TL1000 SV1000 hybrid?

**Jinx3d** · 31st December 2007, 16:21

I noticed a damaged SV1000 for sale, was thinking I could pirate the parts from my TL1000S to fix it up and have a 2007 bike with upside down forks and cool retro TL styling.

I'd need to swap out the whole front end, and radiator, plus mufflers and idealy put the 6 inch TL wheel on the back.

Thoughts, anybody tried swapping out TL and SV1000 parts?

Actually, does anyone know how the SV's handle in comparison to the TL's?
My TL has got an ohlins rear and seems to handle reasonablu well...

**onearmedbandit** · 31st December 2007, 16:31

Try asking the same question at spankme's other site, sv-portal.com

**imdying** · 31st December 2007, 17:06

Probably wouldn't bother replacing the SVs forks with TL USDs... if you're going to go to the trouble of a swap, you might as well fit better forks than what you're replacing. Wouldn't bother with the heavier TL wheels either.

Leave the 5.5" on the back, get a K1/K2 GSXR front end and have it sorted, the TL mufflers will fit though.

**Blair-SV** · 6th January 2008, 10:51

Hmm, remember the last time we went out together and I totally whipped your ass with the SV...oh wait that was in my dreams.

Interesting idea but it seems to me to be more hassle than it's worth. I doubt the SV chassis is that much more refined than the TL. Better to find a wrecked ER-6 and do this to it

[URL="http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2007/11/30/kawasaki-ninja-flat-tracker/"]

But don't be stealing my ideas now y'hear.

**Jinx3d** · 6th January 2008, 19:24

...if yu going to whup me.

I been scraping my boots and pegs down rangiteki way all xmas.

After riding all xmas I get back to Auckland and get pulled over by a mufti for speeding in the 80 kay zone throught spagetti junc!!

**Squid** · 7th January 2008, 19:59

Ive been looking round the site for TL thou comments and this seems to be it. Im looking at getting one, yes i know its a Big Bike wh alot of killing potental but what kind of things are most common to go wrong wh them? What do i need to look out for?

**Patch** · 8th January 2008, 05:05

Originally Posted by Jinx3d

My TL has got an ohlins rear and seems to handle reasonablu well...

it takes a bit more than this to make an old pig, less of a pig.

**saul** · 8th January 2008, 07:30

Originally Posted by loudisgood

Ive been looking round the site for TL thou comments and this seems to be it. Im looking at getting one, yes i know its a Big Bike wh alot of killing potental but what kind of things are most common to go wrong wh them? What do i need to look out for?

http://www.tlplanet.com/

**n0regret5** · 13th February 2008, 18:08

Originally Posted by Patch

it takes a bit more than this to make an old pig, less of a pig.

i just bought a tls..handling isn't as bad as you'd think, even with the funky (read:stupid) rear suspension set-up..

as for swapping parts, i like the sound of this..you could bin the not-so-awesome rotary damper dealy and get some better arse coverage, fuck using the 5.5" wheel, 6" has mean streetfighter cred (and lets face it, thats exactly what you're doing, taking the best parts of two bikes and bolting them together), front suspension from tl with better springs and oil (there was a pro who did these, i forget who now) handles a billion times better than standard forks from sv..would be interesting to see how well the sv frame/swingarm coped with the few extra ponies from an unrestricted tls engine!!

i like this idea. i'm all for serious customising of bikes (like a hammer to a harley, best sound i've heard coming from those yet), and i plan on 'fixing' up my tl once i have a spare bit of coin..go for gold. keep us posted!

**Jinx3d** · 13th February 2008, 18:56

I generally find that poeple that dis TL handling :

A - have never ridden one
B - cant ride for shit no matter what bike they have
C - own very expensive or new bikes

Often, its all 3 options combined.

Here is my challenge: $6-7000 will get you a 1999 Tl1000S on trademe, with an ohlins rear shock.

Find me a better Vee twin for that money. An aprillia or Ducati will cost you twice as much. A Fire storm would be the closest, but then they come in for their fair share of handling critisim as well.

If you ride a 4cylinder, dont bother posting, if you dont *get* Vee twins, you never will.

**Unit:Me** · 13th February 2008, 19:13

Originally Posted by Jinx3d

I generally find that poeple that dis TL handling :

A - have never ridden one
B - cant ride for shit no matter what bike they have
C - own very expensive or new bikes

Often, its all 3 options combined.

Here is my challenge: $6-7000 will get you a 1999 Tl1000S on trademe, with an ohlins rear shock.

Find me a better Vee twin for that money. An aprillia or Ducati will cost you twice as much. A Fire storm would be the closest, but then they come in for their fair share of handling critisim as well.

If you ride a 4cylinder, dont bother posting, if you dont *get* Vee twins, you never will.

