Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 So I found a set of gsxf1100 cams on ebay for $175 shipped. They are a direct bolt in for the bandit 1200 and would give me more peak hp and torque at the expense of a little midrange power. It's an easy job, I can do it with the motor in the bike in about an hour tops. Just wondering if the gain is worth the money and figured I'd bounce it off a few people here before I go to the bandit forum and everyone just tells me to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Oh I should add that it's becoming harder and harder to find upgrade cams for the bandit as you can only use 88-90 gsxr750 and 1100 cams or the 83-89 kat 1100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) I wouldn't, honestly how often do you use peak horsepower versus mid range Edited April 25, 2014 by 2talltim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 I use the whole motor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Butters Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 I have more fun low and mid range than up top... Not sure I would do it, but it's your bike... Will the gains up top be fairly substantial, or just moving power a little from mid to high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit12 Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 There used to be a real good Suzuki forum with great Bandit coverage, this was a popular hop up and I know you can do it. However I would like to ask what your opinion is on what might be actually gained since the Bandit tranny always seems to need another gear? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted April 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 Ok.... The kat 1100 intake cam is identical to the gsxr750 intake cam. Swapping just that will leave the mid essentially unmolested while adding 5 or 6 hp up top. The popular mod is to swap both cams for gsxr 750 or 1100 and gain more up top while losing a bit of mid. The kat 1100 exhaust cam is different than the gsxr exhaust according to part numbers. The lift is identical so I'll assume it has a shorter duration. my thinking is that if I swap in both I'll gain maybe 7 or 8 ponies up top while retaining a good deal of grunt in the middle. The bandit motor also has a lower compression ratio. 9.5 vs 10:1 for the kat. Most if not all of that should be mitigated by the 5° ignition advance I've already done (it raises the dynamic compression). By my estimates and dyno charts that I've seen I should be able to get about 140 hp and 85 lbs torque with both cams and going to pods and stage 3 jets...which is another $80 for the filters and jets. So $255 and maybe 3 hours labor for a net gain of 20 hp and 15 lbs torque while theoretically sacrificing a few hundred rpm of midrange power.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2talltim Posted April 25, 2014 Report Share Posted April 25, 2014 My bike has around 150hp(ish)at the crank, yes I could remove the secondary flies, put a tuner on it, slap in some ZX cams in it and get another 15 to 20 ponies out of it, but why? I LOVE my mid range and smoothness and mpgs and reliability. Let's face it our bikes are touring/commuting oriented they aren't race bikes. I learned my lesson with my gixxer years ago to just just leave well enough alone, trying to squeeze every hp I could out of it I ruined it for every day riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan_c_F Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Ok.... The kat 1100 intake cam is identical to the gsxr750 intake cam. Swapping just that will leave the mid essentially unmolested while adding 5 or 6 hp up top. The popular mod is to swap both cams for gsxr 750 or 1100 and gain more up top while losing a bit of mid. The kat 1100 exhaust cam is different than the gsxr exhaust according to part numbers. The lift is identical so I'll assume it has a shorter duration. my thinking is that if I swap in both I'll gain maybe 7 or 8 ponies up top while retaining a good deal of grunt in the middle. The bandit motor also has a lower compression ratio. 9.5 vs 10:1 for the kat. Most if not all of that should be mitigated by the 5° ignition advance I've already done (it raises the dynamic compression). By my estimates and dyno charts that I've seen I should be able to get about 140 hp and 85 lbs torque with both cams and going to pods and stage 3 jets...which is another $80 for the filters and jets. So $255 and maybe 3 hours labor for a net gain of 20 hp and 15 lbs torque while theoretically sacrificing a few hundred rpm of midrange power.... Cost effectiveness-wise, that's a good return on your time and money. It's not like the midrange on the GSX-1100R was all that anemic anyway, haha. If there's one thing the Bandit has a surplus of, it's midrange. I'd say go for it if you're really going to use that part of the powerband on a regular basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 How much does NOS cost? