Coming up in Cafe Racer magazine’s February/March issue, we feature a customized motorcycle that has to rank as one of the least-likely modern machines to become a favorite of custom cafe designers. We’re looking at Suzuki’s torque-monster TL100S, a wild V-twin superbike that briefly ruled the roads back in the late 1990s. Released in 1997 as an open provocation – and hopeful racing successor- to Ducati’s then all-conquering 916, the TL arrived on the scene with a whirlwind of hype due its horsepower output. Suzuki’s marketing department claimed the 1,000cc water-cooled V-twin belted out an incredible 125 horses, a claim considered so outlandish and improbable, the Uk Ducati imported offered to give $10,000 to charity often TL produced anywhere near that much grunt. It turns out the TL did just that and a bit more, making it one of the hottest selling big-bore sportbikes of the next two years.
Not soon thereafter, the bike developed a reputation- deserved or not- for erratic handling due to Suzuki’s odd decision to equip the TL with a unique rotary rear damper instead of a traditional coil spring-over-damper shock.
In the unceasing world of sportbike technology, this all proved moot as Yamaha’s blisteringly fast R1 came along in 1998, knocking the Suzuki from its perch on the throne.
The TLS and its beefier, fully-faired brother the TL1000R sold in small numbers before both being discontinued a couple of years later, but both motorcycles maintained a cult following especially among riders who preferred wheelies and hooligan antics more than the R-1’s racetrack prowess.
Fast forward 28 years and the Suzuki twins have been re-discovered by a new generation of custom motorcycle enthusiasts who appreciate their raw power, unique styling and robust build quality. We feature a couple of re-born TL100s next issue, both of them radically re-engineered neo-cafe racers that are both stunning to look at and fierce performers on the road.
With used prices hovering under $4,000, it’s not difficult to see why this misunderstood and overlooked piece of late ’90s technology is again gaining fans- riding a TL is like taming a wild horse with a very addictive personality. There’s aftermarket tuning parts galore on offer, reliability is solid and it’s still a good-looking design even after all these years. I rode my first-ever trackdays aboard a bright red TL 100Swhich was my first proper sportbike. The way it thundered down the straightaway at Mid-Ohio and ripped through turns was a revelation, especially after spending the previous two summers attempting to do much the same on an ill-handling Buell S-1 Lightning (otherwise known as the Armco-seeking missile)
It may not possess the refinement of a Ducati twin or the silky power of an inline four, but the TL will always have a place in motorcycle culture. Read more come February 9.
