Anyone have experience with the Yamaha TW200 ?

Bill Hilly · 08-22-2023, 05:53 PM

I am in the process of working on a deal to trade my Suzuki Savage for a low miles TW200, and I'm still a little apprehensive about the trade. The bike is in good shape, but is a 2007, I think and has under 4000 miles. The tires are probably original, but still look good. My Savage is a 2004 with almost 8500 miles, and is also in good shape, but I just don't ride it. Right now I look favorably on the TW, but I know it's going to be in the same ballpark as a Chinese CG250(229cc), powerwise. I rode the TW when the guy was here, but it was all flat. The bike felt good, but I wasn't on it long at all. It seemed geared higher that either of my Chinese bikes are now , or at least ran higher rpm easier, but I am sure my TBR7 has more acceleration from a stop, and my Hawk would be it's equal on acceleration. I realize that the bike has a more rugged suspension, but it doesn't have a lot of travel according to the specs. I value the Savage at about $2000, because it's pretty nice for a Savage. Do you think the TW makes sense? , Concidering I already have a Hawk, and TBR7,?
I ride my Chinese bikes a lot, and just ride one of the street bikes occasionally, so I know that in a year, my TBR7 will probably have around 7,000-8,000 on it, and my Hawk probably around 5,000 . I do like the idea of having a bike that has beefier wheels, and suspension, but I wish it had a little more than 16HP, and 11pounds torque. I know I would like it when it would be new to me, but I don't know about long term. What are your thoughts?

Bruces · 08-22-2023, 06:59 PM

The tw is both a great bike and a piece of crap at the same time .They are pokey ,but are in many ways a tractor .The tires are called death wings ,so throw those in the trash as the front tire will bite you if you don’t .The rears are concidered better though ,I don’t remember what we were swapping the fronts with but I am certain a google search will figure it out for you (it’s been a while for me ) .I would concider a tw to be fairly close to a china bike power wise so your expectations for road use should be thinking china bike speed etc .They have been made since 1987 mostly unchanged ,that doesn’t happen if the bikes are shit and riddled with problems .I would like a tw ,but with at least a 350cc engine then I might keep one for a while .Also ,the 2007 does not have a kick starter but one can be installed using factory parts .Not sure of your area ,but generally the tw’s sell for a fairly high price and I don’t think I ever sold one for under $2500, and they would of been late 90’s models to about 2005 models .

XLsior · 08-22-2023, 07:13 PM

it takes more energy to spin a larger rotating mass...

the TW200 is a field/pasture/paddock bike. It excels at going slow in slop, but that does not mean it cant get bogged.

Putting fat tires on for a sense of top speed is counter productive.

Also tire options in general are limited on the TW200.

the Tdub does have a strong fan club,It does fit into its own niche...but it's strengths are also its weakness. So it depends what side of the scale you personally lean towards.

Bill Hilly · 08-22-2023, 07:48 PM

The TW is not common at all around here, and this one was the first one I saw in person. Even though it's probably built for a shorter person, it wasn't as low as I thought they were. I may look a little funny on it, but aside from the foot pegs feeling funny (I think they felt further back on the bike compared to my Chinese bikes, I felt comfortable. The Savage is a common bike around here, and they make sense, but they just don't sell for much. Not only do most want a VTwin cruiser, they want more displacement, and this on top of the fact that there seem to be so many cut up and beat up ones out there, many without titles for some reason, it just makes the bikes fall into an unappreciated catagory, or something. I bought mine, because I used what I thought was common sense, and it is a nice bike, but still a Savage. I advertised it for $2000, and the guy with the TW,that lives in the next community up the road recognized the bike, or the house, and just stopped one day. He IS kinda on the shorter side of average, but he works in Charleston, which is about a 50mile trip , with about 35-40 miles being interstate. He acts like he wants the Savage to ride to work. He had a Savage once too. I would have traded with him that day, but he couldn't find the title, but he has it now, so I probably will trade, but I keep talking myself out of it, and then back into it. The Savage has much greater range, and has more than adequate power, and torque, but I just don't enjoy it like I do the others.

