Ohlins Steering dampner, Full race exhaust system and remapping of fuil injection system is a must.
I feel the reason so many people wreck these babies is because no matter where you drop the clutch or where the throttle is it will pick right up into the air even in mid-corner.
Brakes are amazing to say the least for a stock bike.
Handling is very quick and agile.
I have now owned a blue 2001 TL1000S for 6 months. At first I was going to get the Honda SP-1 but the price scared me away. When I heard how many people hated the TL-S I just had to have one, being tired of seeing the R1's and 916's everywhere I went. Since I bought the TL I have put 7500 miles on her and gone through 7 sets of tires(no joke). The problems I have faced have all been well worth it. Suzuki did a real bad job with the HR for this model and I think they were just spending too much time thinking about the GSXR1000 that would soon be revealed. I have ridden the 996, 929, zx9, gsxr750-1100 and I would never trade this TLS for any of them. All the other bikes have a top speed advantage over me by about 5-15 MPH but I live in California so by the time I hit 160 I am on the brakes and the inlines all seem to have trouble catching up with the torque of the Twin with the exception of the bikesthat are geared properly. This is not a good track bike, if you want a track bike buy an R1 or a GSXR1000. If you want the scariest, quickest, best sounding bargain around then trust me the TL'S will not disappoint you unless you just absolutley must be just like everyone else
Stock
No flat spots,smooth but not much up to 4000 mild midrange good top end no power spikes anywhere.
Not bad with the twin disks and anti dive forks but its old technology now.
Ver nimble but a little raked out by today standerds. Dry weight is about 167kilos so corner speed is good.
Good cheep 400.First gear wheelies of the throttle easy second with the clutch if i find another one cheap ill buy it.
Stock
Typical 2 stroke no bottem end but more than my nsr midrange is exelent for a 250 but top end not as good as a new one.
Good,Stoppies no problem
Nice and light
Good little 250, Wheelies quite easly off the throttle in first It goes harder up to about 120kph than a rgv/nsr/kr1 but from there your left behind. Good cheap first bike for those with dirt background i wouldnt recomend it for a complete novice.
Factory Pro Jet Kit Jardine RT-ONE Exhaust Full Front Faring Full "Race Style" Front Fender LP Mini Blinkers
Not after jetting and exhaust mods!
Strong dual front brakes!
I need to work out front end softness! Highly flickable!
Great bike for $6000... mods make all the difference and are fun to do!
Factory Pro Jet Kit Jardine RT-ONE Exhaust Full Front Faring Full "Race Style" Front Fender LP Mini Blinkers
Good power with mods!
Strong dual front brakes!
I need to work out front end softness! Highly flickable!
Great bike for $6000... mods make all the difference and are fun to do!
List the modifications on this bike Currently recieving a Yosh 4-1, Power Commander 2, K&N, and brand new tranny (ouch...$1100 in parts alone!) Review is on stock bike.
any flat spots etc. On/off throttle but livable. Smooth and I wouln't give up the reliability or tuneability of the fuel injection.
Feel, Strength. One word...AWESOME! The best brakes I have experianced. No problem stopping the heavy bike with my 6'6" meaty frame.
Great. Only complaint is that it...umm...nope...nothing. This is a big bike made for speed, don't expect that you will out manuever you buddys 600 in the local supermarket parking lot. The bike is extremely stable and the suspension is fully adjustable. Who needs to carve 180 degee mountain turns like a 600 superbike unless you have a mountain in your backyard?
This bike has done everything that you would expect the fastest production bike to do and more. Very linear power delivery. Comfortable ride. Smooth power delivery (no power band to speak of). Other than the transmission completely going out (not the bikes fault) this is a sweet bike, doing what it was designed to do and doing it better than everybody else. Tranny problem- I had the Suzuki mandated camshaft chain tensioner recall done by Shawmutt Hills in Grand Rapids Michigan. about 500 miles later I lost 5th gear. I stopped immediatly as to not hurt anything further and trailered it home. Upon inspection (not by Shawmutt Hills as to other problems that I have had with them) it was found that every gear was shot. A zip tie was left in the engine from the recall and found its way into the shift fork. A total of 2 ties were found in the tranny (oil and oil passages are shared with the engine). This repair definately hurts the pocket book, especially as Shawmutt Hills denies all responsability. djvannette@yahoo.com
G Force race slip-ons, powercommander3, powerbronze undertray, blue alloy bars, flyscreen, digi gear indicator.
