Thinking of a TDM900

[ghostbiker]

Hi, Just thought i would pop in and look around.

Im known online as Ghostbiker and right now i have an XJR 1200 trike and a member of the XJR Owners club.

Affter messing about with my trike for 2 years now im thinking of getting back to 2 wheels, not as easy as it sounds due to problems with hip and back. But i had a TDM 850 back a while and realy liked it, legs were not cramped up like on my old RF900 or ZX10 and a lot more seat room than the blade.

Well now i am leaning towards the TDM900 but will miss the great XJR owners club with all the meets, tec support and just gen a bunch of realy great ppl. I looked for a TDM club but only found 2, 1 in holland and the other didnt seem very active to say the least.

Anyone know of a good TDM club or dose a lot go on here? club stands at shows, ride outs etc?

Also looking at tunning options on the TDM 900. and affter market bits and bobs. My trike is fairly moded and like to alter what ever i ride to be......distinctive!

Ill drop in 2 pics of the trike. dont have any realy recent but its had a belly pan and another 60 led's added since and also a Flame kit for exhaust. Tunning is Stage 3 with single KnN's 36Y rubbers, custom made Stainless exhaust bassed on Micron. beefed up Clutch and estimated at 140 BHP (hard to dino a 3foot 4 inch wide trike)

[Alex]

Hey welcome mate... good to see something different on here

Are they mini superlights?

[YamaHead]

to the forum GhostBiker

That's definitely a 1 of a kind XJR you've got there

Nice choice with the TDM9

I hear that the gearbox is better than the 850's

[E.T.]

well this is a pretty old thread, but for the benefit of future TDM owners.... head toward http://www.carpe-tdm.net/ (which incidentally is listed by Yamaha as the TDM owners club)

Another excellent site for TDM owners is here... http://jbx9.free.fr/tdm/index.php" which is full of techy stuff

It's a really easy to ride (very torquey motor) bike

[nosbor]

L.O.

Just bought a TDM, we are going to italy on it summer 2008.

Look at my other two bikes and you can see why i need this for touring.

I find it a little top heavy now, god knows what it,s like fully loaded.

Still nothing ventured!!!!! So far we like it, 90mph cruising no problem, 200 mile tank range.

Oh yes! we are both 60 plus and can manage this bike ok.

Good luck what ever you do.

Nosbor.

[E.T.]

L.O.

Just bought a TDM, we are going to italy on it summer 2008.

Look at my other two bikes and you can see why i need this for touring.

I find it a little top heavy now, god knows what it,s like fully loaded.

Still nothing ventured!!!!! So far we like it, 90mph cruising no problem, 200 mile tank range.

Oh yes! we are both 60 plus and can manage this bike ok.

Good luck what ever you do.

Nosbor.

yea a bit top heavy, but only when you're pushing around the garage. Switch the engine on and a doddle to balance - I put it down to the 18" front wheel and the increase in gyroscopic effect that that would give.

No probs in the corners (I'll give most sports bike riders a run for their money - the torque make the power very usable...and a lot of sports bike riders don't know how to ride anyway <sits back and waits for the abuse to be hurled back>

[Moose TDM900]

Hello everyone, i know this is an old thread but i just needed to asked the people who know.

I am looking to buy a TDM900 and have found one i like but it has very high mileage, do you know of any issues specific to high mielage TDM'S please?

Any help is much apreciated

[Openroad]

yea a bit top heavy, but only when you're pushing around the garage. Switch the engine on and a doddle to balance - I put it down to the 18" front wheel and the increase in gyroscopic effect that that would give.

No probs in the corners (I'll give most sports bike riders a run for their money - the torque make the power very usable...and a lot of sports bike riders don't know how to ride anyway <sits back and waits for the abuse to be hurled back>

I've a tdm for 6 weeks now, almost run in and I'm pleased, but not so pleased that I can say no probs in the corners. The Fazer loved the bends but the tdm feels unstable with a front wheel wobble at a fast corner (75) makes me nervous. The ride postion is fantastic I could ride for hours and the balance is good at slow and higher speeds.

[SRJ999]

Hi,

I am picking up my second TDM at the weekend. I've had a 2002 model now for nearly 5 years now and have loved it. I, too, had some handling problems at first but found that the previous owner had screwed the suspension up - softest setting at the front and a rock hard rear. A friend and I set up the sag (using directions from Ride magazine), then set the suspension to mid level before hardening front and rear a couple of clicks. I was amazed at the difference and it was worth spending the afternoon trying out different settings to get what has ended up a good all round setting.

First of all, the good points:

1. I generally get 50+ mpg unless I really cane it, when consumption can get to about 35, which is still impressive.

2. The exhaust note, even with standard pipes, is lovely. Get a pair of cans and it sounds cracking.

3. Whilst it's not a sportsbike, I can generally keep up with my arse-rocket riding chums until they get too competitive, when the handling reaches its limits.

4. It is fantastically comfortable. I have taken it to Germany half a dozen times and was still able to walk at the end of the day.

5. Handling isn't affected much when riding two-up.

6. Whilst it's heavy, on the move that makes for planted handling and little affect from side winds.

7. Brakes are fantastic. I haven't got the ABS model but they're still well up to the job. The ABS comes highly recommended, too.

A useful accessory to fit is a pair of hand protectors. The units from a Beemer RG1150GS (NOT the 1200) fit with a bit of modification to the bar ends.

I also fitted an aftermarket LED rear light cluster, which was a direct replacement for the standard rear light unit. This will go onto the new bike.