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 A lot more than cams, and without fuel injection it's pretty hard to tune...and nos likes to to devour internals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Don't forget new stiffer valve springs, to limit float and bounce. Otherwise the high rpm gains might not work as well.Don't have to, but it's an option. As well as larger valves too (if possible). And then there's the rejetting the carbs.In your case, you could simply swap back if you didn't like it, if you did only the cam. Having done a few cam swaps, I wouldn't bother with it either. Not unless it needed a cam in the first place.I spent too much time tinkering with it. And the power band was pushed up too high in rpms.It was rough on the engine. I like low/middle end torque cams now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkow97 Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Sounds like if you found the parts, you should pick them up whether you decide to do the mod or not. Based on your initial post, they are only going to go up in value to other Bandit owners, even if they never go into your motor. That said, I am not sure I would install them. Mid-range is important on a street bike... you said 3 hour of labor though, so maybe swap it in, see if you like it, and swap it back out if you don't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magley64 Posted May 2, 2014 Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Just turbo it and be done...LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2014 Don't forget new stiffer valve springs, to limit float and bounce. Otherwise the high rpm gains might not work as well.Don't have to, but it's an option. As well as larger valves too (if possible). And then there's the rejetting the carbs.In your case, you could simply swap back if you didn't like it, if you did only the cam.Having done a few cam swaps, I wouldn't bother with it either. Not unless it needed a cam in the first place.I spent too much time tinkering with it. And the power band was pushed up too high in rpms.It was rough on the engine. I like low/middle end torque cams now.They are stock katana 1100 cams, so I shouldn't need springs. I'm not gonna do valves either, don't want the bike out of commission that long, plus I'd have to buy the valves, head gasket, new oil o rings, etc... This looked like a cheap way to gain some top end with only a slight loss in midrange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmutt Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 For the money vs gain, a good investment for sure. Twice the price with an exhaust system and tune for similar results, but for a grand you could pump the HP into the high 150's at maybe 95lbs. Quite a chunk of change, but quite a performance jump too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Yeah, you're talking about the stock bore high compression piston kit aren't you? I've thought about it, just so I can surprise the shit out of some people but eh...I'd never get that grand back out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 (edited) Contacted the seller and offered him $150 for the cams. Shouldn't be a whole lot of tuning involved, I'm not changing the breathing characteristics of the motor, just the cam duration. I may just go ahead and put pods on and jet accordingly...nbd.Edit: went ahead and ordered jets and pods on ebay...I can't help it, I just need to hotrod the shit out of every bike I buy. If the seller takes my offer on the cams I'll be $230 and maybe 5 hours invested assuming the tuning specs from other guys on the bandit forum pan out. Should make my ugly bagger a fucking 135 hp 85 lb/ft bastard of a machine. Edited May 3, 2014 by CrazySkullCrusher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Talk is cheap pauly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Lol.. I'll concede that you are a more talented rider than I am, and that riders being equal your duc has a clear advantage over my bike as far as suspenders go...but as far as cheap, bolt on horsepower goes, the bandit is pretty awesome, and I want 3rd gear power woolies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 I love it. I do wish it had more top end power tho...midrange is super useful but I miss the explosive top end of a true sport bike. The tl had about the best motor for me, huge torque down low but also a huge burst of power above 7k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 It has begun. Cams and jets arrived yesterday, pods come tomorrow. Cracked the motor open tonight after work, drank a few beers and made some progress.Removed seat, tank, ignition coils and oil linesPulled the valve cover and was greeted by one of the cleanest valve trains I've ever met. 26k on the clock and looks brand newPulled the timing cover and rotated the motor to tdc on #1. The kat cam sprockets have a different pitch than the bandit, so I'll have to swap cam sprockets. Pauly told me a great tip: mark a tooth and link on each cam to make shit idiot proof.that's as far as I got tonight. Beer count was up to 3 and that's my limit for work inside a motor. More to come over the weekend between mother's day, yard work, family dinners and other useless activities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max power Posted May 9, 2014 Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 Shame on you Pauly! That poor woman spit you out her loins, Now go buy her something pretty. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mello dude Posted May 9, 2014 Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 (edited) Great idea on the ink on the cam sprockets... Edited May 9, 2014 by mello dude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted May 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2014 Yeah. Usually I would just look up how many links go between cams and go by the timing marks but this makes things easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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