[bondfast]

Hi gang,



I have yet to own a TW200 but maybe soon ...



I live in Toronto, Canada which is chock full of streetcar tracks & potholes galore. I'm really interested in the TW200 as a little street-&-commute-to-the-'burbs bike because of its big tires & reliability. Off-road, not so much, but maybe some ... Right now I own a moped and have owned larger bikes in the past - a 550 Yamaha & a 450 Honda.



Anyway, I'm going to look at a 1998 TW200 Enduro (asking price $2400 Canadian - 2300 km on the clock) which from the pix seems to be in reasonable shape & the seller says it's in fine shape but I'll know more when I see it. He bought it from a dealer a couple of months ago & is looking to sell it now. Don't know what the story is there but I will be asking that for sure.



The price is way too high I think, I thought I'd offer $1500-$1800 cash if it looks OK & then spend the winter & maybe another few hundred to get it ready for the spring.



My questions are:



- does the 1998 model differ from the current model in any major way (lighting system, frame, general quality of workmanship?

- does it come with the same brake system (front disc, rear drum)?

- anything I should be looking for to raise the "do not go there" alarm?

- am I right, is the price way too high?





Thanks a lot - I'd really appreciate any feedback. I've heard really great things about this bike & your forum.





Richard

 

[migopod]

That sounds quite pricey to me. Not sure what the average used bike prices are like in Canada, but in USD a brand new 2010 TW200 runs just a bit over $4000. When I was looking at classifieds they do appear to keep a lot of their value, but that seems like it's still pretty high for a machine that's pushing 12 years.



As far as differences, I believe that in 01 they switched to the front disk and a different carburetor, but I'm still a bit of a newb on TW history, so I may be wrong there.



By the way, most of the streets in my area are horribly maintained, ruts, potholes weird bumps, etc., and I've found the TW is a much more comfortable ride on the worst of the roads here than my street bike.

 

[vuldub]

Richard:

The price is reasonable, we don't seem to have the same low pricing on used TW's here in Canada that they do down in the States. For example:

1999 TW in Calgary

I believe that the 98 has a drum front brake. I much prefer disc brakes.

2300km, that's good, not riden that much.

Check the usual stuff like fork leaks, frame stresses, chain might be stretched, look at the spockets for irregular wear pattern, etc.

Might want to read this:

Flyin Al's TW advice

 

[assquatch20]

I'm not positive about Canadian models, but it seems like 01 made the switch from drum to disc up front, a new carb, and a smaller mouth on the gas tank.

 

[bondfast]

Thanks a lot guys - that gives me something solid to go by. I checked out a few dealers today (those that remain) but none of them had tw200's on the floor - or any dual sport for that matter - so I couldn't see one in the flesh. It seems the 2011 Canadian base price is $5149 + the usual fees + taxes, so I guess a 1998 for 2400 isn't too unrealistic. Anyway I will see how it goes when I see the bike & I will let you guys know.



Thanks guys - Richard

 

[gerrychartrand]

If you want to take a little drive to save a few bucks, there's a 98 for sale in Ottawa (not mine), listed at $1700.



Here is the ad: http://www.usedottawa.com/classified-ad/98-Yamaha-TW200_13142704

 

[qwerty]

- does the 1998 model differ from the current model in any major way (lighting system, frame, general quality of workmanship?



2001 upgrades included disc brake, automatic cam chain adjuster, different carb, upgraded electrics with halogen headlight, different gas cap, and loss of kickstart mechanism. There are a variety of other changes over the years, mostly insignificant production things like a different rear tire tread pattern, different gasket materials, different paint and labels, etc. Fact is, though, other than a significantly brighter headlight, actual functionality hasn't changed that much.



- does it come with the same brake system (front disc, rear drum)?



No. Drum until 2000, disc 2001 and later.



- anything I should be looking for to raise the "do not go there" alarm?



Stock chain is trash and will not last more than 6,000 miles no matter how annal one is with maintenance. As a bargaining point the chain will be at least half way worn out--argue for a price reduction. Plan on a new chain of better quality and sprockets soon.



- am I right, is the price way too high?



I can not comment on Canadian markets. I paid $1800US in 2007 for a 2003 with 712 miles in showroom condition except missing 1 mirror. Value retention seemed to take a leap up with $4/gallon gasoline a couple years ago and has not readjusted downward. You'll need to do your own monetary conversions.