Seeing as how I've been lurking for almost a year it's probably time to introduce myself: Hi, I'm Steve [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]
I've had my TDM since 1996 and have actually been on this forum before, although I left in a huff about 10 years ago (did we have the Internet then?) after arguing with someone about the fuel pump â rubbish by design, do they ever work? My bike came with K&N, Dynojet, Datatag and a warning never to let it go down to reserve... That made riding it a bit of a mystery so I replaced it with a Facet solid-state pump (remember this was about 12 years ago and it was this or an original one), followed by a Facet regulator when I found the pump was too powerful for the float needles (it has «Not For Motorcycles» written on it [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blush.gif[/img]). The best bit about this pump is the racket it makes when the bike starts running out, so none of that «panic, panic, where the f*ck's that fuel cock??» [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]
Later modifications include being knocked off of it at the BMF rally in 2001 by an uninsured driver
![[Image: TDMcrunchy01.jpg]](http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd196/steve_earwig/2009-05/TDMcrunchy01.jpg)
and sliding off in the rain when the woman driver I was following suddenly slammed her brakes on and indicated right:
![[Image: tdmcrunchy.jpg]](http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd196/steve_earwig/2009-05/tdmcrunchy.jpg)
I was running two bikes, (the other being a 1991 KLE500), a car and a company van, so the TDM doesn't have much mileage â about 20k. 5 years ago my employers, BT, offered me a shed load of cash to eff off, so I followed a mate out here. He's actually a native and went home when his marriage went tits-up and the court awarded his ex the shirt off his back. He's a biker too, so I wanted to bring one of my bikes out here. I decided on the TDM when the KLE decided to urinate petrol everywhere and I flogged it cheap 'cos I was too busy getting my affairs in order to fix it. The TDM went in the back of the Tranny I bought specially and off we went:
![[Image: Croatiaorbust4.jpg]](http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd196/steve_earwig/Croatiaorbust4.jpg)
Since then I've bought a house out here, found a nice young lady and got married. Meanwhile I hardly ever see my mate, what the courts did to him in England was pretty shabby and he just can't get over it, and me finding a wife here doesn't help his mood. He also wrote his bike off about 3 years back. The roads here are appalling, pothole city, plus when it rains it washes gravel across the roads, usually on bends. The drivers are also maniacs, most of them seem to have an insane need to overtake anything in front of them at all costs and biker fatalities are a regular occurrence, so 3 years ago, finding myself with no biker mates and nearly being knocked off for the <i>n</i>th time, my bike went to the back of one of my garages and hasnât been on the road since.
Now Iâve met up with some bikers and have decided to do something with my TDM, so Iâve dragged it out and intend to register it here so I can see how I feel about it. I could do with the cash (letâs give some perspective here, before I left I almost bought a TDM900, when I came out here I knew Iâd never be rich but the poundâs dropped 30%, I'm funded by renting out my house in the UK and Iâve munched through what was left of my leaving bribe so Iâm pretty skint) but I know if I flog the TDM Iâll never be able to afford another bike. My Mrs hates them with a passion (oops).
The first thing I noticed was the r/h fork seal leaking (dammit, I only replaced them, errr, 10 years ago) so I thought the bike could do with a major overhaul â fork seals (thanks for the hydraulic tip guys!) swinging arm bearings, caliper and m/cylinder seals, brake hoses, head bearings â before I even think about riding it. These are all on order but, seeing as how I seem to have the only TDM in this part of the world (loads of KLEs tho) itâs all coming from Japan and taking ages.
![[Image: TDM042009.jpg]](http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd196/steve_earwig/2009-05/TDM042009.jpg)
Once itâs safe I plan to look at the mechanicals, it had a dealer service 4 years back and Iâve been running it once a month (more or less) so I donât think there can be too many problems lurking (famous last wordsâ¦)
So thatâs me, hope that wasn't too dull [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]
What did I do on my bike last weekend? Hoovered the dust off it [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif[/img]
I've had my TDM since 1996 and have actually been on this forum before, although I left in a huff about 10 years ago (did we have the Internet then?) after arguing with someone about the fuel pump â rubbish by design, do they ever work? My bike came with K&N, Dynojet, Datatag and a warning never to let it go down to reserve... That made riding it a bit of a mystery so I replaced it with a Facet solid-state pump (remember this was about 12 years ago and it was this or an original one), followed by a Facet regulator when I found the pump was too powerful for the float needles (it has «Not For Motorcycles» written on it [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blush.gif[/img]). The best bit about this pump is the racket it makes when the bike starts running out, so none of that «panic, panic, where the f*ck's that fuel cock??» [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]
Later modifications include being knocked off of it at the BMF rally in 2001 by an uninsured driver
and sliding off in the rain when the woman driver I was following suddenly slammed her brakes on and indicated right:
I was running two bikes, (the other being a 1991 KLE500), a car and a company van, so the TDM doesn't have much mileage â about 20k. 5 years ago my employers, BT, offered me a shed load of cash to eff off, so I followed a mate out here. He's actually a native and went home when his marriage went tits-up and the court awarded his ex the shirt off his back. He's a biker too, so I wanted to bring one of my bikes out here. I decided on the TDM when the KLE decided to urinate petrol everywhere and I flogged it cheap 'cos I was too busy getting my affairs in order to fix it. The TDM went in the back of the Tranny I bought specially and off we went:
Since then I've bought a house out here, found a nice young lady and got married. Meanwhile I hardly ever see my mate, what the courts did to him in England was pretty shabby and he just can't get over it, and me finding a wife here doesn't help his mood. He also wrote his bike off about 3 years back. The roads here are appalling, pothole city, plus when it rains it washes gravel across the roads, usually on bends. The drivers are also maniacs, most of them seem to have an insane need to overtake anything in front of them at all costs and biker fatalities are a regular occurrence, so 3 years ago, finding myself with no biker mates and nearly being knocked off for the <i>n</i>th time, my bike went to the back of one of my garages and hasnât been on the road since.
Now Iâve met up with some bikers and have decided to do something with my TDM, so Iâve dragged it out and intend to register it here so I can see how I feel about it. I could do with the cash (letâs give some perspective here, before I left I almost bought a TDM900, when I came out here I knew Iâd never be rich but the poundâs dropped 30%, I'm funded by renting out my house in the UK and Iâve munched through what was left of my leaving bribe so Iâm pretty skint) but I know if I flog the TDM Iâll never be able to afford another bike. My Mrs hates them with a passion (oops).
The first thing I noticed was the r/h fork seal leaking (dammit, I only replaced them, errr, 10 years ago) so I thought the bike could do with a major overhaul â fork seals (thanks for the hydraulic tip guys!) swinging arm bearings, caliper and m/cylinder seals, brake hoses, head bearings â before I even think about riding it. These are all on order but, seeing as how I seem to have the only TDM in this part of the world (loads of KLEs tho) itâs all coming from Japan and taking ages.
Once itâs safe I plan to look at the mechanicals, it had a dealer service 4 years back and Iâve been running it once a month (more or less) so I donât think there can be too many problems lurking (famous last wordsâ¦)
So thatâs me, hope that wasn't too dull [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif[/img]
What did I do on my bike last weekend? Hoovered the dust off it [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif[/img]
3VD006578 - it's alive!!