Megadan · 08-22-2023, 07:53 PM

The TW200 is a great little machine when it's in the elements it was really meant for. Riding around on the road really isn't it's forte'. What they are really good for is what I call Farm or Ranch bikes. The big fat tires and relatively small frame make it a good field bike.

Bill Hilly · 08-22-2023, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Megadan

The TW200 is a great little machine when it's in the elements it was really meant for. Riding around on the road really isn't it's forte'. What they are really good for is what I call Farm or Ranch bikes. The big fat tires and relatively small frame make it a good field bike.

So, From what I gather the Hawk, and TBR7 would actually be better on blacktop roads than the TW ?
If that's the case, then I may be leaning away from the TW again. I was hoping it would be just as good on open roads as my Chinese bikes, and possibly better because of the (what I assume is) higher revving OHC motor that makes it's peak power in a higher rpm range. .

Megadan · 08-23-2023, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Hilly

So, From what I gather the Hawk, and TBR7 would actually be better on blacktop roads than the TW ?
If that's the case, then I may be leaning away from the TW again. I was hoping it would be just as good on open roads as my Chinese bikes, and possibly better because of the (what I assume is) higher revving OHC motor that makes it's peak power in a higher rpm range. .

better is subjective. I would say it is equal overall to the chinese dual sports. at best they have a top speed of 70. The OHC motor just allows them to not need such tall gearing like the Hawk/TBR7 need to reach those speeds

Mudflap · 08-23-2023, 06:24 AM

The TW is a great machine, maybe the best, for riding the washes in Arizona. The fat tires give it floatation over the sand and gravel where skinny tires dig in. I've done a lot of riding on sand with a friend on his TW and me on my Lifan 200. I wore myself out pushing my skinny wheel bike while he was able to ride. The TW top speed was the same as the Lifan 200 on the road. On pavement the TW seems sluggish handling wise but nothing terrible.

Hunnicutt · 08-23-2023, 08:33 AM

Ryan F9 posted a video on the TW200.
The cinematography is breathtaking, and the content is magnificent. Hopefully his video will answer some of your concerns.

flopsweat · 08-23-2023, 08:45 AM

My ONE other riding friend happened to buy a 2022 TW200 shortly before I got my TT. The front tire is for sure a "death wing" and would need to get replaced, that thing was scary as hell on gravel before he changed it. It has mostly stock stuff including gearing other than headlight and a couple minor things, and chews through 1st gear in a half second. It's definitely a "farm bike", and feels like I'm sitting on a toy after getting off my massive 250. Although we've gone on many 4-7hr camping trips and he can rip down a 55mph road (barely) for 20min or so, and then we branch off to something a bit slower.

People LOVE these bikes, he gets comments everywhere we go. It's the golden retriever of motorcycles. Limitations? Plenty. Rear drum brake is nearly useless, you have to stomp on that thing with all your weight to skid the rear tire. No gear indicator, no gas gauge, barely visible turn signals from stock... But she's a beaut.

On youtube, a couple that come to mind are TDubsKid, he's by far the most extensive and kind of a delightful nutjob, and does a lot of trail riding and camping in the mountains of Colorado. Survival Russia guy Lars uses one to get around his boggy farm land. Dual Dorks cruises the Nevada deserts (I think), just to name a few. It's a torquey slow trail bike that can hop on the road and be a light commuter, basically.

Bill Hilly · 08-23-2023, 09:12 AM

I didn't know the tires were so bad. Most of my riding other than main roads is gravel. The bike looks great, and is white, and blue,with a blue, and black seat. It has an aftermarket exhaust, and it has a Chinese carb , but I think it's a copy of the carb that is supposed to be on the bike. The guy claims to have the stock carb, but he once mentioned that it probably needs ultrasonic cleaning, and he also mentioned that it was too lean with the exhaust, but I assume that he could have just rejetted it. I put a battery in the Savage not long ago, when they had "Amazon Prime Days" sale, but I am a little suspicious of the battery in the TW. He mentioned that he hadn't rode it for a while, and had to charge it. I also wish it had a kicker, and the electric start. I think the guy is honest, because I never would have known it was a Chinese carb, but if it's going to need tires, and a battery immediately after getting, it's probably not a wise trade. I admit that I kinda am intrigued by the bike though, at least for now, but it could also be the kind of bike that ,once you have it for a while, it looses it's appeal. If course my Savage sits most of the time too, but that's just me, the bike itself is a logical choice for many, but people don't buy logical, the buy status, or appeal.

