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Performance: TW200 vs Vanvan 200

43K views 33 replies 23 participants last post by  Beungood 
#1 ·
Hi all, Im curious, how does the TW stack up with engine performance against the injected Suzuki VanVan 200? Anyone owned both? Which did you prefer? Which has quicker acceleration, faster top speed?
 
#2 ·
I have no personal experience but from what I have read the vanvan is more steet oriented and the TW is actually more off road oriented. It mostly depends on your intended use and personal likes. Some people have bought used tws and they nearly look like a vanvan after personalizing them. I have had my TW since around 1995 and I do more street riding than trail riding so I do have the street tires on it. Everything else is stock. I have only rebuilt the carb one time. I contribute the 1 time only carb build to a fuel filter, tank liner and Marvel Mystery Oil even though I am running the gas/ethanol mix. Your fuel pump can't go out on the TW. Since I have the older TW I never changed brake fluid, it has none. The TW is very reliable and very low maintenance. I could have bought another TW from the maintenance I've spent on another bike. My TW has hit up to 70 mph but I wouldn't be going on a freeway road trip on it. Around town my acceleration seems quick compared to the cages. The light turns green and I'm at the next light before they are moving. I don't know how fast the vanvan actually is. I like Yamaha quality so I would buy the TW but that's just me.
 
#5 ·
I demo rode a VanVan. It felt unsurprisingly, pretty similar to the TW, although overall it felt a bit more "refined". Engine ran a bit smoother, trans was a bit slicker/less clunky, stuff like that. The EFI seemed well calibrated, press button and go which is nice. The seat is about 10x more comfortable than the TW's. Power seemed about the same, both are mellow tuned engines that like the low-to-mid range, neither has much of a top end although the Vanvan seemed a little less buzzy when revved up. The Vanvan has a factory oil cooler, nice bonus, although the "necessity" of one of these is debatable/variable based on how you use the bike. There's much more aftermarket for the TW, virtually none for the Vanvan. Suzuki has already axed it since they sold about 4 of them in several years.

The Vanvan is definitely more street oriented. It's pretty metal tank and fenders wouldn't look pretty for long if you did any serious off road riding, and it's stock tires are maybe an 80-20 dual sport. A dirt road or something they'd be OK but nothing more than that.

I think the Vanvan is a neat looking little bike, for strictly an around town runabout/campground cruiser (i.e, light duty use) with the ease of EFI, I'd go for that one. For anything else, the TW offers much more versatility and function.

You can probably find a pretty solid deal on a Vanvan as leftovers are all over the place, they sold very poorly. Now the model is discontinued I'd bet a dealer is willing to negotiate pretty heavily on the price to get it off the floor.
 
#6 ·
All VanVans should come with a surfboard attached to the side – that’s the target market

Same top speed as the TW, same number of horses, EFI and a cat exhaust you could club a shark with – same fuel capacity, looks like a comfier seat (and no, it doesn’t fit a TW)

If you want a bike to pose with on the beach, then the VanVan is for you. Considering it started out as the RV125 two stroke, it’s come a long way

The TW by comparison, is far more versatile (including posing on the beach and carrying surfboards), can be modified anyway you want it, including an over-bore, six speed boxes etc (which would render the VanVans EFI useless, and heaven forbid, introduce oil and grease under its owners fingernails)

So, in a nut shell, the VanVan owner can say “Hey, I actually took it to the beach today” – while the TW guys can reply, “Yeah, I took mine up the mountain, down a few back trails, and across the beach and around the corner just to grab a couple of beers”

The development of both bikes are like the chicken and the egg, but the direction each bikes evolution has taken is very different …..
 
#9 ·
I will take my sweet time deciding between the two, but I am going to check out a VanVan at a local central Texas dealer on Friday or Saturday. In photos I like the look of the grey one with the brown seat. Owned many bikes over 40 plus years of ownership but never a Suzuki. Maybe this will be the one. I will be 69 in January and probably don’t have many riding years left. :)
 
#15 · (Edited)
the van van 200 has not been "discovered" yet but it is a fantastic bike so the short answer is the TW and the RV200 are almost the same bikes as far as specs the van van has 1" less front fork travel but hp etc and all else is close enough to call them even

I do not think the van van is a street bike and the TW is an off road bike I think they are both perfect enduros and again the overall specs are identical

the van van may "look" more streety but in the hands of an experienced TW rider like Fred or several other riders on this forum I think both can go the same places equally as well

as far as which to own people that know me already know my answer is both

no miler (under 100 miles) and low milers (under 1000 miles) seem to be readily available for around $3200 but with properly worded advertising they will bring closer to $4k no problem but since they are unknown your ad has to help folks "discover" the glory of the van van 200

I'm currently in the market for another van van 200 and this is the best time of year to buy TW's and most bikes between Thanksgiving and New Years bikes go begging due to many factors like cold weather, needing holiday cash etc

I think anyone who like TW's will fall in love with the van van as well theres just nothing not to like

My only possible gripe might be small fuel tank (same as TW) and overly plush and comfortable seat but you butt will never complain about the seat being too comfy lol (how many many or woman hours have been spent trying to make a TW seat more comfortable ? the Van Van will never have that problem)

Accessories will not be as common but the Ricochet skid plate for the Suzuki DR200 will also fit the van van

