2136 replies to this topic

[Pilot Paul]

Hi All

Recently bought a TDM900 (in Lava Red) to replace an aging Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace that was getting expensive to keep going (still awesome to ride though - so much power!). Before that had a Suzuki RF900R (underrated), a Moto Guzzi V50 Monza (awsome for the size), a Kawasaki Z400 (the dispatch rider's friend!), a Suzuki GT250 (passed me test on that one!), and going all the way back...a Suzuki AP50 (before they were restricted...55 mph all the way to school - yeehaaaaa!). All in all I have been biking for almost 30 years, albeit with a 10 year gap somewhere in the middle!

Day times I fly a Barbie Jet (that's an Embraer 145) for a well known UK regional airline that recently bought another well known UK regional airline (although, ironically, less so, despite being owned by the national flag carrier!).

Great site with very useful info - I've already done the airbox mod (whilst fitting a Touring Scottoiler...seemed to make sense since I needed a vacuum tap anyway!), have fitted a Givi universal plate direct to the TDM's rack (solid as a rock), on which I mount (!) an E52 box with additional brake lighting, and am now contemplating hand guards in time for the winter (which is better, Suzuki or BMW?)! Would also like to improve the screen for better weather protection (I tend to ride all year round) so am watching the debate emerging on this one in the forums with much interest. Have always used heated gloves in the past but will consider heated grips once the hand guards have been fitted.

Will try and post a pic of the bike once it stops raining (hahahahahahahahahahaha!) and I can get a decent one!

Cheers

Paul

Edited by Pilot Paul, 22 July 2007 - 03:06 pm.

[bobalob5]

Hi All

Recently bought a TDM900 (in Lava Red) to replace an aging Yamaha YZF1000R Thunderace that was getting expensive to keep going (still awesome to ride though - so much power!). Before that had a Suzuki RF900R (underrated), a Moto Guzzi V50 Monza (awsome for the size), a Kawasaki Z400 (the dispatch rider's friend!), a Suzuki GT250 (passed me test on that one!), and going all the way back...a Suzuki AP50 (before they were restricted...55 mph all the way to school - yeehaaaaa!). All in all I have been biking for almost 30 years, albeit with a 10 year gap somewhere in the middle!

Day times I fly a Barbie Jet (that's an Embraer 145) for a well known UK regional airline that recently bought another well known UK regional airline (although, ironically, less so, despite being owned by the national flag carrier!).

Great site with very useful info - I've already done the airbox mod (whilst fitting a Touring Scottoiler...seemed to make sense since I needed a vacuum tap anyway!), have fitted a Givi universal plate direct to the TDM's rack (solid as a rock), on which I mount (!) an E52 box with additional brake lighting, and am now contemplating hand guards in time for the winter (which is better, Suzuki or BMW?)! Would also like to improve the screen for better weather protection (I tend to ride all year round) so am watching the debate emerging on this one in the forums with much interest. Have always used heated gloves in the past but will consider heated grips once the hand guards have been fitted.

Will try and post a pic of the bike once it stops raining (hahahahahahahahahahaha!) and I can get a decent one!

Cheers

Paul

Welcome Paul, the screen debate seems to be settled with the vario coming out tops. The handguards are still in the air, I use the suzuki ones and at only £24 compared to a ton for the beemer ones thats a lot of wedge towards heated grips. Yamaha heated grips (Ive got them on my 900) are around £210 but my brother has oxfords on his 900 and swears by them too and again at £40 good value too.

Bob in warrington

[TonyDevil]

Welcome Double P!

[wicklamulla]

welcome Pilot Paul, that 3 pilots that i know of who are Carpe members.

[seto]

Hi, my name is Sebastien, I'm living in France, 25km east from Paris (not far from DisneyLand)
I'm 31, and I 've the pleasure to have a TDM 900 ABS, a deep ble one, but I can't ride !

I gonna get my motorbike driving licence in september I think, so for the moment, my TDm is relaxing...not me !

