£1000-£3000
We love Yamaha’s TDM850. It was ahead of its time when it was first released back in the early 90s, offering top road manners in a trail bike-esque package. You could probably call it the first road-focused adventure bike… although strangely, it never proved particularly popular in the UK.
Those in the know praise the TDM for its top handling, roomy ride and flexible parallel twin motor – although it is a bike built in the early 90s so don’t expect modern levels of performance and poise. The bike’s proved capable of standing the test of time, too, with plenty of owners covering big miles with few issues. The gearbox is reported to be a little clunky, but aside from that the TDM’s a solid, smart and slightly unique choice if you’re after a roomy road bike with trail bike ergonomics.
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Better yet, you can still pick them up for really reasonable money – though as always, the safer bet would be to spend a bit more and find a lower mileage later model (or even a more recent 900).
