1988 Yamaha TW200 TrailWay
Why another 200?
A couple of riding seasons before I planned to retire two friends and I started making plans for after we all retired. There were so many things we talked about and planned. Some of the plans were riding the Backcountry Discovery Routes and the Motorized Continental Divide Trail.
Knowing I would need a bike that handled better in the sand than the DR200 I started looking for a used TW200. Originally I didn’t want one because of the fat tires and limited tire options. I was worried that it would be difficult finding a tire if I had a failure out away from a larger city. Another problem is how big and heavy the tubes are for packing an extra. Unlike other dual sport bikes, the front tube can’t be used in the back tire, in a pinch the sizes are too different.
The upside of TW200s is they handle the sand much better than the skinny tire bikes. After I retired I started looking for one and I was contacted by a guy in CO who had one for sale. It was his wife’s starter bike but she was taller and outgrew it. I wanted to go to WI to see my sisters and I figured by taking the scenic route home I could swing through CO and buy the bike.
TW200s stock fuel tanks are small and I would need a bigger tank to get started. Luckily the bike in CO came with a larger tank already installed. The frame had a fresh coat of paint and all the nuts and bolts had been changed out to stainless steel. At first, I was a little concerned about the age of the bike since it’s a 1988 but it had been taken care of well. Another positive is that this bike has both an electric start and a kick start.
With having the perfect bike for the sandier BDRs I thought it was going to be full speed ahead, or at least I hoped it would be. About 4 months before I found the bike Covid-19 and it turned things upside down for many people. Things changed for my two friends and our plans were canceled but I hope to still do some if not all those rides. They will probably be ridden solo and I’m good with that.
About the bike
The Yamaha TW200 is a single-cylinder, four-stroke dual sport motorcycle produced between 1987 and 2019 with those distinctive fat tires. Like other dual sports in this size range, it was promoted as having a low seat height at 31.1 inches. Even though they say it’s low for me it’s still too tall however that’s because I’m 5’0” and they build bikes for the average rider, about 5’8” or so.
Early on the bike was officially labeled as an “agricultural machine” but in some circles, it has been referred to as a “Yamaha dirtbike on steroids”.
While looking up the specifications for this motorcycle I found this: The odd beastie is a versatile machine usable on any type of terrain but most of all, ridden by any type of rider. The term “workhorse” might not be the best way of introducing a motorcycle, but it does sum up the TW200 perfectly.
Another review described it this way: This machine comes with the iconic beefy dual-sport tires and ultra-low seat making steering across rough terrain much easier, with the wide seat also providing on-road comfort. A machine that’s equally popular among new riders and veterans alike, it is a strong-pulling mini-beast that will be as fun on the road as it will be rewarding on the trails.
Ultimate Motorcycling said, “If you’re patient and persistent, the TW can take you almost anywhere.” Shinji Kazama proved it when he rode a TW200 to the North Pole in 1987. https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/remarkable-resilience-shinji-kazama/
For years I thought the fat wide tires would be a disadvantage but it looks like it will be just what I need for some of the riding I do. The bike comes stock with a 1.8-gallon tank which isn’t big enough for the things I do but the used TW I bought came with a tank large enough. The suspension has 6 inches of travel, which isn’t great but just fine for me, and with a dry weight of 260 pounds when I fall over with it and I will; I can get it upright again.