Beschreibung
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
3rd July, 2024 13:00
1992 Suzuki Bandit 400VC
No Reserve
Registration No: K852 NTU
Frame No: GK75A126529
MOT: Exempt
'Variable Valve Control' with a 14K redline
JDM Water Cooled 400cc four cylinder
Ideal starting point for an RC164 Replica
The Suzuki Motor Co. was established in 1909 by Michio Suzuki to produce machinery for the cotton industry. An initial diversification into four-wheeled transport was curtailed by WW2 but after the war, Japan had a need for cheap reliable transport, so Suzuki, like a lot of others around the world, began to produce clip-on engines for pushbikes. These proved to be an immediate success and soon they were making full motorcycles and by the early 1960s were second only to Honda in the numbers of two-wheelers manufactured. The Bandit range, introduced in the 1990s, began a trend towards unfaired sports bikes with a retro appeal. The Bandit 400V was equipped with a newly developed 4-cylinder 400cc engine featuring a Variable Valve Control system that electronically controled the opening and lift amount in tune with the engine speed, gear position, and throttle opening to spread out the power delivery from low to high rpms, allowing for an incredible 14, 000 RPM redline.
A model developed mainly for the Japanese domestic market and never officially sold in this country, this c. 1992 Bandit 400V was imported and registered in the UK in 1997. The engine is actually water-cooled but the cylinders are still fined giving the appearance of an air-cooled motor and together with its high rev limit would make an ideal starting point for a 1960s style Honda RC164 or Benelli four cylinder replica project. Just imagine it revving to 14'000 with four open megaphones! The bike has been stood for a number of years and will require a battery, carb clean and recommissioning before use but was fired up last year on a jump pack (see attached video).
Please note:- This bike appears on the HPI database in 1998 as a Category D Insurance Loss, described as 'Vehicle Damaged But Repairable - Insurer Decided Not To Repair 30/ 11/ 1998'. The fuel tank is dented and there are scratches to the paintwork on the frame, both expensive items that would have made the bike uneconomical to repair for the insurance company.
