Despatchers Don't Use Tdms?
#1
Posted 22 April 2012 - 08:07 am
What a great commuter bike the TDM is. Massive tank range, economical, comfortable, slim (making for easy filtering).
Why aren't despatchers using them in their droves?
It must be because of the poor fuelling and sloppy drivetrain which makes anything below 25 mph a PITA. IMHO the suspension isn't up to the job of London's potholes either. 4 weeks of it and I can barely stand it any more.
So after a few short and mostly sweet months of ownership I'm selling up. If I was commuting anywhere else, town to town for instance, I'd be tempted to keep it, but I've also come into a little money so I'm going to change.
I'm grateful to everyone's advice on this forum, and wish you all happy and safe riding in the future.
Cheers
Nick
ps please see my for sale ad....
#2
Posted 22 April 2012 - 08:44 am
What bikes are in the running Nick?
2002 TDM900 Yellow
#3
Posted 22 April 2012 - 08:48 am
I should have also said that I will be donating 10 quid to the Kent Air Ambulance as a Thank You for all the advice and friendliness that I have received on this forum.
Edited by OldGit, 22 April 2012 - 08:50 am.
#4
Posted 22 April 2012 - 02:46 pm
I should have also said that I will be donating 10 quid to the Kent Air Ambulance as a Thank You for all the advice and friendliness that I have received on this forum.
So you can't be all bad then (!) Nice to have had your company
One is Evil. It is anger, jealousy, greed, resentment, inferiority, lies, and ego.
The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, humilty, kindness, empathy and truth.
The boy thought a while then asked "Which Wolf wins?"
"The one you feed" replied the old man...
#5
Posted 22 April 2012 - 09:16 pm
spyball alarm/immob, bluespot brake calipers and Stainless hoses, Fournales air adjustable shock with Remote Resevoir, forks raised 10mm thru yokes, racetech linear fork springs in 15 wt oil, Kappa wingrack/luggage, heated grips, Kedo handguards, dual heat controller to power heated jacket liner and or pants!!, Stebel 136DB horn, K&N air filter, colour matched Baglux tank cover (magnetic tank bag modified to fit cover), osram +50% headloight bulbs, headlight protector,"NitramSpecial" parking loight, tail light indicators all running on LED's & incorporate "Lite Buddies", MK7 Scottoiler fitted, taller screen, 2-2 stainless steel CCC's, Devil stainless down pipes. MKI Renntec engine crash bars & sump guard.
engine changed july 2007 on a dyno run it made 79.1BHP / Torque 59.9Had a brief flirtation with a 1999 MKIIa but it blew an exaust valve on the M5 so was sold on to be repaired.
I loike tay and hang sangwiches !
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#6
Posted 23 April 2012 - 06:55 am
What a great commuter bike the TDM is. Massive tank range, economical, comfortable, slim (making for easy filtering).
Why aren't despatchers using them in their droves?
It must be because of the poor fuelling and sloppy drivetrain which makes anything below 25 mph a PITA. IMHO the suspension isn't up to the job of London's potholes either. 4 weeks of it and I can barely stand it any more.
So after a few short and mostly sweet months of ownership I'm selling up. If I was commuting anywhere else, town to town for instance, I'd be tempted to keep it, but I've also come into a little money so I'm going to change.
I'm grateful to everyone's advice on this forum, and wish you all happy and safe riding in the future.
Cheers
Nick
ps please see my for sale ad....
1) a power commander can help with low revs and the rest.
2) a G2 Ergonomics street tamer throttle tube 142mm in length (recommended part number 40-4Y-142 for FJR1300A) which modifies the cable travel to minimise throttle twitchiness 0-1/4 throttle.
3) so can slightly shorter final gearing.
4) funny how the majority of japanese bikes are oversprung and underdamped. there is a wilbers for sale here on the forum
just my two cents worth.
cheers
fung
#7
Posted 23 April 2012 - 09:04 am
02 TDM 900, Silver. 85k miles
Givi Box + panniers, Baglux Cover, Baglux Bag, R&Gs, Remus Cans, PC3, Air Box Mod, DL handguards, Hel Hoses, Heated Grips, LED Lights on handguards, Scottoiler, Scorpion Rad guard, Top Sellerie Seat, Gear Indicator, Stebel Nautilus, Wilbers Rear Shock, MCT reworked forks.
#8
Posted 23 April 2012 - 05:15 pm
GS (all-road) and TDM 900 (tourer) have barely anything in common apart from the number of cylinders (and -wheels ), so there is little point in calling one "better" than the other.
