opinions .. yamaha tdm 850

FLEA

FLEA

XS650 Guru
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got a option on a `Yamaha 1999 tdm 850... 6500 kls ,in oz a fairly rare bike let alone in nth qld ,has anybody got any feed back on them ,this one is in very good cond visually , is there any thing I should look out for ? coming from the same bloke got the bmw and the tt350 off...intresting the first models from what iv read were 360 deg twins same as our xs650 then this model (I think , or next ) they changed the crank to 270degs (so that's one job wont have to do hopefully ) ,wonder if the designers were influrencent by us changing our cranks to 270 /277 degs..must have been simmiler times to when the rephrasing started in ernest , anyway any feed back would be great as going out to look at it properly tomorrow...shit I need another shed ..can hear the old mum rolling in her grave saying how many bikes do you need to ride at the same time :)doh: )
 
Here in the UK they get good press as a competent and reliable bike. Probably not one that will set your pulse racing as you open the garage door but good at what it does.
A few reviews here, here, here and here.
 
thanks max ,made for some intresting reading , might be what I'm after ,locally mountain tar / dirt rds . the 6500 kls think would have gone around the clock ie. 106500 kls but in very good nick ,will have to ask tomorrow , any idea what mileage normally before rebuild ? the xs is good (and a keeper ) but looking at this for the longer rides (rarely do the 100 mile an hour on any bike anymore ..to bloody old ..except once in a while :) ) understand some people say trouble with the carbs and back shock ..any truth ?? any thing else to look out for
 
The motor is largely the same as the TRX 850. I had one, great bike. One thing I know about is that the carbs are downdraft type. With high milage the needles wear and cause a rich mixture that washes the bores . Easy fix. I have no knowledge of rear shock problems.
It has a dry sump and you check the oil with the engine running this was the first bike I had that was like that.
 
FLEA said:
...any idea what mileage normally before rebuild ?
Click to expand...

That's a "how long is a piece of string" question. I've seen motors go 100K (miles) with no need for major intervention other than normal wear and tear items and other that have been ruined at a quarter of that distance.
If it has been well maintained with regular oil and filter changes then even if it has gone round the clock (don't discount the possibility of the speedo being changed) it isn't a horrendously high mileage.
If it looks in good condition then it would seem that someone has looked after it. I would ask to hear it start up from cold and listen for any nasty noises or oily smoke. If you can have a test ride so much the better as this should give a better idea as to how it performs.

FLEA said:
...understand some people say trouble with the carbs and back shock ..any truth ?? any thing else to look out for
Click to expand...

It's not a bike that I know anything about other than by reputation and what I've read in magazines. I guess any mono-shock bike is susceptible to the linkage seizing. You could ask the present owner if they have ever serviced it.

Best place to get some answers would bet at one of the owners forums, here.
 
thanks to you both ,the emultion tubes / bore wash iv read up on, but wasn't sure how bad , the piece of string ,yep I know what you mean but still use to some of the earlier jap bikes , designed so a few things fail together at a certain time (milage ) so the average bike rider find it easier / cheaper to just get another bike ,so with a unknown bike that's why i ask ( some bikes rebuild 100,ooo kl .others like bmw 4/5 hund thou kls ) ,have looked at the tdm forum but like this one there are people you lisin to and others who waffle crap (maybe well meaning / misinformed crap but still crap ) so I ask here where no one has any agenders and I have a reasonable idea who is who ...again thanks as this bike is a good buy with a limited time to decide (and after all it is kind of the xs650s younger , nerdie brother )
 
Hi Flea,
go buy the thing, you know you want to. If you find that it ain't for you after all, it can always be sold on.
I reckon it didn't sell well in North America not because of any performance or reliability flaws but because of the name,
sound it out, "Tedium". And yeah, it didn't have enough chrome.
 
looks like im the new owner of the tdm 850 ,bring it home later this morning ,turns out the speedo only does kls without the 1/10 increments so mileage is 57650 kls . 1st job new emulsifiers and check the choke but otherwise all in good nick ,thanks to the members on the advice , wont happen again for a long time as no room left in the sheds to swing a cat let alone fit another bike ,whats the bet this will be the time another xs650 crops up at a incredible low price
 
FLEA said:
looks like im the new owner of the tdm 850 ,bring it home later this morning ,turns out the speedo only does kls without the 1/10 increments so mileage is 57650 kls . 1st job new emulsifiers and check the choke but otherwise all in good nick ,thanks to the members on the advice , wont happen again for a long time as no room left in the sheds to swing a cat let alone fit another bike ,whats the bet this will be the time another xs650 crops up at a incredible low price
Click to expand...
Hi FLEA,
even I can see the answer to that problem. Build another shed, eh?
 
lol..lol.. built my double garage (now work shop and bike/ parts storage) ,ran out of room ,bought a pantec for storage ,filled it up ran out of room ,built a double car port ,ran out of room , sheds are like bikes they breed ,got plans but lack of money to put a extention on the car port .meanwhile in 16 yrs since started shed building my hilux has never seen a roof over its head..do you think I might have a bike problem (at least I don't have any bikes inside the house anymore)
 

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just a update and a observation , have the tdm 850 on the rd and being a new toy the xs650 got a bit of neglect , but the other day took the tdm out for a ride then soon as got back hopped on the xs and took it for a ride .. talk about a difference..the xs I thought id done up with power / speed in mind but seemed slow as a wet week compared to the tdm ,BUT with the xs I came home with a bigger smile on my face ,so much lighter , easier handeling ,a lot more fun factor plus more personality .. the tdm is home to stay but I think for the more longer trips.. VIVA THE XS650..opps.. now 750
 
I subscribe to a UK magazine called Practical Sportbikes and they did a review of the TDM 850 several months ago and it sounded like an interesting bike. I've never seen one in the flesh so your impressions are very intriguing Flea.

Pete
 
no worrys , going up the shed later today to work on the xs650 (new fork oil ) will take the camera and post a couple of photos , found very tall bike though seats height is the same as the xs650 but a lot heavier (higher center of gravity) , because of the gympie legs will have to lower it , which I'm looking into now , most of the write ups seem to be fairly accurate which isnt normal as generally their bias for marketing , mongerel to work on , changing the battery seems to be a initiation rite as well as working on the carbs.. very comftible to ride so should be good for what I want (more long distance than my xs) cant understand why sales were poor for aust and the states as designed for bad tar rds and gravel rds which we both have heaps of , I'm not use to modern bikes so how it compares to other modern (1999 and newer is modern for me ) would not have a clue .. the other option is to put a sidecar on it as definitely got enough power to handle one.. so far very happy with it .... my xs is rephased to 277 , the tdm is 270 deg but still a lot more vibration with the xs , the tdm almost none ... so far definitely a keeper
 
Congrats, Flea! Always liked the TDM. My best guess as to why it sold poorly is a combination of factors. Big displacement "adventure touring" bikes hadn't caught on yet, those looking for an adv. ride would be put off by what amounts to super motard wheels and chassis, the bike is too big for a super motard ride (though a fine thing to have on dirt and gravel roads), and finally, at the time, few buyers wanted a big inline motor unless it had four cylinders. Bottom line: the bike came out 10 years too early and fashion followers gave it a pass before giving it a chance.
 
fitted a new lower back shock which improved the handling a fair bit and also bought but haven't put on yet a adjustable ignition , apparently the ign timing was changed for emission control reasons , 4 degs? retarded which this module corrects as well as being adjustable for racing etc so will fit it and then in jan take both the xs650 and the tdm down to cairns and get them both dynoed and hopefully get the ign set up properly for timing and our fuel
 

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