Product planner Hennes Fischer remembers: "It all started back in the beginning of the nineties, when we wanted to create a bike, which would be ultimate fun on bumpy small roads.

But most bikes at that time either needed full concentration on these small roads or simply could not cope with the constantly changing surface properly.

Yamaha product planners often hear sentences like : "TDM is many bikes in one: a sportsbike on small roads, a tourer on longer trips and a powerful commuter in city traffic.

Sven Ermstrang, Product Planning manager in Yamaha Europe: "We want to take a long-term approach to our model development for the European market.

Following our long-term vision, we wanted to make the new 900 version fit for the next 10 years by preserving all the good points and bring the bike to a higher level overall!"

Takuya Mochizuki, Product Planner adds: "I believe the new TDM represents the technological advantages and developments that have taken place over the last 10 years.

It is a pleasure to accelerate out of tiny hairpin corners and feel the mighty twin's power resulting in forward propulsion.

It shifts smoothly and when in last gear, the bike runs on lower rpm and higher speed comfortably on highway sections.

In particular in fast corners at higher speed the bike shows increased precision in following the riders input through the handlebars, which is transmitted by wider radial tyres on both front and rear YZF-R6 lightweight wheels.

On the other hand, the long suspension stroke and setting still ensures a pleasant absorption of bumps, making the bike a first choice for critical surface conditions.

Yamaha's well known MOS 64 opposed piston one-piece callipers will withstand the toughest downhill pass road ride.

The new body shape incorporates the rider in a slightly more forward position to give them a better direct control feeling of the front end.