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Author Topic: A year with the tm.  (Read 12977 times)

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Offline TMKIWI

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A year with the tm.
« on: January 28, 2011, 12:51:58 PM »
I thought I would post this regarding the reliability of TM's.
I have just put in a new piston and it got me thinking what I have needed to do in the past year.
I know some people are reluctant to buy things that are out side the square i.e Not from the big 4.

This is what I have found after a year of ownership.
The bike is a 07 TM300en bought 1 year ago with 100 hrs on the clock.The bike had been used in GNCC so was well used.But tidy.
1 year later I have put another 51 hours on it.

These are the parts I have replaced. I have put the price of RM parts next to them as a comparison.
Wossner piston $200    RM250 OEM Piston $200
Rear Sprocket   $89     Renthal $99
Front Sprocket  $44     Renthal $39
Rear wheel bearings. Local bearing shop.
Rear wheel bearing spacers $15 each. They were the cause of the bearings failing.
New linkage bearings. Local bearing shop.
Rebuilt Ohlins shock $150
New grips. Had worn the dimples off the old ones.
I put new rear pads in when I got the bike & the fronts are due for change shortly.
1 Rear tyre. Which is being changed soon.
I am going to replace the foot pegs soon as they are worn out.New price $85. After market RM $250
1 Spark plug. I put in a new one when I got it and have just put in a new one to go with the piston.

Thats it. Apart from your standard tranny fluid & air filter servicing that's all i have done to it.

I do alot of riding in rivers and mud so things will wear out abit quicker.
Most of the parts are genuine and surprisingly cheap.And are in stock.
I have had 0 breakdowns and the bike starts 1st kick 90% of the time hot or cold.Or 2nd
So as you can see the running costs are no different to your average jap bike.

So next time you are looking for a bike don't discount TM's because you are worried about their reliability.
They are great bikes and I will certainly buy another.
 
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Offline ACMX

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2011, 12:58:14 PM »
Good to know. Although no matter how bad I want one I think it will be a while before I have an opportunity to get one. You keep your bikes healthy, bravo.
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Offline ford832

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2011, 02:45:55 PM »
That's pretty good-only about double what a YZ would be :D
The euro's are funny price wise compared to what people think.My KTM's were pricey for graphics and plastic-other than that-cheap,cheap.
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Offline Charles Owens

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2011, 07:46:48 PM »
Speaking of the TM's. :)

Today TM motorcycles appointed Pete Vetrano (Motoman Distributing, Fullboreusa Tires) as the new exclusive TM motorcycle distributor (once again) for the USA. Pete had been the TM motorcycle distributor for 16 years, prior to TM transferring those responsibilities to a succession of three companies that never h...ad the success marketing the TM's in the USA like "Motoman Pete".

 

Pete and the 2011 TM's will be exhibiting at the Indy motorcycle show next month in the Italian Trade area. We look forward to having you stop by the booth at Indy and hopefully explore re-starting your business relationship with Pete and TM. The first containers of bikes have been ordered and will be arriving in early March 2011.

 

For Pete Vetrano, at Motoman in Upland, CA

909-608-0082. motomanitaliaimports@verizon.net

 

Regards,

 

Ralph and Colin Flanagan

Full Bore - Cycle LInes USA - Motoman East in Beltsville, MD

800-333-9119

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Offline sdjclevland

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2011, 09:57:29 PM »
Cool report. But how do they compare to the other brands? 
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Offline EJ

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2011, 10:07:52 PM »
TM is gaining ground very fast.
In Europe, more and more TM dealers are coming.
There's a brand new TM facility beiing built this year, right next to the Genk mx track, Belgium.
Parts are in stock by the dealers, if not, you can order them easily on their website.
They will ship immediately.
They also do everything it takes to get any TM near your location, if you are interested.
and they go the whole 9 yards to make sure it is propperly setup for you!
Really an awesome manufacturer! Specially the 250 and 300 2 strokes are superfast!
Never really got the recognition and props they deserve, but tides are slowly changing~!
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Offline KDXGarage

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2011, 04:40:20 AM »
TMKIWI, which country are you in?  Those prices look odd to me, in the USA.
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Offline Coop

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2011, 04:44:11 AM »
Quote from: KDXGarage on January 29, 2011, 04:40:20 AM
TMKIWI, which country are you in?  Those prices look odd to me, in the USA.

New Zealand
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Offline wintrader

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2011, 08:36:06 AM »
Sometimes funny. You hear and can read a lot about TM bikes here on this forum. But in Europe they are not that popular. Ktm by far most popular in Europe. TM is very popular in karting in Europe.

Tm will get in big problems when everybody is going to buy a Tm because it is a very small factory. Pedro Tragter (old gp worldchampion) father told me that KTM has the fastest 2 stroke engines.

Anyway although not very much Tm's in the Netherlands or Belgium i never heard a bad thing about Tm motorcycles.

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Offline SachsGS

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2011, 09:55:14 AM »
TM seems to be a very stable company,having manufactured motorcycles since the late 70's,in contrast with other Italion motorcycle manufacturers who antics rival a soap opera.
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Offline Bioflex

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2011, 04:03:43 PM »
Have to say I love the TM's in the little experience I have had with them.

Bought a 2001 model for a great price a few months back and although well used it has been brilliant since. The piston was apparently changed every 40 hours with rings every 20 before I got hold of it, I have probably put another 30 hours on it since buying it and haven't changed a thing.

After taking delivery I was a bit concerned as the carb was literally hanging off it. Once bolted back on it has been thrashed to buggery and hasn't missed a beat. The thing is a bees dick off newer 250 2t's in the beach drags we had a lot of fun doing, the 250 4t's were clearly beaten by the TM.
These things have great engines, handeling I can only compare to bigger bikes (2 stroke 500's, big bore 4 strokes) so obviously it is a relief to have such a light chuckable machine after getting off the big oaths.

In terms of durability they seem very good and certainly built with quality parts.

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Offline ktm150rippa

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2011, 05:36:27 PM »
i dont like that they didnt design their own shrouds
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Offline TotalNZ

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #12 on: January 29, 2011, 06:24:14 PM »
Quote from: ktm150rippa on January 29, 2011, 05:36:27 PM
i dont like that they didnt design their own shrouds
yeah they do, as far as i know my 08 ones are not interchangeable
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Offline Bioflex

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #13 on: January 29, 2011, 07:44:10 PM »
I know I may get some flack for this post but if smaller companies didn't have the ability to have their own plastics made in the past - due to high costs of moulding, there is a good alternative now, China.

I am in manufacturing and while my business is nothing to do with bikes it is so easy to find contractors in China who make al kinds of plastic parts for us. Moulding costs which would be closee to $10,000 in Aus is done for under $1,000 in China. Of course, this opens the door for far smaller minimum runs, which is the biggest problem for these smaller companies who may sell only a few hundred bikes a year.

Find the right manufacturers and there will be no problems with quality, especially if they just stick to plastic parts being made there.



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Offline ktm150rippa

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Re: A year with the tm.
« Reply #14 on: January 29, 2011, 08:16:44 PM »
tm's shrouds look very similar to 2008 honda shrouds. I have nothing against tm's they look like trick bikes and already respect them just for making the 2 stroke
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