In the mid nineties there was a number of half-faired V-twin sport bikes that filled American showrooms. In the early years of World SuperBike racing Ducati forged a road racing empire with their famous 90 degree V twins. As Ducati's popularity grew the Japanese took notice. Not that any of the Japanese makers were have trouble selling their inline four sportbikes, they were very popular, but they may have wanted to hedge their bets with V-twins of their own.
Suzuki attacked the market with the TL1000S. In 1997 the liquid cooled 90 degree V-twin offered an alternative to their ever popular GSX-R750. The TL gained a following however due to a number of suspension problems the Suzuki found a reputation for being a deadly motorcycle and sales dropped. The TL also came in a repli-racer style with the TL1000R, which lasted one year after the TL1000S. The TL's V-twin lived on in Suzuki's SV1000, however this model never seemed to be very popular.
The same year Suzuki came out with the TL Honda introduced their own V-twin, the VTR1000F otherwise known in the US as the SuperHawk. Like the Ducati and Suzuki the VTR featured a 90 degree twin. A unique feature of the VTR was the split side mounted radiators. The VTR never seemed to catch on in the US. In 2000 Honda was the first and only Japanese competitor to seriously take on Ducati with their own WSB V-tiwn, the VTR1000R, which shared little with the VTR1000F.
While Honda and Suzuki had offered liquid cooled 90 degree V-twins, they never really lived up to Ducati's racey 916. Instead the TL and VTR found themselves competing with Ducati's less sport Super Sport model. The Super Sport model featured an air cooled 900cc twin that traces its roots the mid eighties. This bike was far from offering the Superbike performance of the 916, but price wise and style wise it competed with the TL and VTR nicely.
Suzuki attacked the market with the TL1000S. In 1997 the liquid cooled 90 degree V-twin offered an alternative to their ever popular GSX-R750. The TL gained a following however due to a number of suspension problems the Suzuki found a reputation for being a deadly motorcycle and sales dropped. The TL also came in a repli-racer style with the TL1000R, which lasted one year after the TL1000S. The TL's V-twin lived on in Suzuki's SV1000, however this model never seemed to be very popular.
The same year Suzuki came out with the TL Honda introduced their own V-twin, the VTR1000F otherwise known in the US as the SuperHawk. Like the Ducati and Suzuki the VTR featured a 90 degree twin. A unique feature of the VTR was the split side mounted radiators. The VTR never seemed to catch on in the US. In 2000 Honda was the first and only Japanese competitor to seriously take on Ducati with their own WSB V-tiwn, the VTR1000R, which shared little with the VTR1000F.
While Honda and Suzuki had offered liquid cooled 90 degree V-twins, they never really lived up to Ducati's racey 916. Instead the TL and VTR found themselves competing with Ducati's less sport Super Sport model. The Super Sport model featured an air cooled 900cc twin that traces its roots the mid eighties. This bike was far from offering the Superbike performance of the 916, but price wise and style wise it competed with the TL and VTR nicely.
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