Yamaha TDM 900: review, technical specifications and reviews

Short description

Yamaha TDM 900 was released in 2002. This version began to be produced immediately after the TDM 850. It is believed that “TDM 900” is a new generation of the 850 version. But similarity in design does not mean anything, because the TDM 900 has undergone many changes:

• the steel frame was replaced with aluminum, which became 20 percent lighter, adding handling and driving dynamics;
• engine volume increased and weight decreased;
• the power system is now controlled by an injector rather than a carburetor;
• six-speed gearbox (TDM 850 has a five-speed gearbox);
• new brakes borrowed from the R1;
• new modification with the prefix “A”;
• wheel weight has been reduced;
• curb weight was reduced by 11 kilograms.

But this is not the most important thing. In the new version, all the problem areas of the TDM 850 were removed and corrected, namely: the rear caliper was replaced with a higher quality one, the carburetor was replaced with an injector, stronger and lighter materials were used, both in the frame and in the engine.

There are two versions of this motorcycle: the standard version “TDM 900” and the version “TDM 900A” (externally it differs from the standard version only in the color of the frame).

Review of the Yamaha TDM 900 motorcycle

I am 57 years old. Over 40 years of motorcycle driving experience, I've ridden everything from a macaque. I bought TDM by accident. At the end of last year I went to Yamaha, saw it and bought it. I was attracted to TDM by its unusual appearance and ease of fit. But this is not the main thing. The main thing in TDM is the motor. The motor is amazing in every way. Dry sump.

Ten-valve head. All this, together with the crankshaft in which the axles are set at 90 and 270 degrees, gives such a V-shaped effect that just hold on! Gains a hundred in less than 4 seconds, and 150 in 7 seconds. The performance is amazing. Both the rear and front shock absorbers are very good. There are a ton of settings for any load, any road, any driving mode. It should also be noted that TDM is the easiest among classmates and this is important.

Very comfortable seating position for both driver and passenger.

Although I would place my hands higher on the steering wheel. You can travel 300-350 km in one breath without stopping with a ridiculous fuel consumption of only 4.9-5.6 l/100 km.

I drove 6000 km during the season. Raid to Crimea for the Sevastopol rally and out-of-town gatherings. It’s difficult to drive around the city. There is no traction at the bottom, which is due to its racing past, and it’s big and very tall. Outside the city, at 120-130 km/h, my head wobbles.

But at 150-170, an air bag appears behind the fairing and you press in silence. 200 goes calmly, but the situation on the road does not allow me to maintain this speed for a long time. The rear brake is very tricky. If without a passenger, then with light pressure it drifts to the south. The front brake is atrocious. The main thing is to keep the TDM away from the stand on the front wheel, because the weight distribution of the TDM is all on the front wheel - you can lie down.

In general, the motorcycle is reliable, amazing, but strict and definitely not for beginners.

The maximum speed I tested in the tdm 900 was 210 km/h. I didn't notice it at all because it was burning oil. The motor produces the most ideal torque between 3500 and 8000 rpm. I am especially pleased with the comfort of the wide seat and the driving sound of the engine. At the same time - amazing efficiency - at the level of 5-6 liters per hundred kilometers. Clear gear shifting also contributes to this.

I immediately advise you to replace the original glass with a higher one if you want to maintain comfort on the highway at breakneck speeds. But with sliders, I would think about whether it’s worth it. In my opinion, arches are much better – safer for the motor and frame.

I added xenon to my device, since the factory light is not enough. I changed the oil in the front fork to 10W synthetic and it started working differently.

I’ve already been away for three seasons, and I don’t see a worthy replacement on the horizon yet, I’m ready to argue about it if anyone has the desire and time.

The Tydym 900 is a dual-use motorcycle, firstly an excellent tourist, and secondly a good road worker. It has a small base, in the city it squeezes between cars perfectly, the engine is high-torque. The seating position is comfortable, upright, you can ride for a long time, and visibility is good. I would also like to note the smoothness of the ride - 5! On our roads especially, potholes and cracks go through everything with a bang. This is the opinion.