Well its hard to know how I fit in given your last comment. I ride a 4 cylinder, the mighty ZX14 (07 model), had it from new in September and done 15,000kms on it. Awesome
Prior to that I had the 05 Aprilia RSV1000R, paid $18,000 for that in Jan 07 and did around 10,000 or more ks. With the Olins forks and rear shock, I have never felt a better suspension, and the brembo breaks were fantastic. But it was $18grand. Prior to that I had bought the SV1000S 96 model new and did 16,000ks on it. I always felt a wieve in the suspension performance, but oh the sound of those Yoshi pipes and for $12,000 outta the box, bang for buck was the best new buy litre bike on the market, and as a bonus a V-twin. When I bought the SV, I traded my '99 TL1000s for it at around $7,500, that was in June 06, I'd done 12,000 ks on the TL, and loved it. The other TL we had in our garage around that time was a very worked '97, a mental bike, both were $9,000 purchase price and had around 20,000ks on the clock. Oh and there was a Ducati 900ss before the TL.
Point is, looooove my v-twins, and your point about the TLs being one of the best litre bike buys around is pretty correct.
Very very interested in your hybrid idea between the TL and SV, and if you've already got them both, and neither is perfect, why not, I dont think you could loose.

**98tls** · 13th February 2008, 20:15

Winters coming mate,make a great project,not something i would do but would follow your progress with much interest.As for people dissing TLs handling,over the years ive heard it all a millon times,ive got a huge collection of old mags with road tests track tests etc with many memorable comments on the subject,in 99 or 2000 (cant be bothered finding it) Kiwi biker took one back to a track up north,on the tankslapper topic he remarked that he had had more headshake from a GSXR 750 when both are ridden hard,cant recall anyone ever saying a GSXR is a shocking handling bike.All the bullshit never hurt them anyway.

**dipshit** · 14th February 2008, 17:25

Originally Posted by Unit

Prior to that I had bought the SV1000S 96 model new and did 16,000ks on it. I always felt a wieve in the suspension performance

I also felt a wieve in my new SV1000 when it was still in showroom setup. Particularly when initially peeling into moderate to fast corners. That soon disappeared when I started to get the suspension dialled in.

Other improvements from tweaking the settings have been...

1) No more twitchy front end when hitting bumps mid corner.

2) No more bone jarring knocks through the bike when hitting a particularly nasty bump.

3) The whole bike and particularly the front end feels more glued to the road through corners.

4) Less tendency for the bike to feel nervous at high speeds in a straight line.

5) The back end is more planted under breaks. Doesn't get as tail-happy when breaking heavily.

6) Steering is lighter and more responsive, so the bike doesn't feel as "ponderous" or feels like it wants to run wide any more.

It is a totally different feeling bike now than what it was when I first got it.

If any of those traits sound familiar to any other SV1000 riders out there, then it is time to start learning what all those suspension settings adjusters do.

**n0regret5** · 16th February 2008, 17:22

Originally Posted by dipshit

I also felt a wieve in my new SV1000 when it was still in showroom setup. Particularly when initially peeling into moderate to fast corners. That soon disappeared when I started to get the suspension dialled in.

Other improvements from tweaking the settings have been...

1) No more twitchy front end when hitting bumps mid corner.

2) No more bone jarring knocks through the bike when hitting a particularly nasty bump.

3) The whole bike and particularly the front end feels more glued to the road through corners.

4) Less tendency for the bike to feel nervous at high speeds in a straight line.

5) The back end is more planted under breaks. Doesn't get as tail-happy when breaking heavily.

6) Steering is lighter and more responsive, so the bike doesn't feel as "ponderous" or feels like it wants to run wide any more.

It is a totally different feeling bike now than what it was when I first got it.

If any of those traits sound familiar to any other SV1000 riders out there, then it is time to start learning what all those suspension settings adjusters do.

i'd love to fuck about with my suspension, i'm getting that twitchy front end through corners thing and its pissing me off, especially considering my last two bikes were a cbr250rr and an NC30, those things stick to corners like the pope shits in the woods..or was it a bear? anywhos..if anyone could help with that i'd be very greatful! suzuki shop here has a pack of assholes for mechanics (as does the honda shop) and the good place (mach 1 yamaha, absolutely brilliant customer service for if you're ever in New Plymouth) is always too busy..theres a 6 pack of your fav brew in it!

Originally Posted by Jinx3d

I generally find that poeple that dis TL handling :

A - have never ridden one
B - cant ride for shit no matter what bike they have
C - own very expensive or new bikes

Often, its all 3 options combined.

Here is my challenge: $6-7000 will get you a 1999 Tl1000S on trademe, with an ohlins rear shock.

Find me a better Vee twin for that money. An aprillia or Ducati will cost you twice as much. A Fire storm would be the closest, but then they come in for their fair share of handling critisim as well.

If you ride a 4cylinder, dont bother posting, if you dont *get* Vee twins, you never will.

-can't help but agree here..(perhaps not the 4cyl dig, though in reality they are miles apart in performance) my dear old brother even got angry and started an arguement with me about how poor a decision it was purchasing a tls as they're dangerous bikes (97 had engine issues) with shit handling and dodgy geometry..i've owned mine for two weeks last thursday and i'm fairly sure i'm totally in love with the damn thing. very few issues, and they only add character.

please..anyone who thinks they're bad bikes, find a model thats been well-looked after and take her for a spin.

also - anyone else think its odd the power kicks in really high up? wheelies from standstill on my firestorm were stupidly easy but it seems on this girl they only seem to happen when i've hit about 50kms in first..