Pete Posted August 9, 2005 Share Posted August 9, 2005 The Strom has been despatched to the Breakers Yard....and I brought this home today... 2004 TDM900 1200 miles as new! OK....here's the info: Left the house at 10am and got to Swindon just before 1pm. 45 miles of B Roads, then 80 miles of Motorway. My grey/ginger head got a right battering on the way up....particularly over the Severn Bridge! So I got to Swindon, had a coffee, did the biz, and left at 2pm. What's the TDM like? Well I saw it first being serviced on the ramp and they'd taken the plate off cos it had another dealer's name on it. And I thought it was a brand new one, not the used one that I'd bought! It had done 1200 miles all on dry roads cos I had a good look underneath. Absolute minter. Got on it...little bit lower than the Strom, with a very firm seat. Seems a bit heavier than the Strom (but it's not)....yet it feels very small when you sit on it. Build quality is superb. Pulled away through the city centre...very smooth indeed, though I'd say Suzuki's EFI is marginally better at those revs. Very easy to manoevre and you seem to be sitting higher than you'd think. Footrests quite well forward too. Gearbox is typical Yamaha with a very positive clunk...so I can tell it's not Silkolene in it cos it makes a big difference. Got out onto the Motorway....Wow! Just open the throttle, any revs, any gear and you've got a wave of smooth torque from 2-8K which is the redline. Very easy to go too fast though.....4K revs is 70 and 5K revs is 90. I found I was doing 110 on a 50 stretch and hadn't even noticed. After 80 miles of effortless motorway work (with zero turbulence) I hit the B roads. Stream of cars in front? No probs...no dancing on the gearshift, just whap the throttle and they're a speck in the mirror. Again....I had to watch the speed very carefully. It's not a fast bike....but it's a bike that's very easy to go fast on, wherever you are. Brakes are phenomenal...the last time I experienced anything like that was on my Fazer, so it's highly likely these are R1 brakes. Just touch the brake and you're sliding up the seat. Handles on B roads more like a sportsbike so it will take a bit of getting used to. Nevertheless, it is very planted and not as wallowy as a big trailie. Very, very comfortable...the ride back was so easy whereas the ride up on the Strom was much more tiring. So...what is a TDM? Well.....you sit on it and it feels like a Fazer with forward pegs. Round town it feels like a big trailie. On motorways it feels like a tourer. And on B roads it feels like a sportsbike. It's a parallel twin yet it sounds like a V Twin. Open the throttle and it's reminiscent of the pull of a Commando. But the weirdest thing is that there seems to be no engine braking when you close the throttle. So I'm fucked if I know exactly what the TDM is.....it's a complete enigma that you can't pigeonhole. But all I do know that it's a bloody fantastic bike that's bursting with character! I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 10, 2005 Author Share Posted August 10, 2005 Shots from today.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Alex Posted August 10, 2005 Admin Share Posted August 10, 2005 Glad you got yourself a proper bike there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator YamaHead Posted August 12, 2005 Moderator Share Posted August 12, 2005 Glad you got yourself a proper bike there ← Yeah....finally came to his senses didn't he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tomg Posted August 12, 2005 Share Posted August 12, 2005 cool bike i have liked the TDM for a while.looks comfy, similar to my dads varadero. coo and to make things better its a YAMAHA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Alex Posted August 14, 2005 Admin Share Posted August 14, 2005 He couldnt take the stick anylonger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted August 14, 2005 Author Share Posted August 14, 2005 He couldnt take the stick anylonger ← ....says "Bikeless of Brighton!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Beezkneez Posted August 15, 2005 Moderator Share Posted August 15, 2005 about time Pete, Scott's seen a video i have of a friend doing hartside on one...very very impressive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator YamaHead Posted August 16, 2005 Moderator Share Posted August 16, 2005 Too right Beez.......Pete would probably like it.......IF he could ever stop obcessing over how Dirty his bike might be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Alex Posted August 17, 2005 Admin Share Posted August 17, 2005 Bikeless of brighton... hmm that sounds catching Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4l0 Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 The Strom has been despatched to the Breakers Yard....and I brought this home today... 2004 TDM900 1200 miles as new! OK....here's the info: Left the house at 10am and got to Swindon just before 1pm. 45 miles of B Roads, then 80 miles of Motorway. My grey/ginger head got a right battering on the way up....particularly over the Severn Bridge! So I got to Swindon, had a coffee, did the biz, and left at 2pm. What's the TDM like? Well I saw it first being serviced on the ramp and they'd taken the plate off cos it had another dealer's name on it. And I thought it was a brand new one, not the used one that I'd bought! It had done 1200 miles all on dry roads cos I had a good look underneath. Absolute minter. Got on it...little bit lower than the Strom, with a very firm seat. Seems a bit heavier than the Strom (but it's not)....yet it feels very small when you sit on it. Build quality is superb. Pulled away through the city centre...very smooth indeed, though I'd say Suzuki's EFI is marginally better at those revs. Very easy to manoevre and you seem to be sitting higher than you'd think. Footrests quite well forward too. Gearbox is typical Yamaha with a very positive clunk...so I can tell it's not Silkolene in it cos it makes a big difference. Got out onto the Motorway....Wow! Just open the throttle, any revs, any gear and you've got a wave of smooth torque from 2-8K which is the redline. Very easy to go too fast though.....4K revs is 70 and 5K revs is 90. I found I was doing 110 on a 50 stretch and hadn't even noticed. After 80 miles of effortless motorway work (with zero turbulence) I hit the B roads. Stream of cars in front? No probs...no dancing on the gearshift, just whap the throttle and they're a speck in the mirror. Again....I had to watch the speed very carefully. It's not a fast bike....but it's a bike that's very easy to go fast on, wherever you are. Brakes are phenomenal...the last time I experienced anything like that was on my Fazer, so it's highly likely these are R1 brakes. Just touch the brake and you're sliding up the seat. Handles on B roads more like a sportsbike so it will take a bit of getting used to. Nevertheless, it is very planted and not as wallowy as a big trailie. Very, very comfortable...the ride back was so easy whereas the ride up on the Strom was much more tiring. So...what is a TDM? Well.....you sit on it and it feels like a Fazer with forward pegs. Round town it feels like a big trailie. On motorways it feels like a tourer. And on B roads it feels like a sportsbike. It's a parallel twin yet it sounds like a V Twin. Open the throttle and it's reminiscent of the pull of a Commando. But the weirdest thing is that there seems to be no engine braking when you close the throttle. So I'm fucked if I know exactly what the TDM is.....it's a complete enigma that you can't pigeonhole. But all I do know that it's a bloody fantastic bike that's bursting with character! I love it! ← now put some pipes on it.if you read the forsale section i have advertised a set for my mate who just sold his tdm,and bought the new ktm1000 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRJ999 Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 I'd agree with most of the above but am I the only one who has a TDM with gobs of engine braking? If I drop a gear, I risk losing my teeth on the screen. Still; it would save going to the dentist..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Openroad Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 The TDM is everything you've said but the 900 6speed is more . I fitted a taller screen and centre stand, it feels like it would drive all day with no problems for me. I'm still running in, nearly there so have given it a short burst or two - sounds great. Pulls through the gears no effort only prob is I'm going into corners too fast Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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