I'm suffering from the same issue, on an 64bit Lenovo R500 with karmic.

Here is the output of "wodim -checkdrive -v"

TOC Type: 1 = CD-ROM
Device was not specified. Trying to find an appropriate drive...
Detected CD-R drive: /dev/cdrw
Using /dev/cdrom of unknown capabilities
scsidev: '/dev/cdrom'
devname: '/dev/cdrom'
scsibus: -2 target: -2 lun: -2
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.27
Wodim version: 1.1.9
Driveropts: 'burnfree'
SCSI buffer size: 64512
Device type    : Removable CD-ROM
Version        : 5
Response Format: 2
Capabilities   : 
Vendor_info    : 'MATSHITA'
Identification : 'DVD-RAM UJ880A  '
Revision       : 'SB01'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW.
Current: 0x0009 (CD-R)
Profile: 0x0012 (DVD-RAM) 
Profile: 0x002B (DVD+R/DL) 
Profile: 0x001B (DVD+R) 
Profile: 0x001A (DVD+RW) 
Profile: 0x0016 (DVD-R/DL layer jump recording) 
Profile: 0x0015 (DVD-R/DL sequential recording) 
Profile: 0x0013 (DVD-RW restricted overwrite) 
Profile: 0x0014 (DVD-RW sequential recording) 
Profile: 0x0011 (DVD-R sequential recording) 
Profile: 0x0010 (DVD-ROM) 
Profile: 0x000A (CD-RW) 
Profile: 0x0009 (CD-R) (current)
Profile: 0x0008 (CD-ROM) 
Profile: 0x0002 (Removable disk) 
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc   CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags   : MMC-3 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE 
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO
Drive buf size : 1310720 = 1280 KB
Beginning DMA speed test. Set CDR_NODMATEST environment variable if device
communication breaks or freezes immediately after that.

For reference, here is the output of Schily's original cdrtools cdrecord output as well (in setuid mode):
$ cdrtools-2.01.01/cdrecord/OBJ/x86_64-linux-cc/cdrecord -version
Cdrecord-ProDVD-ProBD-Clone 2.01.01a74 (x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2010 J?rg Schilling

$ cdrtools-2.01.01/cdrecord/OBJ/x86_64-linux-cc/cdrecord -version
Cdrecord-ProDVD-ProBD-Clone 2.01.01a74 (x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2010 J�rg Schilling
leo@pelican:~/opt/cdrtools$ #cdrtools-2.01.01/cdrecord/OBJ/x86_64-linux-cc/cdrecord -checkdrive -v
leo@pelican:~/opt/cdrtools$ 
leo@pelican:~/opt/cdrtools$ 
leo@pelican:~/opt/cdrtools$ 
leo@pelican:~/opt/cdrtools$ cdrtools-2.01.01/cdrecord/OBJ/x86_64-linux-cc/cdrecord -checkdrive -v
Cdrecord-ProDVD-ProBD-Clone 2.01.01a74 (x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu) Copyright (C) 1995-2010 J�rg Schilling
TOC Type: 1 = CD-ROM
Linux sg driver version: 3.5.34
Using libscg version 'schily-0.9'.
SCSI buffer size: 32768
No target specified, trying to find one...
Using dev=1,0,0.
atapi: 1
Device type    : Removable CD-ROM
Version        : 5
Response Format: 2
Capabilities   : 
Vendor_info    : 'MATSHITA'
Identifikation : 'DVD-RAM UJ880A  '
Revision       : 'SB01'
Device seems to be: Generic mmc2 DVD-R/DVD-RW/DVD-RAM.
Current: CD-R
Profile: DVD-RAM 
Profile: DVD+R/DL 
Profile: DVD+R 
Profile: DVD+RW 
Profile: DVD-R/DL layer jump recording 
Profile: DVD-R/DL sequential recording 
Profile: DVD-RW restricted overwrite 
Profile: DVD-RW sequential recording 
Profile: DVD-R sequential recording 
Profile: DVD-ROM 
Profile: CD-RW 
Profile: CD-R (current)
Profile: CD-ROM 
Profile: Removable Disk 
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc   CD-R/CD-RW driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags   : MMC-3 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE 
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO
Drive buf size : 1310720 = 1280 KB
cdrtools-2.01.01/cdrecord/OBJ/x86_64-linux-cc/cdrecord: Warning: Cannot read drive buffer.
cdrtools-2.01.01/cdrecord/OBJ/x86_64-linux-cc/cdrecord: Warning: The DMA speed test has been skipped.