There are a few issues, mind:

1. Paint finish, particularly on the engine, is pretty ropey. It takes no time for it to look very tatty. Just keep it washed regularly and you should be OK. Once the paint starts flaking on the engine, forget it.

2. The clutch can be a bit of an issue, too. If the engine gets too hot, the clutch starts getting sloppy. Allow the engine to cool a little and it seems to settle down, though.

3. The gearbox is a vast improvement on the 850 but can still be a bit crunchy, with the occasional false neutral. Very entertaining.....

4. Suspension - it ain't a sportsbike, remember, but you can improve it a little.

5. The standard screen is pathetic. Why Yamaha doesn't supply it with the extended version is beyond me.

6. The same applies to the centre stand, or lack thereof. My '02 model had one fitted as an option and I'll take it off for the new bike. It ought to be standard on this sort of bike.

7. I had a problem with the engine running really badly recently (on the old bike, of course). The bike had 30,000 miles by now but I would have expected it to last a while longer. After a number of trips to the dealer, who initially replaced the throttle position sensor ( a known recall issue), they found that the auto choke had failed. Apparently, it is actuated by wax but the wax has gone off, so I had to bodge a manual system with a spring to pull the choke off after starting the engine. The result isn't pretty but it works. You can't replace the choke system alone; the entire throttle body and associated parts have to be bought as a single unit. This will cost over a grand with the fitting; more than the old bike is worth.

I'd best quit now; this has been a very long ramble for a first post.....

[Openroad]

Hi,

I am picking up my second TDM at the weekend. I've had a 2002 model now for nearly 5 years now and have loved it. I, too, had some handling problems at first but found that the previous owner had screwed the suspension up - softest setting at the front and a rock hard rear. A friend and I set up the sag (using directions from Ride magazine), then set the suspension to mid level before hardening front and rear a couple of clicks. I was amazed at the difference and it was worth spending the afternoon trying out different settings to get what has ended up a good all round setting.

First of all, the good points:

1. I generally get 50+ mpg unless I really cane it, when consumption can get to about 35, which is still impressive.

2. The exhaust note, even with standard pipes, is lovely. Get a pair of cans and it sounds cracking.

3. Whilst it's not a sportsbike, I can generally keep up with my arse-rocket riding chums until they get too competitive, when the handling reaches its limits.

4. It is fantastically comfortable. I have taken it to Germany half a dozen times and was still able to walk at the end of the day.

5. Handling isn't affected much when riding two-up.

6. Whilst it's heavy, on the move that makes for planted handling and little affect from side winds.

7. Brakes are fantastic. I haven't got the ABS model but they're still well up to the job. The ABS comes highly recommended, too.

A useful accessory to fit is a pair of hand protectors. The units from a Beemer RG1150GS (NOT the 1200) fit with a bit of modification to the bar ends.

I also fitted an aftermarket LED rear light cluster, which was a direct replacement for the standard rear light unit. This will go onto the new bike.

There are a few issues, mind:

1. Paint finish, particularly on the engine, is pretty ropey. It takes no time for it to look very tatty. Just keep it washed regularly and you should be OK. Once the paint starts flaking on the engine, forget it.

2. The clutch can be a bit of an issue, too. If the engine gets too hot, the clutch starts getting sloppy. Allow the engine to cool a little and it seems to settle down, though.

3. The gearbox is a vast improvement on the 850 but can still be a bit crunchy, with the occasional false neutral. Very entertaining.....

4. Suspension - it ain't a sportsbike, remember, but you can improve it a little.

5. The standard screen is pathetic. Why Yamaha doesn't supply it with the extended version is beyond me.

6. The same applies to the centre stand, or lack thereof. My '02 model had one fitted as an option and I'll take it off for the new bike. It ought to be standard on this sort of bike.

7. I had a problem with the engine running really badly recently (on the old bike, of course). The bike had 30,000 miles by now but I would have expected it to last a while longer. After a number of trips to the dealer, who initially replaced the throttle position sensor ( a known recall issue), they found that the auto choke had failed. Apparently, it is actuated by wax but the wax has gone off, so I had to bodge a manual system with a spring to pull the choke off after starting the engine. The result isn't pretty but it works. You can't replace the choke system alone; the entire throttle body and associated parts have to be bought as a single unit. This will cost over a grand with the fitting; more than the old bike is worth.

I'd best quit now; this has been a very long ramble for a first post.....

Thanks for the points you have made. I've readjusted the suspension to mid setting and it seems better although when it scared me last time, midway through a fast corner my milage was only 300 so the tyres were ,perhaps, not ready for too much lean. The dealer recommended softening the rear to lower the ride height but thats rubbish as softening only reduces the spring loading not the height.

The fuel injected TDM wont have the choke problem but I was a bit 'miffed' with the lack of centre stand - had one fitted since.

I gave it some welly and the exhaust at 7k sounded great heyhey - enjoy your tdm If I find a good dealer i'll stick with him but I wont pay loads out for a spotty 17yr old to put his oily hands on MY bike when I can change oil, plugs and filters myself - take care not to scratch it

[SRJ999]

..... The fuel injected TDM wont have the choke problem .....

Oh but it might have. My one is also an injected bike but it still has an automatic (or not now) choke. The fix I installed works perfectly well but it makes a tatty bike look tattier.

I'll just remove the Scottoiler, screen, rear lamp and centre stand then flog the bike for a few pennies. I'm sure there's plenty of life in the old girl yet; I just don't have the wherewithal to do the work.