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Gra
17-07-08, 04:28 PM
Evening all. Been doing a bit of research lately on the TL1000. By the looks of things I would love one (although I know for a fact I can't afford one at the moment!). Question is, are they as mental as they are made out to be? Widow maker and all that? Front end getting nervous at speed?

Must be some present/former owners lurking here somewhere!

Cheers!

Graham :smt035

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 04:38 PM
If your put off by the hype of the TL, go find yourself a Cagiva Raptor. TL1000 engine, clothed in what I can only describe as a marmite bike. You either love it or hate it.
Its reputation is still that of an animal, but, a more refined animal. At the end of the day its still a TL.

Plus theres probably not as many about, and theres definetly more of them that come in an uncrashed form

Gra
17-07-08, 04:48 PM
The odd thing is, the hype attracts me to it. I've seen some with gixxer paint jobs as well, although black would do the job nicely.

To me, they just look like an SV on steroids.

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 04:51 PM
well SV on steroids is probably a good description...lol
My SV is in TL1000 yellow;-)....perhaps thats why shes as hard as nails!!

Gra
17-07-08, 04:53 PM
well SV on steroids is probably a good description...lol
My SV is in TL1000 yellow;-)....perhaps thats why shes as hard as nails!!

Yellow? Apparently the fastest colour!

Not too OTT in price either the TLs. I think the clincher is they can be heard from about 10 miles away with some aftermarket cans on. :D

custard
17-07-08, 04:53 PM
think there was a lot said about dodgy handling and the rear rotary damper not being able to keep up if ridden hard which is why a lot have the rear shock swopped.

cant remember who it was i was talking to but they didnt seem to think it was all that much of a problem.. guess its how you ride it. be a ham fisted tw*t and it probably will hurt you, but thats the same with all bikes...

Gra
17-07-08, 04:57 PM
think there was a lot said about dodgy handling and the rear rotary damper not being able to keep up if ridden hard which is why a lot have the rear shock swopped.

cant remember who it was i was talking to but they didnt seem to think it was all that much of a problem.. guess its how you ride it. be a ham fisted tw*t and it probably will hurt you, but thats the same with all bikes...

That was what I read. Tame-able if you take it easy etc.

Just wondering if in the future I should remain a V-twin man or perhaps go for an in-line. I like the torque though.

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 04:58 PM
Yellow? Apparently the fastest colour!

Not too OTT in price either the TLs. I think the clincher is they can be heard from about 10 miles away with some aftermarket cans on. :D
Y9H TL/SV yellow is the hardest fastest...lol
now having a raptor in the family with M4s I'd say 10 miles is about right;)
The TL is surprisingly good value, but they are getting on a bit, and well, you've probably got to go over it with a fine tooth comb to find out its faults, I've seen rather a lot of 'streetfighter' versions....in real terms means...have crashed fixed with bling!

custard
17-07-08, 05:00 PM
can only reccommend you try a 4. wont hurt.
have just gone from a hornet 600 to a sv1000 and it is taking some getting used to. i find myself working the gearbox like the 600 and keeping it in the power.... not quite dialled in to it yet.

what you got at the moment?

Gra
17-07-08, 05:01 PM
Y9H TL/SV yellow is the hardest fastest...lol
now having a raptor in the family with M4s I'd say 10 miles is about right;)
The TL is surprisingly good value, but they are getting on a bit, and well, you've probably got to go over it with a fine tooth comb to find out its faults, I've seen rather a lot of 'streetfighter' versions....in real terms means...have crashed fixed with bling!


Getting on a bit does me fine. Some great bikes on the cheap so it seems.

