Suzuki

400 Bandit – 1991

A new style

In the late Eighties, the race towards ever greater technical refinement and over equipped bikes ended and the pendulum once again swung back to simple, stripped-down machines. The Suzuki Bandit was at the forefront.

Sober but Stylish

Without fenders, plastic lockers, an aluminum backbone frame or a wild color scheme, the Bandit is sober but still stylish. Initially designed solely for the Japanese market, where the most popular categories are 250 and 400cc, the Bandit proved so successful that Suzuki lost no time in trying it out on European buyers.

Aggressive Style

Even though the 400cc class is not particularly fashionable, the Bandit proved an immediate success with its pure and aggressive style. The Bandit's temperament is as individual as its style. Small and compact, it's a true sports machine that only needs a good mountain track or race track to demonstrate its abilities. The motor runs smoothly up to 14,000 rpm with a feather on the throttle, but it's necessary to make full use of the six-speed gearbox to keep the machine revving properly. Light, precise, and surefooted with its fat rear 400x17 tire, the Bandit is a grownup's toy whose price remains affordable in comparison with the competition. It's one of the few genuine sports bikes in its category.

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine: 398cc (56x40.4mm) water cooled transverse four-cylinder four-stroke

Power output: 54 hp @ 10,600 rpm

Valves: twin overhead camshafts

Fuel system: quadruple carburetors

Transmission: 6-speed gearbox; chain final drive

Suspension: (front) telescopic fork; (rear) "Full Floater" trailing arm

Brakes: (front) disc; (rear) disc

Wheels: light alloy; (front) 17 in; (rear) 17 in

Weight: 364 lb

Maximum speed 107 mph

Hundreds of concept drawings like the one shown (inset) were created before the final design for the Suzuki 400 Bandit was agreed on.”