Hi All
just back from a trip from Cornwall, via Germany, Luxemburg, Switzerland and Austria to the Dolomites. Awesome! Even made it all the way to Lake Garda. Covered 19 alpine Passes in Italy alone plus a couple others.
Only downer is that I did it on a TDM. Modded it to turn nicely though. Loved the engine's torque and power. That's what I was missing on the 660 Ten. The long stretches of linking the good roads would have been tedious on the Ten. The TDM made easy work of it. Once on the twisties I think the Ten would have kept up since we were not in a race anyway.
With that much more power the TDM was very good on fuel, even better than the Ten I had before. Which begs the question again:
Yamaha, where is the next Ten to take it to the baby G/Ss?
I still miss my Ten but need more horses. The 1200 is just too much of everything, including the �. I want a basic Tenere that can keep up at a basic price which I can add to as I need it. Yamaha got the bits, hopefully put them together soon. There will be a very very good TDM for sale then.

http://s1278.photobu...asses Tour 2014

Just a few pics for a taste what is to be had there.

Rob

No, not you at all. Try again. Should be good now.
Just noticed it actually says 'asses tour' in the link. Nothing left to say really.

Rob

Hi Rob!

I did almost the same trip on a XT1200Z in the end of June, beginning of July.
We had a 5000km trip from the very south of Sweden, made a lot of alpine passes, rounded lake Garda
and headed north again to continue alpine pass driving. Great roads and views all over. The 1200 was
new to me and a bit to heavy handle even on the flat surface. Did not dare take it out on the small
roads in the woods alone. I sold it when I got back and have now the 660Z.

However, I�m also gonna buy a TDM900 soon. They are a bit pricy to be butchered. Have to find a used one.
But I�m gonna do what Yamaha should have done, make a XT900Z of it. I�m aiming to be just above the 660 in
weight at 190-200 kg dry weight.

Those thousands of hairpins.

__________________
Current bikes: XT660Z / WR450F / YZF1000R

I really enjoyed that slide show!

I've been to the 'Dolomiten' several times now. Love it.

Yami
my original plan was to 'tenerize' the TDM. I got a set of 660 Ten forks at home. Same diameter as the originals. Local bike shop thought it no problem to fit the (amazing!) TDM brakes to them and also fix the ABS sensor to them. Only issue was the spindle, very different. A longer shock with shorter dog bones would get the rear up. Now there is talk of a new Ten. So I am holding fire for now.
Did you do the Lake Garda to Lake Idro road? 26 miles with no straights on it! Awesome.
In the 3 weeks on the road I never came across a british biker. It is a long way to get there from here I can assure you but it is worth it.
And a good 75% of the bikes on the passes are BMW G/Ss. Epidemic almost. Only sports bikes were some Italian ladies in white leathers on Monsters on the Stelvio. And they stopped right in front of us in the middle of road for everybody to look at them, almost causing a pile up.
At Lake Garda it was the opposite. No G/S at all. All sporty numbers. All showing off.
I will upload a few film clips soon. Just need the time to cut them to size.
Also trying to to get the route onto Tyre for anybody to download onto their Sat Nav.

Going back to Norway next year. Anybody coming?

Rob

No we did not take the road to Lake Idro. Maybe next time, so many roads to choose.
We saw mostly German and Dutch bikes on our trip if you don�t count the locals for the country
your�e in for the moment.

I don�t know the height of the 900 forks but the ten�s is around 870-880 mm.
It�s more common the other way around, "sportisize" the TDM�s putting shorter fork legs and so on
onto them to get them a more sportish look and behaviour.

I guess Yamaha wanna get into the segment off 900-1000cc offroaders now when there�s rumours
about a new Africa twin, the CRF1000, it looks awesome. I really hope that becomes reality.

I�ve been thinking of building a 900Z for some years now and wont wait for Yamaha to get one out.
I gave myself a promise this year to get the TDM. After that I�m not really sure what direction
the project takes. I got a XTZ750 frame which others have used and probably is that the direction
I�m gonna take. Some more investigation is needed though if something else could work better.

Living rather close to Norway (around 300 km from the border) and is almost ashamed not been
there on a bike.

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Current bikes: XT660Z / WR450F / YZF1000R

Yami,
I don't blame you. Not the most inspiring drive to Norge from where you are. I did it the other way around.
As for Fork dimensions. The TDM's are about 840mm installed, the Ten's are about 960 uninstalled. But the XT axle is is about 70mm up from the base, the TDM's are right at the base. Should be about right but with a lot more suspension travel. And better quality forks. There is only one way to find out.
Saw a few clips on the Tube about somebody installing a 900 engine in an XTZ chassis. He seemed very pleased with it. So, good luck with that.

Rob