TL1000R suspension drastiscally lowered

[Jason777]

Hey everyone! Just purchased a 2002 TL. The bike is super low, and I cannot stand it. It looks awesome, but the performance is useless. The rear shock has been REMOVED, and replced by some kind of fabricated shaft. I've never lowered a bike, so I don't know how they got the front end so low. It is also stretched. My question is what is the best way to get it back to the stock settings. I have the rear shock. Any and all help would be appreciated, and thanks for your time. Jason

[enos]

Sorry I can't be of much help, but check out tlplanet.com
If nobody here knows, they will.

[RayOSV]

Not 100% sure of this, but I think it was the TLR that had a rotary rear shock. This is the stock setup:

http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/300_03...0&parent=12210

Post some pics if you can. Not sure what you mean about the front.

[enos]

Yeah, it has the rotary damper. The spring and damper are separate. I've got the TLS which has a similar setup.

I guess the question is: do you have to buy anything? If you have the stock spring you might be able to just put that on. Though I don't know how the extended swingarm will like that. That is what you mean by stretched, right?

What do you mean by a "farbricated shaft"? What does it go to?

As for the front, see if the top of the forks are even with the triple trees. If they rise higher, you can just loosen the clamps and slide the forks down to get back to stock. If they are even now, you might have shorter fork tubes or maybe cut springs. Used forks seem to go for $250ish.

[zedx11]

Buy a manual from the dealer. I wouldn't waste time on the others.

[Jason777]

Thanks for the help. A manual is on the way. The "shaft" is bolted right into where the shock goes. Theres a bracket at the top under the seat, and the bottom portion bolts straight to the swingarm. Yeah, it has a fully adjustable swingarm. I'm working on the pictures right now, they should be up by 5 p.m. The bike really looks awesome. It has 10 coats of red metal flake on the frame, swingarm and wheels. All plastic is painted with flat black, two coats of clear. Two brothers cans, and a power commander. Jason

[Grashopr]

Sounds like they fabricated a 'solid mount' bar to replace the spring with (your bike doesn't have a 'shock' like a normal bike, there is a rotary dampener built into the swing-arm pivot.. very unique setup to TLR's/TLS's that works pretty well to free up space, but difficult to 'upgrade' as most aftermarket manufacturers wont mess with makin new designs). You SHOULD be able to unbolt that solid mounted bar and bolt a stock spring setup into the stock location. That SHOULD raise your back end back up to stock height (I would need to look and see if TL's use a drop-link setup...if so, it's possible that they put extended dog-bones on to get it even 'lower' that would need to be swapped out for stockers). Your front end, as it's been said, has either had the stock fork tubes slid up in the trees to get the front end down which is an EASY fix, or it has custom-cut tubes/springs which would be easiest to fix by purchasing a used set off of Sleaze-Bay.

If your swingarm is stretched over stock, putting the stock spring on the back wont allow the suspension to work 'like stock'. You'll need to find a stock-length swingarm to get your suspension to work correctly with the stock spring. You COULD have a custom-spring cut to coincide with the extended swingarm, but if you want it to behave at all predictably in spirited corners, you'll want to go back to stock-length.

Good luck!


Phil

[Jason777]

I have pictures of the TL on my computer under "my pictures", this website won't let me upload them. I've tried numerous times with no luck, I'll look into it as I would really like you all to see this TL, it really is unique. Any ideas to my uploading abilities, please reply.

[enos]

When you go to reply, click on "Manage Attachments". That will let you upload them. I don't think there's a size limit because people constantly post gigantic ones.