One BMW that seemed very similar to the TDM in my view is the F800ST. I really liked it when I tried one, and in many ways "better": no jerkiness, playful handling, belt, apparently even better on fuel, pulls even stronger; very unfortunately, it doesn't suit my overly long legs
The TDM's inprecise injection combined with very light flywheel and transmission play (still better than MK1/early Mk2 but strangely not as good as Mk2a) demand velvet-like throttle control and more gear changes gear at lower speed, but I am not sure if that is why despatchers don't use them? Do we need to care, given that most despatchers ride like utter morons?
#9
Posted 25 April 2012 - 06:40 am
From http://en.wikipedia....der#2-stroke_V4
"
In 1997 Mick Doohan wanted to run a 180° screamer engine. HRC crew chief Jerry Burgess explains why: "The 180 got back a direct relationship between the throttle and the rear wheel, When the tire spun I could roll off without losing drive. The big bang has a lot of engine braking, so it upsets the bike into corners, then when you open the throttle you get this sudden pulse of power, which again upsets the suspension. Mick's secret is corner speed, so he needs the bike to be smooth and the 180 is much smoother."
"
I'm not going to talking about riding on the edge of traction like Mick did... even cornering in low speed roundabouts and intersections on the 900 it is best to slow down and gear down early and stay on power throughout the apex; if you engine-brake before the apex and then accelerate out of the apex you're likely to get the jolt and judder caused by that sudden on-off torque characteristic... and every suspension upset that comes with it too.
So... cornering a 270 is quite different from cornering a 180... but lots of us probably learnt on and/or later had larger more symmetrical firing bikes, so we might have a habit that might be hard to break.
Some of us will not be aware of the technical differences because we've always ridden bigger bang engined bikes and already have the suited technique.
Some of us will be naturally gifted enough to unconsciously adapt our technique to whatever bike we ride, almost instantly.
Some of us will progressively modify our technique, given long enough.
Some of us will consciously adjust our technique, to suit the bike we are riding, provided we can identify the technical differences.
Some of will be unaware of the technical differences and make no, or be unable to make the, required technique adjustments.
Some of the last category will then buy a BMW... or other such bike... and some will even poo-poo their cast-off as somehow inferior. (No way suggesting that's the case in this thread, but there have been some "frustrated" temporary TDM owners in the past.)
Edited by AzzA, 25 April 2012 - 06:42 am.
#10
Posted 25 April 2012 - 07:13 am
I've ridden through London a few times on the 9er and found it quite good. Pity there's no frigging free parking, tossers!
I always think the best bike for a big city is a variomatic super scoot!
#11
Posted 25 April 2012 - 12:13 pm
The only thing that annoys me about my TDM is how its not great at low speed. the works car park has a limit of 10MPH, most people do 15 - 20, but its difficult to do that speed in first as your revving quite high, yet in second It jerks unless I use lots of clutch. I put up with it though as I love the bike but I've never been a confident slow speed/manoeuvring rider, and I don't think the TDM helps.
#12
Posted 25 April 2012 - 05:17 pm
#13
Posted 25 April 2012 - 08:13 pm
Need to get off my bum and sort a stopper for the midpipe on the scorpions. It has me looking at Tigers and not in the Zoo
Off to the Southern Island for a week or so R & R. Not on the bike but will be good anyway.
Cheers from NZ
Scorpion cans
Power Commander (under review)
#14
Posted 25 April 2012 - 08:31 pm
never ridden a 900
but did commute during the rush hour period from outta town Surrey/Hants border into London Bridge via Embankment
pretty much covered everything from inner city, A road & Mway
70 miles a day 5 days a week for 4 years (with 4 weeks off in the height of summer, typical)
on a MkII
I still could not think of a better bike to do it on, thing was/is the mutts nuts imho for that type of commute
perhaps that why I still got the bike
but like I said, aint ridden a 900, nor BM
Oh I almost forgot....
The reason despatchers don't ride TDM's?
Because unless you do outta town work a CG125 / NTV650 / scooter is pretty much all you need
Older Fazer 600 are also the bike of choice, but there have been a lot more of those around that TDM's, new & 2nd hand
As an aside, when I was looking for a bike for the commute it was down to a choice of two...
If the dealers had been open on the saturday afternoon I went, I may well have been posting on the Fazer owners site instead
Edited by jht, 25 April 2012 - 08:38 pm.
To do: Educate homo sap nav system to operate twisty + grabby things/ get ear plugs
Remember every driver is a deaf myoptic twat who is out to kill you, ALWAYS assume they are going to do THE most f*cking DUMBASS, STUPID manouver possible, at the worst possible moment; get past, and get past quick
#15
Posted 25 April 2012 - 09:01 pm
I actually time some of my rides now so that I am hitting rush hour traffic. I think the bike is great for filtering and getting through traffic. So much so that I can go from Salford, through Manchester and all the way up to the messy traffic system at Oldham Mumps grinning all the way. That place is a mess now constantly full of traffic. I love it.
But as you know I've decided to move to a completly different bike. A zx636. A completly different kettle of fish.
