rider weight and suspension

[Cowboy]

Well I'm very much looking into a used Tiller. Want something larger than my SV650. My ? - how is the stock suspension for someone around 250pounds and another 60pounds of tank and soft luggage. Thanks for the help

[Crusher]

It will be fine. Most TL riders are what you would call of the "robust" variety

[TLRLee]

Nice name
Buy it, you'll be glad you did

[jon super]

Re: rider weight and suspension

Originally posted by Cowboy
Well I'm very much looking into a used Tiller. Want something larger than my SV650. My ? - how is the stock suspension for someone around 250pounds and another 60pounds of tank and soft luggage. Thanks for the help

Well... that puts you into my weight range and the handling is fine. You will need to do some changes though. Look in the FAQ section on the front page.

[BNC]

250lbs+ on a stock sv!, no wonder you're looking for a Tiller. I'm 140lb, call it 150 with gear, and the sv's spongy fork even annoys me at times.

[Gerhard]

Springs, springs, springs

If you go in a straight line over a surface with no irregularities you will probably be OK. But otherwise it's time for new fork springs & a new rear spring. At 155 lbs without riding gear my TL S springs were too soft front & rear with the preload adjusters cranked down all the way. No, I didn't "bottom out" the suspension but I could not get close to the proper rider sag figures needed to get the thing to handle properly with the stock springs. Both front & rear suspensions on the "S" have too much compression damping which was the factory's way too deal with the weakly sprung suspension.
I have heard the TLR has a little stiffer springs than the S but I am sure they are not up to the task given your weight + riding gear + luggage.

Gerhard

[Vee-twn]

Gerhard, is that you on that pic?
That is one sweet picture!!

[cbrtlr]

Did you ride the sv in stock suspension form? Damn!
At your size (Im close to you, 240) I would say definately revalve/spring the front. I am doing this over the winter and it will make a huge difference. You will want to eventually do the rear, when the money is right, as you are definately pushing the sag (over preload) so you will not get full travel as a result.
I redid the suspension front and rear on my CBR and made a HUGE difference in the overall riding. Cant wait to get teh TLR redone for next season!

[Vegas TL]

Cowboy - your in my weight range and have found my 2003 TLR to be better fitted than the GXSR 1000. Go for it, you won't regret it.

[Gerhard]

Rider weight & TL flogging

Yeah,
That's me flogging my TLS during a track day @ Willow Springs a few years ago. Here's another one closer to the exit of the same, bumpy turn 4.

I didn't mean to dissuade anyone from buying a TLR. Just that to get the thing to run ANYWHERE near it's potential if you weigh well over 200 pounds you definitely need to get a new set of springs front & rear. This is fairly inexpensive stuff & realtively straight forward swap & will change the bike's handling characteristics drastically. Sure, coming of a SV650 with stock suspension components the TLR will feel much better but most of your suspension travel will be gone & what's left will react in a strange way if there are inputs to the chasis (like bumps, dips, ripples or when hitting the brakes).

In fact, I encourage you to buy the TLR & ride it around a few months THEN swap to the right spring rates & see how huge of a difference it makes. It will transform the bike. Even with my 150+ lbs (without gear) my "S" model was transformed when the right springs (stiffer, 85kg up front & 800 lb rear) were installed & the rider sag was dialed in. And yes, it makes a big difference on the street, lifts the rear of the bike which will help with quickening the steering as well. It transformed the track characteristics of the "S" that bucked, weaved & drifted wide off-line when pushed hard to one that felt like it was riding on rails & begging for more even through the high speed stuff @ Willow Springs.

Gerhard
smoke & ashes everywhere...
So. Cali

[jon super]

Thanks for the posting Gerhard. Any idea of where to purchase the aftermarket springs at? And can I put them in myself?

[Cowboy]

thanks all. There are other bikes out there that might be better for some things I want to do, touring and a jack of all trades sort. But the Tiller is just so cool looking. I sat on one in a dealership and it felt soo comfy and huge. Now seeing that some are going for around $5000 used and in great shape(is that a decent price), I think I must have one.

[horkn]

i think you should get the tiller too. they will work well enough for light sport touring. way more comfy than some bikes.

gerhard- now i know the reason my stock sprung tls wants to run wide on corners. just one more reason to redo the forks and get my bitubo rear shock.... oh yeah, I'm 210 w/o gear