Absolutely faultless, just effortless grunt from idle to redline! This bike has so much torque it makes my zx7r feel gutless...
Brakes are strong, but the bike is really heavy, so the just feel adequate.
Good....this is no sportsbike, however I have raised a few eyebrows on this bike....putting it to an R1 or other top sports bike may be more down to the rider, but the feeling is sweet indeed!
Very good bike, the torque is awesome and the bikes handling is great, but it does lack ground clearance, however in the right hands this can surprise a few people.
Nikon exhaust from the UK
4cylinder 2 Stroke!Japan version of the Suzuki RG500 that made it later to Canada.Only 400cc's close to 60horsepower with aftermarket exhaust close to 70 horsepower and dry weight is only 337lbs.Mods that can be done.Rg500 cylinders carbs are same but different needle and jetting.Overall conversion can be pushing the 100horsepower level with the lighter weight close to power of the newer 600's today.2Strokes still put out more horsepower per cc.
Around 111feet 60 to 0
Superb for its days and still hanldes great limited by tire size but upgrades to newer wider rims makes it more up to date.
2 Stroke punch when powerband hits,wouldn't want it any other way.Between 6,500rpm range to 9,500 horsepower nearly doubles.
windshield,case savers,back rest.Thats all
runs lean at 35000 rpm.till warmed up,tons of grunt from 45000rpm to 95000
for a heavy bike(617lb) pretty decent 4pot calipers
soft suspenders,smooth ride stable at speed 160kph to 200kph
bone reliable ride,from a 1127cc motor,not the quietest motor lots of top end clatter,just the nature of the beast
VANCE AND HINES SUPER SPORT EXHAUST, K&N AIR SYSTEM, DYNA JET KIT.
GOBS OF HORSES, TAKES AWILE TO WARM UP BUT WHEN IT DOES ITS ALL BUSINESS! FIRST GEAR TIMING RETARD BUILT IN FROM FACTORY TO KEEP FRONT WHEEL ON THE GROUND IS A BUMMER HOWEVER EASILY ELIMINATED BY A 1 WIRE SNIP! FACTORY 153HP AFTER HOP UPS PUSHING 165HP! TESTED.
GREAT STOPPING! NO NEGATIVES.
HANDLES EXCEPTIONALLY WELL FOR 1996! HOLDS HIGH SPEED CORNERING STEADY. DOES NOT BREAK APART AT SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 100MPH.
GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORD ROCKET. ITS A ROCKET ON STEROIDS! BUT DON'T BE CONFUSED, THERE ARE 1100G'S, 1100M'S ETC. THE REAL MONSTER IS THE 1100W!
Corbin saddle
Good pull in mid RPM range, a bit slow off the line - not a wheelie machine unless you really get on it hard. Good mid/high end - this bike will go from 40mph to 80mph in about 2 seconds - excellent passing power. Engine makes an unusual humming noise under hard acceleration - not like anything I've ever heard before.
Solid brakes, no issues
Corners well, good ground clearance, good on dirt roads and hard pan, but definitely a paved road machine. It's a lot faster than you think and will pull 0-60mph in under 4 seconds.
The DL 1000 V Strom is an excellent bike. Three negatives are the saddle height - I'm 6'1" and have to tip toe to reach the ground. The stock saddle is a real scrotum grabber and I replaced it with a Corbin. The other curious problem is with the grips. I was getting palm numbness and replaced them with gel grips. I'm still getting numbness in my palms after about an hour of riding. Be wary of the side stand - you can click it down with your foot, think it's down and it pops back up or have the optional centerstand installed. Make sure you watch it carefully every time you park the bike or you'll dump it fast. Oil changes are a snap with the filter right out front.