I expect nothing to be the same and I am looking forward to the education.
I do hope that I learn well.
I imagine myself not liking the change in riding style, change of throttle use and brakes. But I do realise theres a difference and I will persevere.
I do love the TDM though. It's just so easy to jump on and enjoy myself in any situation.
#16
Posted 25 April 2012 - 10:42 pm
Need to get off my bum and sort a stopper for the midpipe on the scorpions. It has me looking at Tigers and not in the Zoo
Off to the Southern Island for a week or so R & R. Not on the bike but will be good anyway.
Cheers from NZ
Just a tad Jealous......
If ever your up here in the "tropics" let me know & you can have a tootle on my MkII.
I'm doing a lot of gymkhanaesque training & the bike is faultless at low speeds / low revs. I put this down to virtually open pipes & good breathing. Maybe the slightly lower gearing too.
My gravel quota is increasing too, the suspension is a bit chattery over pot holes & corrugations but nothing that getting my butt out of the seat does not help. Speaking of which, time for a new thread..
all the best.
Edited by harvey krumpet, 25 April 2012 - 10:45 pm.
TDM 850 Loud and unusual. CRM 250r Woo hoo! DT 230 Lanza Fiddled with.... Bloody hell, is that legal? GG Randonee AKA "I didn't think that was possible".
#17
Posted 03 May 2012 - 08:22 pm
I've not gone away, yet.... in fact despite buying a Beemer last weekend I've been using the TDM for work this week. I I am sooooo gonna miss the noise, tank range, usability, slimness, and that noise.....
BTW way you won't find me deriding the bike, or any other that I've owned or ridden. I won't hold back on a machine's bad - or good points - as I see them, no matter what, but I won't rage against the machine for no good reason. I don't regret buying the bike, and if I hadn't come into a little money I would have kept it, bought a Power Commander and fixed what should have been sorted in the factory in the first place. I did this once before with a V-Strom, the fuelling on that bike - from new - was bad enough to spit the throttle bodies off the inlet stubs.... I cured it with a PC and some Scorpion pipes.
Anyway my plan was to farkle the Beemer and fix the problem that it came with (a very stiff throttle) this weekend and start using it next week. So as I was putting the TDM away tonight I thought, let's tighten that very loose chain before the last ride to work tomorrow. It needed a pry bar and a step on to loosen the axle nut, the LHS adjuster freed up nicely and was sorted quickly, the RHS adjuster..... snapped off, leavingit's end in the swinging arm.....
So there it is, the bike had it's revenge on me for giving up on it so quickly. I will take the Beemer to work tomorrow, with a stiffie, no crashbars, no luggage and no glorious noise through the blackwall tunnel. Those things will hopefully be rectified this weekend. If all the parts arrive and I can stay out of tghe pub for long enough.
As for the TDM, anyone got a spare adjuster, or a very cheap swinging arm, for an 52 reg 900 please?
Thanks for reading and take it easy everyone...
Cheers
Nick
#18
Posted 03 May 2012 - 09:40 pm
Gosh you must really like that beemer.
I snapped off the LHS adjuster. Replacing the swingarm is a bit extreme. You can drill and tap out below the old one, but you need a long enough drill bit. Not as hard as it sounds.
#19
Posted 03 May 2012 - 10:24 pm
Is there any of the bolt showing? Enough to take a long nut? (which nut then takes another shorter bolt into the other end). I did mine that way.
#20
Posted 04 May 2012 - 02:45 am
Cheers
Nick
Drill out the old bolt carefully, fit a 3.0D M8 x 1.25 helicoil (alloy thread is quite long and most kits only come with 1.5D inserts) then make some brass 55mm adjusters.
You can get away with normal brass M8 bolts of 50mm long, but file the letters off the heads to get a good smooth surface that won't gall on the alloy block when you turn them to put pressure on the axle. This will make the head 13mm AF though.
Like these:
http://www.ebay.co.u...=item53e3e55e4d
You can turn a better designed one from 12mm marine brass hexagon bar stock. (I'm assuming here you have access to a lathe)
Replacing the entire swingarm seems a tad OTT to me just for one seized bolt.
To use the alloy threads, the drill must be no more than 6.75mm pull out the bits of steel thread left behind if you can with needle nose pliers.
It's my experience that this method seldom leaves a really useable tight thread, bits of the alloy thread come away with the steel which is what caused the problem in the first place.
A far better repair is to use a helicoil insert of the right length making a once and for all job of it.
For a good helicoil fit, drill the hole 8.2mm (twist drills always drill a slightly oversize hole) tap the special thread with a long nosed ratchet tap holder to clear the swingarm slot.
Fit insert, break off tang, fit brass bit described above and the jobs a good 'un.
Thus:
Edited by leehenty, 04 May 2012 - 03:23 am.
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