Tweet
I am finally ready to start my review of the Sprint ST. This is going to be an ongoing post, so if you are interested, check back from time to time for additions and edits.
A few months ago, I had a great opportunity to buy an 01 Sprint ST for less than I was able to sell my 98 Bandit 1200S. A comparison of the two bikes came down to this:
Triumph
2001
21,000 miles 45,000 miles
955 cc's 108 HP, stock
Bandit
1998
45,000 miles
1147 cc's, 115 HP (estimated), with Yosh can and re-jet
Not really a fair comparison- the Triumph is much tighter, much cleaner than the Bandit, but you would expect that, with far few miles or years on it. Well, Monday I bought a 2001 Bandit 1200S, with... about 10,000 miles on it. NOW we are talking a fair fight! I have not had a chance to ride the Bandit yet, as it needs some colision repair, but when that's done, I plan on doing some back to back riding.
For now, I can say that the two bikes are similar in concept and intent, but not the same. The Triumph seems to be more a gentleman's motorcycle- one can expect see a Sprint ST rider remove his leathers and helmet to reveal James Bond underneath, tuxedo and all. It might appeal to a buyer who also has a BMW 5-series in his driveway (no Beemer in my garage!) The bike is all smoothness and quality, even sitting still. No rough edges to be honed down- no rough edges at all. The Bandit, however, wants to call the hooligan in you out to play. A slightly shorter wheel base (56.3 inches vs. 57.9) a perceived (but not verified) lighter front end and higher bars make the Bandit a wheelie machine, even in stock trim. No gyrations or bar jerks needed- just roll on the throttle in 1st or 2nd, and watch the front just float up. Minimal bodywork (even less on the N model, which is even more bad boy, with stiffer front springs and less weight)- chinos and short-sleves to the Sprint's tux. The two bikes are both basically sport-tourers (the Bandit being more "sport,") and both are comfortable for a long haul. (More on egronomics to come.)
Parked side by side, with the rear axles in perfect alignment (made easy by using the Sprint's hollow rear axle as a sight tube) the 1.3-inch difference is actually more apparent than you might think. Seat height is similar (Sprint 31.5, Bandit 31.1 inches) but the Bandit's bars are a whopping 5 inches higher and 3 inches narrower, and it's pegs are 3 inches forward. The Sprint's wider windshield does a much better job of deflecting the wind (even compared to the flip-up touring shield I had on my 98 Bandit) but not so well that you find your arms excessively tired after a long ride. The Sprint's seat is also 1 inch longer, allowing you more room to slide back, but also making using the slight butt rest there less accessable. Speaking of seats, both are otherwise quite comfy for the driver, but the Bandit's Suzuki Gel saddle was much more comfortable in the pillion position then either the Sprint's stock saddle or it's Corbin- the Corbin was down right painful for the pillion after only a few moments sitting on it, without the bike even moving. What's up with THAT?
The Sprint's 5.55 gallon tank is almost 3/10ths of a gallon more fuel than the Bandit allows, and it will probably turn in better mileage, although as it requires Premium to the Bandit's Regular fuel, actualy fuel economy will probably be lower. I observed 38 mpg on the Bandit most times I checked, vs 42 for the Sprint. That's a range of 199 miles till the Bandit sucks dry, whereas the Sprint could go another 33 miles and still have a whif of gas to get the rider to the pump. Doesn't seem like much, until you have to push a 485 pound (dry weight) motorcycle 30 miles. One fuel-related advantage the Bandit has over the Sprint- a metal tank, so your magnetic tank bag will stick.
When it is time to saddle up and hit the start button, the Sprint is the gentleman of the two, again. Electronic fuel injection means no choke, no fuss- after all is copesetic, the motor is running. Not that all is perfect, mind you- for some strange reason, the bike does not like to fire off as well whe the kick-stand is down as when it is up. Sure, it has the usual no-starter safety switches all US-sold bikes have, and the motor will be shut off if you engage a gear with the stand down, but even with clutch in/transmission in neutral, it always seems to fire up sooner with the stand up than down. This is not my imagination, either- I have counted the time for each condition, and it always starts sooner with the stand up. Wierd. Also, the clutch safety switch only ask for the slightest finger pressure on the clutch lever before it gives the go-ahead. Twice I had the bike jump forward when I hit the starter button and the transmission was in gear. Probably an adjustment thing I should have looked at at the next service. The (1998) Bandit was a cold-natured beast, grumpy in the morning like you would expect such a semi-anti-social rebel (sorry, no more references to other bikes, I promise) to be, particularly one that had grown a bit older and begun to have some difficulty rousing his trouble-making bones out of bed. It required the usual choke/don't TOUCH the throttle drill to get it running, and took quite a while to really run right. The first few times I started the 01 Bandit, it was somewhere in the middle, starting fairly easily but dying when I pulled the coke off too soon or I tried to rev the motor up before it was a bit warmed up. Watch this space for more on the 01's start and cold run behavior.
