Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

FIRST RIDE 1997 Suzuki TL1OOOS 1997 Suzuki TL1ODDS Specification Engine type 90-degree V-twin DOHC lour-stroke Engine di.placenMnt .................•................................ 996cc Cooling system . . . . . •........................................ Uquid-cooled COmp ion ratio .. . . .•.. .. . .•. . . 11.3: 1 Valve. per cylinder . ... . . . . ... . .. . . .•. . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . .4 Intake valves per cylinder. . . . . .•... . . .•. ....•. . . ... . 2 Exhaust valves per cylinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . .2 Bore x .troke . . . . . 98 x 66 Horsepower. . . . . . . . . . . . ..•......................... 123.2 bhp @ 8.500 rpm Peak torque .........................•............•....... 76.3 Ib-It @ 8.000 rpm Engine redllne ...............................•.................... 10.500 rpm Valve adj_bn_ inte 1 ...•.. . 15.000 miles Intak d _ _r _ ..........•...................... 40mm Exha_·valve d l a _ . . . _ _ 33mm Intak.valve _ dla_r ...........•......... _ 5.5mm Exhe_-valve _ du.5.5mm Intak.valve maximum Oft ...............•..•.......................... 9.8mm Exhe_·valve maximum lift _ 9.0mm F -dellvary ~ ...........•......... , electronic fuel injection Throttle·body.ize ...................•.................... . .. 52 mm Exhaust-~ type _. . ......•.............. two into two Ignition ~ .........•...•..•.........•..................... digital electronic Lubrication s ~ . .. wet sump Fuel capacity ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . .• . . . . . .174.42 gallons Tran.mls.lon type . . . . • . . . • . . . . . . • . . .. . . •. . . . . . . . .. .6-speed. constant mesh Clutch type . . . .... _ .........•................ wet multi.plate type Primary drive ... . ..............•.. _ ......•................ spur gear Primary-drive ratio .. 57/31 (1.839:1> Final-drive sprocket ratio ...........•.......................... 38/17 (2.235: 1) Transmission nltio 8th _ 24/24 (1.000:1> 5th 25/23 (1.086: 1> 4th _..........•..•.............•..•......•.........27/22 (1.227:1> 3rd 2nd .............•......•.........•......•......•.........27/18 (1.500:1> _ 29/15(1.933:1> 1st ...............•........................................ 32/12 (2.667:1> Overall ratios 8th ...........•......•.............•...............•.............. 4.110:1 5th ...•...." . •. . . . . . •. . . . . .•. . . . . .....•..•.......... 4.467:1 4th . . . .. .• . .. . . .•. . .•. . . . _'" 5.044:1 3rd . ......... . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . •. . ...•..•.......... 6.165: 1 2nd ...•..........•..•. ....•............. . 7.946:1 1st .. .10.960:1 Frame . . . . . . . . . •. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .• . . . . . ....aluminum.alloy truss frame Rake/trail..... . ....•.............•..•......... 23.7 degrees/93.5 (3.7 inches) Wheelbase _. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.7 inches Seat height . . . . . . . . . .. .............•................. . 32.9 inches Footpeg height ............. . 15.5 inches Handlebar height . 35.9 inches Su.pension Front . ... .43mm inverted Kayaba cartridge fork. fully adjustable rebound and compression damping Rear .. ....progressive linkage fully adjustable rebound and compression damping Brakes . Front . . . . dual 320mm discs. lour·piston calipers Rear .. . _..•............ dual 220mm disc. twin-piston calipers Front wheel ... 3.50 x 171nch cast-aluminum alloy R_r wh_1 .• . . .• . .. . . . . .. 6.00 x 17 inc.h cast aluminum alloy Front tire . . . .......... ...... . ... Metzeler 120170ZR-17 R-r tire . . .Metzeler 190/50ZR-17 Dry weight . . . . . . . . . . ...............•...................... .412 pounds Weight distribution _ 49 percent/51 percent List price . $8.999 62 (Above) The fact that Suzuki used an electronic fuel-Injection system on the TL1OOOS came as somewhlit of a surprise. The rasun Is smooth and precise throttle response. in the more conventional manner from underneath. The large-volume aluminum mufflers will likely be the first thing consumers will want to change as the TL doesn't come close to reverberating the romantic sounds of a Ducati; instead. it purrs more like' an overbored DR650. Once up to speed, I concentrated on smooth and precise downshifts from top gear to second gear for Homestead's tightest corner, fearing rear wheel lock if shifting down any other way. That was a misconception on my part. Letting the clutch out after rapidfire downshifts was met with a steady transition and absolutely no concern of pending rear-wheel deceleration backlash, thanks entirely to sprag-type clutch system. Upshifting through the six-speed transmission was also' smooth and precise, doing away with the concerns of the previous day's street excursion. The brakes, too, proved entirely adequate. When Suzuki engineers were questioned as to their choice of four-piston Tokico calipers rather than the six-piston option, they said that the four-piston units were all that were needed. After a day on the track, it was hard to argue with them. Combined with the dual 320rnm discs, the lour-piston Tokico's performed well all day long and never required any adjustment or bleeds. The TLlOOOS also uses a twin-piston caliper and a single 220mm disc at the rear. Handlingwise, the TLlOOOS also shined at the race track. Ground clearance is plentiful with only the footpeg feelers touching pavement in some of HOmestead's tight left-handers. The TL tracked well in both fast and slow corners, was plenty stable at top speed and remained well planted under heavy braking with the front end showing no tendency toward excessive dive (at 55.7 inches, the'TL's wheelbase is 15mrn longer than the GSXR750s). Steering had a neutral feel (Above) Up front, the Suzuki V·twln gets an Inverted 43mm fork. Four-piston Toklco brakes provide the stopping power. to it and the bike didn't have the annoying urge to want to stand up at any point while cornering. In all, the bike is confidence inspiring, and easy to ride at a quick pace. Suzuki set out to make the TV's chassis compact, lightweight a.nti rigid. They seem to have pulled if off via an aluminum truss frame that is quite different in appearance than what most of us are used to. The frame uses hollow castings at the steering head and swingarm pivot, joined together by trusses constructed of extruded tubes and forged pieces. It's the combination of oblong and oval tubes that give the TL's chassis unique appearance, another factor that led Suzuki to fit the bike with only the half fairing rather than the full coverage of the GSXRs. The stock settings on the suspension were fairly close to being right fdr this 150-pound tester, and Suzuki technicians only increased the rebound and decreased the compression on the rear to help eliminate a slight rear-end hop under acceleration. The changes to the rear suspension cured the problem. Those alterations and a change from the Metzeler re(iommended rear tire pressure of 36 pounds down to a better race track pressure of 32 pounds were all that w.e ll).ade. The rear suspension package on ilie TLlOOOS truly separates it from anything else on the market. Instead of using the standard .rear-linkageJ shock-absorbing system used by t1~e others, Suzuki opted to try something different - a rotary damper design. resuJt is a system that relies on two separate linkages (allowing for separate linkage ratios), one of which c :nr

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