My english is not fluent, but I really enjoy reading your topics.

I'm coming from here : http://www.ouestleke.../html/index.php, THE French website adout TDM, that some of you must known...

A bientôt !

[Pict]

Hi, my name is Sebastien, I'm living in France, 25km east from Paris (not far from DisneyLand)

Bienvenu, Sebastien (le visiteur le plus recent d'Ouestlekeum) - et bonne chance, que tu vas rouler bientôt. Ne pas perdre le gland!

Welcome Sebastien (the most recent visitor from Ouestlekeum), and good luck re. getting on the road soon. Don't lose your acorn! (ref. avatar - for those who have seen Ice Age)

[solid air]

Hi all,

Following the useful tips last month, I bought the blue 900 mentioned in earlier thread. Loads smoother than my old Mk1 850, maybe not as good looking, though!

Trouble is, leathers really, really don't fit (I think it's my muscular calves from interim cycling, but the jury's out on that) Looks like a Halvarsson jacket instead, they seem just the job. That must mean I need a new helmet, too?..

Looking forward to skinning my knuckles with some of the mods - in between border raids into Wales - so thanks in advance for the advice.

Cheers

[Matlock]

Welcome “Mr Whattie”, “BrianM”, “Pilot Paul”, “Seto” & “solid air”. Another pilot Paul? I think ‘E-njoy’ also flies a kite for a living.

The TDM, the choice of aviators the world over.

[sudza]

Hi to all the other 850 MKII owners. This is simply an amazing bike! Having ridden and owned just about every type of bike out there from the really old bikes like the Honda 900F's right up to the current R6's and TL1000's and many others. I was not expecting to find anything unique about the TDM. I started riding when I was about 9 years old, some of the bigger bikes back then I couldn't put my feet down and had to be either held or balanced against something to pull away and caught again when I got back. This was a problem because once I was on my way there was no way of stopping until I got back. The first big bike I rode was a BMW R90S when I was about 11 years old. Some codger at the local watering hole laughingly said YES when I asked if I could ride his bike. He was sweating profusely and stone cold sober when I brought the thing back.

The TDM is not a bike I would have usually looked at, I was actually looking for something to tour on, similar to or in line with my FJ1100. I phoned the local Yamaha dealer for advice. I have been dealing with this particular dealer for about 20 years and they know my likes and dislikes well. The advice I was given was that they had two suitable bikes on the floor, one being a FZ1 fazer and the other being the TDM. Both bikes were pre-owned, but the thing that drew me to the TDM was that they said it was suitable for partial off road use. My husband and I do a lot of touring and I often see small dirt roads through the Drakensburg mountains or similar, but am restricted because of the ride I have chosen. The purchase of the TDM though was frustrating. My husband was at that time riding a R6, so all interesting roads were still a "no go"! I had also wanted something that could handle twisties well, but I bought the bike sight unseen on their advice. Went through the following day and thought "What have I done"!!! EH... I am only 5'5" and can barely touch the ground with my toes. It's a very different bike to ride, but I absolutely loved the bottom end grunt. Was dissapointed that the clock only went to around 220kmph. I love acceleration though and when I first got the bike it was a continual battle to change gears before the rev limiter provoked me to do so. I discovered that 1st, 2nd could easily take any superbike on, especially with the element of surprise. Hey, what young dude on a superbike expects a 40 year old "Aunty" on a big trailie to give them a go. Of course by the time I could see their headlights catching me up, I would let got the handle bars and pretend that I was't dicing at all. Took a Ducati 999 in the same manner. There were tears of laughter streaming out my eyes by the time he passed me, I could hardly see where I was going.

