Yamaha TDM 900 motorcycle test

Menus

• The camel
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• Highway
• Departmental
• Night road
• Comfort
• Braking
• Convenient
• Consumption
• Conclusion
• User reviews

The camel

The Yamaha TDM 900 is the historic road trail that appeared in 1987, revised several times
times until today. Equipped with a twin cylinder, it first
was offered in 850 cm3 then moved to
897 cm3 and electronic injection in 2000. He won
by the way 9 horses and 1 mkg of torque welcome. He continues to
evolve in 2005 with ABS. But how does the bi compromise
facing big road trails like Varadero or V-Strom ?

Discovery

The
TDM imposes with a strong template, worthy of a trail 1000 cm3. Design
is sober and unique, combining organic and taut lines. With its two optics
frontal, the CT evokes the owl. The colors are tasteful
with a gray blue of the most beautiful effect. In the end, it combines tradition and
modernism for a global line that defies time.

We
note the voluminous double exhaust on both sides of
the machine. The large, flat reservoir accommodates a
bag while the luggage carrier increases the carrying capacity.
The saddle appears wide, long and welcoming.

In the saddle

The
position is immediately natural, typical of a trail: straight bust
and hands apart. The feet are found to be good
height and even finds a nifty extended footrest
(from toe to heel). Compared to a Deauville with
of the same possibility, it is here better studied
with sufficient distance from the passenger footrest.

TO
the stop, the feet just touch the ground for the pilot of 1.70m but
it remains very manageable.

the
instrument panel is centered on a huge tachometer, displaying
a red zone ranging from 8,000 to 9,000 rpm including a watch
digital. On the left, we find the digital speedometer. We appreciate
the precise fuel gauge (8 sticks), the totalizer,
the double-trip. On the right, we have a temperature gauge
oil.

We appreciate the presence of the hazard lights (warning).

Contact

The starter has disappeared. Contact: the lights come on automatically.
The bi snorts almost in silence.

First and let’s go. The box turns out particularly
easy and gentle. The speeds even seem to happen on their own.
What is striking is above all the ease and ease of grip
in hand. In view of its external size and its displacement,
one would expect to handle a template close to a 1000 cm3. It does not
is nothing and the CT is easier to handle than some 600 cc. the
everything gives the impression of a bike.

In the city

We
feels the twin-cylinder, which bangs easily under 3,000 rpm.
But beyond that, he totally forgets himself. In the end, it is practically
no need to change gear with a range of use
wide on the side of the box.

As much as a 600 can struggle in duet times, the TDM erases the weight.
The torque of 9 mkg at 6,000 rpm has a lot to do with it and contributes
enormously to an already easy engine.

Highway

The
TDM sets off on the motorway with a strong will. The bubble
is effective up to 150 km / h without problem but we feel
the wind on the top of the bust. We can still push the vice until
170 km / h (on German motorway) but beyond that, it is necessary
to have good necks. The difficulty lies only
in human resistance, since the engine is then only
6,000 turns. It passes the 7000 rev / to 210 km / h while there is
still some margin to the red zone. And this margin is felt
in pick-ups and accelerations. It’s there that
the TDM scores points compared to a 600 cm3.

Even at these speeds, the motor is practically forgotten
for acoustic comfort. It’s the wind in my ears that covers
engine noise in fact. The motorcycle always behaves in a
sound even at unusual speeds (and prohibited in
France), whether solo or duo, loaded or not. The overruns
can therefore always be carried out in complete safety, without
momentum.

The saddle is rather comfortable, in line with
road trails. It is therefore possible to design a path of 400
km of "one milking". Finally, when I say in one go, with a
5-minute petrol break after 200 km.

Departmental

Of
return to departmental departments, TDM shows its talents and confirms
its extreme maneuverability, especially and especially on small
Franche-Comte roads.
Easy to write on the corner, it demonstrates here its effectiveness.

The Metzeler MEZ4 stick to the bitumen and it is possible to take enough
angle to have fun without risk and without starting to drop out,
whether in the dry or the wet.

In short, the bike gives you confidence.

Night road

The TDM illuminates correctly in low beam, no more.
As for the high beams, they provide little additional power,
despite impressive frontal optics. It is therefore essential
to slow down.

Comfort

The saddle is comfortable, in the tradition of road trail saddles.
It does not have the comfort of a DL but is above average.

The suspensions offer several adjustments, of firm, allowing
to have an irreproachable to softer road holding
to erase all the defects of the road. And it is a fact, the
TDM has a faculty of erasing irregularities of
the road.

Braking

Despite
their sporting heritage (monobloc 4-piston calipers
from the R1) the brakes are easy to adjust and do not surprise
never.

On sustained braking, the bike dives a little, without ever surprising.
In the end, they provide the power and the bite in accordance with the
motorcycle capabilities. The TDM does not encourage the sport piloting of
anyway, even if she is able to trace it back to
road.

Convenient

The
saddle opens to the side and offers storage space
actually designed to accommodate an anti-theft device. It’s not
a surprise with Yamaha, but it’s always nice to find
this good habit.

We then have easy access to the battery, to the kit
tools and fuses.

The passenger handles provide good support and we appreciate
the luggage carrier as well as the retractable hooks.

the
tank can accommodate large magnetic saddlebags,
that never get in the way of driving.

Only the bubble deserves to be changed by a
higher bubble, especially for those who use CT for long periods
routes.

Consumption

Injection always works wonders. Assisted by a tank
of 20 liters, it is possible to do 350 km, before arriving on the
Reserve. And these 350 km of autonomy include dynamic driving
in duo on mountain roads.

Consumption starts to climb from an average
150 km / h with 6.2 liters per hundred and explodes beyond 190
km / h average with a good 10 liters per hundred. But in the end, consumption
normal is more around 5.5 / 6l liters per hundred.

Conclusion

The
Yamaha TDM 900, it is the pleasure of a big displacement with the
maneuverability of a small displacement.

It is a poylyvalente machine, as comfortable in town as on
great distances. Its gentle motor will delight even beginners
who are looking for a size and a rewarding displacement. They can
choose with TDM a motorcycle that will not scare them. The big ones
riders will rather choose it for its road capabilities.
It just deserves to be fitted with the original equipment
a high screen and side cases (available as an option)
to further assert its ability to cut the road.

The road trail has evolved well. With the appearance of ABS
in 2005, it confirms a vocation of motorcycle easy to put between
all hands. And at "only" 9,145 euros, it is
practically one of the cheapest models in the category.

Strong points

• Versatility
• Ease of handling
• Comfort
• Consumption

Weak points

• Lighting
• Lack of motor character

Competitors: BMW R 850 RT, Cagiva Navigator, Ducati MultiStrada, KTM
950 Adventure, Suzuki DL V-Strom 650 and 1000.

User reviews

Djipi

"It’s a very nice bike with which you can
ride coul or even attack on small roads. Torque motor
as desired."

Jean Marc

"After two years of use, it lacks
potato but hey that is more than enough for me and in addition it is
my first big cube. So it’s the big foot every time
I’m on it even to get the bread 500m from
the House".

Datasheet

The comments and essays of the
TDM 850 on the Test forum

Read also the test of the Yamaha TDM 900 GT ABS

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