Hunnicutt · 08-23-2023, 12:05 PM

If you go through with the trade, you can easily sell the bike if you don't like it.

My $.02 plus tax and gut feeling is to advise you to walk away. You already have a Hawk and a TBR7. Both are fully adequate for your uses. The TW200 would get in your way, you'd get bored with it fast, and you'd constantly compare it against the 2 steeds you already own.

Look around Venom Motorsports for something that peeks your curiosity and serves a justifiable purpose in your riding desires.

Bill Hilly · 08-23-2023, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunnicutt

If you go through with the trade, you can easily sell the bike if you don't like it.

My $.02 plus tax and gut feeling is to advise you to walk away. You already have a Hawk and a TBR7. Both are fully adequate for your uses. The TW200 would get in your way, you'd get bored with it fast, and you'd constantly compare it against the 2 steeds you already own.

Look around Venom Motorsports for something that peeks your curiosity and serves a justifiable purpose in your riding desires.

I was thinking hard about one of the Templar, or Titan models, after seeing some advertising, BUT it seems like free shipping is a thing of the past on these bikes. I also have my eye on a Suzuki DR250 that I'm pretty sure I could get for less than $2,000.

XLsior · 08-23-2023, 07:13 PM

A used DR250 won't be much better/worse than a new chonda 250.

If you already ave a hawk and tbr7 then getting another 200-250cc dual sport is not going to offer anything all that different.

if you're really looking for a change then consider a 2stroke or double the displacement.

Or if you're after economy going smaller and lighter...

Dusman · 08-25-2023, 08:41 AM

I'm a few days late to this thread, but had to put my 2 cents in. Shalt thou get a TW200? Well, I'm biased, as I have a 1986 BW200 that is in mint condition. It was my first *real* motorcycle and it thus has a special place in my heart. Anywhoo, the engine in my B-dub is the same that is in the modern T-dub (barring the kickstart of course). The T-dub can pretty much go anywhere you point it, but as noted already, compared to your CG250 ChinaBikes, it's pretty much a slug above 55 mph stock. But....if all you want to do is commute 45 mph and down with it and do some weekend woods and trail riding, it is *perfect* for this. It won't get you anywhere fast, but it will get you there and never has failed to put a smile on my face. If it were me, trading the Savage (which you don't ride) for a T-dub would be a no-brainer. But, if you're hung up on top speed, (I'm not), the T-dub definitely isn't for you as it struggles with anything over 55 mph with stock sprockets.

08-22-2023, 05:53 PM	#1
Bill Hilly Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 948	Anyone have experience with the Yamaha TW200 ? I am in the process of working on a deal to trade my Suzuki Savage for a low miles TW200, and I'm still a little apprehensive about the trade. The bike is in good shape, but is a 2007, I think and has under 4000 miles. The tires are probably original, but still look good. My Savage is a 2004 with almost 8500 miles, and is also in good shape, but I just don't ride it. Right now I look favorably on the TW, but I know it's going to be in the same ballpark as a Chinese CG250(229cc), powerwise. I rode the TW when the guy was here, but it was all flat. The bike felt good, but I wasn't on it long at all. It seemed geared higher that either of my Chinese bikes are now , or at least ran higher rpm easier, but I am sure my TBR7 has more acceleration from a stop, and my Hawk would be it's equal on acceleration. I realize that the bike has a more rugged suspension, but it doesn't have a lot of travel according to the specs. I value the Savage at about $2000, because it's pretty nice for a Savage. Do you think the TW makes sense? , Concidering I already have a Hawk, and TBR7,? I ride my Chinese bikes a lot, and just ride one of the street bikes occasionally, so I know that in a year, my TBR7 will probably have around 7,000-8,000 on it, and my Hawk probably around 5,000 . I do like the idea of having a bike that has beefier wheels, and suspension, but I wish it had a little more than 16HP, and 11pounds torque. I know I would like it when it would be new to me, but I don't know about long term. What are your thoughts?
	0