Motad Exhaust
When I got the GN it had obviously been ridden as per riding school instructions (Short shift to fifth within 10m of starting) and as a result was coked up to the eyeballs. A few months with the occasional blast at full throttle (no risk of breaking the speed limit)had it cleared and even better the new motad exhaust made a nicer noise and took top speed up to a respectable 75mph (flat over tank and I weigh 60kilos)Took a long while to warm up, often had to ride with the choke open for 15min or more and for some reason blipping made the idle speed drop. probably needed the carb cleaning.
Progressive braking? whats that then? Front disc felt all or nothing, matched by the rear brake giving no feel before locking up. Front improved after a service but the rear was always to be used with caution.
Even for my slight weight I could have done with a C spanner to add a touch more preload, you could feel the bike squatting in hard corners. Stock tyres are awful in the wet, slip sliding on almost every corner and watch out for road markings. they last well though. the front end of my bike was very good, not heavily loaded but the forks seemed well adjusted, not much dive at all. Otherwise the bike was comfy, on longer trips I would put my feet on the pillion pegs to stretch but apart from that it's actually a nice bike for very easy touring.
As a learner machine or cheap commuter this does really well. tank range is massive and even todays fuel prices don't make a full tank a heart attack moment. Its mildly cruiser styled which sets it apart from the CG's RS's and GS's of the small bike world. mine sold for exactly the same as I paid for it after a year of hard riding and 7000 miles.
none - stock bike loaned to me for a few months after my GPZ had a close encounter of the ford kind
Felt surprisingly weak after my GPZ500s (EX500r for those in the US)but I guess thats the lack of torque. Needed to be wound up to make any real progress, about 6000rpm did well enough. never felt like it was going to lift the front, unlike the naked bandit I rode before taking my test. Ran out of power early on as well so overtakes had to be done with a down shift. for some reason I could never do clutchless shifting on this, it seemed like the power change was never a constant rate Despite being the biggest bike I've ridden it's top speed was the second lowest, the lowest being my 125.
good feel, never locked the front. they did fade a bit with heavy use. the back was advisory.
awful, felt like a barge. damn comfy for short blaps to the shops, acres of room for a pillion, but the upright position gave lower back pain very quickly. The front was soggy and unadjustable, the back was better but still needed more preload. In fact the back was so badly adjusted that the chain chattered if you ever rolled the throttle off from high revs in low gears. The tall screen made the bike susceptable to cross winds and didn't deflect wind from the top of your lid.
If I had to own one of these (and I would actually not mind a naked one) the first operation would be to shift the bars further forward and the pegs back an inch, to spread rider weight more onto the thighs and wrists and allow him/her to take the load onto their feet as well. after that it'd be wind up preload on the rear and replace the forks springs and add a brace. Then a cylinder kit, and a new exhaust and a... you get the idea.
no modification
good performance but i want better
Feel, Strength
heavy
Arrow carbon fibre pipes. aftermarket expansion chamers. aftermarket reed. 1 tooth less on rear sprocket. aftermarket power valve.
as with all 2-strokers the bike is lazy at low revs, the powerband kicks in at 7000 rpm and redline is at 11,500. in 1'st and 2'nd the front wheel will lift when you open it up and the bike hits band. being a 2 cylinder bike the powerband can be let on progressively also as the band delivery kicks in seperately to help the bike get from 7000-11500rpm quicker. im used to 2-stroke dirtbikes so i feel at home with the power delivery but it will take some getting used to as powerband on a corner is dangerous if you open it up too far too quick. all in all the power delivery is excellent once u get used to it but doing wheelies can be tricky as it requires careful use of the accelerator and clutch but once again being used to 2-stroke dirt bikes helped alot. it is alot easier than on a dirtbike due to the footpeg and handlebar positions.
the bike is only 128kg and has a very responsive dual disk front end. the rear brake is a lot less responsive as with all bikes i've ridden but is just as effective and has plenty of feel. the front brake has plenty of feel also but can be quite touchy if you're not careful. at the track i have no trouble out braking any other bike i've ever raced into corners, especially the corners that come off a straight.
being 128kg the bike has excellent handling you can lean the bike all you want and have alot of feel for where the bike is heading. on tight tracks you have an advantage over other bikes as you can switch weight and the bike responds alotquicker as the rider weight makes up for a high percentage of the overall bike+rider weight. alot of fun on tight roads.
