Make or Break? Suzuki TL1000R.
“I had totally forgotten about this model.”
Back in the nineties it felt like every few weeks there was another new model being thrown out there for us the motorcycling public to drool over. The late nineties saw a bit of a craze for big v twin sports bikes.
Fuelled by the on track success of the Ducati 916, the Japanese firms suddenly sensed there could be a buck to be made if they could build a Ducati slayer.
“Wasn’t the first TL1000 a bit of a bitch?”
Magazine headlines suggested that the TL1000S handled like a supermarket trolley. This just made people elevate it to cult status. History proves we all love a bike that can’t control its power, bikes like the H2 750, GSX-R1100K and the V Max are all prime examples. The second coming of the TL concept saw a much more sporty slant.
“What’s the story with this one?”
Well, sit comfortably and I will fill you in. Back in 2017 the previous owner went on a spending spree.
He bought new brake discs, tyres, chain and sprockets and had the wheels powder coated. He then promptly fell ill and never got to ride the bike again. Five years later it is now with me. The fuel tank is rotten and will need replacing. That is the biggest fly in the ointment. Beyond that it is pretty much a straight bike. It will need fresh fuel etc to run, but under that non standard paintwork lurks the makings of a cheap bike.
Fetch an empty van and £1,750.
Article provided by Scottie Redmond
