Anyone less than impressed with their 696, or is it just me?

[Chchadder]

Yeah, the SV Bandit (same thing... ) and the smaller Monster's are pretty much the same bike with the exception of the coolness factor.  Parts are expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save on parts.  You just have to hunt a little bit.  I didn't really like the 696 when it came out, but then again I didn't buy one.

[RC Fan]

Yeah, the SV and the smaller Monster's are pretty much the same bike with the exception of the coolness factor.  Parts are expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save on parts.  You just have to hunt a little bit.  I didn't really like the 696 when it came out, but then again I didn't buy one.

I had a Bandit (inline 4), not an SV.

I looked for a front rim online, but didn't have any luck.

[Chchadder]

Yep, made the same mistake as Privateer in that post.  Where's my reading glasses?!?

[RC Fan]

Yep, made the same mistake as Privateer in that post.  Where's my reading glasses?!?

We all make mistakes.  I, for instance, have bought the wrong bike twice now, despite doing a fair amount of research.

[w7ck7d]

Bring the 696 to the track..youll like it.

[Bun-bun]

We all make mistakes.  I, for instance, have bought the wrong bike twice now, despite doing a fair amount of research.

Yeah, should've gone up in displacement. See if you can test an 1100, or a used S2R.

[Mash]

I have to replace the front rim on my s2r1k from a crash.  $1500 for a new OEM one.  I watched eBay for almost 2 months before I was able to snag one. I wound up getting a used set, in white, for $599.   I'm gonna resell the good rear and the dented front soon.

[corndog67]

Apparently in other, strange foreign countries, the Bandit 650 is like a GSX 650 Katana here.   Probably more HP, less torque, a bit more weight and faster than the 696.   I did a double take when I saw the 650 Bandit description.   

[RC Fan]

Apparently in other, strange foreign countries, the Bandit 650 is like a GSX 650 Katana here.   Probably more HP, less torque, a bit more weight and faster than the 696.   I did a double take when I saw the 650 Bandit description.   

Yes, the Bandit 650 is now the GSX650F.  The fuel injected, liquid cooled Bandit 650 was only available in Canada for the model year of 2007.

[Privateer]

My first bike was Bandit 650S (GSF650), not an SV.

bah
my bad, sorry.

I can't find enough info on the bandit to post a reasonable comparison

[RC Fan]

bah
my bad, sorry.

I can't find enough info on the bandit to post a reasonable comparison

No worries.  The specs on the current GSX650F are pretty much identical to the Bandit 650.  I believe it was about 85 horses, the torque was around 60, and the dry weight was  around 483lbs.  I naively assumed that because the hp was close, and the Monster was a lot lighter, that the Monster would perform better.

[booger]

RC Fan -
1) eBay/ DMF parts forum for a new front wheel. I see the Brembo 3-spokes in black, gray, and gold all the time and they don't usually go for much. The 3 spoke wheels are notoriously heavy and people often like to upgrade them to something lighter. Seriously if you can't find any of these you aren't looking hard enough. If you are only looking for 696 front wheels you might expand your search to include 620/695/750/800/1000 wheels from earlier Monsters, and wheels from Supersports, S4, and maybe 749/999. Nobody but nobody should have to resort to paying the dealer an outrageous amount of cash for a new part that so many other people instantly upgrade and throw up for sale at hundreds less. I got a set of brand new OEM mufflers for $50 that was taken off a new bike when the dealer price was in excess of $800 for each one. Used parts are your friend, just make sure they are ship-shape.
2) Use your misfortune as an excuse for an upgrade. For a modest amount more than $1500 for just one rim you can get a set of much lighter wheels that will make the bike perform more in line with your expectations. Wheels make a big difference. Check what the dealer wants for a set of the upgraded 696 wheels. 

After test riding a 696 in stock trim I thought it was a competent bike ready for some upgrades. One cannot really say it's gutless, but you really need the Termi kit and some lightweight wheels to make it just right. Those things were made with subsequent Termi upgrading in mind. A rear sprocket with 2 or 3 more teeth would help as well. Good luck, I hope you don't end up paying $1500 for a front wheel.

[Scotzman]

There's definetly things you can do to get more juice out of your bike, like mentioned the Termi kit, sproket changes, etc.

[He Man]

or just trade in for street triple r..... damn im preaching that pretty heavily arent i?

[Takster]

It should be mentioned that there are reputable places out there that do rim repair for around $150.  Do a search, I'm feeling lazy.