[keithert]

I'm considering getting a TW200. In the past I was a motorcycle safety instructor in Illinois. One of the types of bikes we used was the TW200. They are great bikes in this usage because they handle very well. The figure 8 test can easily be done on a TW200.



I also own a Jeep Wrangler and a Honda 4x4 ATV. I'm interested in a lightweight dual sport motorcycle to supplement my Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 for commuting duties and also to use for recreational offroad riding. I'm thinking that when my wife comes with my son and I on an offroad ride I'll ride a dual sport while she rides my ATV and my son rides his ATV. The type of trail riding we do is pretty tame.



My main concern is how comfortable the TW200 will be for a 45 minute commute. I find many motorcycles to have seats that are uncomfortable to me. The problem is with me rather than the bikes seats. I just have a hard time staying comfortable on a bike for long periods. My street bikes have had Corbin seats and they have been much better than stock but still not totally comfortable to me. My ATV actually has a pretty comfortable seat in that my body is upright and my weight gets spread onto my thighs as opposed to my cruisers where the weight is on the rear. If the TW has an upright seating position with a decently padded seat I think it should be okay. I'm 6 foot and weigh 225. How is the TW for a taller rider? I understand that Seat Concepts makes a wider seat for a low price.



I'm also considering bikes like the XT225/250. What do you guys like better about the TW than other dual sport bikes in its size class?

 

[mrbracket]

I'm sure many will chime in here. In my opinion, the TW is a jack-of-all-trades bike. It can do it all, just not fast! I'm 6'5" and weigh 260lbs, just raise the bars and move them forward some and you won't feel bent over on it. How much of your 45 minute commute is over 50mph? Mine can do 60mph with me on it no problem, but it is near it's max RPM. I jump on the HWY for short jaunts but I don't like riding more than a few miles on the HWY on my TW. I have the Seat Concepts seat on mine, I really like it. Check out my TW build thread, much of the stuff on it would be great for a taller rider like you. My favorite thing about the TW is that I'm not afraid to try new trails on it. It gets great traction with the giant back tire and it's small enough to man handle when the going gets tough. I'll ride it many places I wouldn't even attempt on my larger bikes.

 

[Point37]

i agree with mrbracket...i'm 6' 165lbs...it's a great all around bike...you know you're going to get biased information here but i will say that the seat is wider than a dirt bike seat so if you get a decent seat/seat kit you should be good...not sure where you live or what your commute is like but if you're on the highway in a heavily populated area you might want to take your vulcan...my daily commute is from southcoast MA thru providence RI so i wouldn't even think of trying it on my TW cause people drive crazy around here and the TW doesn't have the get-up-n-go to get you out of trouble...if it were all backroads to my workplace i would def take my TW



upgrades to think about:

-taller pair of bars or risers

-handguards if needed

-wider pegs if you want them

-better skid plate if needed

-better seat, could get it recovered at an upholstery shop, could buy a kit and do it yourself, could buy a over the seat pad



http://www.procycle.us/bikepages/tw200.html



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006JMK7N8...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_50fnom1ioo_b

 

[keithert]

Thanks for the replies. My commute is 30 miles of surface streets in the northwest Chicago suburbs. The traffic is not too bad and there is only one 4 mile stretch with a speed limit of 50 mph.



In the past I've had some lightweight bikes (although not this light) and I miss the feeling of riding a lightweight bike that turns on a dime.

 

[small's]

Seat concepts seat and you'd be good to go

 

[DonBenito]

You couldn't be more right about the TW's low-speed maneuverability. That's why I love mine for just tooling around the neighborhood or making a quick run to the store.



Off road, she's a gnarly little mountain goat that can chug along up and over pretty much anything. I think a TW is probably much better suited to riding with a group of quads than other dual sports for this very reason. Sure, there are videos on youtube of guys doing wheelies, donuts, and jumps on TWs, but most of us ride them much in the way the typical quad bike rider rides. Most off-road bikes are designed to go-go-go without putting your feet down, but with a TW a guy your height (or a guy way shorter like me for that matter) can pretty much stop anywhere and put both feet down. This might be useful when you're riding with folks whose vehicles don't fall over when they stop moving.



You will love riding your TW off-road.



Just out of curiosity though, did MSF ever let you fellas take one of their fleet TWs out for a spin on the town? If not, you may be up for a rude awakening.



As I recall the MSF course never gets much above 25 mph. This speed range is definitely the sweet spot for the TW200. Around 40 mph, it kinda runs out of OOMPH. Don't get me wrong, I've had mine over 75mph many times and it didn't shake apart or spontaneously combust or anything, but it takes a long time to get there. That thing you can do on your 1500 where you're cruising along at 45 and for one reason or another you gotta vamoose so you drop a gear, hit the throttle, and you're outta there? This cannot be done on the TW200. The brakes are not fantastic either, which is another thing to think about.



Your commute may differ from mine, but being able to get out of the way in a hurry is something that I find comes in handy. Stopping in a hurry comes in handy too.



The TW can't be beat on gas mileage though, so if you find that it does meet your commuting needs you'll pay for it in gas savings alone in just a few years.

 

[frog13]

Thanks for the replies. My commute is 30 miles of surface streets in the northwest Chicago suburbs. The traffic is not too bad and there is only one 4 mile stretch with a speed limit of 50 mph.



In the past I've had some lightweight bikes (although not this light) and I miss the feeling of riding a lightweight bike that turns on a dime.

If 50mph is the fastest posted speed limit on your commute.....your fine.There is a sprocket/speed & RPM calculator on this forum....find it.You'll see even 60 mph is not a strain on the TW engine.



For comfort concerns in the seat Dept.: Look at,Alaska leathers butt pads & Bead riders (beads that cover your seat).

 

[r80rt]

The TW makes me grin out loud, the others are just motorcycles.

 

[keithert]

DonBenito, you have some very good points. A previous bike was a Suzuki Savage 650. I loved the feel of the bike but the comfort was just not what I needed. So I've had an underpowered bike before. But I'm sure a 650 single makes quite a bit more power than a 200 single. For some reason I've been drawn to a small bike lately. The other MSF bike I'd like to own is the Honda Nighthawk 250. There is a regular contributor to Rider magazine that has ridden his 250 all over the southeast. The Nighthawk of course wouldn't be usable offroad. In the MSF the most we got the bikes up to was 25 mph. So I've never ridden either at 40 mph. I'll have to get a test ride on a TW200. I'd like to pay around $2000 for a TW and get an early 2000s model. There was an 06 for sale locally for $2000 recently but I won't be ready to buy until March.

 

[yz250f4ever]

I Think you will like the TW200 alot. Like everyone said they can do everything just not as fast as persay some of the larger dual sports. The mods I have done to mine are: DG pipe, Pro taper bars, ODI grips, Power madd hand gaurds, Re-jet, Needle shim modd, bridgestone 203 and 204 street tires, etc... Mine currently does 79mph (probably would have broke 80 if i held it on longer) on flat ground. I have cruised on the freeway once before for a 10 mile jaunt and it did fine motor wasnt revving out at 60-62 at all, gonna try it for a longer jaunt here soon.

 

[mattmus4357]

I'd like to pay around $2000 for a TW and get an early 2000s model. There was an 06 for sale locally for $2000 recently but I won't be ready to buy until March.

Just keep your eyes out for good deals, I got my '07 w/ 2000 miles for $1850. However, that cheap bike is getting more expensive by the day. It seems like I'm dropping $20 here, $100 there to add accessories