2001 Suzuki TL1000R

[Sheppo]

OK aside from the obvious, Vtwin, Heavier...
Please school me on the good and bad on this bike. I have a chance on a SUPER clean one. I know they are a niche bike and there is a long following.
I like the idea of the VTwin Torque. I am thinking every day riding with a track day or two thrown in.
TLR Mark????

Thanks
Doug

[spicy]

mark will basically be able to do anything you want with that bike. his is a frankenstein bike, sounds like hell and goes like it, too.

i was never too keen on the looks, but a clean one seems like it would be a pretty unique steed.

[marshdrummer]

I LOVE mine! Most fun I've ever had on a bike. add in the track and permagrin for days!
Honestly though, they're heavy, need suspension upgrades, have some minimal electrical gremlins, and aftermarket parts are getting harder to find. It is definitely an old technology (1997).
Positives: fun as hell, stock parts are pretty easy to come by, and it is definitely not your ordinary inline (no offense I4 guys).

Check out tlzone.net and tlplanet.com, do a few searches and they'll answer all your questions. (feel free to pm me too if you'd like...)

[Tiller Ayuh]

I loved mine...They sound great...I never had any issues with mine (after I put the Power Commander in) ...Great bike...Not one on every corner...You get to answer questions like why does your GSXR have dual exhaust...Or your GSXR sounds awesome...

Only reasons I sold mine...My wife did not love the footpeg height in the back after 20 miles...And I'm getting old and 350+ mile days were really putting a strain on my wrists and forearms...

[JohnnyV]

I went to the Daytona 675 after the TLR got totalled, and while the 675 is an AMAZING bike I still miss the TLR every time I go out for a ride. The sound, the styling(some hate it, I loved it), the torque... yea she was a pig but it WILL put a huge fucking grin on your face every time you fire it up. Some minor tweaks and setting the suspension up correctly(thanks to Mark) completely transformed the bike. And honestly compared to the modern sportbikes out now it was pretty damn comfortable. If I ever wind up getting rid of the 675 another TLR is definately in my future.

[GixerJockey]

Awesome bike. Good power. Tons of torque. This you already know.

My advise... Freshen up the stock suspension, order a set of Heli-Bars and ride the snot out of it.


(PM me the details... I'm professionally curious )

[Sheppo]

Awesome bike. Good power. Tons of torque. This you already know.

My advise... Freshen up the stock suspension, order a set of Heli-Bars and ride the snot out of it.


(PM me the details... I'm professionally curious )

I'll know more this weekend. All I know is IF it is as clean as he says ( and I don't doubt him ) it's gonna be sweet.
I like the Heli-Bar idea and I ride the snot out of everything I own. Last season 4/1-11/1 EVERY day.. then up until first snow on days not raining.

[GixerJockey]

I'll know more this weekend. All I know is IF it is as clean as he says ( and I don't doubt him ) it's gonna be sweet.
I like the Heli-Bar idea and I ride the snot out of everything I own. Last season 4/1-11/1 EVERY day.. then up until first snow on days not raining.

In stock trim it is a bit of a torture rack. High seat, low clip-ons, it puts a lotweight on your wrists. The Heli-Bars make it perrrrrrfect...

The stock seat also had a slight downward angle towards the tank. I always found that a bit bothersome. Call Corbin and order a seat for it. The slight dish at the rear corrects the seating angle and makes for good ass-comodations. Even if it's not in still in the catalog. They will make it for you.

[mullerjd]

I love mine too.. I never really liked the body style but the motor was the seller for me.. I got mine wrecked for $2K and made it a naked.

[KillBill]

Wirelessly posted (** BB 8830**: BlackBerry8830/4.5.0.101 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Doug, is this a trade in?

[Stoneman]

Shepp, you'll never look back! If it's feasible, DO IT! This is the bike I'll own for the rest of my life, PERIOD. The key is not necessarily what it IS, but what it can be for short change...

For the naysayers, compare similar a year TL-R to the RC and you'll be amazed how similar they are in almost every performance and weight catagory. Suzuki's biggest mistakes with the TL-R was NOT continuing to develop the bike and NOT seeing their factory racing efforts through with it...

[DucDave]

Well....it's no Multistrada, thats for sure...!


(Sounds like your decision is already made. I suspect you'll be veddy happy! Congrats and good luck!)

Oh...and....soon...

[keeena]

I think you have your answer Sheppo...go for it. I also love my TLR, doubt i'll ever get rid of it. Motor is fantastic. You're probably on-par with current 600-class superbikes, but it doesn't sound like you're getting it for bragging rights.

Forks are good, 25mm cartridges. Just valve and spring. I would pick up a Penske setup for the rear (requires LE linkage...he *is* making them again after a 2-3? yr hiatus). FI is pretty good out of the box. Good pipes are going to be a little hard to come by, but can still be found and really make it sing. Akra, Yosh or TiForce IMO.

I find the bike reasonably comfortable for a supersport; my longer rides are ~250-300 miles/day. Definitely get a Sargent or Corbin seat.

The bike will cook you a bit in traffic when its hot out...that rear jug is inches from your nuts.

[spydah]

I'll vouch for them. I'd miss my old one if I didn't have my dream bike now. BTW the two bros exaust was turning the heads of the most die hard Harley guys.

[LiononaLeash]

I've owned TLR's for 7 years and tried a couple of newer,lighter, and more powerful bikes. They just weren't as fun and I can't put my finger on it.

As far as being on par with modern 600's? ummm.... no. The newer 600's have almost as much HP and are significantly lighter. We TLR guys typically lose ground the longer the straight sections are(unless you are Mark). If you can come out of a corner really well, you can hold your ground for the most part.

I like doing trackdays with it, but its primarily my street machine.

Actually, I would probably steer you to Ryno and his 98 TLR. I think its still for sale. I've seen it and you are probably not going to find a cleaner one... not to mention he's done suspension work to it already. It's in the for sale section.

Check it out here: http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...76-98-tlr.html


Here's my Yeller Tiller w/Two Bros Carbon:

[marshdrummer]

Ryno's bike is HOT!! AND he has the Ohlins rear shock already....super clean!

Oh...and my pig...

[greenmonster]

Rode Marks this past fall...killer torque plus all the work/setup he's done to it...and the sweet exhaust note...excellent!!!

[SVRACER01]

i agree w/ stoneman. Suzukis biggest mistake was not fixing the mistakes. the TLR was kinda just thrown together. it came about during the big Vtwin craze that came about from the 916. it was too heavy and the rear suspension was a shit show. it never really competed well compared to the Duc so 'Zuk threw in the towel. i like the TL...i like the S better though they seem to be more difficult to find. 'Zuk finally decided to reincarnate it as a SV1K in 03. its no TLR although an R version would be sweet.
CONS: like most said above...work out the suspension ie: rear. get rid of that rotary crap. Bitumo? i think makes a nice one. not sure if Penske or elka do...ohlins probably does ($$$$). heli bars, seat.
youll have fun. lots of guys that get them...keep them. if they get rid of it they end getting another one (liononaleash has gone through 3-4 just since ive joined).

[JohnnyV]

This thread is missing some goold ol' blue and white.... god I miss her...

[mullerjd]

Here's mine

[KillBill]

This thread is missing some goold ol' blue and white.... god I miss her...

Those Jardine pipes sounded nasty too

[Sheppo]

well hell daymn I can't wait now... Bill it looks like it will be

[beet]

Rs are fat & ugly get a Shttp://www.nestreetriders.com/galler...at=&ppuser=136

[Sheppo]

I wouldn't mind an S... but you get what's available

[beet]

http://www.tlzone.net/forums/