Just sold my TL

Don´t know what your class rules are there - but I have triple clamps and forks from a 2008 GSXR1000. (Bought in North America a few years ago in very good condition for $ 420).

Its a major weight saving. The triple clamp is something like 1.7 kg lighter - plus forks are lighter too, you get to use modern radial brake calipers and the damping technology is better. (Actually I was ok with the standard calipers for braking , but they are un-sprung mass and WAY heavier than the R6 calipers I use now.)

When we were installing the triple clamp we measured and the offset was significantly different. I honestly don´t remember how much - but could check if you are interested. Also the tube diameters are the same - so you should be able to swap out the triple clamp for the weight and offset change, and still keep the stock forks.

 

K8 triples are 28mm offset with 207mm spacing and are 50/56mm dia.
TLR triples are 32mm offset with 214mm spacing and are 50/55mm dia.

I plan on using K8 triples but shall wait till the end of the year to make new calipers adapters before doing so.

I plan on using 28mm offset clamps and extending the swingarm 25-30mm but I do wonder how long the swingarm is on the yosh bikes. Ill message jim and see if he knows

 

Near as I can tell, distance from the center of the swing-arm pivot to the center of the rear axle on the #14 bike in "unfinished business" is 565mm.

That´s probably not very accurate - the image was marginal.

But it seem like your 25 to 30mm extension could be a bit on the low side ....

Walking around the MotoGP event in Austin this year we did some swing-arm measuring. Modern Superbike and MotoGP machines are way longer still.

 

from jim houlihan:

"Posted it on my page now. How long is that swingarm? I posted the numbers somewhere else, but you know how things get lost into FB history. The Kit endurance arm pictured is 523-565mm. That is the Long arm, most forward axle position to the most aft axle position, not the slot length and the axle is the normal 28mm diameter. The Short arm is 500-538mm. I never had a Sprint arm to measure. The Stock R arm is 508-534mm."

i was shooting for 520-560mm range personally, so not too far away.

cant run the swing atm too long on the TLR... it has a long front centre, due to a 90deg twin, so you'll loose too much agility lengthening the arm much more then 25-40mm imo

 

Man you guys are getting technical lol.
Just reminds me how much I got left behind in all this stuff in last 12 years of not participating in the game .
I got 07 gsxr 750 forks which are 30mm off-set and got 20mm extensions on them...probably no need as they're already about 16mm too long.
In the rear I got the LE Penske setup. Any idea how much of a spacer I should start with?

Getting back home in couple of days and I got about 2 weeks to get this thing together from scratch. I got some running around to do and would like to get the frame powder coated but this might screw me up for time pending how busy they are.

 

Penske set up is 265/268mm shock length depending whove ive asked. Im running at 272mm length. So measure your shock length and then add a spacer if needed and start at 268mm.

My forks are set flush with top triple and are oem TLR forks (720mm long IRRC)

As for frame painting. I just used VHT chassis and roll bar paint. No primer required. Easy to touch up. Very hardy as well.

 

What seat height did you end up with - after adjusting shock length and the seat itself .... ?

 

Ran across this on eBay. Pretty cool build......

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Suzuk...ash=item25fbe5b455:g:MQUAAOSwYFpbQcca&vxp=mtr

 

Looks like shiz, they ruined the look of a TL

 

Yeah that thing looks like shit IMO

 

looks like an SV that was at COTA a couple of years ago.

Funny thing a friend just picked up a 1998 in decent original neglected shape for a decent price.

 

Jesus, 13k for a striped down TLR!

This is got to be worth 20k than

 

Probably goes just as bad as it looks. Without intake snorkels they feel about 20 km/h flower

 

Just in case anyone is in the market for a clean race version:
https://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/mcy/d/suzuki-tl1000r-track-bike/6645277606.html

 

No where as clean or as nice as mine is and I couldn’t get anywhere trying to sell it...

 

I really thought the TLR´s would develop more of a cult following as the years went by... They are different enough to be interesting / have a ton of character and go reasonably well if you sort out the suspension and a few other things. A few of us appreciate them - but not enough for there to be any significant market out there. Maybe there were just too many built - I understand the number was about 150,000

 

I dont know about the lack of desire for them. My buddy just bought one and the seller had to pull the ad within hours of posting it because he had a ridciulous amount of people responding. Of course you had the usual clowns that want to offer $500 on a bike someone is asking a very fair $1700 for. Sure the bike needs relatively minor things like a thorough brake service, fork service, rear sets, air filter, oil change, levers and tires. But even all in thats $2500 for a ridable bike with <30,000 miles and 20 years old.

 

Saw this one on Atlanta cl and meant to post it. In case anyone -really-wants a clean (appearing) one. No affiliation...

https://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/mcy/d/2003-suzuki-tlr-1000/6621738447.html

 

As a cheap streetbike there's some interest because in the <$2500 range there's not much else sporty in that price range that is 1000cc. But as track/racebikes with any kind of decent setup they have negative value, worth more in parts than as a whole.

Also, TL's attract tinkerers and people that like stuff that is a little different. This is a very suspect crowd, the kind of people parents rightfully try to steer their kids clear of. These people will try to get you into a TL for very cheap as a gateway, then the next thing you know you'll have another one as a 'parts bike' and all your garage shelves will be full of bits and pieces of TL's that will be used 'someday'.

So there is probably the element of people trying not to fall down that slippery slope which is causing good (track)bikes to remain unsold.