22 replies to this topic

[tomwal]

I have always thought the TDM was a really good bike but never got round to owning one. My local dealer has a new TDM for £6995.00. Having perused this forum and read articles, including the recent Ride article, I am seriously considering the bike. My main reservation is whether it would be a mistake to buy an obsolete model. Any advice would be much appreciated by the members of this most excellent forum
Thanks, Tom

[TDMTAM]

My main reservation is whether it would be a mistake to buy an obsolete model.

Why would it if you like the bike go for it, and use that as a bargaining tool to get some money off their list price also get them to do it on the Yamaha's low rate finance.

[pete7]

My immediate reaction would be:

- yes buy one - if you do the numbers ( costs to buy, cost to run, power, handling , comfort, weight, noise levels, ability to fit full size panniers) its still hard to beat a TDM
- £6999 seems a lot to pay even for a new one - try to drive a good deal, buyers market etc etc etc...
- perhaps look for a virtually new one for much less, or use such references as bargaining power

For a genuine all round bike, it is very difficult to find anything fully comparable despite this part of the market expanding in UK.

Tiger 800 looks good, but this and all the others seem to have daft wheel sizes and compromised carrying capacity because of fashionable high level silencers.

I don't expect to ride off road or through deep water so do not feel such specification are necessary for a UK road bike.

Just my personal opinion and there's loads of much better informed advice on here

Best of luck

Pete

NOTE - TDM is not obsolete ( I think). Yamaha dealers locally says they are still listed.

[tomwal]

Another problem is that it is that gunmetal colour with a strange reddish/brown coloured seat.
Maybe I am being too fussy but I am worried that the colour would start to bother me.

[AliG]

Another problem is that it is that gunmetal colour with a strange reddish/brown coloured seat.
Maybe I am being too fussy but I am worried that the colour would start to bother me.

I agree with Pete. Price is on the high side. Check out some of the new ones available on fleabay and MCN and go back and negotiate. Then go and get the seat recovered or keep it and buy an aftermarket replacement with some of the money you saved. Seemples. I don't like that seat colour either, but the gunmetal is nice. If I had a spare 6.5 grand, I'd have one.
Best of luck
Ali

[dablik]

Tom,, Yes buy one,, fantastic all rounder,, lookee here


http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1e6dc89b97

you could save a few Bob Tom

Edit.. I agree as well,, recover the seat black and the jobs a goodun,,, what you would save on summit like this will buy all the extras you may want..

Edited by dablik, 04 June 2012 - 06:26 pm.

[TDMTAM]

yep recover the seat or get them to do it as part of the deal.
I'd Say you want it for £6199 and hold out as long as possible, they will want to shift it.
TAM

[robelst]

Looking at the way a TDM 900 is put together, 7 grand is good value. I don't think Yamaha will have spend a lot on R&D on the TDM over the past decade (most noticeable by the unrefined fuel injection and ergonomics) but it's still capable and the engineering and quality is not too much comprimised by Yamaha's money-scraping financial department.
It also has most traits of an all-road adventure bike (comfort, size, load, twin-engine) without actually being one, so you don't look like a sad twat in the mid-life crisis while riding something compromised for on-road use.

Still: If you are not certain you will hang to it for quite some time, you will find it hard to sell for a decent price after one or two years. That is mostly because most bikers are sad twats in their mid-life crisis and will look for something more "fashionable"

[TDMick]

P&H have just sold a '61 plate (I think it might have been a demo) black one for £5.8K.
And Lamba have a black one on sake for £7.5 IIRC, so the price isn't a bad one, but squeeze them for all they're worth!

[MikC]

Just had a look on ebay. Your gonna pay almost that for an XT660 new.

Know what I'd rather have. To go anywhere anyway....

Mik

[Capers1962]

I have always thought the TDM was a really good bike but never got round to owning one. My local dealer has a new TDM for £6995.00. Having perused this forum and read articles, including the recent Ride article, I am seriously considering the bike. My main reservation is whether it would be a mistake to buy an obsolete model. Any advice would be much appreciated by the members of this most excellent forum
Thanks, Tom

YES!

I came of a 1300 Pan onto a 9er and I am lovin'n it!

I have just dome a trip to Cornwall for a weeks M/C holiday with my wife (she was riding her own bike) and I have averaged 58mpg (solo with givi topbox and panniers).

Later in the month, I am going away with 9 others (all on different bikes) and I know that the 9er will do everything the other will - apart from the 'stupid' spurts on the motorway!

Well happy with my choice and dont regret the move from Honda to yamaha.

[tomwal]

Thanks for taking time to give all the great advice. I am going to see the dealer tomorrow. I will see what sort of a deal they will make.
I want to see if I can get panniers, topbox and meta alarm.
If I buy the bike will post on the forum,
Thanks again, Tom

[trevini]

If I ever manage to completely break the one I'm riding now, I'll buy another, but 7 years in, it's still going strong and hasn't let me down once in 46k miles....and I still love it!

Regularly tour on mine in europe and used it for commuting when I first bought it (changed jobs and have co vehicle now). I'd be more than happy to just check the tyres and ride off into the sunset without any fear of breakdowns. The reason I've kept it so long is that I can't think of any other bike that does the combination of things a TDM does. It's not the best at anything, but as an all rounder, it's as close to perfrct as you'll get.

