Yamaha TDM 900

Further Faster

RRP: $12,990 + ORC
Fuel economy: up to 20km/lt
Also consider: Suzuki Vstrom

Overall rating:
Price/packaging/practicality: 4.5/5.0
In the saddle: 4.0
X-factor: 3.0

IN THE BEGINNING
The traditional line separating road bike from dirt bike has blurred over the past few years, thanks to bikes like the BMW 1200GS and KTM 950 Adventure. There was a time when road bikes shared none of a dirt bike's features, and vice versa. But today's 'adventure bikes' make their own rules. They have ABS braking, GPS navigation, even fairings. Some have become leviathans. And now riders who want variation in their riding experience are looking at these bikes, 'distinctive all-rounders' as they say, because they can do more than a conventional sports bike or sports tourer.

The TDM has never been a volume seller in Australia, possibly because of its Lost In Space styling, but in Europe, where it's considered a great dual purpose bike, they can't get enough. Up there it's rpm on a stick.

This model first lobbed here in 1991 as a carburetted, 850cc parallel twin, with dual overhead cams and Yamaha's signature five-valve head. By then it was in its second incarnation, having begun life as the 750cc mill in the XTZ Super Tenere, a bike the  freakishly talented Stefan Peterhansel employed to win the Dakar Rally several times (before winning it several times in a car). The engine is a dry sump design, and in 1991 drove through a five-speed transmission. Somewhere along the line Yamaha decided to tart up the old TDM though, and by 2000 had practically redesigned it from the rubber up. More rpm on a bigger stick.

Changes appeared from one end to the other, and internally. Capacity was increased 49cc to 897cc, enabling the company to claim without too much exaggeration that this was now a genuine 900. The TDM also got a new aluminium frame, claimed to be 29 percent lighter than the 850's steel frame, and the shock was now connected to a progressive linkage. The bike got new three-spoke wheels, a fully adjustable shock, a 43mm fork with adjustable preload and rebound, new lights, bodywork, and a new dual seat, and R1-style four-piston front brakes.

The engine copped a hiding too. Over the period 1988 to 2000 the crankshaft went from a 180 to a 270 degree design, and there were more significant changes to come. Along came new forged pistons, a new ceramic-coated cylinder, lightweight cams, and a six-speed transmission with an over-driven (0.923) top gear. Yamaha dumped the 850's twin downdraught carbs in favour of fuel injection too and that boosted both horsepower and torque.

The TDM now developed 86hp (63.4Kw) at 7500rpm. It was also lighter, more responsive, had better pulling power through the midrange where most of us spend most of our time, and could boast an engine that although more powerful produced cleaner emissions and better fuel economy. If it had been a contestant on Who wants to be a millionaire? the new TDM 900 would have stomped home with all the loot.

RIDING IT
For all it's improvements the Yamaha is still a big bike but that doesn't make is clumsy. It's also tall at 1290mm but feels well balanced. Despite the weight that goes with that height (192kg) it's easy to manoeuvre at low speed, even in slow traffic where you can confidently roll along at one or 2kph before planting the boot to pull up in a queue of traffic.

The riding position is upright, so there's not much weight on your wrists, and if you have lower back problems the ergonomics associated with this bike will not aggravate them, even over long rides.

The mirrors give a clean view of what's directly behind you but like most standard mirrors they do nothing to mitigate the dreaded blind-spot; where the bumper of an approaching car is more or less opposite your rear wheel. If I owned a TDM I'd be fitting wide-angle mirrors in the near corner of the standard mirrors.

This parallel twin does what all parallel twins do: everything without fuss. Although the configuration lacks the eyeball-flattening heroics of a sports bike with the same cubic capacity, the power surge is consistently strong and predictable and there are no gaps in the gearing to interrupt the party. This engine is tractable and easy to live with. It doesn't require hard revving, and in top gear it will lug down to 75 or 80kph before you have to downshift.

