1998 Suzuki TL1000S

I like many other people had had money problems and had not been able to afford another motorcycle and it seemed I had waited an eternity. However circumstances changed and at last a newer bike was possible. I started to ponder what to get my trusty old Honda CB750F2 was not inspiring me any more and I work as a Paramedic on a motorcycle in the Chelmsford area so was riding a comfortable reliable Honda ST1100 Pan European all day. So I wanted something a bit more exiting to ride in my free time.

A few months earlier I had seen a yellow Suzuki TL1000S with a full fairing in a shop in Watford whilst visiting my brother in law and fell in love with it straight away. I fancied a V twin as I had ridden my bothering laws Honda Firestorm and liked that a lot. I had read the motorcycle press and had heard about the TLS being a baby eating nutters bike and its recalls in its early days and that reputation kind of appealed to me, could I tame the beast.

Finally after a lot of looking around and nearly buying a Honda Firestorm I finally found one a beautiful red one and very sexy looking beast it was too. Off to the shop like a big kid getting a new toy I eagerly paid for it trying hard to listen to the details of the warranty etc, just wanting to get going.

A mate at work had warned me not to get a TL 1000S and as I rode it up the road I started to wonder if I should have listened. It had no steering to speak of unlike the CB750 and the Pan; it was not smooth at slow speed it didn’t like going slow and it made my wrists ache and the power seemed awesome.

After a week or two however and re learning things like counter steering and the entirely different style of riding a v twin I started to realise its potential. With the right kind of throttle control there was a smooth delivery of power through the gears and if you abused the throttle it was more than capable of bringing the front wheel up.

The handling around a set of twisties with subtle throttle control required next to no breaking. However when breaking is required the Tokico breaks set up seem more than capable of pulling you up rapidly.

At slow speeds if you set the throttle at the right level it acts like a cruise control and stays at that level regardless of going uphill downhill or on the level. But it does feel a little lumpy, but it is a V twin and is also fuel injected, I road tested a Honda X 1100 which also has an injected engine and that was also a bit lumpy at slow speeds.

The riding position is a little uncomfortable whilst in town conditions in traffic but on a motorway A roads and good quality country roads this does not seem to be a problem.

This machine with its 116bhp engine is more than enough power for road use and should, give you a good buzz for a track day. If you consider Honda’s SP1 is 125bhp and the TLS was made 4 years earlier it is a lot of motorbike for your money at between £3000 to £3700 for a 97/98 TLS.

To summarise then if you want a fun challenging motorcycle to ride, which is good value for money then, the TLS comes highly recommended, from my point of view anyway. I often deliberate as to why? When the Ducati’s, V twin Honda’s and Aprillia’s were dominating World Superbikes, Suzuki didn’t consider trying to do something with this engine. My greatest disappointment is what? Am I going to do when this one needs replacing they don’t make TLS’s anymore.