Tuuuurbo

:stupid

While he's probably never going to get called up for the diplomatic corps and maybe it could have been phrased better, Ring-in kinda has a point. If its all about power and quarter mile times a TL1000 is probably not the best place to start. At the shop where I get my work done (another shameless plug for Dave Wood) I regularly see people rolling out on gixers and ZX10s with 175bhp on tap and they aren't far off stock. A 'busa lump is reliably good for 500 horses without having to resort to wildly esoteric solutions. I like to see people build stuff "just cos they can" and I'm all for guys doing stuff because the don't KNOW it can't be done and succeeding as a result. It's just that in this particular instance there seem to be a bit of a conflict between what you've got and what you want.

Like I said, Everest - because its there.

Hell, if someone wants to build a TL-based funny bike then more power to their elbow. I'd probably pay to watch it race. I'd be fascinated to see it hold together long enough to make the quarter. Or fire a con rod through the pilots chin. Whichever comes first. Just seems a bit like an old fat bloke up against Ussain Bolt in a race.

Still, if 1260pete has got the time, money and inclination to try who are we to disagree?

This comes up periodically. I've seen plenty of turbo Ducatis, there were even some kits. I saw two people start turbo TLs but I've been watching since '97 and never saw one completed. There was one half-done on ebay.

There's no reason it can't be done, but if you go for 230 hp you'll have lag with that big a turbo and you will need a big intercooler and where will you scoop that much air? Think about small variable-orifice turbos to give more usable power at lower rpm without much lag, and forget about the peak HP number. I'd be thinking 150-160HP and I'd figure it would take me 3 iterations to be happy with it. I'd want a decent intercooler and/or alcohol/water injection. The TLS frame doesn't allow much room for ductwork to the throttle bodies. There are several add-on boxes that let you map injection correction for the boost, but ideally you need to remap the ignition advance too. The TLR already has forged pistons; TLS are cast. J&E down the street in Huntington Beach will make whatever you want. You could keep stock valve sizes, but change to stainless. I'd figure a $8000 budget and plan on building it three times before I'd be happy. But that might be cheap because my next door neighbor is the best TIG welder I've ever found, though his eyesight is going. Someone like Sam or ring-in could probably get the first attempt to work decently, and do it cheaper, but I'd have to try different turbos etc. unless I just ripped off a design from someone who did a Ducati. You could reduce costs by forgetting the intercooler and using alcohol injection.

But be aware that it's a LOT of work, and only practical if you're a genuine artisan with a TIG and can do a lot yourself, and have a friend with a machine shop.

I'd love to watch and learn from it. But I wouldn't recommend that path to a good friend.

But take a lesson from N2wheeies, and buy something like a hayabusa to dragrace.