty of bright light.
BACKYARD BANDIT
Up front, we pirated a set of Suzuki DR350S turnsignals. The I)R items mounted with no modifications and look like original equipment. At $31.63 each, though, the Suzuki signals are ridiculously expensive. We recommend checking a salvage yard for similar items before paying top dollar for these lenses at your local dealership.
While we were borrowing from the Suzuki parts bin. we added a set of GSX-R750 passenger pegs in place of the rider’s foot pegs. An inch shorter than stock, the GSX-R pegs grip boot soles better, allow increased lean angles without grounding, and slipped into place without any modifications.
SUPPLIERS
American Suzuki Motor Corp.
3251 E. Imperial Hwy.
Brea, CA 92621 714/996-7040 Fairing: $230 Rear-seat cowling: $140 Footpegs: $14 each Front turnsignals: $32 each Cobra Engineering 4760 E. Bryson Anaheim, CA 92807 714/779-5318 F1s silencer: $130 Corbin Saddles 11445 Commercial Parkway Castroville, CA 95012 408/633-2500 Gunfighter seat: $180
Dynojet
200 Arden Drive Belgrade, MT 59714 406/388-4993
Carburetor re-jetting kit: $97 K&N Engineering
561 Iowa Ave.
Riverside, CA 92502 714/684-9762 Handlebar: $22 Targa Accessories 23601A Ridge Route Road Laguna Hills, CA 92653 714/472-1022 Rear turnsignals: $25
No project is complete without a few special touches. Since we weren't planning on carrying passengers, we cleaned up the right-side exhaustpipe hanger by cutting off its passenger-peg bracket. On the left side, the passenger-peg bracket and mounting arms were lopped off, though we kept the top part of the assembly because it incorporates the helmet lock/ seat release.
And that wraps up our Project Bandit. Most bikes, especially the newstyle standards, will respond to similar treatments. Assemble the parts beforehand, and the entire operation, including carb rejetting, can be accomplished with a minimum of downtime. A weekend spent wrenching is a small investment, especially when it produces a better-looking, better-running motorcycle. E3