Once underway, the Sprint shows it other quirk- it does not like to shift out of 1st until ridden about 500-600 feet. Ride off, pull in the clutch, stomp on the shift lever, and... nothing. Still in 1st. I suspect this is another quirk unique to this bike, and it may go away with the next oil change- which, as part of the 24,000-mile service, which includes EVERYTHING on the chart, will no doubt be a pricy one. If I have the Triumph dealer do it all (previous owner did) I suspect I will be looking at a 600- to 800-dollar tab. Ouch. I suspect I will do some of it myself (oil and filter change, for one) and bring it to the dealer for the rest (I just don't trust my valve-adjusting skills.) An interesting comparison is the difference in cost for the Sprint's and the Bandit's 24,000 service. I called the respective dealers and got these quotes: for the Triumph: $592.00 (Freewheeling Triumph, Douglasville, GA), $782.00 (Triumph of North Georgia),and $900.00 to $1000.00 (Atlanta Triumph,) and the Suzuki: $600.00 (Freedom Powersports, Kennesaw, GA,) $500 estimate (Motions Cycles, Marietta, GA,) and $457.00 (Cherokee Suzuki, Canton, GA.) So, Triumph dealers are proud of their parts and their technician's time. This comparison also showed that the smaller dealerships are hungier, too- Triumph of Atlanta was way high, and Motions shot from the hip a bit quick- I wonder if when I picked up the bike, there wouldn't be a little suprise awaiting me.
Once on the road, the Triumph triple can take a little getting used to. Not as smooth as a Jap 4, not as hard-hitting as an American V-twin, the British 3 has a bit of a growl that, at first, sounded and felt like something vaguely wrong, like the motor was just a bit oil starved. Nothing to worry about, just the triple going about it's job in it's uniquely veddy British manner. After a while I got used to it, and now I enjoy it's mildy British idiosyncracies. Torque and power are in abundance, and even though the bike does not have the Bandit's yen (pound?) to wheelie, forward motion was more than smile-provoking. I imagine you could get this bike to lift the front wheel fairly easily (it has more power and torque than a stock Bandit 1200) but somehow, it just does not seem right. After all, Mr. Bond would use finesse', or at the most a single shot from a silencer-equipped Walthers to dispach a thug, not 50 rounds from an Uzi. Hustling down the road, the bike feels better planted, more sure of it's self than the Bandit. Of course, that could be in part to the totally worn out rear tire that was on the Bandit, too. Again, watch for the back-to-back with the 01 B12. I don't actually miss the Yoshimura can on the old B12- I was able to hear my GPS, even at moderate speeds, with helmet and ear plugs on. Couldn't actually make out what it was telling me, but it got my attention and I could then look at the screen for my next directions.
(more to come)
A few months ago, I had a great opportunity to buy an 01 Sprint ST for less than I was able to sell my 98 Bandit 1200S. A comparison of the two bikes came down to this:
Triumph
2001
21,000 miles 45,000 miles
955 cc's 108 HP, stock
Bandit
1998
45,000 miles
1147 cc's, 115 HP (estimated), with Yosh can and re-jet
Not really a fair comparison- the Triumph is much tighter, much cleaner than the Bandit, but you would expect that, with far few miles or years on it. Well, Monday I bought a 2001 Bandit 1200S, with... about 10,000 miles on it. NOW we are talking a fair fight! I have not had a chance to ride the Bandit yet, as it needs some colision repair, but when that's done, I plan on doing some back to back riding.
For now, I can say that the two bikes are similar in concept and intent, but not the same. The Triumph seems to be more a gentleman's motorcycle- one can expect see a Sprint ST rider remove his leathers and helmet to reveal James Bond underneath, tuxedo and all. It might appeal to a buyer who also has a BMW 5-series in his driveway (no Beemer in my garage!) The bike is all smoothness and quality, even sitting still. No rough edges to be honed down- no rough edges at all. The Bandit, however, wants to call the hooligan in you out to play. A slightly shorter wheel base (56.3 inches vs. 57.9) a perceived (but not verified) lighter front end and higher bars make the Bandit a wheelie machine, even in stock trim. No gyrations or bar jerks needed- just roll on the throttle in 1st or 2nd, and watch the front just float up. Minimal bodywork (even less on the N model, which is even more bad boy, with stiffer front springs and less weight)- chinos and short-sleves to the Sprint's tux. The two bikes are both basically sport-tourers (the Bandit being more "sport,") and both are comfortable for a long haul. (More on egronomics to come.)
Parked side by side, with the rear axles in perfect alignment (made easy by using the Sprint's hollow rear axle as a sight tube) the 1.3-inch difference is actually more apparent than you might think. Seat height is similar (Sprint 31.5, Bandit 31.1 inches) but the Bandit's bars are a whopping 5 inches higher and 3 inches narrower, and it's pegs are 3 inches forward. The Sprint's wider windshield does a much better job of deflecting the wind (even compared to the flip-up touring shield I had on my 98 Bandit) but not so well that you find your arms excessively tired after a long ride. The Sprint's seat is also 1 inch longer, allowing you more room to slide back, but also making using the slight butt rest there less accessable. Speaking of seats, both are otherwise quite comfy for the driver, but the Bandit's Suzuki Gel saddle was much more comfortable in the pillion position then either the Sprint's stock saddle or it's Corbin- the Corbin was down right painful for the pillion after only a few moments sitting on it, without the bike even moving. What's up with THAT?
