Licks Cycles: Suzuki Bandit 1200 Café Racer

Japanese for Bandit: Moto Milo’s Suzuki GSF1200…

The Suzuki Bandit 1200 is likely one of the most beloved muscle bikes of all time, an air/oil-cooled beast that earned a world following that continues to today. As with all muscle bike, the engine is the true coronary heart of the animal, an 1152cc inline-four from the GSX-R1100:

“The motor is a legend. It was plucked from the Gixxer 1100 and ‘detuned.’ (That’s what all of the bike mags stated again then.) In actuality, the compression ratio was decreased and totally different cams have been chosen that introduced the large top-end quantity down, however allowed the bike to make whoppin’ torque within the basement and on the primary flooring.” –Revzilla

The engine makes round 100 hp in inventory trim, and some key components might enhance that quantity almost 40%. The underside ends have been all however indestructible, making the Bandit engine a favourite of drag racers.

Enter our new buddy Alexander Yiannopoullos of London’s Moto Milo, who labored as a contract product designer till embarking on a profession path as a customized bike builder seven years in the past. He enrolled in tech college to be taught welding and fabrication, and started by doing commissioned initiatives for shoppers.

Now he designs and builds customized bikes of his personal design, promoting them after they’re constructed. For this construct, Alex picked up a ’98 Bandit 1200 partially transformed right into a streetfighter. The bike was somewhat tough, says Alex, however every thing was there.

Usually, he makes lot of sketches earlier than beginning a construct, however he determined to go together with a extra spontaneous method this time round, giving the alloy fabrication he deliberate to do:

“I needed to see the place the forming and fabrication of the aluminium components would take me — typically the metallic informs and guides you to essentially the most appropriate and agreeable kind.”

He outfitted the large engine with Mikuni RS36 carbs and a customized airbox, then swapped out the OEM suspension and brakes for Ducati 900SS forks, a Nitron rear shock, and Brembo stoppers.

Then got here the hand-fabricated aluminum components, which embrace the gas tank, aforementioned airbox, fenders, instrument housing, peg mounts, and extra. A channel was lower into the underside of the tank that for an ally housing to carry the wiring loom, ECU, and battery.

Alex nicknamed the bike “Sanzoku” — Japanese for Bandit — and he says not solely the aesthetics, however the dealing with and efficiency have been a lot improved as a result of lighter weight and upgraded suspension / brakes. Beneath, we speak to him for extra particulars. Pictures courtesy of Nikolas Louka (studio) and Roberto Garagaza (present).

GSF1200 Bandit Café Racer: Builder Interview

• Please inform us a bit about your self, your historical past with bikes, and your workshop.

My title is Alexander Yiannopoullos, I run Motomilo, a customized bike workshop primarily based in London. I studied Transport Design at Coventry College, after which launched into a profession as freelance product designer. Throughout this time I’ve all the time been keen about bikes, actually my remaining thesis challenge at College was an idea bike.

I purchased my first bike 20 years in the past, a Honda VFR400, and have been using ever since. Roughly 7 years in the past I grow to be a weary of my profession path and needed to embark on one thing extra fulfilling. Impressed by the likes of the Wrench Monkeys, I made a decision to mix my love of bikes, design and making issues, by constructing customized bikes.

I didn’t know learn how to weld or fabricate so enrolled right into a technical school for a 12 months and gained varied certificates in TIG welding and gained some proficiency in metallurgy and fabrication.

I began with commissions that entailed prospects requesting varied ranges of customisation from particular person bespoke components to main redesigns. During the last couple of years I’ve moved away from this mannequin and I’m now concentrating on creating full bikes of my very own design, which I then promote.

• What’s the make, mannequin, and 12 months of the bike?

The bike is a 1998 Suzuki Bandit GSF1200.

The donor bike was discovered by way of a “buddy of a buddy.” That they had began to transform the Suzuki right into a streetfighter: Renthal straight bars, stubby exhaust, streetfighter-style twin headlights, spray can painted tank, maroon color body — get the image. The bike was somewhat aesthetically challenged, however all of the necessary components have been good.

• Why was this bike constructed?

The explanations for the construct have been as talked about earlier, with the goal of promoting the bike. Additionally I selected this mannequin because the platform for the construct as I imagine it encapsulates lots of the structural aesthetics and efficiency necessities needed for this style of motorcycle.

