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Yamaha TW 200

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Make Model

Yamaha TW 200

Year

2002 - 05

Engine

Four stroke, single cylinder, SOHC, 2-valve

Capacity

196 cc / 11.96 cub in.

Bore x Stroke

67 x 55.7 mm

Cooling System

Air cooled

Compression Ratio

9.5:1

Fuel system

Mikuni 28 mm carburetor

Ignition 

CDI

Starting

Electric

Max Power 16 hp / 11.7 kW @ 8000 rpm
Max Torque 15 Nm / 11.1 lb-ft @ 7000 rpm

Clutch

Multi-plate wet clutch

Transmission 

5-Speed, constant mesh

Final Drive

Chain

Front Suspension

33mm Telescopic fork

Front wheel travel

160 mm / 6.3 in.

Rear Suspension

Single shock

Rear wheel travel

150 mm / 5.9 in.

Front Brakes

Single 220mm disc

Rear Brakes

110mm Drum

Front Tyre

130/80 -18 in

Rear Tyre

180/80 -14 in

Dimensions

Length 2090 mm / 82.3 in
Width 820 mm / 32.3 in
Height 1120 mm / 44.1 in

Wheelbase

1326 mm / 52.2 in

Seat Height

790 mm / 31.1 in

Ground Clearance

264 mm / 10.4 in

Wet Weight

126 kg / 278 lbs

Fuel Capacity 

6.8 Litres / 1.7 US gal

Review

A family ride for on the farm or on the trails
By, Trevor Hedge

New riders don’t need the latest and greatest lightweight racing weapon to enjoy motorcycling and if many newcomers to the dirt scene were honest with themselves they could instead find themselves enjoying their riding a whole lot more on something perhaps a little more mundane than a motocross bred enduro machine.

All the Japanese manufacturers have recognised this and brought out a whole swag of affordable new models that combine reasonable weights with modest performance, easy handling, electric start and are building them strong enough to last for years with the only real servicing requirements being a simple oil and filter change. Personally I hate working on motorcycles and much prefer riding them and it is here that this new breed of user friendly four-stroke machines win many friends.

Yamaha’s TW200 is one of the stalwarts of the class and does differ a little from most of the other offerings in the market place thanks to some seriously fat tyres on its spoked rims. The rear hoop is a huge 180mm item that provides great stability for beginners. Combine that with a low 790mm seat height and you have a machine that proves easy to use for both young adults and the elderly alike. Another rare feature on this class of machine are pillion pegs which gives the machine the capability to carry a passenger. However the thing that really makes the TW200 stand out from the crowd is the fact that it is fully road legal so you can also use it to pop down the shops or commute to your favourite set of trails. This is a huge bonus.

Powering the machine is a tractable 196cc air-cooled four-stroke single that won’t exactly set the world alight or have the front wheel skyrocketing under throttle but where it does shine is the ability to lug around off the bottom and mid-range all day while out doing some chores around a property or a casual sightseeing trail ride in the hills. A counter balancer keeps things relatively smooth throughout the rpm range.

A conventional five-speed foot shifted gearbox drives through a snail cam adjusted chain drive system and thanks to the strengths of modern chains should only need the rarest of adjustments.

33mm telescopic forks suspend the 118kg machine up front and offer 160mm of travel which when combined with the 264mm Ground Clearance gives you a machine that can get over all but the biggest of obstacles. A 220mm front disc brake takes care of that end of the stopping duties and is aided by a 110mm drum brake at the rear.