Had all the switchgear apart to fit my renthals so that’s all ok.
Hope this will be the end to my starting woes. I’ll operate it with a screwdriver in the morning to see if she’ll start ok with choke.
Hopefully fixing the choke will help with the starting. Do a quick test and pull the bracket the brass rod goes into, out gently with a pair of pliers and use a cloths peg clipped round the rod to keep it out. See how it starts.
I used this method on the old GS for a ‘while’ until I found time (could be bothered) to change the cable 
Like Goat says that should be it. My Bandit needs a bit of choke on most days, dry/wet/cold/dry.
Doesn’t seem to be running that badly, slightly off maybe but nothing major. Just needs using after all that standing.
Want to put a new air cleaner in just in case.
If the choke turns out to be the only problem I’ll leave the carbs alone for now. The bikes done less than 19,000 so shouldn’t be a major problem.
Really appreciate all this help from everyone. Enjoying learning.
I’ll go and ask her indoors for a peg right now.
Sounds like a bandit to me! I need choke almost every morning and recently had a few issues where starting became a serious worry…
I’d make sure your battery is 100% tip-top - Get a conditioner before you junk the existing one however- mines solved the (Big) starting worries!
As for filters, ive just fitted a Green Cotton filter to mine (k6 650 - oil cooled) - I have to say its made it noticeably nicer to ride - I wouldnt say ive Gained BHP/ SPEED, just adjusted the rev range and power band so as to be usable…
I found mine on Fleabay and paid 2/3 of the best K&N deal id seen prior!
As for the tank out - yes, seems a real faf, but my understanding is that its a vacume tap, opened by the engine firing drawing fuel through… Hence being a B!tch to start if you dont have a great spark due to the battery!
Loads of usefull bandit type advice ive had in the past from :
www.banditforum.co.uk and have recently joined www.banditownersclub.com for the forum and the discounts off LOADS of places!!
I’ve not had too many problems starting. Prob need to do my air filter too tho, as I have never done it. My choke doesn’t work properly tho, and the bandit does need it, so I just manually push the choke lever spring bit, on the top of the engine by my right knee in, as I am pulling the choke lever on, and this gets it running fine. My only prob with the bandit is now that i’ve had her nearly 2 years and she’s a 98, everything seems to be falling apart and needing replacing, but I guess thats normal. Nothing a good service and gradual replacements won’t fix.
(This is the first time she’s actually been off the road tho, bandit’s are really reliable, and that’s because the chain I replaced in feb must of been faulty as there is excessive uneven wear causing it to jump, so it’s too dangerous to ride and I haven’t had a day off since last week to sort it out yet. She still did over 600 miles last week tho, even with a stretching chain)
Did the manual chole thing this morning and she burst in to life…relieved to find out it’s something so simple.
I’ve ordered a new cable and going to fit it asap, will bung in the new air filter at the same time cus can only be a good thing.
Good to hear that they are reliable beasts. I already like the bike despite the problems, just need it to be as reliable as possible when you commute into London. A few niggles seem to make mechanicals things more human somehow, or am I just a big softie.
I had the K&N twin pods on my 750 slingshot - like the man says, a bugger to set up but worth it if only for the intake noise… and like he say, a stage 3 Dj kit is the only way they’ll ever work.I never got mine near a dyno to set up, but just ran it slightly rich - ran like a dream.Did find that when you’re riding for a long time in very heavy rain that you get steam out of the exhaust though (didn’t affect performance).
I was getting 118 BHP at the back wheel with the K&Ns and a race pipe - not bad for a 1989 oil-cooled 750.
118bhp…impressive!
118? wow, I’m touching 113, but then I have a very short system.
Glad that it worked, like everyone else has said, pretty bullet proof but like a nice battery & plenty of choke. And yes, mine always runs better after a clean, air in the tyres an a dab of oil… must be part human. But, can never bump it if I leave the parking lights on and battery goes flat :doze:, is there a secret to it ? No probs with other bikes I have had. …
Thanks Goat.
I’ve found that all my vehicles respond to a nice clean and TLC.
Yeah my Bandit always needs a bit of choke first thing.
And to re-emphasise what’s said above, there is no OFF on the fuel tap but you won’t have any leaking out on ya due to the vacuum.
I get about 120-130 before hitting reserve if I’m commuting, but a bit more if I’m out on the open.
Only probs I had with mine starting was resolved with a new battery.
Slingshots and bandit although very similar engines they are st up in a totally different way, remember the bandit is a tourer and set so where as gsxr slingshot is a sports bike. B12’s are suprisingly under powered but got **** loads of torque.
All helpful.
Thanks folks.
Especially as mine was the short stroke motor with the lovely big valves…
If it hadn’t been written off by a tosser in a Mondeo I was gonna stick a set of flatslides on, too
As it was, it rode like a torquey two-stroke with a proper power band