anyone go for a ride today? Pics?

[Big Block]

This is just a local road about 20 mins away from my house Trevor, Near Predator Ridge in Vernon. Ha, ha, being a new to me bike I stayed on main roads where I could explain to my wife where I was if need be. It's on now though! Tires are scrubbed, everythings tight, chain rivets are solid...

[Carter Turk]

Got 7-20 minute sessions @ Ridge yesterday.
No chicane day, so getting into 6th gear on the front straight is exciting before turn 1 brake markers.

20250720_210221 by Carter Turk, on Flickr

[storm 64]

Seven, Twenty minute sessions... How many miles is that I wonder? Seems like quite a few.

[bwringer]

Seven, Twenty minute sessions... How many miles is that I wonder? Seems like quite a few.

Blackhawk Farms Raceway in Illinois is just under two miles, and Ridge Motorsports Park is just under 2.5.

In seven 20 minute sessions at BFR, I see about 75 miles on my trip odo at the end of the day. I suspect it's a bit more at Ridge, especially with no chicane and higher speeds on the front straight. Then again, it does have a lot of tight turns and is a lot more complex.

Hard to say which has a higher average speed, but Lapmeta.com (whoever they heck they are...) claims an average of 80mph at Ridge, and 87mph at BFR, so you'd likely do a little more distance in a session at BFR.

[Carter Turk]

My beater track bike has no dash, figuring I get maybe 8 laps per session x 7 = 56 x 2.47= 138 miles.
I vaguely recall 6 years on the 83 Kat @ Ridge up until 2018, getting over 50+ laps.

Probably wouldn't even qualify for Moto America Junior Cup or BTR, ha ha!

[Hayabuser]

I recently picked up this TL1000S that was in need of some TLC from too much sitting around in the p/o's garage... a fun little project, more fun now that it's on the road.

[Carter Turk]

What kind of TLC, replace "spring on a stick", or?

Had a 01 TLS briefly & it was an interesting bike with some electronic flaws. Lots of cutting out @ low rpm's. Bought a Ivan's electronic something...can't remember it's purpose, but it helped smooth out electronic glitches & put 2 emission block off plates
on the engine.

The v-twin motor characteristics were awesome, having only ridden inline fours prior & gearing was super lazy @ freeway speeds, just loping along @ a much lower rpm than a inline four.

What year is it?

Kinda miss it, but a close friend still owns it so maybe...

[Hayabuser]

What kind of TLC, replace "spring on a stick", or?

Had a 01 TLS briefly & it was an interesting bike with some electronic flaws. Lots of cutting out @ low rpm's. Bought a Ivan's electronic something...can't remember it's purpose, but it helped smooth out electronic glitches & put 2 emission block off plates
on the engine.

The v-twin motor characteristics were awesome, having only ridden inline fours prior & gearing was super lazy @ freeway speeds, just loping along @ a much lower rpm than a inline four.

What year is it?

Kinda miss it, but a close friend still owns it so maybe...

Ha! The rotary damper remains in place, why take the fear of death out of the Widowmaker? It's part of its charm!

Bike's a '97, first year model.

It had sat for a few years in a not-quite-dry-but-not-really-damp garage, the previous owner was in his 70's and couldn't comfortably ride it far anymore. I'm in my 50's and can't comfortably ride it far, but I digress.... The tires were from 2008, the brake fluid hadn't been flushed in the 12 years he'd owned it, nor had the coolant. Surprisingly, he had changed the oil and filter and put in a new battery this spring just because he loved the bike, but didn't get to put any miles on it. Both front indicators were snapped off from aggressive wash-brushing, and the paint was basically cloudy also from said wash-brush. Etc, etc.

I replaced parts that needing replacing, greased things that should be greasy but weren't, flushed fluids, freed up two seized pistons in the front-left caliper, cleaned and inspected things as I went through it... and gave the bodywork a hand-compounding and wax job. Oh, and had new tires installed. There are still a few things on my to-do list but the bike is road-worthy again and I can't seem to stay off of it. I do love that engine having had two TL-Rs in the past, but as you found, the fueling is pretty iffy being very early Suzuki F.I. It's easy enough to ride around the snatch (giggity) but I might try a period Yosh-box on it to try to add some finesse. Maybe. I'd really hate to mess it up...

In the meantime, I ride.

[Hayabuser]

It ain't easy being green.