TDM blog - Introduction

Hi mates!

This is the very first page on my Yamaha TDM 850 blog.
The intention of this whole story is to share my passion and little experience with this great machine with you, who are riders, or wannabe riders of this jap bike.

I'm terribly sorry for my bad English, I'm neither a native speaker nor a grammar folk...

So, I'm a TDM owner since 2015, having a 1997 Yamaha TDM 850 4TX model.

Here is a quick glance why I like it:

• I'm tall like a tree by 191 cm. This bike is ideal for tall riders.
• The TDM is a little bit underrated, not a cult-bike. So, it's kinda affordable.
• however, technically, it is a very advanced machine, and for it's price tag, you may find younger bikes, but far behind by performance and by adjustment possibilities (will talk about later).
• The adjustment possibilities are outstanding. front-rear suspension, front-rear dumpers, throttle characteristic, spring-load for a single rider or for two riders, etc.....
• After you find the best settings for your style and comfort, the handling of the bike is very great, you can do your maneuvers in the city environment with fun. You can navigate yourself throughout very narrow places, between cars, to be the first at the light when it switches to green.
• The performance is very impressive, both on the engine and the breaking section. nevertheless, the suspension system is something that is very decent and well-made.

let me give you few pictures about my bike and the places where you can actually fine-tune to your style and purpose:

one of the best view of my TDM

Rear suspension

rear shock absorber. adjustable: spring preload, damping (compression only)

under the seat, you can see the top of the shock absorber and a switch (SOFT, HARD)

turning from SOFT to HARD you can add extra spring tension to your rear shock absorber. ideal if you riding with heavy loads (passenger + bags) or even if you are on a go-kart race track and you feel like, you need a more crisp suspension to the rear section.

this is the factory tool to adjust your rear shock absorber. both spring-load and damping. without this kind of tool, you cannot manipulate these parameters.

it not an easy task. the space to move your hand is very-very limited :)

front suspension

spring preload. adjustable with a 17 mm wrench;
dumping force (compression way only), adjustable with a flat-head screwdriver or equivalent tool 

adjusting the damping force in 5 level from soft to hard.
adjustments must be done equally on both fork rods!!

adjustment on the engine style ("racing" or tourer)

find the rotating knob on the left side of the engine, above the gear lever, next to the fuel tank switch.
(note: if you have one of the youngest 4TX bikes (1999-2001), you have no fuel tank switch)

• rotate the knob to clockwise to increase the engine's idle speed and achieve more "racing" style.
• rotate the know to counterclockwise to decrease the idle speed and became more touring, and achieve harder engine stalling on closed throttle, alias "engine breaking"

note: always set your engine's idle speed above 1000 rpm, cause your oil pump in this bike dislikes to operate on very low idle.

your feet position on support pads can be sporty or touring

touring, feet more paralel to the ground level

sporty, the feet angle pointing more to the ground level

If you want more content, having questions or would share your experience, just let me know in a comment below!

Cheers, joe


ps: For those who think this is a simply touring bike, I say:
"Don't touch the settings and ride it as it is, granny."

• if so, shut your mouth about the "sporty" settings mentioned all around this post.

If you have some courage to play with all these adjustments and get familiar with the "hidden" opportunities of this bike, go and get your tools, make it more suitable to you, and you might find what I was referring to.