Suzuki TL000

[Mike TW9]

Pulled up at the lights the other day beside a red TL1000. He went for it a bit, I followed, and when he saw me chasing started pulling effortless wheelies, not easy on a Firestorm methinks, but I did appreciate the view!

[Saintsman27]

Ah yes the US air force had its " Starfighter".... Aka Lockeed.. F104...nicknamed
"The widowmaker"..... Yup it saw off more pilots into an early grave in American
Aviation history .... Now the Suzuki Tl 1000 has similar traits and is a mental ride
In the wrong hands and has catapulted its riders off many times without the benefit
Of an ejection seat harness and acme parachute....you were most prudent to
Let it dissapear into the horizon in front of you ...

[VTRDaz]

I miss my TL1000S, brute of a bike, not particularly flat out, but on acceleration. She was my first forray in to the VTwin world!!
It would effortlessly in any of the first 4 gears lift the front, mine was a true 97 widowmaker, Suzuki softened them abit later on with revised head porting, but still bloody good fun
mine died sadly when the frame cracked around the STOOOOOPID rear shock mount, rendering her a CAT B back in 2012. Was a right laugh while it lasted.

[MacV2]

It's funny how you see adverts for SV1000 on the bay & gumtree that say it's ''The Widowmaker...''

Load of tosh even the TL1000 wasnt the first bike to get that moniker that honor belongs to the origonal Kawasaki H2 750...Two stoke Tripple...Very fast for the day with the associated crap brakes, shite suspension & a flimsy frame...a few deaths later & you get a nice moniker.

Still as said the F104 was the first & true Widowmaker also know as the 'flying coffin' but then that name has been used for other aircraft as well...B-24 amongst others. The F-104 airframe also went on to be developed into the U2 spy plane...

[tony.mon]

It's funny how you see adverts for SV1000 on the bay & gumtree that say it's ''The Widowmaker...''

Load of tosh even the TL1000 wasnt the first bike to get that moniker that honor belongs to the origonal Kawasaki H2 750...Two stoke Tripple...Very fast for the day with the associated crap brakes, shite suspension & a flimsy frame...a few deaths later & you get a nice moniker.

Still as said the F104 was the first & true Widowmaker also know as the 'flying coffin' but then that name has been used for other aircraft as well...B-24 amongst others. The F-104 airframe also went on to be developed into the U2 spy plane...

I thought it was the Kawa H1 500 that had the worse reputation. The power band came in with a bang and if leant over, on the tyres around then, you lost it big time. The 750 was easier to ride, as the power band came in a little more gently, and you had more midrange to start with.

The 250 triple couldn't overwhelm its tyres due to lower power.

Trouble with the whole rotary damper idea was that it worked when cold, but unless you had a big fluid reservoir the damping fluid would overheat when the shock was worked hard. so you got good damping sometimes, no damping others....
By the time you added a big reservoir you were up to the same size and weight as a conventional shock, so no real advantage.

[KermitLeFrog]

I thought it was the Kawa H1 500 that had the worse reputation. The power band came in with a bang and if leant over, on the tyres around then, you lost it big time. The 750 was easier to ride, as the power band came in a little more gently, and you had more midrange to start with.

I think the original drum braked (?) model that was a problem. The later ones with a front disk were really quite civilized. I had one for years, toured Australia on it and finally turned it into a proddy racer and got my National grade racing licence on it ("B" grade in Oz). I welded angle iron onto the swingarm and replaced the plastic swingarm bushes (yep!) with sintered ones. Added decent shocks, clipons and pipes and it was very successful. The only real problem was the front brake which didn't exist with organic pads. We used Ferodo sintered pads which only worked when hot. You had to drag the front brake all the way around the warmup lap to have any chance of stopping for the first corner.

The 250 triple couldn't overwhelm its tyres due to lower power.

Correct. It was an absolute pig of a bike. Total waste of space. Amazingly I saw an immaculate example in Hexham a little while ago. What a waste of effort.

[KermitLeFrog]

ps. The H1 was the first bike I used slicks on. You would not BELIEVE the difference that made. Gobsmacking.

[kenmoore]

My brother owns a TL1000S and one day he came over for a ride and complained about the way his bike was running. I said give me a ride and all I did was go around the block and I sh1t myself. It was like riding a bucking bronco. Acted like a pogo stick and I said to Jim ,"How the feck can you ride that, it's a bloody death trap"

I offered to sort it for him and this is how it looked at the start



After about 4 months and much fettling including an R1 rear shock to get rid of the stupid rotary damper, TLR headers and new cans, timing retard eliminator, valves done , complete respray, forks done, brakes done, new swingarm bearings and lots of other stuff this is how she looks now!



Lots of other things done from a mechanical standpoint and what a transformation.

The motor is a peach and just begs to be thrashed.

As you all know, my VTR is far from standard and hold it's own against the TLS.

We have both done many miles together and if I didn't have the VTR I would be happy to own the TLS.

As far as being a widow maker , It hasn't scared me since I rebuilt it.

They are a great bike with a great motor that always puts a grin on your face after a ride.

[lloydie]

My brother owns a TL1000S and one day he came over for a ride and complained about the way his bike was running. I said give me a ride and all I did was go around the block and I sh1t myself. It was like riding a bucking bronco. Acted like a pogo stick and I said to Jim ,"How the feck can you ride that, it's a bloody death trap"

I offered to sort it for him and this is how it looked at the start



After about 4 months and much fettling including an R1 rear shock to get rid of the stupid rotary damper, TLR headers and new cans, timing retard eliminator, valves done , complete respray, forks done, brakes done, new swingarm bearings and lots of other stuff this is how she looks now!



Lots of other things done from a mechanical standpoint and what a transformation.

The motor is a peach and just begs to be thrashed.

As you all know, my VTR is far from standard and hold it's own against the TLS.

We have both done many miles together and if I didn't have the VTR I would be happy to own the TLS.

As far as being a widow maker , It hasn't scared me since I rebuilt it.

They are a great bike with a great motor that always puts a grin on your face after a ride.

You've done a good job on that [THUMBS UP SIGN].
I've always wanted a tls , it was the big twin to have when I passed my test , a mate brought one new @17 ,the sound was out of this would that it made .
I'll have one at some point .

[bigtwinthing]

they made a green one! why for fecks sake, almost as bad as the green CB1000R that was so bad too.

[lloydie]

they made a green one! why for fecks sake, almost as bad as the green CB1000R that was so bad too.

Yes shitty dark green ! Tho I do like the red one

[bigtwinthing]

i did see a SV 1000 once with Ohlins forks and a WP rear shock. That certainly handled and it was orange. I liked that a lot. pipes came out the bottom too. Sounded bloody amazing

[lloydie]

Not a fan of the sv tbh looks too girly and soft

[Kev L]

...bit like yourself then fat boy!!!!!!!!!

[Watty]

...bit like yourself then fat boy!!!!!!!!!

Didn't look fat to me when I saw him on Sunday. Although he was wearing a mini skirt