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First bike, some pictures and some questions.

5K views 40 replies 17 participants last post by  Badgerflorida 
#1 ·
So I'm 41 and never ridden a day in my life and moved out to a very small remote town in Colorado. Perfect place for a motorcycle. Saw a TW200 one day and fell in love. Took me about three months of looking before I bought a 2001 with 8k miles for $1200. Bike was in damn near perfect shape besides a few paint scrapes and some worn out tires. I had my mod plans all laid out before I even bought the bike.

The day I brought her home
Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Car Spoke


One month later....
Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Car Supermoto


I am having a hard time deciding what color to paint the tank. Some suggestions would be great.

Am getting some spray from the rear tire up my back when riding through rain and would like to know exactly where and how much I need to add some fender to the back tire to fix it.
 
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#2 ·
Welcome, fellow Coloradoan!

No suggestions here, as my only suggestion would have been not to remove the fender -- but it seems you have gone for a particular look which requires less plastics.

i love going to the DOW/BLM range out in BV. when I get a hitch carrier again, I plan to take the TW!
 
#5 ·
Welcome from the state next to yours.....with much less glamorous riding venues. BV isn't that small. Granted, it's not Denver or the Springs, but it's a nice little town. And lots of good fishing close by. Best of luck with your fender issues, and finding the perfect color for your hollow mod.
 
#6 ·
Here is what seems to be cut-down factory plastic: Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Car Supermoto


While none of these will keep you dry here are some more bobber fender options from the internet:

Extending the seat line with a custom fender is more common: Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Automotive tire Motor vehicle
Land vehicle Motorcycle Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive tire


Third option is a mini fender that hits the rear tire: Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Tire Automotive tire


As far as paint selection use your imagination, maybe create a unique theme. Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Car Rim
 
#8 ·
Heck, the OP is just getting started. Might continue to tinker with it so it'll look like the below TW once day. Until then this may just be the beginning of a love affair with the TW.


Made a "Ridged" TW and lowered it. This TWSportster looks kind of cool. I'd wear one of those Snoopy or Red Baron leather helmets if riding a TW that looked like this one.
 
#10 ·
Errtu, I'm thinking you are not going to have the luxury of only MacGuyver'ing the rear fender once, as you are doing a "build" that is trying for the "hollow" look. The rear tire on our TW's is PHAT and SASSY, aka Splashy in the water. The spray from the tire is going to need pretty good coverage to keep off your back and britches. Just sayin'.
 
#11 ·
What Tom says above seems pretty much spot on. The complete, unaltered factory rear cowl plus black fender is your best bet to reduce most, but not all, of the water tossed up on wet roads. None of the bobber fenders will keep you dry.
The bobber style is popular for its looks, not functionality.
Unfortunately to really stop most of the spray thrown up by the tires they need to be much more enclosed.
I say embrace the spray, or avoid wet riding altogether. Land vehicle Vehicle Motorcycle Fuel tank Motor vehicle
 
#12 ·
Those are some cool bikes you found Fred. I would say as far as making a rear fender try mocking up temporary shapes out of card board and duct tape and do trial and error to find a shape that is the best compromise. Anything much different from the stock fender is going to be a compromise.
 
#16 ·
A rigid TW conversion is crazy even on the street only. I painted my shocks on the Radian one time, nothing will stick to slick oily metal, except Rustoleum Hammered paint I found out. That made a rigid ride. You hit the brakes and the bike slides, around a corner the bike slides. If you don't absorb the shock with your legs the bike hops across imperfections. That rigid bike above looks nice but I would leave a shock.
 
#17 ·
I would never, never, never make a bike with shocks rigid. I think the drag racers do that, but I'm not a drag racer, nor am I a fan of bobbers with a rigid rear end. Suspension is great.;):glasses9:
 
#21 ·
#23 ·
Your bike looks nice. I think the TW dresses down pretty nicely. It would be nice if Yamaha made a street version TW with enough power and control to hold about 80 mph. I ride mine mostly on the streets but avoid the freeway. 55 mph was fine but 65 mph speed limit it just can't hang in there and that makes it dangerous without any reserve speed. I hope that ankle heals up quickly. I bet you buy some bike boots now.
 
#29 ·
I hope that ankle heals up quickly. I bet you buy some bike boots now.
Funny thing is I have bought three pairs and returned three pairs. What is with motorcycle boots and sizing? My regular size is 10.5 so I have bought size 9, 10 and 11 and all of them were either too big or would not tighten down enough. They all felt like clown shoes. Downside of living in a remote town is there is nowhere close to shop for motorcycle stuff at all. Nearest place is over 3 hours round trip.
 
#26 ·
Bike looks great....ankle, not so much. Hope you heal up fast!


The photo looks like it is up towards Cottonwood Pass.





I remember the tunnels east of town when someone mentions Buena Vista. We rode through there on the CoBDR.



 
#30 ·
Bike looks great....ankle, not so much. Hope you heal up fast!


The photo looks like it is up towards Cottonwood Pass.




I remember the tunnels east of town when someone mentions Buena Vista. We rode through there on the CoBDR.




Love those tunnels. Wanted to take my brother from St. Elmo up through the continental divide down to Tin Cup then to Taylor Reservoir and back through Cottonwood Pass but they have the damn road closed for like two years for paving....
 
#28 ·
Thanks for all the support. I was riding just a few miles from my house just north of Buena Vista. The crash happened so fast I'm still not sure what happened. I was wearing regular hiking boots but the doctor said if i was wearing motorcycle boots, the twist would have went to my knee which would have been worse since my knees are in really bad shape.
 
#31 ·
What a terrible way to end a day’s outing. Hope you heal quickly and share any rescue details.
Some boots I ordered online were a bit tight so I stretched them out with water ballons of water inserted into boot at the tight spots, then left in freezer overnight. Expanding ice stretched the leather nicely. Wads of paper were used to fill gaps where no stretching was needed.
 
#32 ·
What a terrible way to end a day’s outing. Hope you heal quickly and share any rescue details.
Thanks. No real exciting rescue details. At the top of the forest road I was riding on it dead ends at a popular trail head. Before I turned around and was heading home, there were no less than a dozen vehicles there. I was lying on the ground for no more than five minutes before A car drove up. The nice gentleman moved my bike off the road then drove me the mile and a half back to my house.
 
#35 ·
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