I got the motor when it was two years old, but with only a little over eight thousand kilometers on it. The price was so attractive that I bought it without hesitation, especially since before that I had ridden the previous version with the “850” engine for two years and managed to “get attached” to this motorcycle. What attracted me so much to him? Its incredible versatility! I need a motorcycle, as they say, “for every day,” but I also love to travel, and not only abroad, but also in Ukraine, I travel a lot, but we don’t have roads - only directions. TDM is excellent in this regard - it is light in itself, quite narrow in body, has a high steering wheel that passes over the mirrors of cars and is easy to steer even at a speed of 5 km/h. These advantages are very valuable for a city with its dense traffic. Many, seeing the pipes passing directly under the engine, believe that TDM is not capable of overcoming the edges. This is wrong. When avoiding traffic jams, I storm standard low curbs without any problems, I just do it carefully.

The engine, although not very powerful by modern standards, is very high-torque and has a certain sporty “zing” - it spins easily and cheerfully, and, as they say, “all the way.” But he doesn’t like low revs at all: the motorcycle starts to move at least somehow only after the 2500 rpm mark.

Now the odometer shows a little more than 45 thousand kilometers, more than two-thirds of which I covered on various long-distance trips. The last one, in September, more than ten thousand kilometers long, went to Portugal. The handling of the “900” is good in gentle turns of low mountains, although it goes steadily on the autobahns, but the wind protection is weak: after 160 you need to hide behind... the highest tuning “windbreaker” (which I installed immediately instead of the standard visor). A comfortable cruising speed is 120-140 km/h, but if you drive for a very long time, the “fifth point” becomes stiff on a narrow seat, then you can get up and ride standing, holding the tank with your knees. The headlights are strong enough to move around in the dark, although I would put xenon in the “low” headlight.

Specifications

The technical characteristics of the Yamaha TDM 900 are far from the R1. But this vehicle does not claim to be the most powerful due to its versatility.

The main differences between the Yamaha TDM900 and the Yamaha TDM850:

Deltabox aluminum frame instead of steel - 29% lighter;

New modified and lightweight engine of increased volume;

Injection power system instead of carburetors;

6-speed gearbox instead of 5-speed;

New 4-piston front brakes from the sporty Yamaha R1;

New 1-piston rear caliper (instead of 2-piston);

The appearance of modifications with ABS (distinguished by a black frame and the name - Yamaha TDM900A);

New lightweight 3-spoke wheels, increased wheel width (120 and 160 mm respectively);

Reduced curb weight (from 232 kg to 221 kg).

However, the main advantage of the Yamaha TDM 900 is the absence of the “sores” of the previous TDM850 - all the problems of the older versions of the motorcycle have been eliminated. This effect was achieved both by using more advanced mechanisms (the problematic rear caliper was replaced with a new, more advanced one) and modern solutions (the problem with carburetors was solved by introducing an injector), and by refining existing components (lightening the engine, using other materials and elements).

Peculiarities

The basis of the new version of the Yamaha TDM 900 is a 2-cylinder engine with a volume of 900 cm³ and a power of 87 horsepower. The crankshaft of the new engine has not changed - still the same 270 degrees. Thanks to the crankshaft, the fuel ignites asymmetrically, thereby making this engine similar to a V-shaped one.

Another important feature is the aluminum frame, which made the motorcycle lighter by 11 kilograms.

Production of the Yamaha TDM 900 officially ended in 2012. This series was not released as new models. But in 2015 they released a motorcycle similar to it - the Yamaha MT-09 Tracer, although this is a completely different motorcycle.

The features of the Yamaha TDM 900, judging by the reviews, are as follows:

• excellent motor with large volume;
• comfortable fit, one of the best in the Yamaha lineup;
• good technical characteristics;
• design.