I wouldn't bother with the alarm - they have a factory fitted immobiliser, so spend the money on a decent chain and lock. That way, if you catch anyone trying to nick it you have something hefty to clout them with :-) I reckon you'll get it a bit cheaper. I wasn't aware they're obsolete. It's only ride/mcn that seem to think that. No-ones told Yamaha yet!

Edited by trevini, 05 June 2012 - 08:03 pm.

[dithering]

Fascinating. Just the sort of thing I was about to ask. I am looking for a lighter bike since surgery, also something with footpegs in a position where I can shift weight of my butt every now and then. Further off the ground than current bike - 1700 roadstar. Something has changed my attitude recently, it's more about the ride than the bike now. Not bothered about people pointing at you as you rumble through town, or old geezers asking "what is it" in the car park. Just want a bike that I can live with, will do most of what I want most of the time. The only other contender might have been a Tiger 1050. Bike shops seriously pushing new 650 V Strom, just seems a little small?
Your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to tell me what I will - and more importantly - won't like about a TDM. Had (as well as the less memorable stuff) a CBX six, VN 15, GSX1100g, 2 Z650s, DR600, XJ650 and the most fun for the cash were probably the Z650s.
Never had a triple except in my Skoda Fabia, and rather liked the 1050 I tested.
Over to you. Why wouldn't I buy one?

[DeerStalker]

Looking at the way a TDM 900 is put together, 7 grand is good value. I don't think Yamaha will have spend a lot on R&D on the TDM over the past decade (most noticeable by the unrefined fuel injection and ergonomics) but it's still capable and the engineering and quality is not too much comprimised by Yamaha's money-scraping financial department.
It also has most traits of an all-road adventure bike (comfort, size, load, twin-engine) without actually being one, so you don't look like a sad twat in the mid-life crisis while riding something compromised for on-road use.

Still: If you are not certain you will hang to it for quite some time, you will find it hard to sell for a decent price after one or two years. That is mostly because most bikers are sad twats in their mid-life crisis and will look for something more "fashionable"

Yes I think I'm one of those sad twats - I bought the TDM to have sitting in the garage forever and well its been there now since new for three and a half years. Sure I've thought of passing it on for a newer sexier model but then I think to myself it will cost a lot to replace it with something I actually want.

Besides and back to the sad twat bit (aged 43) I've just replaced my 2 year old HD Ultra Ltd with a new Street Glide...

[akptdm9]

I have always thought the TDM was a really good bike but never got round to owning one. My local dealer has a new TDM for £6995.00. Having perused this forum and read articles, including the recent Ride article, I am seriously considering the bike. My main reservation is whether it would be a mistake to buy an obsolete model. Any advice would be much appreciated by the members of this most excellent forum
Thanks, Tom

as age creeps on i was finding my fjr 1300 could end up being horizontal more than i would like which was a shame as it is a fantastic machine, so i needed something lighter but with similar looks, twin pipes, upright seating. after looking through all the makers websites the only bike that stood out was the T D M which i had never noticed before, so of to local dealer who had a secondhand one to see, just sat on it to make sure both feet were flat on the floor and i new this was the one for me. so i am now the proud owner a new 900, done just 800 miles this last four weeks and it is a brilliant brilliant machine, so easy to ride and power that arrives with no effort at all one or two up. makes me smile every mile. in other words tom, get a tdm. peter

[Studley Ramrod]

as age creeps on i was finding my fjr 1300 could end up being horizontal more than i would like which was a shame as it is a fantastic machine, so i needed something lighter but with similar looks, twin pipes, upright seating. after looking through all the makers websites the only bike that stood out was the T D M which i had never noticed before, so of to local dealer who had a secondhand one to see, just sat on it to make sure both feet were flat on the floor and i new this was the one for me. so i am now the proud owner a new 900, done just 800 miles this last four weeks and it is a brilliant brilliant machine, so easy to ride and power that arrives with no effort at all one or two up. makes me smile every mile. in other words tom, get a tdm. peter

Nice wan Peter !

to da club !

[muddy]

as age creeps on i was finding my fjr 1300 could end up being horizontal more than i would like which was a shame as it is a fantastic machine, so i needed something lighter but with similar looks, twin pipes, upright seating. after looking through all the makers websites the only bike that stood out was the T D M which i had never noticed before, so of to local dealer who had a secondhand one to see, just sat on it to make sure both feet were flat on the floor and i new this was the one for me. so i am now the proud owner a new 900, done just 800 miles this last four weeks and it is a brilliant brilliant machine, so easy to ride and power that arrives with no effort at all one or two up. makes me smile every mile. in other words tom, get a tdm. peter

Age? Hang around here for a while and you'll feel like a spring chicken. Well done on finding the excellent TDM. I've been tempted to stray a few times, but then the ol' girl just grows on me again.

[pete7]

Over to you. Why wouldn't I buy one?

I am on my 4th TDM, having bought my first in 1997.

I honestly would struggle to find any real reason NOT to buy one - that is if you want a tall bike you can use any time and will do just about anything.

Tiger 1050 is great bike if you need/want 115bhp, but is very tall with a top box, and like all the 'adventure bikes' has high exhaust so you have a minute pannier on RHS.

Just buy one, and enjoy all it can do - at a really low cost to buy and run.


Pete

[ChrisG]

I am on my 4th TDM, having bought my first in 1997.

What was wrong with the first 3? I'm only on my second since 1998