Why do you want a CycleRacks Rear Rack?
I can not tell you why you want a CycleRacks rear rack for your TW200. I can only give you my reasons why, as I too was in your undecisive shoes! Maybe you’re racking your brain sorting through the wide range of available options with very little details as to technically why one style/brand over the other.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first impression of the CycleRacks rear rack for TW200, “it’s MASSIVE! looking at most of dualsports on the market, most will have a slim, narrow rear rack. Even with larger bikes, the only real cross-rack-comparison is with the KLR650 or 900cc+ adventure machines. The CycleRacks TW200 looks WAY LARGER! Most of those “first impressions” (all) were made via images or videos digitally online. I was seriously wrestling with the choices even with all the digital impressions available online! As my decision process is happening, I simply waited to see what decisions my buddies would make. With no major “haul-load” moto plans, I had time to continue my research to make my decision!
The Other…
I watched my buddy Jason purchase one of the “other” racks that were smaller and slimmer. Trail fixes are just things you have to deal with in the dualsport world. Per the rack manufacturers’ intended use, to carry a 1-gallon Rotopax, we incurred major disappointments on our next two rides with broken racks! The manufacture willingly exchanged the racks TWICE, Jason grew tired of packing and shipping broken racks back-and-forth. What was more tiresome and FRUSTRATING, was figuring how to strap a Rotopax back onto his bike MID-RIDE, along with a broken rack! Have you ever been riding along and find stuff that you want to strap to your bike? You realize it’s your stuff! How do we strap all this stuff onto the moto as your stomach gets that funny feeling? You don’t really have a way to strap things onto your bike.
To remedy Jason’s frustrating situation, he moved into a more robust factory-option Yamaha rear rack and this proved to be a positive decision! Just sitting there, it clicked! After a long day of Tdubbin’ with Jason, it dawned on me what brand I would choose! It was starring right at me!
AH – HA MOMENT!
I have fat tires for a fat short motorcycle, much like my 80-Series Land Cruiser with a big roof rack! I want the most versatile rack possible! With this newfound collection of fat tires, along with being new to the “TDUB scene,” I wanted to support an independent manufacture from within the TW200 scene. With the unique looks of the TW200, the CycleRacks rear rack is the most unique rack itself! Aside from all this fancy frivolous stuff, the one key feature that the CycleRacks rear rack posses, is the ability and most importantly, the strength to haul!
BEFF TO HAUL
Are you are “ONE” with your factory TW200 Owners Manual? Yamaha warns against exceeding 7-pounds on the factory carrier. The rear portion of the TW200’s frame is structural for the intended purpose, but with the 7-lbs weight limit. What the heck does that mean? Those two small metal tubes only need to hold the rear tail lamp and turn-signals along with two plastic bits. These two plastic bits are essentially the plastic sub-structure that holds the tail light and turn-signals. The other is the rear fender cover with a rubber pad attached.
If you take the time to closely inspect the underside of the TW200 rear fender area, you will see there is very little support under all that plastic. Yamaha did not intend the TW200 for you to haul the hood like Beverly Hillbillies! This is the very reason why CycleRacks designed their rear rack with the “side-struts” that run between the rear rack down to the rear footpeg mount to aid in supporting additional weight.
With the “BEEF TO HAUL” CycleRacks Rear Rack for my TW200, I can go do this! 3-Days & 448-miles Moto Camping!
Purchase The CycleRacks TW200 Rear Rack here:
https://cycleracks.com/collections/yamaha-motorcycle-racks/products/yamaha-tw200-rear-rack
• Tie Down Straps: ROK Straps 1″ Wide for rear rack • weight: 8 ounces
• Tie Down Straps: ROK Straps 5/8″ Wide for front rack • weight: 5 ounces
I LIKE TO HAUL – CYCLERACKS EQUIPPED TW200
The super-versatile CycleRacks rear rack weighs 7-pounds 4-ounces and made to haul stuff! An assortment of stuff! Not just moto-camping stuff! I’ve had a ton of fun just making excuses to haul stuff!
Hauling a KLR650 front wheel and a box to work.
Hauling all my moto riding gear, loaded, I can’t remember why, maybe an afterwork ride?
Moto run, CycleRacking hauling a large box to the post office.
Hit the Post Office parking lot – Package delivered!
I can tackle most of my “work-task” loads on my CycleRacks equipped Yamaha TW200! Why not?!
Time to haul the KLR650 rear wheel to the shop.
Wifey was tossing out a large tub… Hey! We can use that at work!
Picking up some wood pellets for the Traeger BBQ! This is a good point to tell you about the ROK Straps! These things are awesome for strapping down EVERYTHING!!! I am using the 1″ wide 60″ long ROK Straps for the rear CycleRacks Rear Rack.
Working on the house, needed a new ceiling fan… off to Home Depot I go!
Loaded to go race a Z125 for 24-Hours with my Gustin Motorsports 4-man crew! Yes, I used my moto gear as I do not have roadrace gear.
The heaviest load was this Odyssey Battery for the ADV80.
At the end of the day, this is the best payload possible! 3-days worth of camping gear! Bookmark this link for yourself! Purchase here: https://cycleracks.com/collections/yamaha-motorcycle-racks/products/yamaha-tw200-rear-rack
CycleRacks Side Supports
CycleRacks Side Supports quickly strap-on to carrying fuel or water (Rotopax) and you can strap your panniers on as well, with our without the Rotopax. You can catch these items on the CycleRacks website here: https://cycleracks.com/collections/panniers-bags-and-bag-supports
I hope you get to have as much fun as I am on my TW200!
With my CycleRack rear rack mounted on the TW200, I packed my camp gear and headed out on my first moto camping trip! And it was a solo mission to boot! Do you haul stuff on your TW200? Have you bagged your first moto camping trip? Post up and let us know!
Is it possible to strap the fuel Rotopax horizontally on the rear cycle rack with the ROK straps?
You should be able to as long as you can get it strapped good enough!
Okay. Thank you for the info. Do you carry yours horizontally or do you mount yours on the side using cyber tacks side panels?
As you saw in the post: https://www.tdubclub.com/2020/04/29/cycleracks-rear-rack-tw200/
I am carrying everything horizontally on top of the rack. BUT, I will be added the CycleRacks Side Panels so I can easily carry my Rotopax Fuel can without having to remove everything to get to it (when loaded with all camping gear).
I just put mine on today. It took about 15 minutes. I love it already. It is a little crooked, but it is nice and sturdy.
Had this rack now for nearly 5 years. The thing I want is good bags to throw over the rack. Now mine are wore out, how are the cyclerack bags? They tell me the side bags are waterproof? Do they keep rain out during a ride?
Hello Ronald and thank you for you question. Just so we are talking about the same bags, these are the ones we are talking about: https://cycleracks.com/collections/panniers-bags-and-bag-supports/products/motorcycle-panniers-bags-only
Unfortunately I do not have a personal answer as I do not own a set of CycleRacks saddlebags. We did create this blog though that might provide some solutions: https://www.tdubclub.com/2020/05/06/saddlebag-directory-for-your-tw200-the-soft-kind/
Happy TDUBBIN!