You would have considered that a bicycle that swiftly became regarded as the ‘widow maker’ would set off a younger, fairly inexperienced rider like myself, but it failed to. The scare tales designed it extra attractive, the rumours of electrical power wheelies built it interesting and the drone of a V-Twin with race pipes on full chat created it seem intoxicating. And so started a enjoy affair with a bicycle that I can only describe as an Alfa Romeo on two wheels excellent when it performs and a dog’s supper when it doesn’t. Yes, it is the legendary Suzuki TL1000S, or to be extra exact TL1000SV, the unique head-banging whole electricity model.
My TL ownership started at a service station on the M25 in 2004, pursuing a chat with the owner on eBay. I experienced positioned a listing inquiring to element-ex my deal Kawasaki ZX6R J1 that I had acquired to get me to and from university for a deal £2500 for a TL1000S. You go through that proper, a 4 calendar year outdated bicycle with only 20,000 miles for £2500 from a dealer, but that is one more story.
The TL had been my desire bicycle for a lot of many years, at any time considering that its launch in 1997. It was the most strong 1 litre V-twin of its time, kicking out 125bhp which was far far more than its nearest rival the Ducati 916, the most popular motorcycle of them all. The push raved about the engine, its easy energy wheelies, its excellent managing and its revolutionary rotary damper rear suspension that experienced been impressed by the globe of Method 1. It walked all more than Ducati.
Sadly the praise did not very last long. Rumours of massive tankslappers on bumpy uneven roads started to flow into, persons were being obtaining damage and the inescapable took place… a journalist was killed. Blame was attributed to the rotary damper. Only a teaspoon of oil was utilized, rapidly ensuing in the shock overheating when the heading acquired tricky and turning the bicycle into a huge pogo adhere. It became recognised as the Widow Maker.
To handle the difficulty Suzuki equipped an un-adjustable steering dampener, which served the trouble but also killed the handling. In afterwards types they also started off lowering the energy, but there is some debate as to no matter if this was to give its ‘bigger’ brother the thoroughly faired TL1000R the edge, but in fact the R was heavier and slower.
The issues did not end there on the other hand… the fuel tank leaked in warm climate, the frames cracked ensuing in a mass remember for a new body, the fuel injection was jerky, the electrics had been up coming to useless and the chain grew to become way too limited about bumps and experienced to be operate slack.
You may possibly now be wondering why the hell I needed this kind of a bike! Perfectly for me it was a straight forward conclusion. I like the underdog, I liked the concept of possessing a bike that nobody else desired due to the fact it was too unsafe, and the actuality was the bikes weren’t the trouble. They just were not setup adequately from the manufacturing unit and individuals were not respecting its limitations. In addition, a variety of aftermarket suspension possibilities from Maxton were accessible and other troubles are effortlessly fastened.
Waiting around at the products and services on the M25 on a beautiful summer’s day, I could listen to the bellowing sound of a v-twin with race pipes coming up the slip highway to me. It sounded fantastic! The red TL looked breathtaking in the sun, with its gold wheels, black menacing motor and polished race pipes. The operator right away jumped on the ZX6 and squealed with delight, “this is particularly what I want, I despise the TL, I want some thing quick and modern-day”.
Alarm bells must have, but failed to ring. I realized the TL1000S was a marmite bicycle. I gave it a thorough likely over (or so I imagined) and carried out the standard checks. The engine purred away, all the electrics have been working and it revved freely. No leaks, no cracks, new frame, excellent chain, very good tyres, cozy, appears top… I never ever lusted soon after a bike so much.
We signed the paperwork as speedily as feasible and he screamed away on the Kwack. I did not even glance at him depart, whilst the ZX6r was a superb bicycle I just couldn’t get hooked up to it. I kitted up, swung my leg in excess of the TL and fired it up.
It really is not like an inline four, as you sit there idling the full bike vibrates and pulses with the engine beat, finding quicker as you rev it. The riding situation is a lot more head down than the ZX6 but at ease and the entire bike feels really narrow. Fantastic to go I let out the clutch and joined the M25.