The power is so accommodating the TDM would be a good bike on which to learn to ride a big bike. And a person of normal height can touch the ground with both feet. The clutch has a lightish feel, and shifting is invariably precise, so you don't have to kick the bastard around the block to find the gear you want. There's very little vibration from the engine until rpm accumulate somewhat, then you can feel a tingle through the pegs, the pressed steel fuel tank and the grips, but never does the tingle degenerate into a jangle. The brakes are strong without being startling. One-finger braking is okay for run-of the-mill stops, but if you're gunna die because a cretinous twat in a hatchback is turning across you, give it two fingers.

Regardless of the gear you're in or the rpm you've attained (intentionally or otherwise) engine noise is all but absent. This is a weirdly quiet bike. There's the suggestion of a rumble down there but no physical sensation of it. That's all very refined, and you could ride the TDM all day thinking it was powered by a big rubber band, but it would be nice if we had less grumble and more pagan rumble. Occasionally you like to hear what your engine sounds like when you're, say, riding through a tunnel ( sorry, I love that shit), but blip the throttle on this bike and all you'll get is brief tacho spasm.

The TDM isn't fast by sports bike or even sports touring standards, and its engine doesn't spin up like an in-line four, but let's be honest, no modern 900cc motorcycle is slow. The point is, when it comes to speed bling, we wouldn't flash up the TDM. Speed on this bike is not about acceleration, it's about getting the basics right: set up early, pick the right line, brake before you lean, and be in a gear that will enable you to drive rather than coast through the turns. Get all these things sorted and the TDM is a very satisfying experience. If he sets up early and picks a good line, it's surprising how quickly a rider of even modest ability can punt a TDM. In a sense, because it's not a sports bike it encourages you to concentrate on the basics. I can ride a TDM as fast as I can ride a Moto GP bike because my talent will always run out before either bike loses  traction. That being the case, I posit the eternal question: if I can't ride the standard bike flat out, why do I need more power?

When you get off a dirt bike and onto a road or dual purpose bike, some accommodation is required in the matter of suspension. As dirt riders we're used to 300mm of suspension travel but with a bike like this, and in fact most road bikes, you're lucky to see 200mm, in fact the TDM has 133mm down the back and 150mm of wheel travel up front. For that reason, the setup feels firm if not harsh and you can pretty much feel every bump in the bitumen. But the bike sits squarely on the road and doesn't seem to mind if inadvertently you drive it into pothole or one of the RTA's bitumen canyons. Front and rear felt well balanced to me and the bike went where I pointed it. Given the fork and shock settings, I suspect the TDM would handle just as well with a pillion onboard. I actually tried to find that out but the female pillion distracted me with a choker-hold plus screaming so I came back with nothing in my notebook under the heading 'Pillion response?'.

One thing that did startle us about this bike was the fuel consumption. We ride 450cc dirt bikes all the time, carburetted and fuel injected, and regularly get 10 to 12 kilometres per litre.How is it then that a 900cc, 200kg, 86hp dual purpose heavy like the TDM can get near as dammit to 20 kilometres per litre? Dirt bike tanks are getting smaller and their ranges commensurately shorter. Meanwhile, bikes like this can hoik 400 kays from a tank. Who'd a thunk it?

THE BOLT-ONS
Practical accessories

Our test bike wasn't exactly covered in bling but Yamaha had fitted several bolt-ons to make it more practical and better suited to excursions on the dirt. The two we liked most were the Michelin tyres and the optional taller screen.

THE TYRES:
Which tyres you fit to a dual purpose bike is a much discussed topic among adventure riders and for good reason. Finding a tyre that shares the same enthusiasm for gravel and bitumen is no easy ask and a compromise is often called for. Our bike had the Michelin Sirac 130/80-18 up front and the Michelin Anakee 150/70-17 on the rear. The Sirac is a tubed tyre. It's very hard wearing, offers decent traction and steering characteristics on dirt, and excellent grip on dry bitumen, but can be schizophrenic on that surface if it's at all slick. The Anakee is a tubeless tyre. It gives very good traction on dry bitumen and has reasonable grip on dirt if you follow the three sacred rules: keep the bike as upright as possible; stay away from loose stuff; and on dirt, use engine braking rather than the wheel brakes to trim your speed.

