Input on my 1987 TW purchase

Bauerman said:

I'm perplexed, why did you hate the 2003? It's literally the SAME bike as your new one from a riding perspective. The same.

Do tell.

Click to expand...

No doubt that the 2003 was identical to the 2023 and 1987 that I now have.

The story is that I had just come from riding the big XR650L, trying to make it work on tight, steep, rooty, rocky and slippery trails. Being that I'm 5'8" and couldn't hardly touch the damn ground, even with a lowering link and lower seat, along with the heavy weight, it didn't work out too well. My search was on for a small, light and nimble trail bike. Problem was, I hadn't realized my issue was the seat height yet. So in my mind, watching all the Youtube videos of guys ripping through trails on 250cc two strokes, I thought I needed something similar; and the TW was not that kind of bike.

For whatever reason, I thought that the fat tires on the TW made it exactly the bike that I didn't want. I tried a few 250cc bikes, not the least of which was the XT250. That bike was better for seat height, but still not great on the trails - at least not for me. I then realized that I needed a short seat height and a very short first gear. I searched and researched to no end to find that bike. I nearly settled on the new Honda Trail 90 or a smaller CRF, KLX or similar 125cc bike. As I couldn't really find what I was looking for, I picked up the '03 TW on a whim. The bike actually worked pretty well on the few trail rides I went on. But I didn't give it enough time nor a fair shake. I couldn't accept it for not being the fast, powerful bikes I've been watching rip up the same trails on Youtube.

It didn't help matters that it had a DG exhaust that was ear piercingly loud and a rear rack that I thought was ugly. The bike reminded me of the old Big Wheel bikes from the 80s. I rode one a few times and didn't like the way it felt in the corners. I remembered it not handling nearly as well as my old XR100 and I didn't like it.

After letting the trailbike situation sit for awhile and then coming back to it, I decided that maybe the TW was the best trailbike for me and decided to put my preconceived bias aside and try it again. I picked up a new 23 TW and haven't looked back since.