MY NEW TO ME 2016 YAMAHA TW200 – PURCHASED JULY 30, 2017
PURCHASED DATE: JULY 30, 2017 – with 318-miles on the odometer!
How did I come about purchasing a Yamaha TW200?
In a heavily convoluted conversation about bicycles, R/C scale trucks, motorcycles and overland 4X4 vehicles with my buddy Jason Markley, owner of Pedals Bike Shop in Riverside, CA., he simply asked me, “what is going to be your next motorcycle?” Basically it was all about, what moto’s will we be getting that are the same. It was then that I had told him about my secret interest in the fat tire dual sport that quietly sits in Yamaha’s dual sport category listed as a TW200. With my past involvement in the ADVrider.com forum, what little I knew was from a thread about these cool bikes as I’ve been following: TW200 THREAD ON ADVRider.com
In talking with Jason, he pulled the trigger quick after that conversation! It literally was only a couple of weeks since our whole TDUB discussion and he went out and got his first! Two or three days later, I get the phone call as Jason had found me this clean 2016 TW200 with 300-miles on the odometer! That first photo is my TW200 sitting in Jason’s truck as he took me to pick it up!
2016 YAMAHA TW200 PURCHASED JULY 30, 2017 – with 318-miles on the odometer! BOOM!
Before we get into all the technical attributes of my TW200, lets first go down the path of how I arrived to riding a Yamaha TW200. Especially after already riding 48-years on a few different motorcycles.
Prior to the TW200 – Bikes Owned
In my past of moto ownership, the list goes in reverse chronological order as follows; 1998 ATK605 DS, 2002 Honda XR100 (daughters), 1995 Honda Nighthawk 750, 2005 KTM 950ADV, 1997 Honda XR400, 1985 Yamaha RZ350, 1982 Kawasaki Spectre 750, 1979 Honda CMT400, 1974 Yamaha DT175 and a 1971 Yamaha JT1. I started riding at a very young age of 5-years old in 1969 and have carried an “M” on my drivers license since I was 14-years old.
I started riding at the age of 5 on a Yamaha JT1. My family raced flat track and my dad was a Yamaha nut! Later I grew into a Yamaha DT175 in the local woods of Sycamore, Alabama’s Talladega National Forest. The DT175 was my uncle’s, but I was so short aka young at age-11, my dad removed the stock seat and used a seat that looked like it came from a speedway bike. My first street bike (age 14) was a Honda CM400T. Yes, in Alabama back 1980’s, you could get your driver’s license for a motorcycle at age 14! At the age of 16, I got the Kawasaki Spectre 750. I would go off to college and made my way to California to finish school.
First Job Out Of College – First Motorcycle Yamaha RZ350
First job out of college I acquired a Yamaha RZ350 from a co-worker with my first paycheck! Got married, had kids, got away from bikes due to other motorsport endeavors. Like rallying! I actually attained first place in the 2003 Western States Championships for 2WD Production Class.
Found myself on a friends 1996 Honda XR400 over a Thanksgiving desert family outing back on November 26, 2005. What I was intrigued with is the fact that this XR400 had a license plate! My rally car has to have a license plate – this bike has a license plate. That was an AH-HA moment!
DISCOVERING DUAL SPORT LIFE
Three weeks later in December of 2005, I would have my own 1997 Honda XR400 complete with a license plate! With this bike is where I discovered the dual sport life! I knew I was not a MX track guy… I knew I was not a FMX freestyle guy… While I loved riding in the desert and mountains, I has not a Hare & Hound / GNCC Scramble guy… Who am I?
ADVrider.com to the RESCUE!
Later, the wifey asked if we could get another street bike again (we met on the RZ350) and I knew the exact bike to get! I purchased a 2005 KTM 950ADV! Got my girls some Honda XR100’s… they grew… sold one, kept one and “adulterized” the Honda XR100 with tall seat and BBR everything! Also acquired 1998 ATK 605DS. We also acquired a 1995 Honda 750 Nighthawk to replace the KTM 950ADV.
Back to the XR100. While the little Honda XR100 is SO FUN, it does not have what I refer to as the “ghetto pass” aka California License Plate! While riding the little XR100 one day on the Cajon Pass, I contemplated what small bikes had license plates? I went through a whole research process of old vintage dual sports (because they have a much shorter seat height) to see what aligned with what I was looking for. But “vintage” is vintage, but what about “new-vintage?” The Yamaha TW200 was introduced the the US market in 1987 and is still currently in production (still made in Japan), with a 2021 model version already announced in Sept of 2020! Thus, parts are still available with lots of used models to choose from!
Enter the Yamaha TW200!
The TW200 aka the TDUB, is not just a typical dualsport motorcycle cladded with street legal status, its a mindset change too. I’m getting older and I don’t bounce off the dirt so well any more! I’m in my adventure exploratory years… hehehe, at least that is what I am telling myself. Same time, this might explain it a little better.. I drive an 80-Series Toyota Land Cruiser as a daily driver dubbed the ADV80.
This is going to be fun!
A bike I can touch the ground on with my 29″ inseam and take photos from without falling over!
PART #002 First Fix – ESCAPADES OF THE GCRAD1 YAMAHA TW200
PART #003 – ESCAPADES OF THE GCRAD1 YAMAHA TW200
