I've had a couple, they're stupid fun. The 1000r's that I have had were very cool to ride I regret selling the last one. They are heavy and feel it, and the grunt takes some getting used to but the fun meter is pegged for me on the R's. I'll have another one soon it's my mistress bike. Personaly I wouldn't get an "S" but thats just me. I think the R's make 20 more horses I think... to lazy to google it.
The one you're looking at is fairly cheap but I've bought R's for 500 bucks that were rough so... Get it for a grand peel the plastic off dump it in the trash and beat that thing. The gear boxes are a known weak point and when they go the V-twin case is a freaking joke to get in, PITA like just buy a known good motor and swap the whole thing in. I had a 3rd gear go out in one of mine. Hope this helps if it was an R and 500 bucks less I'd be on that real quick! As is its a decent buy if its got a clean title.
I've ridden the S. It had less grunt than my Superhawk, at least the acceleration seemed mushy, but don't get me wrong. It did have get up and go. The R made HP in the 120's.
It felt like a hog compared to my 929. I owned the Superhawk at the same time so I had a great frame of reff between it and two different Hondas. I only road it for about 10-15 miles, and that was all. I'm not as knowledgeable as brian on them, but I think that's a cheap price. Miles.........I don't know. I loosened the shit out of my S-hawk in 20,000 miles and sold it. I'd say let a good mech listen to the motor for anything that wants to leap out of the cases or cylinders.
Mommy kicking up a leg for ya yet?
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Thanks for the input, I dident know there was a R and S version.
Would this make a nice track bike or is it just to heavy for that?
Heavy.......yes. It also had this thing called a rotary damper on the rear suspension. Kind of weird.......some blamed it for wonky handling. Track wise, I bet you'd love something in the 600 genre, but the R might be OK by you.
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Thanks for the input, I dident know there was a R and S version.
Would this make a nice track bike or is it just to heavy for that?
With it a buyers market and the onset of colder months I would imagine you could pick up something much better suited for the track. As Dave said, the TL was known for weird handling, aftermarket support isn't great, and it's showing it's age. You can always put lipstick on a pig though.
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Nay sayers, an R makes a wonderful track bike an S not so much. They both have that goofy ass rotary damnper but you can remedy that with a showa out of an cbr f3 and a 1100lb spring. Pretty easy mod with great results. Basicly you just need some spacers and grind on the rear of the frame a touch for clearance. If I were building a track bike it would be a TL1000r for sure, yes they're heavy but the tourque curve leaves lots of room for a less than perfect hand, gives ya a boner coming out of the corners and is a BLAST to ride. Nothing like it, seriously I love em!
I do agree a 600cc supersport makes a great track bike as well, cbr or gsxr personaly for me.
Different people feel differently. I personaly feel the TLr fits like a glove as where the cbr (f2-f4) is a little more aggresive and slightly more cramped. I'll tell something almost anyone would agree with the TLr is more comfortable than the Rc-51. But its a sport bike you're not really going for comfort you know?
Im 6ft and 240 on a good day and I feel like I squash the 600's.
Good call I assumed we were talking tl1000r vs 600cc bikes. If you're looking at a cbr 1000 and the price is right I'd be on that over a TLr.... maybe. I've always wanted to work up a turbo set up on a TLr and street fighter it, man the thought of that makes me wanna do it now.
I had a '98 TLR set up for the street/track..... I agree with the above ---- you'll have to replace the rear shock (I installed a Bi-tubo for $500), and they come heavy stock. You'll also want to put on a full exhaust w/ a power commander, and re-gear it. I went to the extent of ripping out the plastic undertail and mounting all my electronics to a small aluminum plate to save weight. Even then....she still was 450 pounds.
Another word of warning..... the wiring harnesses on the TL's are known to oxidize and cause electrical problems down the road --- if there is even a small amount of corrosion on the bike.... I'd walk.
IN the end...... its a great bike --- it just needs some work.
Now ---- if you can pick up an RC-51 for around $4500-5000 ready to go.... hummm --- tough call.
I'd ONLY buy another TL if it was in MINT condition, a great price, and had some stuff already done to it.
Id take a TLr over a Rc if both were equal condition. Now i did look at that Rc for sale nice bike. Im not into track racing but why do some bolts have holes punched in the head with what appears to be safety wire tied through them?
^ ...that's what they call "safety wiring" for track bikes.
Certain bolts do in fact have little holes drilled in the heads with safety wire run through them and attached to the bike in some way/shape/form.
Just in case one works it's way loose - it won't fall out completely.
I could be wrong, but I would imagine the safety wire probably keeps the bolts from backing out more than a 1/2 turn if wound up tight enough.
Somebody with experience in the matter please confirm or deny... I'm not an expert at the matter.
LockTite is good & all, but I believe track rules would require safety wire.
...one of those things where I think all tracks use safety wire as their standard operating procedure for track safety across the board.
We have some track junkies on here that could explain it well, but I know Omaha is on the right track. I believe there are small variances between organizations, but think most require at least the oil plug, oil filter, oil fill cap, and axle bolts to be safety wired. I've also seen brake caliper mount bolts safety wired.
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