Trail Bike Adventure Magazine

Two down

Sunday, 14 December 2008 23:30

Issue 26! Issue 26!

TDM900 TDM900

I'm gutted.

Longest Day is this Sunday, and for the first time we'll be tackling The Big One without Ozzo. He has to work.

Also a DNS is the inimitable Sparks - a lightning quick rider with bags of style, and I had him pegged as a front-runner with Boris Everson and Craig Hartley, but he also has to work.

On the good side of things, the TDM900 has returned from Yamaha, and I can't believe how Yamaha Motor Australia has gone all-out on the bike. They've picked through my review from issue #23, and one-by-one altered everything I said needed altering. The seat is now flat, the heat sheilds behind the footpegs are gone and the footpegs themselves have been changed, and a foam filter replaces the original paper air filter. The front guard has been raised, taller 'bars ftted, and all the breakages from C2C have been repaired. They've even fitted a centrestand!

And the really amazing thing is how beautifully all the work has been done.  Some of it is fairly specialised - machining the heat shields off the footpeg mounts is a big ask, and customising the seat must've taken some real expertise. Making new brake lines to accomodate the higher front guard isn't a big job, but it would a be a custom build - but the bike looks showroom. I'm rapt!

It's off to have tyres fitted today. Right now it's wearing a couple of road-oriented dualsport tyres. I'm having a Karoo fitted to the rear and Continental TKC80 on the front. (I'm packing it that it might be as wet as last year. If it is, I want all the knob I can get on the rubber - which sounds a bit gay, but isn't).

I just hope they get so busy over Christmas that they forget I have the bike or something. I'd really like to hang onto it for a while. It's a premium distance adventurer.

Here 'tis...

Meanwhile, issue #26 is well underway. I've ridden the RMZ250 - and loved it! - and last Friday I spent a day dualsporting the KTM 690 Enduro - I loved that as well. Too bad it pissed rain the whole time I had both bikes, so the pics will be a little grey and gloomy.

Issue #25 has hit my desk. The calendar's nice, and should look good on anyone's wall. The issue itself is good as well, although my copy is as dark as a bastard. I hope it's just one of the advance copies.

Update:
• The CRF is back at the Coffs Honda dealer awaiting pick up;
• The new mixture screw arrived for the XR and its performance improved remarkably as soon as I screwed the bugger in. It's still a little rich off the bottom, but I'll sort it out when I have time;
• The DR650 is purring along like the champion bike it is;
• I'm off to do the New Zealand Safari again in a couple of weeks, thanks to Yamaha. I'm thrilled about that one! I'll try for video, but we'll just have to see how I go. There's so much fabulous scenery to photograph - and, of course, the event to be ridden - trying to get both video and pics can be a handful.

Next blog will be late, but check in around Wednesday for a report on Longest Day.

TF