You’ll have thought {that a} bike that shortly turned generally known as the ‘widow maker’ would postpone a younger, comparatively inexperienced rider like myself, but it surely did not. The scare tales made it extra interesting, the rumours of energy wheelies made it thrilling and the drone of a V-Twin with race pipes on full chat made it sound intoxicating. And so started a love affair with a motorcycle that I can solely describe as an Alfa Romeo on two wheels; sensible when it really works and a canine’s dinner when it does not. Sure, it is the legendary Suzuki TL1000S, or to be extra exact TL1000SV, the unique head-banging full energy mannequin.
My TL possession started at a service station on the M25 in 2004, following a chat with the proprietor on eBay. I had positioned a list asking to part-ex my discount Kawasaki ZX6R J1 that I had purchased to get me to and from college for a discount £2500 for a TL1000S. You learn that proper, a 4 yr previous bike with solely 20,000 miles for £2500 from a vendor, however that’s one other story.
The TL had been my dream bike for a few years, ever since its launch in 1997. It was essentially the most highly effective one litre V-twin of its time, kicking out 125bhp which was excess of its nearest rival the Ducati 916, essentially the most well-known motorcycle of all of them. The press raved in regards to the engine, its easy energy wheelies, its incredible dealing with and its revolutionary rotary damper rear suspension that had been impressed by the world of Formulation 1. It walked throughout Ducati.
Sadly the reward did not final lengthy. Rumours of large tankslappers on bumpy uneven roads started to flow into, folks have been getting harm and the inevitable occurred… a journalist was killed. Blame was attributed to the rotary damper. Solely a teaspoon of oil was used, shortly ensuing within the shock overheating when the going bought powerful and turning the bike into a large pogo stick. It turned generally known as the Widow Maker.
To handle the issue Suzuki fitted an un-adjustable steering dampener, which helped the issue but additionally killed the dealing with. In later fashions additionally they began decreasing the ability, however there’s some debate as as to whether this was to offer its ‘greater’ brother the totally faired TL1000R the sting, however in actuality the R was heavier and slower.
The issues did not cease there nevertheless… the gasoline tank leaked in heat climate, the frames cracked leading to a mass recall for a brand new body, the gasoline injection was jerky, the electrics have been subsequent to ineffective and the chain turned too tight over bumps and needed to be run slack.
Chances are you’ll now be questioning why the hell I wished such a motorcycle! Effectively for me it was a straight ahead choice. I just like the underdog, I preferred the thought of proudly owning a motorcycle that no one else wished as a result of it was too harmful, and the fact was the bikes weren’t the issue. They simply weren’t setup correctly from the manufacturing unit and other people weren’t respecting its limits. As well as, numerous aftermarket suspension choices from Maxton have been obtainable and different issues are simply mounted.
Ready on the companies on the M25 on a good looking summer time’s day, I may hear the bellowing sound of a v-twin with race pipes developing the slip highway in direction of me. It sounded incredible! The purple TL seemed beautiful within the solar, with its gold wheels, black menacing engine and polished race pipes. The proprietor instantly jumped on the ZX6 and squealed with delight, “that is precisely what I would like, I hate the TL, I would like one thing simple and trendy”.
Alarm bells ought to have, however did not ring. I knew the TL1000S was a marmite bike. I gave it an intensive going over (or so I believed) and carried out the same old checks. The engine purred away, all of the electrics have been working and it revved freely. No leaks, no cracks, new body, good chain, good tyres, comfortable, sounds high… I by no means lusted after a motorcycle a lot.
We signed the paperwork as shortly as attainable and he screamed away on the Kwack. I did not even take a look at him depart, though the ZX6r was a incredible bike I simply could not get connected to it. I kitted up, swung my leg over the TL and fired it up.
It is not like an inline 4, as you sit there idling the entire bike vibrates and pulses with the engine beat, getting sooner as you rev it. The using place is extra head down than the ZX6 however comfy and the entire bike feels very slender. Good to go I let loose the clutch and joined the M25.
