The year is 1997 and V-twin sportbikes are the fad of the moment. Hot on the heels of Ducati's runaway success on the road and track with the 916, Suzuki throw a short-wheelbase, half-faired, 996cc 90-degree bad boy into the arena and earn much rapturous initial applause when it bullies Honda's VTR1000 Firestorm into submission.
Unfortunately the fanfare doesn't last as problems with the rear shock (notably the separate damping unit which doesn't contain enough oil and overheats) highlight instability when the bike is ridden hard. The following year, all TLS's wear steering dampers and the fully faired, beam-framed WSB entry TL1000R has the rear suspension damper unit situated further away from the engine to keep it cooler.
Despite the problems, the TL series enjoys a hardcore cult following as the engine is a belter with a riveting power delivery and one-wheeled antics aplenty. 2001 was the end of the road for the TL1000, but the engine lived on in Cagiva's Raptor as well as the unpopular SV1000 successor. We're pleased to bring it back for one more dance...
Engine
Much to Ducati's dismay, the TL made close to 120hp in 1997, which was substantially more than the road-going 916. It's still a healthy amount by today's standards but we've upped the capacity by 100cc anyway. With modern fuel injection, better breathing and a Power Commander we'd expect 140hp and a healthy spread of power at the bottom end. A bigger, curved radiator from a CBR600RR keeps things cool.
Chassis
Borrowing a frame from a Bimota may be making a rod for our own back but we love the way the tubes and alloy sections work together. With a few mods we've shoehorned our TLS motor in. The rear spring is in the conventional position behind the engine (meaning a slightly longer wheelbase than before) and the separate damper unit gets extra capacity. Brakes are from the GSX-R750/1000, as are the fully adjustable forks and rearsets.
Bodywork
While we like the quirkiness of the Hayabusa's styling, we can see why it's unique in the Suzuki range. However, to keep it in the family, we've modified it to fit our frame in a slimmer fashion-this is a sportbike after all.
Headlights are GSX-R1000 items, while the fuel tank is a re-sculptured TLR item and the bellypan once lived on a Kawasaki ER-6 and hides the catalyser.