If you added a TW200 front fork assembly you would basically have an identical spec'd bike to the TW with fuel injection and a factory oil cooler which in the two years I owned my first van van it could sit for months and I'd click the electric start and it would fire right up and idle from dead cold something my TW's never did on their best day
 
#16 ·
Fyi. . . . . .

https://reno.craigslist.org/mcy/d/reno-2017-suzuki-rv200/7029802604.html

2017 Suzuki RV200 - $3000 (Reno)












2017 suzuki rv200l

VIN: 643380005
condition: excellent
engine displacement (CC): 200
fuel: gas
odometer: 4200
paint color: blue
title status: clean
transmission: manual
type: dual-sport

I have a nice little fuel injection electric start trail bike for sale. Has never been laid down or crashed. Comes with a extra rack and fuel tank for longer rides, plus has a engine protection sub frame add and new sprocket rear for better cruising. $3000 775 636-3583
 
#18 ·
I looked seriously at TW, even made an offer on a couple used ones but didn't get them. I finally decided to purchase new and the dealer had TW's and the VV's in stock. After trying both it looked like the VV would be a better bike for me as I do little trail or off road riding but lots of county roads and farm two tracks. So far after 400 miles of riding this winter I think I made the right decision.

View attachment 200282
 
#19 ·
I looked seriously at TW, even made an offer on a couple used ones but didn't get them. I finally decided to purchase new and the dealer had TW's and the VV's in stock. After trying both it looked like the VV would be a better bike for me as I do little trail or off road riding but lots of county roads and farm two tracks. So far after 400 miles of riding this winter I think I made the right decision.

View attachment 200282

Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Motor vehicle Car
 
#20 ·
I looked seriously at TW, even made an offer on a couple used ones but didn't get them. I finally decided to purchase new and the dealer had TW's and the VV's in stock. After trying both it looked like the VV would be a better bike for me as I do little trail or off road riding but lots of county roads and farm two tracks. So far after 400 miles of riding this winter I think I made the right decision.

View attachment 200282

Spare fuel for all day trips
View attachment 200392

GPS with public lands chip
Cyclocomputer Bicycle handlebar Technology Electronic device Vehicle


Tool box hold tire spoons, jumpstart battery, CO2 inflator, wheel removing tools, patch kit, rain coat, scarf and spare gloves
 
#21 ·
I looked seriously at TW, even made an offer on a couple used ones but didn't get them. I finally decided to purchase new and the dealer had TW's and the VV's in stock. After trying both it looked like the VV would be a better bike for me as I do little trail or off road riding but lots of county roads and farm two tracks. So far after 400 miles of riding this winter I think I made the right decision.

View attachment 200282

Spare fuel for all day trips
View attachment 200392

GPS with public lands chip
View attachment 200394

Tool box hold tire spoons, jumpstart battery, CO2 inflator, wheel removing tools, patch kit, rain coat, scarf and spare gloves
Very cool setuo I'n guessing by the sun shining in one pic you must be on the eastern side of the mountains in Wa or Oregon ?

i like the idea of the GPS with public land maps I recently bought a Garmin portable for the same reason here in AZ
 
#25 ·
The VanVan is fuel injected as well, right?

I at least thought it was. That is nice, but does make working on it yourself a bit more complicated I guess? The single-cylinder carburated TW does mean you can pretty much do any of the work on it yourself.

I've done a lot so far, and am about to follow Tdubs Kids tutorial videos for swapping out my front/rear sprockets, changing my chain, and doing a valve adjustment. Not sure I'd be as quick to do it on the VanVan. Also, to the point of other members ... it's a Suzuki. Yamaha all the way! Simple and reliable :)
 
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#29 ·
Having owned both I can for certain say on paper they perform the same but in the real world the Yamaha is faster. The Suzuki may be more street oriented body and suspension but the Yamaha although a bit buzzy at high speed is far more capable. On a good day with the wind in the right direction I was able to achieve over 95kmh. with the TW I can ride at speeds around 110 no problems even with a bit of head wind.
 
#30 ·
The Rv200 is a cool little bike. I had a '97 Suzuki GSF1200S for twenty years and it never let me down, except that time I hit a deer. Weren't the bike's fault. Got my Suzuki '86 FA50 Shuttle that keeps buzzing along. Any of the Big Four make a quality product.
 
#32 ·
I get such great laughs from arm chair motorcycle “experts”". Commenting on the abilities of a motorcycle without riding one! Suspect commenters don’t even off road themselves, or even actually own a bike. Come be real. Love to hear how an “expert” actually successfully repaired thier beloved carb on trail side. My bet, never. As they don’t ride trails anymore, too old or something. Just gum flapping. Better are the ones who parrot the experts, geniuses from reading internet. Personally though a technician my whole life, I prefer to ride rather than maintain or repair. I get no joy in performing work without being paid. Years of repairing left me with arthritic hands that don’t like doing that.
I’ve tested the VV hard. Extreme use it’s identical to good running TW. Handling is a little better on my VV but I suspect due to new suspension where TW is a 1992.
Under super hard road use the VV FI causes some issues with over fueling. Not uncommon for FI units pushed past limits, older BMWs could do this to when pushed to hard. Some fixes but why? Adapt. Shouldn’t push that hard.
Under extreme cornering, I did find the TW more predictable than VV with overfueling. Both corner well enough to scare you.
 
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