New Bike (or an exercise in stupidity)

The R1100R is gone, the sidecar will be soon I'm hoping. I'm going to buy
one bike, I've narrowed my choices down to a Yamaha TDM900 or a Suzuki
V-Strom. Budget up to around $12,000, I can a late model/demo of either for
this sort of $$$, or a new V-Strom SixFiddy.

So TDM or V-Strom

Why?

Al

Thinks: "now wait to see what other ludicrous suggestions get thrown up"
I don't need a Guzzi, I don't

 

The Vtwin 650 is a lovely engine in the SV. Have they changed anything when
they put it in the Stromette?

 

Hi Alan, would seem the choices here are hard to pick from - I guess
whatever you like the look of - both have a bloody great write-up

http://www.mcnews.com.au/Testing/Suzuki/DL1000/2002_Review_Page1.htm

http://www.mcnews.com.au/NewBikeCatalogue/2002/Yamaha/TDM/Page1.htm

Cheers
Johno

 

More bottom-end/midrange power(cams I think), nothing else. The six-fiddy
uses the 1000 frame, brakes etc, same fuel capacity(more range with the
650), same brakes, less weight, lower seat.

I've had a TDM850, so have experience in them already, the 900 is better in
everyway than the 850 by account.

Both bikes suit the sort of riding I mostly do.

Al

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 27 Sep 2004 04:17:23 GMT

Everyone does.

Some people just haven't worked it out yet.

Zebee

 

Have a look at Glitch's peg, sweet looking bike

smack

 

How about Sharkey's XLV750?

Pat

 

So TDM or V-Strom

strides up to bar...gudday, how uze goin?...givvus a beer mate
reply...good mate...and yerself?...wassat yer ridin'?
its a tedium mate...good bike tho

 

So TDM or V-Strom
TDM

The name sounds more like a bike than a disease.

 

Or you could screw Action for a naked SV1000 for $13k on the road like
a few others have done (new 03 model)

 

A bit too outright road oriented.

Have found a 7000km 2003 TDM with full 2 year Yam warranty, new tyres, free
Ventura rack/bag, centre stand at cost and other bits and pieces for $10999.
Rec retail is 14999 plus ORC so its well priced. For the same money I can
get on a new 650 V-Strom, but they walk out the door as soon as they arrive.
Though I've had so many BMs, i do have a soft spot for Yamahas, I think my
decision is made. I think it's time for TDM #2

Al

 

Congrats !

A great choice (but I'm utterly biased ;-) now ditch the two into 1 and
put a two into two staintune on it so it's sounds horn like the trx .

JL
--
Australian Financial Review 17 August 2004
"So far Howard's luck has survived a great deal: his move to dismiss
broken election pledges by distinguishing between "core" and "non-core"
promises; his retrospectively time-limited "never ever" pledge on the
goods and services tax; his vagueness about when he committed Australia
to war against Iraq; his shifting standards for ministerial conduct; his
demonising of asylum seekers as child killers; his tendency to blame
"advice" rather than to openly accept responsibility when things go wrong."
Will Howard's luck survive another election ? Do Australians not care
that their PM is a liar ?
http://www.johnhowardlies.com/

 

Yep, it was....sold.
Didn't hang around long at BikePoint.
Now I wish I'd have another 3...plenty of calls.
cheers
pete

 

TDM9...nice bike, bit top-heavy and it's still got that shitty 18" front
wheel you can't get rubber for.
GREAT sound with a set of pipes.Weight/ limited tyre-choice and not a great
support structure (n/g's etc).
Hard to get aftermarket parts for.

Baby-Strom...GOOD stuff. Suzuki is selling themselves sick on this, shipment
of red-only K5 models (22 bikes) came in 3 weeks ago, most are sold, most by
pre-ordering. Lighter, more nimble than the 1000. Proper wheel sizes ,
Good aftermarket stuff available/ aftermarket service-items also.
Best value for $$ bike out there. (with a hard-driven bargain you should
come close to 10K on-road (no extras), who can beat that for a proven 650
V-twin and remote-adjustable rear-end?) Careful, DON't order ctr.-stand @
$600, better aftermarket stuff available. Better city and middle-distance
than 1000.

1000-Strom?
Got one...love it. After 20.000k's I could write a coffee-table book about
it
Great engine, good frame, beware a shonky clutch basket on '02 and some '03
models resulting in rough vibes and clutch-shudder around 3500rpm, most
bikes should be fixed under warranty by now. 02 model (mostly blue colour)
didn't have adj. preload front, no probs with a bit of fiddling though. 03
(silver) onward have adj. front (preload) Better seat cover as well
(non-slip).
OEM Bridgestones are crap for quickish roadwork (but fine for gravel), get
Tourances or Pirelli Scorpions.
Otherwise, no known issues and some have taken it past 100.000km already (da
Yanks), again... no probs.
Most TL stuff fits, good aftermarket supplies, plenty accessories.

One thing Suzuki hasn't gotten right from the word go are the screens, many
people have problems with OEM and most aftermarkets still causing bad
buffetting at certain speeds. Good local screens available for 02/03/04
models though...

Still love the grunt of the 1000, dropping the forks 10mm makes it stable at
the top-end (5.and 6. drop that electronically to 205kmh or thereabouts,
usually the topend of the most common H-rated tyre-choices) and a bit
sweeter into the bends.
Some 03 models still out there at dumping prices, but 12k is juuust a bit
thin, counting for ORCs.
Braided lines at the front are worthwhile. Don't buy the OEM-heated grips,
high failure quotes.
Enough for now.

cheers
pete

 

$12,000 would buy a whole lotta GPX250s...


BTH

 

There's still some left out there?

Theo

 

Why did I know that was coming? But how many green sheds would you need to
keep them in?

Al

 

Nah, BT comes in a _booth_, not a shed ;-)

big (since Pat doesn't seem to be round to post this...)

 

Got one...love it. After 20.000k's I could write a coffee-table book about

So when are ya gonna finish running it in? Stop writing and start riding
;-)

Jules

 

The bikes live in a shed, BT lives in the booth.

Al