The Sprint's 5.55 gallon tank is almost 3/10ths of a gallon more fuel than the Bandit allows, and it will probably turn in better mileage, although as it requires Premium to the Bandit's Regular fuel, actualy fuel economy will probably be lower. I observed 38 mpg on the Bandit most times I checked, vs 42 for the Sprint. That's a range of 199 miles till the Bandit sucks dry, whereas the Sprint could go another 33 miles and still have a whif of gas to get the rider to the pump. Doesn't seem like much, until you have to push a 485 pound (dry weight) motorcycle 30 miles. One fuel-related advantage the Bandit has over the Sprint- a metal tank, so your magnetic tank bag will stick.
When it is time to saddle up and hit the start button, the Sprint is the gentleman of the two, again. Electronic fuel injection means no choke, no fuss- after all is copesetic, the motor is running. Not that all is perfect, mind you- for some strange reason, the bike does not like to fire off as well whe the kick-stand is down as when it is up. Sure, it has the usual no-starter safety switches all US-sold bikes have, and the motor will be shut off if you engage a gear with the stand down, but even with clutch in/transmission in neutral, it always seems to fire up sooner with the stand up than down. This is not my imagination, either- I have counted the time for each condition, and it always starts sooner with the stand up. Wierd. Also, the clutch safety switch only ask for the slightest finger pressure on the clutch lever before it gives the go-ahead. Twice I had the bike jump forward when I hit the starter button and the transmission was in gear. Probably an adjustment thing I should have looked at at the next service. The (1998) Bandit was a cold-natured beast, grumpy in the morning like you would expect such a semi-anti-social rebel (sorry, no more references to other bikes, I promise) to be, particularly one that had grown a bit older and begun to have some difficulty rousing his trouble-making bones out of bed. It required the usual choke/don't TOUCH the throttle drill to get it running, and took quite a while to really run right. The first few times I started the 01 Bandit, it was somewhere in the middle, starting fairly easily but dying when I pulled the coke off too soon or I tried to rev the motor up before it was a bit warmed up. Watch this space for more on the 01's start and cold run behavior.
Once underway, the Sprint shows it other quirk- it does not like to shift out of 1st until ridden about 500-600 feet. Ride off, pull in the clutch, stomp on the shift lever, and... nothing. Still in 1st. I suspect this is another quirk unique to this bike, and it may go away with the next oil change- which, as part of the 24,000-mile service, which includes EVERYTHING on the chart, will no doubt be a pricy one. If I have the Triumph dealer do it all (previous owner did) I suspect I will be looking at a 600- to 800-dollar tab. Ouch. I suspect I will do some of it myself (oil and filter change, for one) and bring it to the dealer for the rest (I just don't trust my valve-adjusting skills.) An interesting comparison is the difference in cost for the Sprint's and the Bandit's 24,000 service. I called the respective dealers and got these quotes: for the Triumph: $592.00 (Freewheeling Triumph, Douglasville, GA), $782.00 (Triumph of North Georgia),and $900.00 to $1000.00 (Atlanta Triumph,) and the Suzuki: $600.00 (Freedom Powersports, Kennesaw, GA,) $500 estimate (Motions Cycles, Marietta, GA,) and $457.00 (Cherokee Suzuki, Canton, GA.) So, Triumph dealers are proud of their parts and their technician's time. This comparison also showed that the smaller dealerships are hungier, too- Triumph of Atlanta was way high, and Motions shot from the hip a bit quick- I wonder if when I picked up the bike, there wouldn't be a little suprise awaiting me.
Once on the road, the Triumph triple can take a little getting used to. Not as smooth as a Jap 4, not as hard-hitting as an American V-twin, the British 3 has a bit of a growl that, at first, sounded and felt like something vaguely wrong, like the motor was just a bit oil starved. Nothing to worry about, just the triple going about it's job in it's uniquely veddy British manner. After a while I got used to it, and now I enjoy it's mildy British idiosyncracies. Torque and power are in abundance, and even though the bike does not have the Bandit's yen (pound?) to wheelie, forward motion was more than smile-provoking. I imagine you could get this bike to lift the front wheel fairly easily (it has more power and torque than a stock Bandit 1200) but somehow, it just does not seem right. After all, Mr. Bond would use finesse', or at the most a single shot from a silencer-equipped Walthers to dispach a thug, not 50 rounds from an Uzi. Hustling down the road, the bike feels better planted, more sure of it's self than the Bandit. Of course, that could be in part to the totally worn out rear tire that was on the Bandit, too. Again, watch for the back-to-back with the 01 B12. I don't actually miss the Yoshimura can on the old B12- I was able to hear my GPS, even at moderate speeds, with helmet and ear plugs on. Couldn't actually make out what it was telling me, but it got my attention and I could then look at the screen for my next directions.
(more to come)
Comment