2001 Suzuki GSF1200S Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2001 Suzuki GSF1200S, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Exterior lighting250.0%
- Brakes125.0%
- Steering125.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE SEALED PROJECTION-BEAM HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ON MY 2001 SUZUKI BANDIT GSF1200S MOTORCYCLE HAS AN INTERNAL COATING OF FINE BLACK POWDER ON THE HIGH BEAM LENS THAT HAS REDUCED THE HIGH BEAM OUTPUT TO PRACTICALLY NIL. THIS DEFECT APPARENTLY RESULTS FROM POOR QUALITY CONTROL DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, AND HAS PROGRESSED OVER TIME TO THE POINT WHERE RIDING THE MOTORCYCLE IS DANGEROUS AT NIGHT, AND HAS REDUCED ITS VISIBILITY IN DAYLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE SUZUKI BANDIT OWNERS WEBSITE "MAXIMUM-SUZUKI.COM.", THIS DEFECT IS VERY COMMON IN THIS MODEL, AND SUZUKI IS RELUCTANT TO ADRESS THE PROBLEM. NO PARTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS OF YET.
DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES THAT BECOME USELESS AT NIGHT. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS A SEALED UNIT. AFTER 5000 MILES, MY HEADLIGHT WAS FULL OF A BLACK POWDERY SUBSTANCE WHICH COATED THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE LENS THEREBY RENDERING THE LIGHTING POOR AT BEST. *AK THERE WERE ALSO NUMEROUS SMALL PIECES OF GLASS FROM THE EDGES OF THE PROJECTOR BEAM LENS RATTLING AROUND INSIDE THE ASSEMBLY. THE MOTORCYCLE COULD NOT BE RIDDEN AT NIGHT DUE TO THE LACK OF ADEQUATE LIGHTING. I HAD REPORTED THIS DEFECT TO THE SUZUKI SAFETY DEFECT HOTLINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE MANUFACTURER HAS REPLACED MY OLD ASSEMBLY (FURNISHED THE PART ONLY, NO LABOR). THE NEW ASSEMBLY APPEARS TO BE OF THE SAME CONSTRUCTION AND CARRIES THE SAME PART NUMBER. I FULLY EXPECT THAT THIS ASSEMBLY WILL LIKELY PERFORM NO BETTER THAN THE ONE IT REPLACED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHERS THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE THE SAME MOTORCYCLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES BRAKE LIGHT IS POORLY VISIBLE, AND IT IS INSUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO SEE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY DOT THAT THE LIGHTS MUST BE VISIBLE AT 500 FEET, DEALER SUGGESTED ADDING MORE LIGHTS AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE, ONE PERSON USED ALUMINUM FOIL TO INCREASE BRIGHTNESS. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE HANDLE BARS ON THE BIKE WERE MOUNTED INTO A METAL TUBE THAT TURNED THE FRONT WHEEL. WHEN BRAKING THERE WAS A VERY STRONG VIBRATION. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .