TL1000R

[tt_four]

It takes more than the fastest motor to make a great racebike. Even he zx7r did pretty well in it's time, and that bike was an underpowered pig. It was gorgeous, but it was a pig. I unfortunately(or not) don't care enough about racing to have followed that whole thing with the 1125r but it sucks there was such commotion over things. I say skip the classes and just start racing bikes.    What's the point in racing smaller bikes if they're not as fast anyway?

[redhenracing2]

My favorite bike is the gsxr750

Meh, they're okay.

In all seriousness, they're great. I picked mine up for $2500, had to wait around for a while to find one in the year/condition that I was looking for though. Very well balanced, but (like any real sportbike) will definitely power wheelie if you (accidentally?) tell it to.

Figure out exactly what you want and wait around for the perfect one. You'll know it when you see it.

[makenzie71]

TL's forever.  If you get a chance to own one, own one.  You may not keep it forever, but I guarantee you, if you give it up, it will be begrudgingly, and you will never look back on it as a regret.

A TL is much better than a VTR, though I like the TL-S, The TL has a full on frame, none of that swingarm pivot into the engine garbage like the VTR and new VFR. And the CBR929 and 954
Cool.
Buddha.

U = my hero.

Oh and you people comparing V-twins to I4's...you're comparing engines designed for different things.  Given equal cc's, I4's are a lot faster than singles, too.

[tt_four]

Figure out exactly what you want and wait around for the perfect one. You'll know it when you see it.

I already did that tonight, I want this one, haha...

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/2037606950.html

I'm actually hoping to spend closer to $2000-2500 as well(won't complain if it's less!), but the 04-05s are my top pick. I'd be fine with one in even worse shape than that. If I found one with somewhat intact fairings I'd probably ride it as is, but I'm more than willing to find a beat up one, rip the fairings off, put on a new headlight and maybe some dirtbike bars to make it a bit more useful as a street bike. Craigslist is amazing this time of year though, I've seen a ton of clean looking bikes come across craigslist for $1600-2500, everything from gsxrs, to cbrs and R1s. When I say clean, some looked good, some had some cracked plastics, but all were still intact. There's definitely some good options if you just keep an eye out.

That TLS looks amazing by the way. Was it yours, or just a picture you found?

[makenzie71]

That one was mine...one of my biggest regrets (in riding) is giving that bike up.

[JB848]

I can't really say anything other then I said all ready. I guess it just comes down to what you like and want.

In reference to prior victories for the V-Twin I acknowledge that they used to have a niche and owned it for a very long time. But, the Jap invasion and now lately the Italian invasion you just don't see them on the track anymore. The reason I bring this up is that a lot of developments and innovations that we ride today were born on the race track. With that lack of attention there is no way the V-Twin can hope to compete or keep up.

[makenzie71]

... and now lately the Italian invasion

You do know that Italian bikes are nearly all v-twins, right?

[tt_four]

Did you do the swingarm swap yourself or did you pick it up like that? Looks great on that bike.

I know it's obviously gonna be heavier and handle slower compared to the GS, but how od you think it was compared to other 600s and bikes like that? I absolutely love the TLs but just think it's too big of a bike for me. One of these days I'm just gonna need to find someone to let me ride theirs so I can see how it feels.

[makenzie71]

I did the swingarm.

1000cc twins are a great compromise in bikes.  The advantage 1000cc I4's have is torque.  The advantage 600cc bikes have is inertia...or a lack there of.  A TL1000R has the inertia of a 600 and the torque of a 1000.  They're best at blowing through the same curves 600's handle nicely, but with the speed of the 1000's.  In a straight line they won't keep up with the 1000's.

A TL1000R is a very nimble machine.  A TL1000S even more so...just a little slower.  Mine above, with the mag on the front, would fall in like my Bandit 400...it was almost preemptive.  Very light and easy.

[The Buddha]

The TL is 2 X the bike the sv1K could ever have been. Anyway the SA swap is a VFR near about standard toss in fit, I got some VFR SSSA lying round somewhere but ... man that sucker is a heavy ass pig. The GSXR SA swap is a much better option, but it isn't Single sided.
GSXR FE too drops into an sv1K ... nearly anything you want to upgrade ... GSXR on an sv.
Cool.
Buddha.

[SAFE-T]

I still think a v-twin is one of the nicest engine layouts for a street-going motorcycle.

In World Superbike, the Ducati had a hp disadvantage which was sometimes significant even given it's displacement advantage. It's primary competition - the Honda RVF750 - made nearly 190 hp in its final form before being replaced by the RVT1000RC51. At the time, v-twins were easier on rear tires, and their superior torque at lower rpm out of the corners made them race winners. The Aprilia RSV-R was looking to seriously join the party before they got sidetracked with their 'Cube' in MotoGP and would later be forced by the Piaggio group to leave both MotoGP and World Superbike for a few years to recover.

9 yrs. later and Ducati is once again the only v-twin in World Superbike. Yamaha and Aprilia have bikes that were either V-4's or worked like a V-4, and the newest 1198R Ducati's were making big hp and getting harder on rear tires while the Yamaha and Aprilia were using their engine configurations and electronic controls to make their bikes easier on tires.

[SAFE-T]

a parallel twin IMHO is the ideal bike motor design

90 degree twins have perfect primary balance ... though you can put a 270 crank in a parallel ... but well ...

Cool.
Buddha.

What did you think of Yamaha's TDM900 then ?

http://www.visordown.com/road-tests-used/used-review-yamaha-tdm-850-900/4326.html

[The Buddha]

A TRX would have had me running to the stealer ...
Dont need a TDM ... that dual sportiness and late 80's looks dont work together IMHO ...

In fact if the bloody Ninja 650 had an aluminum frame I'd have got one of those instead of the sv1k. I cannot wait to find a rusty ninja 650 ... Even that optimus prime versys ...

Nothing depreciates a bike like rust ...

Cool.
Buddha.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

... and now lately the Italian invasion

You do know that Italian bikes are nearly all v-twins, right?

Exactly.

[SAFE-T]

A TRX would have had me running to the stealer...

Good point - had forgot about the TRX. Think it didn't sell too well due to it's boxy looks at the time, but could have been a truly great bike with a little attention - another in a loooooong line of bikes the Japanese abandoned before it's time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpKp1nSQMs0&feature=related