We recently ran a story on an immaculate,
spotless, perfect TM450 motard owned by Dave Reid
[Rapid Bikes Dec/Jan], which, incidentally, is for
sale [see Front Row]. Anyway, Dave is also what I
call a sufferer of FBS and, funnily enough, happens
to have had a hand in building the sickeningly immaculate
and disgustingly spotless TL you see on these here
pages.
I’ve always said that FBS sufferers stick together
and now I have my proof. And when I say fussy, I mean
it.
Rupert’s TL is one of the cleanest bikes I have ever
laid eyes on, not to mention the most perfectly aligned,
balanced and presented. It is right up there with
Wolf Ulhorn’s (another FBS sufferer) immaculate NOS
R1 [also in Rapid Bikes Dec/Jan] in terms of paint
finish and presentation and that’s saying something.
And the bike is an absolute weapon. Rupes has stuck
to his theory of ‘lighter is better’ by shedding pork
all over the place.
I mean, just look at all that carbon-fibre. Not to
mention the hundreds of titanium fasteners!
The bike in question started its life in Rupert’s
hands straight from the crate. “I bought the bike
brand new in February 2001 for $14,000. It was old
floor stock and I purchased it during a run-out sale.
I think it was the last new Black TL in the country.”
Rupert then went about hammering the TL for 15,000km
before starting on the Sentinel project.
“I was a motorcycle courier when I bought the TL
and I had to pay for the bike somehow!”
With more than enough mumbo on tap for Rupes
riding habits it was decided that, aside from
a Power Commander, some mild inlet flowing,
the crankcase breather system and the exhaust
system, the engine would remain stock. Rupert
adds, “Dyno Dave Holdforth re-mapped the bike
for me and Colin Linney from 10/10ths tweaked
a few things here and there. The end result
was 121.8-horsepower at the wheel, which is
fine when you add in the weight savings. We
also modified the cooling system for increased
efficiency. I had a custom radiator made that
is slightly wider and has larger end tanks.
We also incorporated an extra inlet for an
oil-to-water oil cooler and fitted a twin-outlet
water pump cover.”
The exhaust system started as a Hindle two-into-one
and was modified by Extreme Creations, eventually
into the undertail set-up you see today. The
muffler is a perfect fit under the tail and
is a straight-through jobbie. The system has
been ceramic coated by Competition Coatings
and Rupes runs the bike on Mobil Synergy or,
on payday, Elf BFK07.
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The clutch has been converted to hydraulic actuation
via the fitment of a Brembo 19 x 20 billet clutch
master cylinder and a smoke-coloured braided clutch
line. Rupert also acquired an awesome component to
set the look of the engine off – a clear clutch basket
cover.
All the hoses and wiring are encased in either Motorsports
Connections hoses, braided lines or convoluted stainless
steel tubing. It’s a top look that really adds to
the ‘Sentinel’ theme.
Chassis-wise the TL frame and seat are all that remain
of the standard bike – although the frame has had
quite a few unnecessary tabs removed and was then
polished to a mirror finish by Rupes. All fasteners
were replaced with titanium, too. The rearsets are
Gilles black-anodised fully adjustable billet alloy
items and the stand is an awesome billet alloy/carbon-fibre
unit.
The triple clamps are high-end fully adjustable Attack
Racing clamps that Rupert sourced from Indy Superbike
in the USA. The clamps wear Vortex clip-ons with LP
carbon tubes, a Scotts radial steering damper and
pinch a pair of 43mm Ohlins FG311 fully adjustable
inverted forks with billet radial bottoms, complete
with Ohlins Superbike internal upgrades and .95kg/m
springs and 5w oil.
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Steering bump stops were sourced courtesy
of Rupes NZ contact, Les, who also made the
stand.
Out the back is a stock length JMC swingarm
from the UK running Lindemann Engineering
linkages and spacers and housing a fully adjustable
Penski rear shock and Eibach 800lb spring.
A Lindemann Engineering link converts the
set-up to a more conventional and effective
rod-style damper rather than the original
radial system.
Rupes went for the good stuff on the anchors,
too. “The front rotors are fully floating
Braketech Superlight Axis units with teflon-coated
billet carriers. The calipers are Tokico four-pad
four-piston radial calipers with Ferodo sintered
pads. “I also fitted a Brembo 19x16 billet
radial master cylinder, Goodridge lines with
stainless fittings and Motul fluid.”
