Nr 3

[OhCrap]

It seems to be raining new bikes over here this year

I gots another one  




It was very cloudy today and the picture really doesn't do her justice, but better pics will follow as soon as we get some sunlight over here.

It's a 2003 TDM 900 with just over 10.000mls on her, and she's still on her original chain and tires.

More specs here: http://www.motorbikes.be/en/Yamaha_TDM_900_2003.aspx

It looks like it's never been out in the rain and comes with a dealer warranty until Oktober this year. She came with quite a few options including a Laser DuoTech titanium exhaust, Givi top and side cases (the side cases are mounted with a SW Motech quicklock system), original Yamaha alarm with remote controls and starter breaker, original Yamaha belly faring, after-market handle bars, Bagster tank cover and bag, a separate paddock stand and a few other thingies. Getting a new rear Michelin Pilot Road 3 mounted and the fuel injection fine tuned next week, and then I just need some hand guards and heated grips before the winter starts and perhaps some rim striping and she's done.

The big twin is a bit getting used to though. I've had many bikes in the past, but apart from the Magna and the MT50 I've only owned 4 cylinder in-lines up to now and I'm pretty much in love with that engine character. I am starting to fall for the sound and low rpm grunt of the in-line twin though, and this one is quite smooth as long as you keep it over 2500 rpm. It is a fairly big bike for me at only 5'8" short, but the seat is kind of narrow at the front and I can still almost flat foot both feet on it. At just 190kg's she feels very light and flickable and she's a joy to trash around with. The relatively small faring keeps my torso and helmet completely out of the wind, and long high speed runs are extremely comfortable on this bike.


Unfortunately this means there will be no Nighthawk in my summer ride report this year... I hope you guyz can forgive me...  

[fishball]

That is a good looking bike.  Looking forward to more of your posts about it... and more pictures! 

[NightHawked]

Great lookin ride, good for you. I think you will be forgiven.

[LOKi]

very nice looking bike there.

[cmyers]

It's a 2003 TDM 900 with just over 10.000mls on her, and she's still on her original chain and tires.

This line always kills me, the bike is 8 years old - those tires should have been changed long ago simply because of age and rubber decay.

I am glad to see that you are putting new rubber on - front and back right?

That is a good looking bike, Ride safe and regardless of what bike you are on - I will read the ride reports.

[OhCrap]

Thanks guys  

It's a 2003 TDM 900 with just over 10.000mls on her, and she's still on her original chain and tires.

This line always kills me, the bike is 8 years old - those tires should have been changed long ago simply because of age and rubber decay.

I am glad to see that you are putting new rubber on - front and back right?

That is a good looking bike, Ride safe and regardless of what bike you are on - I will read the ride reports.

The tires have a 2002 date stamp on them but the front seems to be in good shape still. I'll have my tire guy check it out when he puts on the rear just in case, but I think I'm gonna wear it out before replacing it with a MPR3. I reckon it has about another 5000mls or so in it, which I'll do way before winter anyways.

[fortyhourdays]

Great looking bike.  Congratulations!

[JB1290]

Beautiful bike. Congrats on the new stablemate.

[isleofmanfan]

Thats a smart lookin' scooter for sure.  Is that chain final drive?  Don't be goin' shaftey on me!   

Continuing our conversation on upright twins; ya I guess I've never really read that the upright twins made loads of torque, but I guess they do.

You will LOVE that half fairing!  Cold weather, windy, bugs, rain, you will be so grateful its on there.  Plus it makes the bike more efficient thru the atmosphere.  (drag coefficient)

OK, I'm ready for a ride report!  Ride safe bud, watch for the speed cameras, deer, and cagers turning in front of you!

[OhCrap]

Nah, no shafty unfortunately. Although it probably wouldn't suit the engine character of this bike much at low rpm.

Yeah, these things will pull. The KTM 990 engines are another good if not better example. I really wanted an SMT at first, but they are a bit over my budget atm and even more annoyingly; way to high for my short legs.

Haha, I'm ready for another ride report as well. I'll head over to Germany second week of June to visit my buddy, and I think I'll race to Venice in Juli and then cruise back through the Alps. The original plan was to go to Czech Republic, but now that I have this bike I'm just to eager to feed it some mountain roads  

[isleofmanfan]

Nah, no shafty unfortunately. Although it probably wouldn't suit the engine character of this bike much at low rpm.

Yeah, these things will pull. The KTM 990 engines are another good if not better example. I really wanted an SMT at first, but they are a bit over my budget atm and even more annoyingly; way to high for my short legs.

Haha, I'm ready for another ride report as well. I'll head over to Germany second week of June to visit my buddy, and I think I'll race to Venice in Juli and then cruise back through the Alps. The original plan was to go to Czech Republic, but now that I have this bike I'm just to eager to feed it some mountain roads 

What a ride plan!  Sounds like a dream ride.  If it was even REMOTELY feesible, I would roll with you!

[OhCrap]

You'd be welcome to join me. I'd meet you in the middle somewhere if it wasn't so wet there  

The sun came through yesterday so I picked out a nice background, made the bike strike a pose and took of the top case, and then my camera ran out of juice after just one photo  

I'll post it anyways to give you guys a better idea of the color scheme.

[packetmangler]

Terrible, just terrible!  I'll tell you what.  Just ship it across the pond so you won't ever have to look at it again. :D


Looks great!

Ray

[OhCrap]

Good one 
But in all honesty I bought it more for it's reliability and the way it does everything it does then for it's looks. If that were the case I would have brought the ZRX1100 I also tried out home with me 

The looks are starting to grow on me though. It doesn't even bother me anymore that I didn't went for a black one, must be the 'L' thing..   

[gammer]

Nice looking bike OC 
Hope you put lots of Km's on it this summer. 

[OhCrap]

Thanks Gammer, that's the plan! 

[OhCrap]

Did a free run on a Dynojet at a local bike store today. 72,65 horses on the rear wheel at 7.300rpm. I have no idea if that's good or bad for this bike but the factory values are 86 horses at the crank shaft at 7.500 so I guess it's not too far off. Still have to have the efi finetuned though, and I might try a KN filter & iridium spark plugs as well before I'll have another run. Too bad they didn't measured the torque though, since this is where this bikes shines more.

I forgot I just had a new rear tire mounted when I drove off btw, which resulted in a unintended but nice huge drift through a 90 degree corner when leaving the premises. Didn't see any of the crotch rockets guys with there supped up bikes do that, lol. I hope I didn't shock the two old guys that were admiring my bike to much 

[OhCrap]

Took some group shots last weekend:

[roadrunner]

Wow!  Your TDM is one sharp looking bike!