1998 Suzuki TL1000R review from Canada
"A terrific V-Twin sportbike, with lots of soul!"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Nothing has ever gone wrong with this bike.
General comments?
The low end torque is stupendous. The engine is a wonderful piece of engineering. Just don't look for liter bike beating horsepower though, it's simply not there.
The sound, especially with an aftermarket exhaust system, or bolt-ons, is absolutely music to the ears.
The stock steering damper is too heavy for my tastes, easily, but not cheaply fixed with an aftermarket adjustable unit.
The rear suspension is a bit of a mystery with its separate spring and rotary damper. The rotary damper is next to impossible to set up properly. Look for a conventional style aftermarket shock to remedy this too.
Overall it's a great bike, that needs a little more sorting out then most Japanese bikes, but nothing too extreme.
I wasn't sure how to rate to acceleration, braking and comfort on a scale of 1-10? Compared to what for example? It's comfortable as far as sportbikes go, but it's no Goldwing?
Recommended reviews
 | Awesome bike!!! |
 | A real sports bike with a lot of character |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2004 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Acceleration marks | 9/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Handling marks | 8/10 |
| Braking marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 10/10 |
| Comfort marks | 8/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 9/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 7/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 17000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 20000 kilometres |
| Previous motorcycle | Suzuki GSX-R 750 |
| Date of Entry | 4th February, 2005 |