I gave it a fistful, the bike jumped forward, the front went gentle, 100mph came up in seconds and the sweetest sound was emitted from the pipes. The small down torque was sublime, providing it additional urgency than the Kwack and it felt more robust at the major. Regardless of whether it was quicker or not is debatable because of the ZX6’s screaming leading end, but overtakes had been easy.
My pleasure was quick lived. The steering felt large and the bicycle didn’t want to alter route. At first I thought this was down to the significant inventory steering dampener across the leading yoke, but immediately after shifting lanes the bicycle wobbled over the white strains. I pulled in at the next companies and checked the tyres. They had been both equally as flat as a pancake. The earlier operator complained about the bad dealing with, I question why?
With the two tyres pumped up, the bike was remodeled and dealt with moderately properly on the bends after I experienced still left the motorway but as I began to gel with the bike, I discovered the different properly recognised problems. The bicycle felt rear large and pushed the front in fast bends earning me operate broad, the steering dampener eradicated any feel from the entrance conclude and reduced responsiveness, the rear shock crashed in excess of bumps (mix of too limited a chain and the rotary damper) and when driving as a result of towns the bicycle was horribly jerky on a part throttle. So jerky in truth it was like driving a bucking bronco! I could experience that if I pushed the bicycle also hard on a bumpy road, I would be thrown skywards right before I could say “Oh… “. I had some operate to do…
My to start with endeavor was to correct the jerky fuel injection. This was a simple circumstance of location up the TPS (Throttle Situation Sensor) correctly, as Suzuki failed to hassle at the manufacturing unit. It really is literally a 5 minute career and transforms the bicycle. Within seconds of using I could really feel the bike was smooth as silk, there was nonetheless some transmission lash, but which is v-twin allure.
Following on the listing was to form the dealing with. I read through various community forums, tech sites and talked to various suspension professionals and quickly realised the bike was just inadequately set up from the factory. It didn’t require dollars throwing at it, it just necessary a number of tweaks. I immediately dumped the steering dampener (I was explained to by various bikers I would die), raised the forks by means of the yoke 5mm (advised by different bikers I’d be even extra useless) to put much more pounds on the entrance, tweaked the entrance and rear suspension settings and dumped the 190 rear tyre for a 180 to velocity up the steering.
I also altered the chain correctly, as thanks to the alignment of the rear swingarm in comparison to the output shaft, if you modify the chain as you would on any other bicycle, it would go bow restricted around a bump and possibly lock the wheel or wreck the motor.
One particular very last modification was to in good shape greater brakes from the Hayabusa, Galfer wavy discs and braided hoses to boost the spongy brakes. At very low pace they are regular, but at greater speeds they are fantastically sturdy and two finger braking is all that’s demanded.
The initial journey following the tweaks was chic. All the scare tales I had read and browse about the Tl1000S just didn’t implement to the bicycle I was sat on. It tuned speedier than the ZX6r, I could strike any apex I wished by imagined by itself and there was no trace of a tankslapper, even if I was ham-fisted and going hell for leather. That ride was one particular of the most effective I have at any time had.
A few of days later on I had it on the dyno, where by it was tweaked from an already amazing 119rwbhp to 126rwbhp (afterwards bikes generated about 100bhp), it was now the greatest bicycle in the world. Or it was when it labored 100%… On warm sunny days, soon after every ride I would arrive again and find fuel leaking from the tank and dripping little by little down the aspect of the bike. Irrespective of fitting afterwards product fuel tanks, hoping sealants etc, the problem was under no circumstances entirely set. I generally considered about what would occur if gas dripped on to the exhaust as I was using, sending me skywards in a big fireball.
There were being also gremlins in the electrics. If it rained the bike wouldn’t get the job done. Folks frequently say how unreliable Italian bikes are, but this Japanese bike proved just as terrible. Rain would seep in driving the front spark plug guide triggering the front cylinder to lower out. You’d obtain oneself driving together and quickly remaining released out of your seat as it slice out then back again in again. My neighbour also virtually virtually punched me, due to the fact I might have to sit there revving it right after a wet experience right up until the water evaporated, otherwise the bike wouldn’t start in the morning. Sealant remedied it… often.