The frame and suspension are made of aluminum. The suspension can be adjusted depending on the driving pace and load. On older models, according to the owners, the motorcycle lost its stability at speeds exceeding the permitted speed. Now there is no such problem thanks to the improved suspension.

Wind protection on the Yamaha TDM 900 is excellent. Thanks to the streamlined body and low seating position, the driver does not feel the wind at all. A headwind is not a problem, but side winds are a problem.

Each element on the instrument panel is clearly visible and easy to read. Despite the fact that this motorcycle belongs to the road class, it has a large display that indicates engine speed, speed, fuel and oil levels, as well as other indications.

The brakes modified after TDM 850 now work flawlessly. The brakes on the front wheel are the same as on the Yamaha P1. Nothing special for a weight over 400 kilograms. This won't hurt at all, and in some cases it will even help. Since all the mass is located on the front axle, powerful brakes on the rear axle will not be as effective as on the front axle.

Brief history of the model

2002 - start of production of Yamaha TDM 900. Factory designation - RN08. An example frame number (Japan) is JYARN08XXXXXXXXXX. Model: Yamaha TDM900 (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 5PS1, 5PS2.

2003 - no significant changes. Model: Yamaha TDM900 (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 5PS4, 5PS5.

2004 - factory designation - RN11. An example frame number (Japan) is JYARN11XXXXXXXXXX. The model receives changes to the engine control unit and front fork (all adjustments). Versions with ABS appear (in some European countries they are standard equipment), the motorcycle receives an immobilizer. Versions with ABS are called Yamaha TDM900A. The visual difference is the frame is black. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 5PS6, 5PS7.

2005 - no significant changes. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 2B01, 5PS8, 5PS9.

2006 - no significant changes. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 2B02, 5PSA.

2007 - factory designation - RN18. An example frame number (Japan) is JYARN18XXXXXXXXXX. The model receives a new catalyst and meets Euro-3 emission standards. Maximum power is reduced to 85.02 hp. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 2B03, 5PSC.

2008 - no significant changes. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe, Oceania). Factory designation: 2B04, 2B05, 5PSE, 5PSF, 5PSG.

2009 - no significant changes. Model no longer available in Oceania. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe). Factory designation: 2B07, 5PSH.

2010 - Yamaha TDM 900 model discontinued. Official sales end in 2012. Model: Yamaha TDM900, Yamaha TDM900A (ABS) (Japan, Europe). Factory designation: 2B08, 5PSK.

Engine

Previously, during the production of the first models, the engine was designed for off-road driving, and not at all on a flat highway. It has become more voluminous, reaching 900 cubic meters, but this is not the limit. It also now has a fuel injection system, the engine has become more manageable at low speeds. The exhaust sound is very similar to the exhaust of a V-twin engine. The response to turning the throttle, according to reviews, has become much smoother, even if the gear was selected incorrectly. There is also a slight vibration, but it does not interfere as much as it did before; even the appearance in the mirrors does not change its quality.

A chain support system was installed, which reduced noise and vibration levels.

The gearbox has also undergone changes, becoming six-speed. Compared to the old version, the initial gear has become more playful, and even in it you can accelerate to hundreds, the remaining gears have become “closer” to each other.

Reviews

Owner reviews of the Yamaha TDM 900 are very positive, considering the fact that the motorcycle has gone through many tests, becoming an almost flawless unit for many motorcycle enthusiasts. I loved it primarily for its versatility. And all the owners talk about it.

Reviews about "Yamaha TDM 900". can be divided into positive and those containing criticism. Here are the advantages:

• lightweight, durable frame that adds handling and dynamics;
• design, namely the elements that make it both a road bike and an off-road bike;
• an ideal motorcycle for driving around Russia;
• low fuel consumption;
• comfort;
• comfortable fit;
• inexpensive motorcycle maintenance;
• nimble gearbox;
• reliability;
• permeability;
• visibility.

Minuses:

• lack of a central footrest;
• standard windshield;
• A typical front fork for a motorcycle of this class.