by far the funest bike i've ever riden. not recomended if you want the bike to go to work every day on it or for city riding but for open roads, racing on tracks and for tight winding roads the bike is awesome. being a 2 stroke it takes longer to warm the bike up also so if you want the bike for short trips it is not recommended, the bike is fun, and at 75hp - 128kg the bike has alot of go, not as comfortable as other bikes but the bike is made for going fast not going to work. i've riden alot of bikes and this is by far my favoured bike for quick lap times. i have reviewed this bike as i personally own one but have also riden later models and been just as impressed. the power delivery on the later models is alot more forgiving but all in all i find this 89 model team pepsi bike to be on par with all the newer bikes i've riden or raced. if you want something to have fun with on the weekend, these bikes are unbeatable.
None
Very good, although I'm still in break-in so I don't push it beyond 3000rpm much.
Very good for a bike this size.
The bike handles the corners very well for a cruiser.
Do NOT buy one of these bikes (Suzuki 1600 Marauder or Boulevard M95, or Kawasaki Mean Streak - they are all the same mechanically), unless you ride one first. I bought a new 2004 1600 Marauder in April 2005 and the engine "knocking" has been getting steadily louder. In addition, the driveline has excessive "play" in it (i.e. feels like a chain-driven bike with about 4" of loose chain). I've discussed the defects with the dealer (Liberty Cycle in Liberty, MO) on three separate visits and they are telling me that these engineering "defects" are normal for this bike. While I'm not an engineer, I have a had time believing that any motor that emits sounds like it's being repeatedly hit with a hammer has a trouble-free life in store. Needless to say, I'm going to take a financial beating and trade this thing in for a Honda VTX as soon as possible. Good luck.
NOT MUCH, TIRES, EXHAUST
FEELS LIKE ITS MORE POWERFUL THAN IT REALLY IS. NOT THAT IT IS A SLUG, IT JUST COULD HAVE BEEN MORE FUN TO RIDE IF YOU DIDNT HAVE TO LOOK AT VTX1800 TAIL LITES SO MUCH.
GREAT BRAKES
HANDLES LIKE A MUCH SHORTER BIKE.
THE KNOCKING THAT YOU HEAR DURING THE FIRST FEW THOUSAND MILES DOES GRADUALLY GO AWAY. MINE DOESNT DO IT ANY LONGER. I GUESS THAT MEANS DONT BE AFRAID OF IT. I HAVE KICKED MY BIKE IN THE BUTT PLENTY ENOUGH TO FIND OUT IF IT WILL BREAK.
seat, and bars
a little under powered for my liking around 64 rwhp would like to see it have 100 rwhp
very good
fantastic, my main reason for buying it, very fun in the twisties
engine is noisy as seems to be the case on all 1500 and 1600 vulcans i ride it hard and it just keeps going so maybe it is ok as the dealers all say i would also like it to have a belt final drive to reduce power loss
Bike has had mild port work, race full yosh pipe, jet kit and K&N filter.
good power for a heavier bike. very comfortable, good riding position. bike had flat spot from the factory but the jet kit mad it all better. Had cams degreed, made the response better. last time the bike was on the dyno it hit 122 at the wheel.
average for 4 piston calipers, steel braded brake line helped a lot.
heavy, but comfortable. Its no gsxr750 in the curves but once you are used to it, have fun
with the exception of second gear problems that suzuki would not warrenty, ( bike had 1500 miles on it, i have enjoyed it very much.
1216cc big bore kit,41mm keihn flatslide carbs/no filters,ported and polished head,v&h power pack,4 into 1 yoshi offroad pipe,adams 6 inch strech swing arm,pingel air shifter w/on board air compresor, D.I.D chain and reduced tooth sprockets,full race slick tire,dynoed in at 179.6 hp at rear wheel.
unbelieavable raw power at just a slight twist of your wrist,never ending surge of torque
not bad at all,able to pull endos (stoppies)all day long but the extended swing arm did lighten the back of the bike
great on turns able to lean quite sufficiently,I wouldn't recomend going againts a 996 on some twisties.
loved it.being able to pull off the stock apperance and pull away from busa's @ 145 plus miles,it just doesnt get any better than that felling of overcoming your opponents machine.
