Well, Kevin's got his TL. His desire for said bike started at the Ring, where he blagged a couple of laps on Scott's TLS. This experience changed Kevin's life, starting him on the road of V-twin racing.

A few rides out on the road revealed the motor to be smooth and grunty, the seat to be comfy and the handling to be odd. Feels like the back tyre is flat. There's something not quite right with the rear end of the standard bike, possibly down to the strange rear springing and damping arrangement.

Anyway, the bike wasn't bought for riding on the road, it's intended for the track and a spot of racing in the Sound of Thunder series with the New Era club.

So some rapid alterations started, kitting the TL in race mode with plastic lovingly sprayed gratis by Ian of Concept Classics. All the usual mods like remove lights, indicators, etc., add catch tanks and lockwire various nuts and bolts on, stick on numbers and off you go.

First race was Mallory - the New Era Club Sound of Thunder Championship. Weather was dry and sunny and bike did very well considering Kevin doesn't know Mallory and the rear tyre was a bit squared off after too many Sunday road runs. Thanks to Ian Fenn for support from his team and the use of his luxury superstar motorhome.

As anyone who's fiddled with a TL will know, the rear suspension is very odd, utilising a strange rotary damper which doesn't work very well. So it's been junked and a more traditional White Power damper fitted to improve rear suspension control. Seems to work quite well although the travel looks to be less than an inch!

Bike still runs standard fork springs which may be changed later for WP linear jobs if necessary.

Surprisingly the TLs retain their standard circa 1985 Suzuki steering dampers rather than go for poncy Ohlins stuff - seems the standard ones work well enough ... for now.