• What was the design idea and what influenced the construct?

Coming from a design background, I all the time do quite a lot of sketches for every construct, consisting of general model renderings by way of to drawings for particular person components, together with packaging plans detailing the structure of elements. I usually do some form of 3D modelling for a construct, often from shaping and sanding blue foam.

Nonetheless with this construct, I used to be assured sufficient to work straight from the sketches. Additionally, as I deliberate to go away the metallic work unpainted, I needed to see the place the forming and fabrication of the aluminium components would take me — typically the metallic informs and guides you to essentially the most appropriate and agreeable kind.

• What customized work was achieved to the bike?

The construct took 4-5 months.

When deciding on what efficiency upgrades, often with this era of bike and age, the brakes and suspension are the primary issues which are handled. As you might be most likely conscious, the engines from the Suzuki 1200 are legendary and nearly bulletproof, so not so much wanted to be achieved, simply the addition of a set of Mikuni RS36 carburettors, together with a hand-fabricated aluminium airbox.

For the entrance suspension, I fitted a set of 1999 Ducati 900ss USD forks, together with high and backside yokes, which though from the identical interval, give higher really feel and damping in comparison with the Suzuki’s commonplace forks, while aesthetically matching the interval for this bike.

For the rear I selected a Nitron NTR R1 Shock. The brakes are Brembo calipers — nevertheless, particular mounts needed to be fabricated with a view to mate them to the discs.

The construct consists of quite a lot of hand-fabricated aluminium components, which embrace the gas tank, airbox, entrance and rear mudguards, clock surrounds, instrument housing, footrest mounts, wiring loom, and battery housing, which additionally incorporates the seat mount.

Probably the most difficult points of this construct was the aesthetics and preconceptions of this bike, as a result of relatively uninspiring styling of the unique bike by Suzuki and maybe the perceptions of this mannequin by some within the bike group — it’s a bike that’s usually ignored as a platform for a customized construct.

Nonetheless with this construct I hope I’ve been capable of reveal a few of this bike’s extra purposeful and enduring qualities.

One other problem confronted, when it comes to packaging, was relocating the wiring loom, ECU, and battery in such a means that didn’t intervene with the aesthetics whereas being accessible. This was achieved by making a channel in the midst of the underside of the gas tank permitting for a fabricated aluminium housing for the loom, ECU, and battery.

• Does the bike have a nickname?

“Sanzoku.” Means Bandit in Japanese.

• Are you able to inform us what it’s wish to experience?

The bike is significantly lighter and this has had a useful affect on dealing with. The brand new Mikuni carbs make the already torquey engine extra linear however extra responsive.

The brand new rear suspension gives a number of really feel and improved rear grip. The improved braking and entrance suspension marries very properly with the character of the engine.

Construct Sheet

The aluminium hand-fabricated components (utilizing an English Wheel), which embrace the next:
- Gas tank
- Airbox (two components),
- Entrance and rear mudguard (together with chainguard)
- Battery and wiring loom compartment, which runs in a channel underneath the gas tank
- Entrance radiator mounts
- Speedo and rev counter housing
- Instrument cowl and housing
- Rear Swingarm pivot covers
- Rearsets mounting plates
- Undertray
- Entrance headlight mount
Rear subframe is hand-fabricated and welded.
Entrance caliper mounts have been fabricated utilizing CNC.
Entrance fork leg uppers, and entrance Brembo calipers have been Cerokoted.
Engine and wheels powder-coated.
Body painted
Hand-fabricated stainless-steel components embrace:
- Exhaust system, ranging from the place the down pipes be a part of into one
- Exhaust Hangers
Italian tan leather-based used for the next:
- Seat Unit
- Deal with bar grips
- Body Inserts
- Instrument cables sleeve.
Extra new components embrace:
- Nitron NTR R1 rear shock
- Mikuni RS36 Carburettors
- Goodridge Hoses for entrance and rear brakes, and clutch.
- Domino XM2 fast motion throttle
- Messnermoto Aluminium Management switches
- SES Rearsets
- Nissin brake grasp cylinder
- Nissin clutch grasp cylinder
- Rizoma entrance and rear brake reservoirs
- Rizoma clutch reservoir
- R&G bar ends