Just read, TL1000, 0-60 in 2.7 seconds? Jesus wept.

custard
17-07-08, 05:05 PM
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SUZUKI-TL1000SV-Full-power-model-ohlins-powercommander_W0QQitemZ270256436061QQcmdZViewItem ?hash=item270256436061&_trksid=p3286.m14.l1318
lot of bike for 1500

St0rmer66
17-07-08, 05:09 PM
Was considered bad at the time, but Bike magazine did a little review of it again a few months back and said it seems tame compared to the recent 1000cc superbikes. Only problem was the rotary damper rear suspension. Sticking a steering damper on it was considered a crap way to fix it, but it was the cheapest way Suzuki could have done it (considering they needed to do it to EVERY one sold). Get a new rear shock for it and it would be well sorted. Seen a few TL1000R's with full ohlins go for less than 3 grand.

Gra
17-07-08, 05:14 PM
can only reccommend you try a 4. wont hurt.
have just gone from a hornet 600 to a sv1000 and it is taking some getting used to. i find myself working the gearbox like the 600 and keeping it in the power.... not quite dialled in to it yet.

what you got at the moment?


I have an Sv650n curvey. I love it. Great fun. The only experience of an I4 is the bike I passed my test on.

Twins are geared much lower aren't they? I usually find myself in fourth at 30MPH.

ThEGr33k
17-07-08, 05:15 PM
Well the engine is NICE... though revvy for a 1000 twin... by that O mean not as much mid range as the SV1000s but more top end power. The front suspension is set-up wrong and the back is just OUCH!!!!!!!!!! Change the back and get it all set-up right and it should be a decent bike. S looks the best out of the two.

Gra
17-07-08, 05:17 PM
Was considered bad at the time, but Bike magazine did a little review of it again a few months back and said it seems tame compared to the recent 1000cc superbikes. Only problem was the rotary damper rear suspension. Sticking a steering damper on it was considered a crap way to fix it, but it was the cheapest way Suzuki could have done it (considering they needed to do it to EVERY one sold). Get a new rear shock for it and it would be well sorted. Seen a few TL1000R's with full ohlins go for less than 3 grand.

The fault even claimed a journalist apparently. Madness.


Only started looking into them a few days back. I am not bored of the SVs power by any means, it does me perfectly. Mate of mine recently got himself a CBF1000. Nice bike but he got it in gold. Bloody gold...

custard
17-07-08, 05:18 PM
depends on the size of the engine to be honest...
find something you like the look of and take it for a spin.

Gra
17-07-08, 05:21 PM
depends on the size of the engine to be honest...
find something you like the look of and take it for a spin.


Do most dealers only offer test rides for those 25 and above? I am not 25 quite yet.

ThEGr33k
17-07-08, 05:28 PM
Do most dealers only offer test rides for those 25 and above? I am not 25 quite yet.

pain in the **** isnt it! Grrr. :(

custard
17-07-08, 05:31 PM
ah, could be a problem...

Gra
17-07-08, 05:32 PM
pain in the **** isnt it! Grrr. :(

:D

I am not that fussed, but my mate works of Millennium Motorcycles round this way and come this November I may take the mick and see if he will let me have a blast of something ridiculous i.e. MV Augusta F4.

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 05:33 PM
I may sound patronising, and I don't mean to be, but 25 and unders are considered as hooligans that can't be trusted with dealers prized bikes insurance wise....us old gits are supposed to more mature;-)


sadly in all honestly this isn't always the case. At 24 you could already have been riding several years, so it don't really make much sense.

ThEGr33k
17-07-08, 05:36 PM
:D

I am not that fussed, but my mate works of Millennium Motorcycles round this way and come this November I may take the mick and see if he will let me have a blast of something ridiculous i.e. MV Augusta F4.

:smt080 Good luck with that. :o

fizzwheel
17-07-08, 05:39 PM
The TL is surprisingly good value, but they are getting on a bit, and well, you've probably got to go over it with a fine tooth comb to find out its faults, I've seen rather a lot of 'streetfighter' versions....in real terms means...have crashed fixed with bling!

That was my concern when I was looking at them, they'll be getting on a bit now and personally I think you'll be looking long and hard to find a good one.

ThEGr33k
17-07-08, 05:48 PM
That was my concern when I was looking at them, they'll be getting on a bit now and personally I think you'll be looking long and hard to find a good one.

