Yamaha TW200?

It looks like a fun almost starter bike. (Been years since I've ridden.) Local CL has one for $1500. Opinions?

There's a pretty big following for those things. They are very popular with RV owners, too.

If you're asking, I'd say there are a lot of fun starter bikes to be had for a lot less money, but if you like it, get it. It's your money.

I've been wanting one for years to help with my job. I can't find one near me for a decent price.

I've always got my eye out for a cheap one so I can do this...

Don't know that I'd dirt tracker one, but if I were looking for something that would make an anvil look unreliable, this would be on the short list. It won't be fast, it won't take jumps, or be comfortable two up, but will still be fun. You may simply have to recalibrate what fun is. Oh, and it'll be worth about as much should you decide to sell it and move up to something bigger.

Think of it more of as scooter and less as a bike. It won't do 50mph, you'll never hit the highway with it, and it won't pull wheelies.

In terms of cheap and reliable, there are numerous bikes from the 70's that could achieve the same goal and be less expensive than a TW200.

Sprocket changes will get you well over 50 mph, but it's still more of a toy than a "real" bike.

I still want one. It's like our MadAss pit bike, but a step further from scooter and closer to motorcycle.

You could get an old Yamaha 2-stroke for cheaper like my CT3.

Well, I always poo-poo'd the TW200 as not being a "real" bike, but I've had a change of heart. A friend recently scored a 2010 model for $2K, and he let me ride it for a few days.

It's geared so that, on level ground, it tops out at about 65MPH with no winds. It's ridiculously easy to ride, and it even makes an OK dual sport for light trails. Trivia: sitting full upright on level ground, I saw 65 mph. With my helmet on the bar clamps, I saw 73 mph (which I could stand for about 10 seconds).

If it says anything though, I live about 1500 feet above (and 38 miles away from) where I work, and there was NO WAY I would commute on that thing. Not enough power in the little engine to get home in a reasonable amount of time.

For $2K or less for a clean one in good condition, it feels like a good deal for a light, low-maintenance street bike with electric start.

PHeller wrote: In terms of cheap and reliable, there are numerous bikes from the 70's that could achieve the same goal and be less expensive than a TW200.

Like what?

They're practically the official motorcycle of Tokyo...I see a ton of them around here, mostly stripped down like above.

The fanbois love these bikes, and I think they look cool, but getting real world opinions on them is difficult. This thread seems to do a good job at it. My wife may want a bike, and she'd want to ride it to work about 30 min on mostly divided highways. After reading this, I'm not sure it's got adequate snot from a safety aspect if it's topping out at 65. I wonder if a sprocket change would fix that but make it worse down low? I'd prefer she'd get something like this over a 250 Nighthawk because I'm not wild about the front drum brake on the NH.

I had one in the 1990s. It was grat for me as I live in the Poconos near game lands which had dirt roads and trails opened for registered street legal vehicles. I could ride to the trails and back. No trailer required.

A friend of mine brought one for a general use pit bike at the Lemons race at CMP. It was a fun bike to tool around with. I didn't ride it on the street but it felt like it would be dirt simple and easy to scoot around on.

Lightweight.

Unintimidating.

Cheap to run

Seemed like a great way to set the hook of motorcycle addiction into a new rider.

i used a tw200 as my bike for the MSF class. Loved the bike. Torquey i suppose and just easy to well everything.

I loved it and would buy one if i was closer to some off road areas

I have ridden a friends TW. I was sceptical as to it's abilities. I quickly learned that it would indicate 75 mph on gravel roads and rode well on the trails. It is very forgiving on rough stony trails. I managed to put a big dent in the wheel without realizing I had hit something that hard. They also hold value very well. Buy one, if you do not like it sell it for what you bought it for.