08-22-2023, 07:53 PM	#5
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 8,044	The TW200 is a great little machine when it's in the elements it was really meant for. Riding around on the road really isn't it's forte'. What they are really good for is what I call Farm or Ranch bikes. The big fat tires and relatively small frame make it a good field bike. __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124
	2

08-23-2023, 08:33 AM	#9
Hunnicutt Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Central Florida Posts: 103	Ryan F9 posted a video on the TW200. The cinematography is breathtaking, and the content is magnificent. Hopefully his video will answer some of your concerns. __________________ ___________________________________ 2021 CSC TT250 - Silver (Mine) "Buzz" 2021 CSC TT250 - White (Wife's) "Seymour" 2021 CSC TT250 - White (Daughter's) "Gemini"
	1

08-23-2023, 12:05 PM	#12
Hunnicutt Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Central Florida Posts: 103	If you go through with the trade, you can easily sell the bike if you don't like it. My $.02 plus tax and gut feeling is to advise you to walk away. You already have a Hawk and a TBR7. Both are fully adequate for your uses. The TW200 would get in your way, you'd get bored with it fast, and you'd constantly compare it against the 2 steeds you already own. Look around Venom Motorsports for something that peeks your curiosity and serves a justifiable purpose in your riding desires. __________________ ___________________________________ 2021 CSC TT250 - Silver (Mine) "Buzz" 2021 CSC TT250 - White (Wife's) "Seymour" 2021 CSC TT250 - White (Daughter's) "Gemini"
	1

08-25-2023, 08:41 AM	#15
Dusman Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: NC Posts: 218	TW200? That's a good question.... I'm a few days late to this thread, but had to put my 2 cents in. Shalt thou get a TW200? Well, I'm biased, as I have a 1986 BW200 that is in mint condition. It was my first real motorcycle and it thus has a special place in my heart. Anywhoo, the engine in my B-dub is the same that is in the modern T-dub (barring the kickstart of course). The T-dub can pretty much go anywhere you point it, but as noted already, compared to your CG250 ChinaBikes, it's pretty much a slug above 55 mph stock. But....if all you want to do is commute 45 mph and down with it and do some weekend woods and trail riding, it is perfect for this. It won't get you anywhere fast, but it will get you there and never has failed to put a smile on my face. If it were me, trading the Savage (which you don't ride) for a T-dub would be a no-brainer. But, if you're hung up on top speed, (I'm not), the T-dub definitely isn't for you as it struggles with anything over 55 mph with stock sprockets.
	2

08-22-2023, 06:59 PM	#2
Bruces Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 1,588	The tw is both a great bike and a piece of crap at the same time .They are pokey ,but are in many ways a tractor .The tires are called death wings ,so throw those in the trash as the front tire will bite you if you don’t .The rears are concidered better though ,I don’t remember what we were swapping the fronts with but I am certain a google search will figure it out for you (it’s been a while for me ) .I would concider a tw to be fairly close to a china bike power wise so your expectations for road use should be thinking china bike speed etc .They have been made since 1987 mostly unchanged ,that doesn’t happen if the bikes are shit and riddled with problems .I would like a tw ,but with at least a 350cc engine then I might keep one for a while .Also ,the 2007 does not have a kick starter but one can be installed using factory parts .Not sure of your area ,but generally the tw’s sell for a fairly high price and I don’t think I ever sold one for under $2500, and they would of been late 90’s models to about 2005 models .
	2

08-22-2023, 07:13 PM	#3
XLsior Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Australia Posts: 1,317	it takes more energy to spin a larger rotating mass... the TW200 is a field/pasture/paddock bike. It excels at going slow in slop, but that does not mean it cant get bogged. Putting fat tires on for a sense of top speed is counter productive. Also tire options in general are limited on the TW200. the Tdub does have a strong fan club,It does fit into its own niche...but it's strengths are also its weakness. So it depends what side of the scale you personally lean towards.
	2

