Gale force wind and searing heat,
From nature's wrath, no retreat.
Flame and smoke all around.
Devastation and blackened ground.
People and animals in panic fear,
As the ravaging fire grows near.
Vision impaired by the smoke,
Reaping tragedy, beyond a joke.
From the inferno, there's no escape,
As fires continue the country's rape.
Let the whole nation unite in prayer,
For loss of life and belongings share.
Scars and memories will linger on.
Faith and hope make us strong.
I rode back through Kinglake, Flowerdale, Strath Creek, Broadford, got fuel at Kilmore, then on to Lancefield, Carlsruhe, and onto the freeway back to Bendigo.
All I can say about the ride home is that the day was perfect – no wind, sunny skies, 24 degrees; perfect for riding! I was in a state of euphoria! Having ridden in perfect weather on a great bike and on great roads, what more could one ask for?
So how did the Bandit perform?
The Bandit was able to carry my small amount of luggage with ease. I didn’t have panniers or a Ventura rack; all I had was the pillion seat, some ocky-straps and a slightly modified tank bag. There were plenty of tie-down points to ensure the luggage didn’t wander and there was still plenty of room to sit without interference from said luggage.
The Bandit’s fuel economy was fairly consistent; returning between 19.5km per litre and 21km per litre; the lower figure being the travel through the hills.
The cornering ability of the Bandit was good. It was not difficult to throw into corners, although you couldn’t ride it as quickly as you could the ZX6R (my previous bike). Through the tight stuff the ZX6R used to fall into corners quickly and could change direction just as quickly, which is what you would expect from a light-weight sports-bike. The Bandit was by no means sloppy; as far as my ability goes it did everything I asked of it and almost certainly would have done more.
The seating position is quite good, not leaning too far forward to the bars as well as not sitting fully upright either. For my height (5’10”) the foot-pegs are ideally placed. Maybe if your legs were a little longer you may become a little cramped on extended rides.
One thing I did notice when I got home was that at some stage my cordura pants had touched the exhaust pipe just before it enters the muffler, as there was some of my pants still left on the link pipe. I thought when I purchased the bike that the exhaust was very close to the foot peg but after riding more than 3000km and not having a problem it never really entered my mind until now.
All of the instruments are easy to read all of the time (analogue tacho and digital speedo), never having trouble with reflection or sun glare. Although I did find myself constantly checking my speed to ensure I didn’t stray outside the speed limits.
Have I mentioned how much I like the torque on this bike? Peak torque occurs at 3700rpm. When cruising at 110kph you are sitting on 3600rpm, so overtaking is a breeze with no need to change down a gear – just twist the throttle and go.
As I mentioned earlier, the only real gripe I have is that I got a sore backside. I believe the seat to be too hard and a little to narrow at the front; so I may need to invest in a sheep-skin cover or perhaps an AirHawk.
Overall I am very happy with the performance of the Suzuki and even though this was only a short overnight trip (800km), I’m sure there will be plenty more to come.
Thanks for the story, Tony. The photos and description of the devastation caused by the fires is very moving. It’s also great to see Tony enjoying the new bike. (I think he likes it, don't you reckon?). A very different beast from his previous ride, but enjoying it very much.
Maybe it’s fitting to end with another excerpt from the poem by Bob Williams.
With compassion and love from the heart,
May the slow process of healing start.
No one knows what the future may bring,
Belief and understanding, the main thing.
Through adversity, Aussie spirit comes to light.
It's our tradition, our nation's might.