but this time there was a reminder
that the Italians didn't invent go-anywhere sportbiking, with Yamaha waiting until Paris to unveil its latest take
on the everyday motorcycle it invented 10 years ago (and whose biggest
market has always been France), in
the shape of the TDM900. This sees
the 10-valve parallel-twin engine with
270-degree crankshaft that began Ufe
a decade ago as a 360-degree 750
bored out 2.5mm to 897cc (92 x
67.5mm) with new crankcases, cylinder block and cylinder head while
retaining the same stroke, thus raising power by over five percent to
86.2 hp, but with 11-percent more
torque for a g'reater ease of riding.
In addition, fuel injection has been
adopted for the first time, and there's
an all-new six-speed gearbox replacing the troublesome five-speeder of
the old bike. The resultant package is
located in an all-new, stiffer, twinspar aluminum chassis with a 30mm
higher seat and revamped suspension, including a fully adjustable rear
shock - still with 43mm conventional
forks, though. The lighter frame
package helps reduce dry weight by a
massive 24 pounds over the old bike,
to a claimed 418 pounds. A slimmer
tank and restyled bodywork appear to
give improved protection compared
to the old model, and coupled with a
longer wheelbase and rangier steering
geometry underline the touring rather
than sporting pretensions of one of
Yamaha's best-selling benchmark
models, which no other manufacturer
has yet succeeded in copying successfully. Over to you, Bologna.
Suzuki also waited until Paris to
formally launch its version oJ the goanywhere streetbike, a sort of blend
of the TDM and Honda's Varadero
tarmac trailie, likewise powered by a
90-degree V-twin engine, but this
time however a performance version
cycl.
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