I have also had the bike at the drag strip, and she does about 14 seconds on the quarter mile, a lot of fun but definitely not a good bike for dragging. On track and through twisty mountain passes she gives ALL of the superbikes something to think about. The handling is phenomenal. I LOVE THIS BIKE. I do however have a small problem, my husband has recently purchased a TDM 900 and I am trying very hard not to ride it. I know that if I make friends with his bike my old 850 will be traded in. Call me female but I am very sentimental about things that have been faithful to me. This 850 and I have done 40 000 really hard riding km's together and she has never given me one second problem. We are currently planning a longish trip, down into the Cape area. I'm just waiting for our Winter to pass. She will be doing about 3000km's, I know I don't have a problem with this bike. Great bike!!

[SteveGlover]

Hi sudza, welcome to Carpe.
Thats a really nice write-up about your TDM. They are great bikes aren't they!
40,000km together - thats a long way, how long have you had her?

Edited by SteveGlover, 07 August 2007 - 09:04 am.

[Shagnasty]

Hi everybody, another nooobie here. I'm currently riding a 1999 Honda Transalp. It's the only non-Yam I've ever had, but I really fancy a 2000 TDM850 that I've seen locally. Everybody reckons that the TDM will be a much better bike for the 90 mile round trip to work and back. My riding is a mixture of M25 thrash, and slow filtering through central London traffic .

(I'm a TV sound mixing engineer by profession, but somehow I seem to be driving trains nowadays )

[wicklamulla]

Welkom to Carpe TDM Sudza & Shagnasty. Wicky

[sudza]

Hi Steve,
Had my TDM since 2001 Am still very happy with her!

[Pict]

Everybody reckons that the TDM will be a much better bike for the 90 mile round trip to work and back. My riding is a mixture of M25 thrash, and slow filtering through central London traffic .
[/quote]
Made a switch from Transalp 650 to TDM900 for similar purposes 2 years ago and haven't regretted it - TA was just a bit too skittish on m'way. Also crap build quality.

[dandywarhol]

I also went from a Transflap to a TeDiuM - no regrets although I quite liked the 'flap

[Shagnasty]

Well that's good to hear. I'm a little concerned at stories of the brakes clagging up in winter. If I'm intending to ride an 850 on the motorway all year round, what sort of preventative steps would you guys recommend taking to prevent the bike from disolving/seizing ?

[TonyDevil]

Well that's good to hear. I'm a little concerned at stories of the brakes clagging up in winter. If I'm intending to ride an 850 on the motorway all year round, what sort of preventative steps would you guys recommend taking to prevent the bike from disolving/seizing ?

fender extend, handguards, maybe heated grips and a loobman
i find the screen fine for me at 5'10"

if you do have trouble with the front brakes(which doesnt seem common) just replace them with a set of bluespots
there are loads of trashed R1/6s out there so no shortage of donors and its cheaper than a rebuild

[Shagnasty]

fender extend, handguards, maybe heated grips and a loobman
i find the screen fine for me at 5'10"

Cheers, that all makes sense. I've got all those on my 'Translap' at the moment, with the exception that I have the Scottoiler Dual Injector. The Scottoiler oil seems to vary its viscosity enormously with temperature...in summer the back end of the bike gets covered in oil whilst in winter the chain gets dry. It's such a pain in the ars* to lie next to the bike with a stopwatch counting the drips every time the weather changes that I just can't be bothered anymore.
I'll try the Loobman next...'Keep It Simple' has to be best
And at 5'6", I should be well below the screen

Edited by Shagnasty, 14 August 2007 - 09:12 am.

[Joheb]

Hi this is Joheb. I have accquired a Mk 1 TDM this week and have just returned from the Unity Rally. I was introduced to TDMs by Tonydevil. He's already told me where to buy a new regulator from and I was with him in Germany when his sprocket came loose. So I only have myself to blame .

[wicklamulla]

[quote name='Joheb' date='Sun 19th Aug 2007, 05:55 PM' post='50592']
Hi this is Joheb. I have accquired a Mk 1 TDM this week and have just returned from the Unity Rally. I was introduced to TDMs by Tonydevil. He's already told me where to buy a new regulator from and I was with him in Germany when his sprocket came loose. So I only have myself to blame .

welcome to carpe 'Tufty' wicky