TL1000S handling

[Robert Taylor]

what about a lighter grade fork oil?

When the shim stacks are open the fork oil viscosity has very little influence because there is a lot more flow area than when it is just cycling through the bleeds at low fork shaft velocity. Moreover the low speed rebound control is already marginal through the bleed so going to a lighter oil is going to exacerbate that poor area of control.

These are cartridge forks we are dealing with, not damper rod forks.

So the cheap fix ( lighter oil ) is not a fix at all. The piston ports are simply not big enough to flow enough oil volume at abrupt bump velocities ( fork velocity, not bike velocity)

[Robert Taylor]

okay so maybe im just making excuses for not being able to justify spending the equivalent of 30% of the value of my bike on a new rear shock

The same argument can be applied to the fitting of aftermarket exhausts. I know what actually gives much better value and doesnt upset the neighbours......''Hey listen to my ill handling bike"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ric007]

bikes always handled this way even with new tyres was thinking maybe a different profile tyre might help

[Robert Taylor]

bikes always handled this way even with new tyres was thinking maybe a different profile tyre might help

The profile will affect steering response but will not ''mask'' the atrocious suspension on this model.

[Pussy]

My 0.05c worth... I have a mate in NP with a Y(2000) model TLS, it's had the RT fork valve mod and an Ohlins damper unit fitted to it... totally transformed the bike. The forks run higher in the stroke, with 100% better sharp bump compliance. Worthwhile mod

[Sensei]

Saddly no one has suggested about the Rebound damper fault they can have . The rear damper unit connecting bolts that screw into the righthand side of the frame that break & course the bike to do some very strange things . I have gone to great lenghts to make a side plate & weld repair the broken frame mounting plate that the rebound damper bolts to & cracks when the said bolts break . May pay to check this out as well as the other stuff the Technos are talking about .

[Robert Taylor]

Saddly no one has suggested about the Rebound damper fault they can have . The rear damper unit connecting bolts that screw into the righthand side of the frame that break & course the bike to do some very strange things . I have gone to great lenghts to make a side plate & weld repair the broken frame mounting plate that the rebound damper bolts to & cracks when the said bolts break . May pay to check this out as well as the other stuff the Technos are talking about .

Its because the fitting width of the damper is less than the fitting width of the frame and the correct thing to do is to release the bolts, measure the gap and shim accordingly. But that does nothing to address the disgusting performance of that high friction damper.

[Wheeliemonsta]

Under throttle, changing from L to R, if hitting chatter, bike seems to want to straighten. Otherwise handles well, but can be a handful under these cirumstances. Is this just TL?

Gidday ric007,
In all honesty - spend the money & have Robert do his thing, he did mine back in 98 when it were a new bike & it was the best couple of grand I've ever spent...

TL's (R's & S's) are a bloody fantastic bike - BUT the suspension was fundamentally flawed from factory, hence Suzuki trying mask the problem with the recall to fit steering dampers...

With ten years wear & tear on it I can't see it having magically started to handle any better

Cheers