  With the Doppler Shift Attenuation Method, quadrupole transition moments,
$Q_t$, were determined for the two recently proposed Triaxial Strongly Deformed
(TSD) bands in $^{163}$Tm. The measured $Q_t$ moments indicate that the
deformation of these bands is larger than that of the yrast, signature
partners. However, the measured values are smaller than those predicted by
theory. This observation appears to be valid for TSD bands in several nuclei of
the region
