We tested the Suzuki TL1000s and found it to be a fantastic bike with plenty of grunt. Those who think the TL is a bad handling machine probably haven't ridden one with the front steering damper removed, or have chosen the wrong tyres or setup. Sure the bike is a but twitchy but so is any sports bike with that much power and torque.
A report from the owner: Ricky Mullis (Team Physio for DoctorDanger.com)
Owners Report: This is the only brand spanking new thing I've ever owned (and I'm still paying it off after nearly 5 years!!). I think that it's worth every penny though. The torque of the engine and the noise it makes just turns you into a hooligan whenever you ride it. The original fuel injection mapping caused the power delivery to be a bit abrupt. Well actually, it came in with a real bang as you opened the throttle, and I believe that this was a large part of the problem that was reported in the first road tests (people were complaining of being spat off on bends, and of the front end getting a bit nervous when you crack it open). Naturally, the handling, chassis and the innovative (unfamiliar) rear rotary damper got the blame, but I reckon people used to smoother less torquey bikes were just a bit disrespectful of a potent beast.
Suzuki's typical corporate response was along the lines of... there isn't a problem with the handling of the TL1000S…. but we'll retro-fit a rock solid steering damper anyway just to cure the problem that never existed in the first place. I kept the damper on for a good while, just out of ignorance really. When I finally decided to bin it, it just made the whole bike feel so much lighter and turn much quicker I wish I'd done straight away. I've not had any nasty incidents, it can get a bit lively when cranked over on white lines, but what sports bike doesn't?
I've had the fuel injection remapped by Steve at Symtek Racing, and it's a revelation. The power delivery is just so much more controllable. You can get on the gas much earlier out of corners without upsetting the handling; again it's light years ahead of the original settings.
I've still got the original size tyre on the back (i.e. 190 section). A lot of folks reckon that going down to a 180 section tyre helps the bike flip over from side to side quicker, so I might give it a try next replacement time.
I've only had a couple of problems. The first is well known. Basically the oil-bathed clutch slips if you use fully synthetic ultra-slippy oil.
Secondly, I had a problem with the fuel tank not venting properly. I've mentioned this to a number of dealers and to Suzuki UK direct and been told it's not something they've ever come across before. The first thing I noticed was that the petrol tank was mysteriously sunken inwards on top (like somebody had sat on it!). The bike had been running fine. When I opened the fuel filler to check out what was going on the thing popped back into shape like magic. The next time I rode it, after about 10 miles the tank started to implode on itself. Again the bike was running fine. What was happening was that the fuel pump (powering the fuel injection) was sucking like a good'un, while the tank vent (around the filler cap) was not breathing (i.e. not allowing air in to replace the fuel being used). The resulting partial vacuum was causing the tank to literally implode. On most bikes, and especially those with a gravity fed fueling system, the engine would simply cut out with fuel starvation. Once I sussed out what was happening, a tiny spacer placed under one of the tank filler mounting bolts fixed it instantly. Am I the only person on the planet to have experienced this problem?
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