This is what made me look else where... The falco is great, with no life threatening suspension issues (though replacing the back shock is on the books) and as much top end power or more (with a little moding, exhausts Eprom and airbox) and a LOT more mid range. :D

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 05:51 PM
That was my concern when I was looking at them, they'll be getting on a bit now and personally I think you'll be looking long and hard to find a good one.

I think its why Matt ended up going for the VRaptor. He was very concerned over the crashed element, and also the widowmaker faults.
He also has had a lot of experience with looney bikes anyway(RD500 being his first big bike)and being the type that goes with the out of the ordinary, the Raptor was right up his street. Even so they have their own problems!
Mind you looking at the TL in the link in a post somewhere above......it does look tasty:smt080. If I was looking for one it would tempt me.......but I'm currently trying to get my mitts on the Raptor...........

.......someone needs to ride it after he's come out of hospital;)

custard
17-07-08, 06:01 PM
they do look good. not too sure about the r version. bit too bulbous. i was considering one before i got the SV. probably would of as well had i not fell utterly in love with my bike.

dirtydog
17-07-08, 06:09 PM
having a raptor in the family with M4s I'd say 10 miles is about right;)

I think 10 miles is definitely about right :cool:

the Raptor was right up his street. Even so they have their own problems!


but I'm currently trying to get my mitts on the Raptor...........

.......someone needs to ride it after he's come out of hospital;)



That sodding rear brake is a pain in the ar$e, ours has got a mille master cylinder at the mo.


Good luck with getting your hands on the Raptor

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 06:19 PM
That sodding rear brake is a pain in the ar$e, ours has got a mille master cylinder at the mo.


Good luck with getting your hands on the Raptor

I finally sat on it on Tuesday night again...not done it since last year when he bought it. Last year '1000cc' made me run in the opposite direction! This year....

.....''ooooooooo its like sitting on a monkey bike'' equals to '' wow that seat really is knee height''

.....'' that back brake really is crap, its worse than mine''.....

still don't like the flat bars, as my shoulder hates being put in that position, and the VRaptor nose is likestaring down a 4x4 bonnet...in other words Its sooooo long, quite odd in fact

And after all the odd quirky points with it....I still want to get my mitts on it:smt080

dirtydog
17-07-08, 06:26 PM
.....'' that back brake really is crap, its worse than mine''.....

And after all the odd quirky points with it....I still want to get my mitts on it:smt080


Oh no the back brake is much worse than being merely crap


Well when he's not looking pinch the keys and take it for a spin

dizzyblonde
17-07-08, 06:36 PM
Oh no the back brake is much worse than being merely crap


Well when he's not looking pinch the keys and take it for a spin
Your right, I was being polite, I couldn't believe it. You may as well not have one:rolleyes:
pinching it would be a bit hard,:( its in a garage at his house, 7 miles away, and when hes here its squashed in tightly between my two#-o

dirtydog
17-07-08, 06:39 PM
Your right, I was being polite, I couldn't believe it. You may as well not have one:rolleyes:


I think the brake off my mountain bike would work better!!!

Sid Squid
17-07-08, 06:48 PM
TLS:
Nowhere near as wayward as many, (most of whom have never ridden one), would suggest.
Still a developmental dead end though and not as good as the hype, too often bought by the kind of people from whom I wouldn't purchase a S/H bike.
Cost of ownership is high, even though the bikes themselves are getting lower in price.
Early 'full power' bikes are hard to find, most are the detuned ones.
On the plus side most bikes have had the original suspension replaced, and then they can handle OK, never brilliantly, but OK.

TLR:
Only thing of significance it shares with the TLS is the motor, but in different tune.
Far better chassis, but a bit beamy and quite heavy too.
Didn't fare well on track but a very effective road bike.
Still dear to own though.
Not many about, rarely much choice when buying.

Dangerous Dave
20-07-08, 06:25 PM
Question is, are they as mental as they are made out to be?
No, simple as that.