Other electrics were also problematic, with melting connections getting a frequent prevalence resulting in limited circuits, or if you were being actually unfortunate you would be riding alongside a road in the center of nowhere in the dark, and the headlight would are unsuccessful.
The straw that broke the camel’s again however was when the out-shaft bearing unsuccessful. This was most most likely caused by the past operator acquiring the chain as well limited and resulted in an £800 fix invoice. Most bikes you can take out the bearing from the outdoors, but on the TL1000S you have to split the instances then wait two months for sections. Before long just after correcting it, I sold it soon after 2 yrs and 20,000 miles of possession.
Do I regret offering it? Perfectly I’m blessed ample to be back again with my previous bicycle 8 many years afterwards for a single final experience. Considering the fact that selling it I have owned a ZX9r and the monster that is the Kawasaki ZX12r (which I crashed on ice 8 months back, oops!), the two are significantly quicker than the TL with 140bhp and 175bhp respectively, but did they have the exact character? They have been much more trustworthy for a start out, getting coated 75,000 miles and 30,000 miles without a hitch. My most significant regret about providing the TL1000SV while is that they are now truly worth two times the volume I offered mine for!
Viewing my previous bike again undoubtedly gives me goose bumps. It nonetheless seems excellent, regardless of setting up to clearly show its 17 many years with flaking engine paint and the odd little bit of corrosion, and while the style and design is now out-of-date it continue to appears to be like menacing. It is really also been equipped with the optional lessen fairing, which I am not confident if I like.
Slinging a leg about the bike feels quite old school. It feels dense and the using place isn’t really as snug as a more modern bicycle with a narrower seat. The fittings and fixtures look more affordable and don’t in good shape collectively as properly as the magnificent ZX12r. The clocks are also really ’90s and minimalist, but they inform you every thing you need for the trip forward.
Starting off the TL1000S up yet again, the sound is intoxicating. I will often love the sound of a v-twin, primarily on whole chat, it offends no-a person unlike a screaming 4. Sitting there and revving the motor nonetheless is when you actually commence to detect its age, the way it vibrates feels incredibly unrefined, it feels as though the motor is free in the bike and it really is about to drop apart. It would not even though, it gives it character.
Setting off at minimal speed, you recognize the variation between additional present day gasoline injection and the TL’s, even though it really is a v-twin. The journey is snatchy, just about cumbersome, you have to feel about what you’re carrying out otherwise you’ll stall very easily. But as you wind the engine up, the bicycle will come alive and it feels just as very good as any fashionable engine. There is relentless torque and electric power proper to the red-line and the sounds is elegant. Heading into a bend, the suspension feels tough and all set, crashing at the rear and emotion underdamped at the front. This could just be scenario of needing to healthy the Maxton rear and modern-day internals on the front to make improvements to factors. The handling is nevertheless limited nevertheless and it retains a good line, monitoring the street precisely exactly where you want it. The braking is also still very spectacular as the setup has not transformed because my possession.
Driving my previous TL1000SV once more has been excellent, but it won’t sense like the animal it the moment was. It is a bike you can seize by the scruff of the neck nonetheless and journey to inside an inch of its life, while still going at a acceptable and not too unlawful speed. The electrical power wheelies never take place as easily as I remember (almost certainly simply because I’m heavier) It truly is full of character and is even now a person of the ideal sounding bikes on the street and in spite of the horror tales is also somewhat benign by modern specifications.
Would I have 1 yet again? Yes, it was the best most pleasing bicycle I’ve ever owned, but I would bring it up to date with a lot much more modern-day suspension and it would have to have all the other issues already ironed out. The engine life on in other bikes, but none have the same existence. It would be the best bicycle for my guy get rid of along with my subsequent desire venture, a Ducati Café Racer, and getting a cult standing, previously full electrical power versions are likely up in worth generating it a excellent financial commitment.