08-22-2023, 07:48 PM	#4
Bill Hilly Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 948	The TW is not common at all around here, and this one was the first one I saw in person. Even though it's probably built for a shorter person, it wasn't as low as I thought they were. I may look a little funny on it, but aside from the foot pegs feeling funny (I think they felt further back on the bike compared to my Chinese bikes, I felt comfortable. The Savage is a common bike around here, and they make sense, but they just don't sell for much. Not only do most want a VTwin cruiser, they want more displacement, and this on top of the fact that there seem to be so many cut up and beat up ones out there, many without titles for some reason, it just makes the bikes fall into an unappreciated catagory, or something. I bought mine, because I used what I thought was common sense, and it is a nice bike, but still a Savage. I advertised it for $2000, and the guy with the TW,that lives in the next community up the road recognized the bike, or the house, and just stopped one day. He IS kinda on the shorter side of average, but he works in Charleston, which is about a 50mile trip , with about 35-40 miles being interstate. He acts like he wants the Savage to ride to work. He had a Savage once too. I would have traded with him that day, but he couldn't find the title, but he has it now, so I probably will trade, but I keep talking myself out of it, and then back into it. The Savage has much greater range, and has more than adequate power, and torque, but I just don't enjoy it like I do the others.
	0

08-23-2023, 06:24 AM	#8
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,889	The TW is a great machine, maybe the best, for riding the washes in Arizona. The fat tires give it floatation over the sand and gravel where skinny tires dig in. I've done a lot of riding on sand with a friend on his TW and me on my Lifan 200. I wore myself out pushing my skinny wheel bike while he was able to ride. The TW top speed was the same as the Lifan 200 on the road. On pavement the TW seems sluggish handling wise but nothing terrible.
	2

08-23-2023, 08:45 AM	#10
flopsweat Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: The burbs of Chicago Posts: 235	My ONE other riding friend happened to buy a 2022 TW200 shortly before I got my TT. The front tire is for sure a "death wing" and would need to get replaced, that thing was scary as hell on gravel before he changed it. It has mostly stock stuff including gearing other than headlight and a couple minor things, and chews through 1st gear in a half second. It's definitely a "farm bike", and feels like I'm sitting on a toy after getting off my massive 250. Although we've gone on many 4-7hr camping trips and he can rip down a 55mph road (barely) for 20min or so, and then we branch off to something a bit slower. People LOVE these bikes, he gets comments everywhere we go. It's the golden retriever of motorcycles. Limitations? Plenty. Rear drum brake is nearly useless, you have to stomp on that thing with all your weight to skid the rear tire. No gear indicator, no gas gauge, barely visible turn signals from stock... But she's a beaut. On youtube, a couple that come to mind are TDubsKid, he's by far the most extensive and kind of a delightful nutjob, and does a lot of trail riding and camping in the mountains of Colorado. Survival Russia guy Lars uses one to get around his boggy farm land. Dual Dorks cruises the Nevada deserts (I think), just to name a few. It's a torquey slow trail bike that can hop on the road and be a light commuter, basically.
	2

08-23-2023, 09:12 AM	#11
Bill Hilly Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 948	I didn't know the tires were so bad. Most of my riding other than main roads is gravel. The bike looks great, and is white, and blue,with a blue, and black seat. It has an aftermarket exhaust, and it has a Chinese carb , but I think it's a copy of the carb that is supposed to be on the bike. The guy claims to have the stock carb, but he once mentioned that it probably needs ultrasonic cleaning, and he also mentioned that it was too lean with the exhaust, but I assume that he could have just rejetted it. I put a battery in the Savage not long ago, when they had "Amazon Prime Days" sale, but I am a little suspicious of the battery in the TW. He mentioned that he hadn't rode it for a while, and had to charge it. I also wish it had a kicker, and the electric start. I think the guy is honest, because I never would have known it was a Chinese carb, but if it's going to need tires, and a battery immediately after getting, it's probably not a wise trade. I admit that I kinda am intrigued by the bike though, at least for now, but it could also be the kind of bike that ,once you have it for a while, it looses it's appeal. If course my Savage sits most of the time too, but that's just me, the bike itself is a logical choice for many, but people don't buy logical, the buy status, or appeal.
	0

08-23-2023, 07:13 PM	#14
XLsior Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Australia Posts: 1,317	A used DR250 won't be much better/worse than a new chonda 250. If you already ave a hawk and tbr7 then getting another 200-250cc dual sport is not going to offer anything all that different. if you're really looking for a change then consider a 2stroke or double the displacement. Or if you're after economy going smaller and lighter...
	2