WIDOW MAKER SUZUKI TL1000S

Back in 1997, Ducati’s V-twins had been clearing up in WSB for years and, through greater availability, were starting to make an impact, not only in the British market, but in the British Superbike Championship too. Japanese manufacturers tried, but failed to get the big twins outlawed, so Suzuki and Honda started to look towards producing their own. And instead of diving straight into racing, and potentially looking silly by not getting it right, they opted to produce sports focused road bikes first.

Suzuki’s offering was the TL1000S with its High Tech fuel injection, F1-inspired rotary damper rear suspension, light weight (for the time) and a powerful engine; on paper it promised to be a Ducati Killer. I was still a spotty faced teenager just itching to turn 16 so I could get on the road and I spent all my pocket money on sports bike magazines, partly because back in those days they were an easy way to see boobs, but mainly it was for planning which bike I would have when I finally got a full licence. I can remember the Suzuki TL1000S’s infamous arrival and all the negative press that surrounded it and proclaimed it an unashamed serial killer that would eat babies, refuse to hold