The Yamaha TDM850 is an 849 cc parallel-twin motorcycle that Yamaha introduced in 1991. It is often described as the first road-oriented adventure sport bike, designed as a comfortable but manoeuvrable all-rounder rather than an off-road machine.
Yamaha TDM850 at a glance
| Maker | Yamaha Motor Company |
|---|---|
| Class | Sport touring / adventure sport |
| Introduced | 1991 |
| Engine | 849 cc DOHC parallel twin |
| Valves | five per cylinder, three inlet and two exhaust |
| Frame | pressed steel |
| Lubrication | dry sump |
| Crankshaft | 360° originally, 270° from the 1996 Mk II |
| US sales | 1992 and 1993 only |
| Strong markets | France, Germany and Greece |
| Successor | TDM900 in 2001 |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the Yamaha TDM850
The TDM was arguably the first road-oriented “Adventure Sports” motorcycle. It was not intended for off-road use but as a comfortable, manoeuvrable all-rounder, a role later filled by machines such as the Ducati Multistrada. Its engine came from the Paris–Dakar-winning Yamaha XTZ 750 Super Ténéré, and Yamaha aimed it at European mountain roads and rougher surfaces. The upright riding position seemed radical when the bike appeared in 1991.
The TDM was imported into the United States for only two years, 1992 and 1993. It was never a big seller in the United Kingdom or at first in the Netherlands, but it sold strongly in France, Germany and Greece. Early models had no fuel gauge, only a reserve fuel tap; from 1999 Yamaha replaced the temperature gauge with a fuel gauge.
In 1996 Yamaha released the Mk II with updated bodywork and a 270° firing-order engine shared with the TRX850, along with the same transmission. That engine had first appeared in 1995 in the Japanese-market TRX850. In 2001 the TDM850 was replaced by the TDM900, which kept the concept but added new bodywork, a diamond-shaped alloy frame, a six-speed gearbox, fuel injection, R1-derived brakes, a 900 cc engine and a dry weight of 190 kg. The 900 made a claimed 84.8 hp at 7,500 rpm and 88.79 N·m at the same speed, with ABS optional. Motorcycle News called the TDM850 Mk II revolutionary when launched and years ahead of its time, comparing it to a Multistrada 12 years before Ducati built one.
Design and features
- Five-valve twin: an 849 cc DOHC parallel twin with three inlet and two exhaust valves.
- Adventure sport layout: upright bars, a comfortable seat and suspension for rough European roads.
- 270° crankshaft: the 1996 Mk II engine gave the twin a V-twin-like firing rhythm.
- TDM900 successor: a larger, fuel-injected version with an alloy frame stayed in production until 2011.
Yamaha TDM850 versions
- TDM850 (1991–1995): original 360° crank model.
- TDM850 Mk II (1996–2001): new bodywork and 270° crankshaft.
- TDM900 (2001–2011): larger engine, fuel injection, alloy frame and six-speed gearbox.
The TDM’s engine came from the XTZ 750, and the 270° crank was shared with the TRX850. More models are in the Yamaha collection.
Sources
- Yamaha TDM850, English Wikipedia: history, engine, markets, Mk II, TDM900, reception
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