I gave it a fistful, the bike jumped ahead, the entrance went mild, 100mph got here up in seconds and the sweetest sound was emitted from the pipes. The low down torque was chic, giving it extra urgency than the Kwack and it felt stronger on the high. Whether or not it was sooner or not is debatable due to the ZX6’s screaming high finish, however overtakes have been easy.
My pleasure was quick lived. The steering felt heavy and the bike did not need to change course. At first I believed this was all the way down to the large inventory steering dampener throughout the highest yoke, however after transferring lanes the bike wobbled over the white traces. I pulled in on the subsequent companies and checked the tyres. They have been each as flat as a pancake. The earlier proprietor complained in regards to the poor dealing with, I ponder why?
With each tyres pumped up, the bike was reworked and dealt with moderately properly on the bends as soon as I had left the motorway however as I started to gel with the bike, I observed the assorted well-known issues. The bike felt rear heavy and pushed the entrance in quick bends making me run vast, the steering dampener eliminated any really feel from the entrance finish and decreased responsiveness, the rear shock crashed over bumps (mixture of too tight a series and the rotary damper) and when using by means of cities the bike was horribly jerky on an element throttle. So jerky the truth is it was like using a bucking bronco! I may really feel that if I pushed the bike too arduous on a bumpy highway, I might be thrown skywards earlier than I may say “Oh… “. I had some work to do…
My first job was to repair the jerky gasoline injection. This was a easy case of organising the TPS (Throttle Place Sensor) correctly, as Suzuki did not trouble on the manufacturing unit. It is actually a 5 minute job and transforms the bike. Inside seconds of using I may really feel the bike was clean as silk, there was nonetheless some transmission lash, however that is v-twin appeal.
Subsequent on the record was to kind the dealing with. I learn quite a few boards, tech websites and talked to varied suspension specialists and shortly realised the bike was simply poorly setup from the manufacturing unit. It did not want cash throwing at it, it simply wanted just a few tweaks. I instantly dumped the steering dampener (I used to be instructed by numerous bikers I might die), raised the forks by means of the yoke 5mm (instructed by numerous bikers I might be much more useless) to place extra weight on the entrance, tweaked the entrance and rear suspension settings and dumped the 190 rear tyre for a 180 to hurry up the steering.
I additionally adjusted the chain correctly, as as a result of alignment of the rear swingarm in comparison with the output shaft, in case you alter the chain as you’ll on every other bike, it might go bow tight over a bump and probably lock the wheel or wreck the engine.
One final modification was to suit higher brakes from the Hayabusa, Galfer wavy discs and braided hoses to enhance the spongy brakes. At low pace they’re common, however at greater speeds they’re fantastically robust and two finger braking is all that is required.
The primary journey after the tweaks was chic. All of the scare tales I had heard and skim in regards to the Tl1000S simply did not apply to the bike I used to be sat on. It tuned sooner than the ZX6r, I may hit any apex I wished by thought alone and there was no trace of a tankslapper, even when I used to be ham-fisted and going hell for leather-based. That journey was among the best I’ve ever had.
A few days later I had it on the dyno, the place it was tweaked from an already spectacular 119rwbhp to 126rwbhp (later bikes produced round 100bhp), it was now the perfect bike on the planet. Or it was when it labored 100%… On scorching sunny days, after each journey I might come again and discover gasoline leaking from the tank and dripping slowly down the aspect of the bike. Regardless of becoming later mannequin gasoline tanks, making an attempt sealants and many others, the issue was by no means totally mounted. I usually thought of what would occur if gasoline dripped onto the exhaust as I used to be using, sending me skywards in a big fireball.
There have been additionally gremlins within the electrics. If it rained the bike would not work. Folks usually say how unreliable Italian bikes are, however this Japanese bike proved simply as unhealthy. Rain would seep in behind the entrance spark plug lead inflicting the entrance cylinder to chop out. You’d end up using alongside and instantly being launched out of your seat because it lower out then again in once more. My neighbour additionally actually almost punched me, as a result of I might have to sit down there revving it after a moist journey till the water evaporated, in any other case the bike would not begin within the morning. Sealant cured it… generally.