THE SCREEN:
The taller screen surprised me. On any road-oriented bike, if you wear a dirt helmet the wind will get under the peak and try to rip your head off. This didn't happen. We know a screen's effectiveness is influenced by the rider's height, but at 5' 10" and-a-bit, I was quite comfortable in a conventional dirt helmet and goggles (though I looked like a geek).

THE BARS:
The weapon I liked least in the options pack were the wider-than-stock GYTR handlebars. They felt too wide for me, on the road and the dirt, and I'm unconvinced that this is the right cockpit setup for the TDM. In any event, read what Geoff Udy has to say in the accompanying sidebar for a very experienced take on the subject of TDM setups.

I OWN ONE:
Geof Udy tells all

TDM-Economy and Versatility

PRICE:
The TDM models have somewhat curbed my overall enjoyment of all and other models, even my collectables. Explanation: I have an immaculate '88 BMW K100RS and a Yamaha XTZ 660 Tenere, each noted for it's qualities as a long distance road and semi off-road adventure. But  my TDM 900 does both jobs better, and at up to $10,000 cheaper than most of the exotica encountered along Australia's more adventurous routes.

I've done at least 200,000 kilometres on  TDM 850s and 900s and haven't really found their limits, from Mitta Mitta to Omeo (Vic) in sub zero rain to scratching with sports bikes.

COMFORT:
My annual Phillip Island adventure usually involves some dirt sections, but mainly tar secondary roads, a 6000 kay round trip and up to 1000 kilometres a day. The TDM's semi-upright seating stance is both comfortable and affords quick line changes and maneuverability during turns on tar or dirt, something that can't be said for sports bikes. I find their 'laying on the tank' riding position commits me much more to a certain corner speed and line, and as a result these become more difficult to chang. 

BARS:
I prefer narrow, higher bars with a cross-brace to resist bending during the old unexpected lay down, usually at slow speeds. The geometry and steering is so good the Yamaha doesn't need wide bars in any conditions, and narrow is more natural and flowing through the tight twisties. 

I prefer the Michelin ANAKEE on the rear and any tubeless 410-460x18 inch front tyre with a similar tread pattern. Tubless rims are definitely the way to go. My preferred combination is not always easy to find though;  there's  not the same range in 18 inch tyres as there is in 19 or 21 inchers. The TDM is not demanding on the front so most patterns work well. Raising the front mud guard is necessary to accommodate larger profile tyres, which handle bumps and dirt well and give a similar diameter to most 19 inch fronts.

HAND-GUARDS AND CRASH-BARS:
Cemoto plastic hand-guards are small, effective and adapt to the lever perches easily. GYTR or Hepko and Becker engine bars are good, while the GYTR crash-bar is a simple, one-bar design that does good job. Hepco Becker are extreme engine protection for extreme adventures.

COMFORT:
I like a 38mm high-density foam strip over the seat, with a sheepskin cover to complete the bum-comfort thing.

MUFFLERS:
Foran stainless steel mufflers reduce weight and emit a great Ducati V-twin melody at any rpm and increase lower rpm response.

BRAKES:
I'm hard on rear pads so I cut off half the rear brake pedal so my foot can rest alongside and not on it. I also add an extra return spring to resist unintentional application of the rear brake.

STORAGE:
A smaller RJAYS or similar detachable top box offers a great pillion back rest and storage and is quickly removable for solo riding.
The outer alloy frame member above the cases offers an excellent point for a small saddle bags mounts, which deflect rain and road spray off my feet. The bags complement my Burk&Wills swag.

FUEL CONSMPTION:
I get up to 20km per litre and can fit almost 22 litres into the tank if I have the patience to dribble it in. One of my customers reports 25km per litre so theoretically it's possible to get nearly 500 kays from the 20 litre tank.

BOTTOM LINE:
Longer and progressive suspension, although not as exotic as many, works well and assures long distance comfort while retaining precision. Useable power from 3000-9000 rpm, great economy and range, forgiving and versatile handling, a 6-speed box and one of the sweetest motors is the formula for one of the very best bikes for Aussie conditions, yet sales are reluctant. Form over function seems to be the culprit here, and although TDMs are a hard sell, they generate passionate loyalty among their owners.