SKOAL BANDIT SPECIAL

[Skub]

https://www.bikebound.com/2023/04/11/sk ... mhide=true

The green screen might be a step too far,but otherwise quite nice.

[Supermofo]

Yup like that, other than the screen as you say.

Reminds me of the 80s and my Dad taking me round local bike shops back when they existed.

[ChrisW]

That's very nice - make the seat green & the screen clear though

[Yorick]

Nice but change the screen.

[Bustaspoke]

Yes that's really nice,all that I'd alter are the screen,those daft bar end mirrors & recover the seat with a dark cover as it would be a nightmare trying to keep clean.

[Bigyin]

I like that, nice and clean lines too

Looks like we all think the same that the screen needs to be changed, lose the bar end mirrors but i think the white seat allows the paintjob to flow in a way a dark seat wouldnt so invest in leather cleaner

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I thought the 11s were a bit soft, real men had the 750.

[KungFooBob]

Needs more pink.

[Bigjawa]

Forks are too short, coupled to that stubby swing arm it'll be a shaky fucker. Apart from that, it's like being teleported back to 1995.

[Felix]

The colour is fucking Horrid. From a Celtic fan i am ashamed to say it should be blue and white.

[Potter]

From a nostalgia point of view there is a lot to like about a Skoal GSXR, but equally there is a lot that just doesn't sit right, it's not a 750, the front end, the swingarm, etc.
I think the standard bike looked better.

I don't know who built it, but maybe he's young or simply doesn't understand that retro-fitting an old bike with new parts usually doesn't look as good as the original. Modify it with period parts by all means, but that's not period, it's just a mess.

[demographic]

Although I'm no fan of the hunchback look of Slabbies, I quite like the spec.
Not at all a fan of that green screen and personally I would never have a bike that advertised chewing tobacco so the Skoal thing is out.

Yes and no from me then.

[mangocrazy]

Not at all a fan of that green screen and personally I would never have a bike that advertised chewing tobacco so the Skoal thing is out.

This ^^^ absolutely. Never understood the idea of marketing chewing tobacco to non-Yanks. Disgusting concept. Something like the new Honda Hornet or an Aprilia 660 would run rings round that lardy old bus.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Not at all a fan of that green screen and personally I would never have a bike that advertised chewing tobacco so the Skoal thing is out.

This ^^^ absolutely. Never understood the idea of marketing chewing tobacco to non-Yanks. Disgusting concept. Something like the new Honda Hornet or an Aprilia 660 would run rings round that lardy old bus.

You'd be surprised how quick and capable they are, you need big balls to ride one fast, but they go and handle better than most people's limits.

[mangocrazy]

Not at all a fan of that green screen and personally I would never have a bike that advertised chewing tobacco so the Skoal thing is out.

This ^^^ absolutely. Never understood the idea of marketing chewing tobacco to non-Yanks. Disgusting concept. Something like the new Honda Hornet or an Aprilia 660 would run rings round that lardy old bus.

You'd be surprised how quick and capable they are, you need big balls to ride one fast, but they go and handle better than most people's limits.

I think that's the point I was trying to make... I do remember a later version of that model killing Mez Mellor at the TT, and he was not lacking in testicular fortitude.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The K that Mez died on was a worse handling bike than the older 11s, and the engine felt a fair bit pokier, I always thought the Slingshots lacked feel compared with the Slabbies (both 1100s and 750s), without doubt the Slingshot frame was stiffer, but I never felt comfortable riding hard (for me) on them, they felt like they'd go from under control to put of control with very little warning, the older bikes had more flex and you always new how hard you could push them.

I know I haven't got the ability to ride a 100+ bhp bike near it's limit, I'm faster on an 80bhp bike.

[mangocrazy]

The K that Mez died on was a worse handling bike than the older 11s, and the engine felt a fair bit pokier, I always thought the Slingshots lacked feel compared with the Slabbies (both 1100s and 750s), without doubt the Slingshot frame was stiffer, but I never felt comfortable riding hard (for me) on them, they felt like they'd go from under control to put of control with very little warning, the older bikes had more flex and you always new how hard you could push them.

I know I haven't got the ability to ride a 100+ bhp bike near it's limit, I'm faster on an 80bhp bike.

I seem to remember paddock chatter being that they were unpredictable and could catch you out without warning. I'd bumped into Mez in a veggie cafe we frequented, with his wife and young kid at that TT, only a few days before his accident. He was a lovely bloke, would spend time with anyone.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

My memory of Slingshots is that the 400 was superb, the 750 was good and the 1100 was a bit a bit of a wildebeest, it was fantastically fast, as quick as an early R1, but they felt like they wanted to carry on straight no matter what you wanted it to do, but back then I weighed 10 stone and didn't have the muscle to make it go where I wanted it to, the older 1100s needed less muscle, they were lighter, had less power and a better riding position, skinny 18" wheels probably helped.

[Bigjawa]

The Slabside was a better handling bike, I've ridden them on the original 18s and converted to 17s and they're nice if the suspension is in good shape.

The slingshot isn't as nice, the "Killer K" had too short a swingarm and the head angle was steeper. The next model, the L had a longer swingarm and USD forks, then the final oil boilers had even more weight and carbs that were too big.

I always thought the main reason they ditched the Slabside frame was that it was horrendously expensive to make?

The Slabside forks are longer than Slingshot ones, modern stuff is shorter again and won't be sprung for the 190lb of engine behind them.

A good rule of thumb on a Slabside is to look at the top of the tank, if it's not level or slightly nose high, it'll be a slapper.

I never had a problem with either of my Slabbies or the L I had, but I'm a big heavy lump.

[The Spin Doctor]

Although I'm no fan of the hunchback look of Slabbies, I quite like the spec.
Not at all a fan of that green screen and personally I would never have a bike that advertised chewing tobacco so the Skoal thing is out.

Yes and no from me then.

I doubt 90% of the people here in Blighty watching the old Skoal Bandit racebikes circulating would even have known what chewing tobacco was!