The back brake is just as impressive. “The
rear Tokico squeezes a Galfer wave rotor via
Goodridge lines, Ferodo pads and Motul fluid.
The torque arm has been removed and the caliper
fits on a channel in the swingarm.”
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The rolling stock is unbelievable. Try a pair of
BST carbon-fibre wheels with 7075 billet centres,
wrapped in a pair of sticky Metzeler hoops and the
rear wearing a billet alloy Aluma-Lite sprocket.
And those are only a sample of the carbon-fibre goodies.
All of the fairing is Replico twill-weave carbon-fibre
reinforced with kevlar, including the front and rear
mudguards. The fuel tank has been wrapped in twill-weave
carbon-fibre also. Adds Rupert, “It took me at least
20 hours to do the tank but I preferred to keep the
security of a steel tank rather than go carbon-fibre.
The process was long, though, and I had to layer it
in sections before adding over 20 coats of resin.”
Once the bodywork was dummy-fitted it was sent off
to Aaron Turner Airbrushing for the amazing Sentinel
job. And by the way, a Sentinel is a creature from
The Matrix.
The headlight unit is fantastic. Rupert sourced a
pair of BMW M5 HIDs and then made a perspex lens from
his own mold. Ben Shaw then put the light together
and the result speaks for itself. “Standard halogens
are about 1000 lumens each but these are 3500 and
only use 35 Watts.”
All switchgear has been replaced by Domino equipment
in Italy and they include a headlight and hazard warning
switch. Rupes has kept the original clock but has
fitted blue LED bulbs to add to the overall look at
night. The TL also runs a remote control ignition
switch.
Aside from a few more titanium fasteners
and pivots on the waiting list the ‘Sentinel’
is sorted. And just in case you’re wondering
whether or not Rupes is going to ride the
bike, I asked him for you.
“Of course I am. I’m going to flog it at
every opportunity – even on the track. I built
it to ride, not to show. I think I just got
a bit carried away for two years, that’s all!”
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SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
DOHC, eight-valve, liquid-cooled 90-degree V-twin
four-stroke, bore and stroke of 98.0 x 66.0mm, 996cc,
11.2:1 compression, multi-stage EFI with 52mm throttle
bodies, Power Commander II, digital ignition, K&N
air filter and crankcase breather filters, carbon-fibre
inlet tracts, Extreme Creations custom exhaust system,
hydraulic clutch actuation conversion, Brembo clutch
master cylinder, custom radiator, oil-to-water oil
cooler, clear clutch cover
CHASSIS AND BODYWORK
1999 TL1000S frame – polished, titanium fasteners,
adjustable Attack Racing billet triple clamps, Scotts
radial steering damper, Vortex handlebars with LP
carbon-fibre tubes, Gilles adjustable rearsets, billet
alloy/carbon-fibre sidestand, JMC polished and braced
swingarm, Lindemann Engineering linkages, Ohlins FG311
43mm forks with upgraded internals and .95kg/m springs,
Penske shock with Lindemann Engineering rod-style
damping conversion, Eibach 800lb rear spring, Braketech
Superlight Axis rotors (f), Galfer wave rotor (r),
Tokico four-piston four-pad calipers with Ferodo pads
(f), Tokico single-piston caliper with Ferodo pads
(r), Brembo 19 x 16 billet master cylinder (f), Goodridge
smoke coloured braided lines, BST carbon-fibre rims
with billet alloy centres – 3.5 x 17in (f), 6.0 x
17in (r), Metzeler Sportec M1 tyres, Replico twill
weave carbon-fibre bodywork reinforced with kevlar,
carbon-fibre wrapped tank, air brush work by Aaron
Turner Airbrushing, custom headlight assy, Domino
switchgear, remote control ignition switch POWER 121.8
rear wheel horsepower
END RESULT
The best V-twin Jap streetbike in OZ
SPECIAL THANKS
Tammy (for putting up with me), Eric (AKA Flood),
Les (AKA TLDV8), Steve, Doug and all the good folks
at www.tlplanet.com and www.madmodder.net for advice
and shipping help. Also Paul Karis (MotoFX), Dave
Reid (Reid Motorsports) and Ben Shaw (Extreme Creations)
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