[wvbobsmith]

Hi All,



I'm new here and I just bought a leftover "09. This is my first Yamaha, but I have a few other bikes. I would like to use the TW as a small "Adventure Bike" so it needs a few things. I see nice big racks on the front and back in some of your pictures, (maybe from Cycleracks??) I would like to put hand guards and a good skidplate on also. I would like to here your pro's and con's about the available accessories and the good guys to deal with when it's time to buy. Any advice at all about owning this bike would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Bob

 

[qwerty]

First thing to do is toss the chain and put on an o-ring chain. the stock chain is junk, will wear super fast, requires constant maintenance, and will take out the sprockets in just s few thousand miles, at best. An o-ring chain on good sprockets will last 25,000+ miles with minimal maintenance.

 

[gskeem]

Welcome!



You did good as this forum was an excellent step forward.



1. Read and digest the entries.



2. Check that clutch spring.



3. Enjoy/take care of the best bike ever- as this forum will fill in the blanks.



4. Dump the chain as stated above and replace..

 

[Rainman]

Cycleracks makes wonderful products and they are outstanding guys. Very pleased to deal with them.



As for a skid plate, I put on a Ricochet from www.utahsportcycle.com. I am very happy with it. Its a little pricey but has protected my bike wonderfully. I would buy another one in a heart beat.



As for handguards, there are many different ones out there. I bought some Tusk D-Flex from rockymountainatvmc.com. I love them. They fit great and actually work (I've tested them the hard way).

 

[sinophilia]

Welcome Bob, you are in the right place.



As suggested by many other members, I got a Cycleracks rear rack and a Ricochet skid plate. The tiny "Jimbo" windscreen and larger footpegs are also favorite mods. Plenty of information on the forum on these things.

I would also suggest adding a kickstarter.

 

[wvbobsmith]

WOW!!! This is the kind of info I had hoped for. THANK YOU!!! Keep it coming---cover me up



Bob

 

[TK200]

Must have stash tube, waterproof. I mounted mine using a 3/4 p-clip from Ace Hardware, there was still a little play so I removed it and wrapped a thin strip of rubber off an old bicycle tube I butchered, clamped it down and away we go. http://agrisupply.com/operators-manual-canister/p/67670/c2p/hp/ you can take off the yellow lettering with a little OOP's on a piece of paper towel, hit it with some armour all and it looks like something straight from the factory.

 

[vuldub]

Bob:



Some popular mods/accessories:



-attach the clutch spring so commonly missed by dealerships on initial assembly

-Rack from Cycleracks (there are other racks too, search on racks)

-Hand guards (I have Tusk D-flex from Rockymountain Cycle and like them)

-handle bars risers (if you need to get them higher - search on risers)

-footpegs, flatter (D2Moto)

-tires, ATV or other

-Jimbo windshield (he's a forum member that makes them)

-Stearns ATV seat cover (Walmart)

-O-ring chain (stock stretches easily, wears sprockets)

-Ricochet skid plate (a must for offroad)

-tractor owners manual holder - plastic tube (farm supply house - for carrying stuff - mounted on sides of racks, or upfront under front rack) or a welding rod holder

-rear rack box (Rubbermaid Action packer)



More:

-rised front fender

-oil cooler

-quick connect bolts for seat bolts

-12V accessory plug

-Clarke (other other) gas tank (larger)

-Rear sprocket change (bigger for offroad, smaller for highway)

-carb rejet and airbox breathing mods

-extra fuel carrier (Kolpin Jr or MSR fuel bottle inside tractor tube)





What did I miss?

 

[Xracer]

Shim the carb needle,turn out the mixture screw and drill the slide. Use the search button and enjoy your new ride.Also use good oil and change it often.

 

[wvbobsmith]

I can see right now, ----I am going to spend some time on this forum. This is going to be an adventure starting right now. I enjoy making a motorcycle my motorcycle. The bike has one mile on it and I decided to try to put a few more on it after work today. We still have a little snow on the ground and my driveway is ice, so I know I have to be careful not to dump this brand new bike and break something. Well, I have spent the evening trying to adjust the clutch cable so I could kick it in gear without killing the engine. I can't seem to land those adjusters in the right place. SO, the spring that dealers sometimes miss, tell me more about it. Maybe that is what is wrong. I was not impressed with the dealer that sold me the bike and it will not surprise me to find out that they missed something like this. Thanks again, Bob

 

[Rainman]

http://tw200forum.com/index.php?/topic/431-clutch-slipping-check-spring/



The spring sits on top of the motor where your clutch cable attaches. Some TWer's have had the problem of receiving a new or used TW and having this spring not connected properly. If this spring is not in the right spot you will not be able to adjust the cable to your liking. Take a look at the pictures.



You have gotten wonderful advice from the other members. Four things I wish I knew when I got my TW were: Handguards, better skid plate, better front tire, and o-ring chain. The rest are add-ons that you can do when you have the time/money, but the four previously mentioned items are things that I feel are must haves ASAP.

 

[wvbobsmith]

The red arrow in Vuldub's picture ( http://tw200forum.com/index.php?/topic/431-clutch-slipping-check-spring/) saved the day. I had looked at that spring and seen the bottom was hooked up and the clutch had some return tension, so I didn't look for the other end of the spring. After seeing the picture, I ran back out to the garage and found the top of the spring to be unhooked.

Thank Ya, Thank Ya, Thank Ya,



Bob

 

[vuldub]

I was at the motorcycle show last weekend and there was a brand new 2011 TW200 on the show floor, with a wrongly attached clutch spring. I was tempted to fix it.... Still happening folks.

 

[vuldub]

You have gotten wonderful advice from the other members. Four things I wish I knew when I got my TW were: Handguards, better skid plate, better front tire, and o-ring chain. The rest are add-ons that you can do when you have the time/money, but the four previously mentioned items are things that I feel are must haves ASAP.

OMG, I couldn't live without my Rubbermaid Action packer! It holds a whole case of beer! Just kidding.

I would put my Jimbo shield as a must have too.

Stearns seat pad - for $15 my butt thanks me.

Risers - my neck thanks me.

 

[rtbuckingham]

Risers - my neck thanks me.

Voldub, Now I understand this outs me as a total newbie to TWs, but what are risers? And what do they do?



-DCTW

 

[vuldub]

Risers are extentions for your handle bars to raise them and bring them closer to you. For some, it make the handlebars at a more comfortable reach and reduces neck fatigue. For dirt bikes (or just off road) it raises the handlebars so they are more reachable when standing on the pegs (especially for tall people).

Tusk Risers

 

[rtbuckingham]

Ahhh. As a 6'4" rider, these will be a welcomed addition. No neck pain to speak of, but I standing on the pegs makes for a good reach.



Thanks for the explanation.



DCTW

 

[srs713]

Ahhh. As a 6'4" rider, these will be a welcomed addition. No neck pain to speak of, but I standing on the pegs makes for a good reach.



Thanks for the explanation.



DCTW

Careful with this one...

more than 2" rise (I think?) and you need longer cables for clutch & throttle.

And possibly re-routing the electrical wires.