Different electrics have been additionally problematic, with melting connections being an everyday incidence leading to quick circuits, or in case you have been actually unfortunate you would be using alongside a highway in the midst of nowhere at the hours of darkness, and the headlight would fail.
The straw that broke the camel’s again nevertheless was when the out-shaft bearing failed. This was almost definitely brought on by the earlier proprietor having the chain too tight and resulted in an £800 restore invoice. Most bikes you possibly can take away the bearing from the skin, however on the TL1000S it’s a must to cut up the instances then wait two months for elements. Quickly after fixing it, I offered it after 2 years and 20,000 miles of possession.
Do I remorse promoting it? Effectively I am fortunate sufficient to be again with my previous bike 8 years later for one final journey. Since promoting it I’ve owned a ZX9r and the monster that’s the Kawasaki ZX12r (which I crashed on ice 8 months in the past, oops!), each are considerably sooner than the TL with 140bhp and 175bhp respectively, however did they’ve the identical character? They have been extra dependable for a begin, having lined 75,000 miles and 30,000 miles with no hitch. My largest remorse about promoting the TL1000SV although is that they’re now value twice the quantity I offered mine for!
Seeing my previous bike once more actually provides me goose bumps. It nonetheless seems to be incredible, regardless of beginning to present its 17 years with flaking engine paint and the odd little bit of corrosion, and though the design is now outdated it nonetheless seems to be menacing. It is also been fitted with the elective decrease fairing, which I am undecided if I like.
Slinging a leg over the bike feels very old skool. It feels dense and the using place is not as comfy as a extra trendy bike with a narrower seat. The fittings and fixtures look cheaper and do not match collectively in addition to the luxurious ZX12r. The clocks are additionally very ’90s and minimalist, however they let you know every thing you want for the journey forward.
Beginning the TL1000S up once more, the sound is intoxicating. I’ll at all times love the sound of a v-twin, particularly on full chat, it offends no-one not like a screaming 4. Sitting there and revving the engine nevertheless is if you actually begin to discover its age, the way in which it vibrates feels very unrefined, it feels as if the engine is free within the bike and it is about to collapse. It will not although, it provides it character.
Setting off at low pace, you discover the distinction between extra trendy gasoline injection and the TL’s, despite the fact that it is a v-twin. The journey is snatchy, nearly cumbersome, it’s a must to take into consideration what you are doing in any other case you will stall simply. However as you wind the engine up, the bike comes alive and it feels simply nearly as good as any trendy engine. There may be relentless torque and energy proper to the red-line and the noise is elegant. Heading right into a bend, the suspension feels tough and prepared, crashing on the rear and feeling underdamped on the entrance. This may simply be case of needing to suit the Maxton rear and trendy internals on the entrance to enhance issues. The dealing with remains to be tight although and it holds line, monitoring the highway precisely the place you need it. The braking can be nonetheless very spectacular because the setup hasn’t modified since my possession.
Using my previous TL1000SV once more has been incredible, but it surely does not really feel just like the animal it as soon as was. It’s a bike you possibly can seize by the scruff of the neck nevertheless and journey to inside an inch of its life, whereas nonetheless going at an affordable and never too unlawful pace. The facility wheelies do not occur as simply as I bear in mind (in all probability as a result of I am heavier) It is filled with character and remains to be among the best sounding bikes on the highway and regardless of the horror tales can be comparatively benign by right this moment’s requirements.
Would I personal one once more? Sure, it was the perfect most pleasing bike I’ve ever owned, however I’d convey it updated with rather more trendy suspension and it must have all the opposite issues already ironed out. The engine lives on in different bikes, however none have the identical presence. It might be the proper bike for my man shed alongside my subsequent dream undertaking, a Ducati Café Racer, and having a cult standing, earlier full energy fashions are going up in worth making it an ideal funding.
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