Suzuki TL1000R

I'm looking at one of these because I love the sound they make but I don't
have any idea of the handling or what mods can be done to them? Is this the
one with the rotary rear suspension?

Any pointers?

 

Na, the TL-S had the rotary damper. The R has a normal shock and the
frame is pretty much the same as the GSXR750 of the same age.

 

Some.

Yes, they have the rotary rear damper, but apparently an improved
version of the one use on the TLS. It actually works off a separate
linkage to the spring. It's supposedly temperature compensated, which
it probably needs to be as the back end gets bleeding hot in summer.
Just don't wear thin cotton jeans! According to the manual, you're not
supposed to adjust them hot, which strikes me as being a bit silly.

Lots of TLRs have been converted to Maxton or Ohlins, so if you have a
choice then go for one of those. Mine is utterly stock.

As stock they're pretty stable. In fact, I find mine too stable; it
takes a relatively heavy lean on the bars to turn them (possibly
Suzuki were scared by the infamy that the TLS received, who knows?). I
fitted D207RRs because the profile was rumoured to be sharper and
sharpen up the steering. Hard on the power on bumpy roads the bars
will occasionally, if I'm careless, give a sudden wide flap but that
may be down to me generally using a lighter steering damper - the
stock one is quite stiff. I've also lowered the yokes a few mm and
wound up the rear preload quite high. Probably a better rear shock
would help but otherwise I personally don't have a problem with the
suspension.

It's very nice to ride on sweeping curves at speed. The chassis seems
to wake up, otherwise it feels kind of dead, somehow. Hanging off a
bit on slower corners does seem to help but that could just be me.
This might explain why I hate riding mine in the wet: it just feels
ponderous and remote, somehow. In contrast my Aprilia (which wears
D208RRs) is, metaphorically, shouting and waving its arms and gabbling
in Italian, yet still feels pretty secure. The Aprilia feels lighter
and as though I could dominate it physically whereas the Suzuki makes
me feel more of a passenger.

They're quite heavy, and feel it when wheeling around the garage.
Physically they're quite big as sprotsbikes go.

Power is delivered much like a rather torquey four, according to a
dyno graph I saw on the net (compared with a ZX-9R). Certainly mine
pulls OK below 7K but you want to be above this for any serious grunt.
At this point it simply pulls harder the faster you go.

They have the awful Nissin six-potters at the front, though they are
at least nice and progressive, and the standard Suzuki corrosion-prone
underslung Nissin at the rear. Front's a tad spongy but massively
improved since I fitted braided hoses.

I do really like mine, I think it looks lovely and am still undecided
as to whether to keep it. They're different and kind of the underdog
and that appeals to me. Trouble is, I wouldn't use it on the track;
it's too old and too heavy and I've spent too long tarting up the
cosmetics, so I would have to keep something else for that.

 

Pip Luscher says...

No they don't, they have Tokicos, which are shite. Nissin 6 potters are
fucking awesome, you can find them on some Daytona 1200s.

--
Lozzo
Triumph Daytona 955i SE (Black with added black bits)
Suzuki SV650 K3
Suzuki GSX-R750L
Yamaha 250 Flat-tracker
I ride way too fast to worry about cholestorol.

 

<checks>

You're dead right.

Me and names. Sometimes I forget that my own name is Brian.

 

He usually is.

 

Get an SV-1000 and put Yoshimura RS-3 race cans on it.

 

Fair point but I've been offered a TL.

 

Free?