Yamaha TDM850 revived

grandpaul · Jul 30, 2025

I had left my poor "Tedium" sitting for months while life happened, but FINALLY got back to it yesterday and replaced all the fuel lines, flushed the gas tank, and re-assembled all the bodywork bits in their proper places.

Wow. I forget how CRISP that bike is! You get out on an open road from a side road, snick up through the gears, look down, and you're flying along at 125 EFFORTLESSLY!

Being a vertical twin 850, it has a kinship appreciation for a Norton Commando enthusiast. Of course it's thoroughly modern, but also having been a JPN owner, I also appreciate the "Bug Eyes"!

The bug-eyed brothers...

Fast Eddie · Jul 30, 2025

‘TeDiuM’

Not heard that one before !!

jimbo · Jul 30, 2025

I believe some of the relieved Norton engineers had a hand on developing the TDM850, John Favill maybe?

grandpaul · Jul 30, 2025

jimbo said:
I believe some of the relieved Norton engineers had a hand on developing the TDM850, John Favill maybe?

I did not know that, nor can I confirm it.

gpzkat · Jul 30, 2025

Another cool Euro bike that never caught on here. Needed buckhorn bars perhaps. I was a fan.

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2025

gpzkat said:
Another cool Euro bike that never caught on here. Needed buckhorn bars perhaps. I was a fan.

These bars feel just right for me. I'm not really going to be off-roading...

gpzkat · Jul 31, 2025

grandpaul said:
These bars feel just right for me. I'm not really going to be off-roading...

Just a little side-eye at American taste for wheelbarrow bars (ahem, Hi-Rider, ahem).

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2025

gpzkat said:
Just a little side-eye at American taste for wheelbarrow bars (ahem, Hi-Rider, ahem).

NOT ME!!! (if you are referring to the High Rider "Ape Hangar" handlebars)

You see, around here, "wheelbarrow" bars are more correctly referred to as "flat track" handlebars. They are wide, and pull almost straight back... (see photo, below)

concours · Jul 31, 2025

grandpaul · Jul 31, 2025

concours said:
View attachment 121077

Almost completely different critter altogether...

gpzkat · Jul 31, 2025

Awesome breather routing haha. And those bars. Sigh. Anyhoo, I always liked the TDM 850. A funny acronym to morph into Tedium, but that bike is not tedious by any means. I really wanted one, and it's great you have such a unicorn.

Speaking of unicorns and acronyms, I just sold my son's first car (truck) for the same price I paid 4.5 years and (only!) 25K ago. It's a 2004 TRD - another easy-to-morph acronym. But not a turd, it's a great truck that is just barely broken in at 140K miles haha! That's under 7K a year in Southern CA which is a bit unicorn-like, so $15K seems high until you try to find another. Since we're just shooting the bull, here's a pic of it - like new.

Onder · Aug 1, 2025

That is a good truck . 15k is not a lot when you consider inflation over the truck's life time. Always consider the value of the pound/dollar when you do you valuations.

grandpaul · Aug 1, 2025

gpzkat said:
Awesome breather routing haha. And those bars. Sigh. Anyhoo, I always liked the TDM 850. A funny acronym to morph into Tedium, but that bike is not tedious by any means. I really wanted one, and it's great you have such a unicorn.

Speaking of unicorns and acronyms, I just sold my son's first car (truck) for the same price I paid 4.5 years and (only!) 25K ago. It's a 2004 TRD - another easy-to-morph acronym. But not a turd, it's a great truck that is just barely broken in at 140K miles haha! That's under 7K a year in Southern CA which is a bit unicorn-like, so $15K seems high until you try to find another. Since we're just shooting the bull, here's a pic of it - like new.

My '04 Chevy Silverado with V6 is ALMOST ready to tick over 250K miles...

Yamaha TDM850 revived

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