[makakio]

Hello all - avid follower here and I'd like to thank all contributors for putting together such an awesome resource for TW owners. After muuuuch surfing, I've picked up some very good info and themes as to what I want to do with the bike (now at 800 miles and needing a service). This was going to be a wrench-on-it-myself type of affair as I'm an interested, but total noob, to bike DIY.



Unfortunately (and after issues with the float bowl -- even after having Yam dealer clean and reassemble after taking possession from my father in law a year ago), the bike has never really started well (too rich, it floods, etc etc) -- and with fuel now readily leaking from the carb (bad gasket / reassembly) I am in over my head and will be taking it down to a local tech for help.



While it's there, I'd planning to have him work on a few things and here's where I need the help. I have a general plan of what I want done, but I'd also take suggestions and comments:



1) fix the damn carb leak / float bowl / adjustments. LOTS of info on that here and if anyone wants to make a suggestion (jets, washers, etc) - I'm all ears, but FYI I live and ride at 572 ft elevation, my rides top out at 1600 feet and drop down to 0 and my riding temps range from 50 to 90F ambient -- so I'm pretty much a set-it-to-stock scenario, I'd think.



2) as I very predominately ride asphalt and some fire roads, I'll go to a 15T front sprocket and replace the rear with new (stock gearing). Also going to an o-ring chain. I would very much like suggestion as to where to order those sprockets and the chain. And please advise: is this still a 428 chain or does the additional front tooth require a different model?



3) oil service, check clutch adjustment



4) tires: as I mainly ride street I'll likely swap out the decade-old OEM rubber for shinko (428) or b-stone (203/204). A TOTAL NOOB question: there's a lot of talk about "catastrophic" tube failures and how tubeless tires are safer to run. Are the Shinko and b-stones tubeless? Or does going from tubes to tubeless require a whole different rim? Is time (say 11 years) a big concern when it comes to tube longevity/safety? Yeah, I know, bear with me - but I don't want a tube to let go while coming round a corner at 45 in the woods around here...



5) stainless braided front brake line (and fresh brake fluid). Universally recommended so I'll make it happen. Where?



6) fuel filter install -- I'm a believer. who recommends what -- and where to purchase?



Again, my thanks. I do realize that by continuing my research I can probably develop 30 different answers to each question above, but many of you have real (and up-to-date, regular) experience with ordering parts, wrenching on your bikes -- or you've already made these mods and have done the 'whoops, gotta go back and reorder to fit' exercise, so know that I sincerely appreciate the assist.



Also, I do have items like bars/grips, headlight bulb, horn and fender/fork brace mods on deck - but those are projects I'm comfortable tackling myself. Other recommendations would be appreciated!



Matt

Santa Cruz, CA

 

[lizrdbrth]

1. If you have a Cali model you actually have richer jetting, so no worries at sea level-4,000 ft. or so.



2. 15T is as far as I'd go towards gearing upward.



3. You didn't say what year your bike is, but you can download the manual and do a full service on it yourself with some basic skills and tools. II'm assuming you have a late model because of the disc, so you'll need the '01-up spplemental download as well.



4. Consider your planned use for the bike before going to the more street-oriented rubber. They can be like riding on snot, even on fire roads. You get a fair amount of rain up there.



5. Stainless brake hoses are a plus on any bike.



6. I use the "L" shaped filters found at lawnmower and garden equipmernt shops. The straight automotive and motorcycle types can be a tight fit.



Welcome. We have several members up there. One or two of them may even be mentally stable.

 

[makakio]

Thanks Lizzard. First, a thanks for reading all the way through that long-a$$ post. A few qualifiers:



It's actually an Oregon model bike.



Want to gear up just a bit and some here report being happy with the 15T front - would you suggest sticking with the 14T and changing out the rear sprocket?



I hid the year in the thread title - 2001.



One would think street rubber would be better in the rain than knobs. Hmmm. Any ideas as to the tubes / no tubes question I posed?



THANKS for that tip on the L-shaped filter. Props.

 

[lizrdbrth]

I know your area. Not well, but enough.



It may be low in elevation, but it's hilly, and with frequent need to get moving or get run over, no?



Anyway, that's why I don't recomend getting too carried away with gearing.



The stock knobbies are are better in the rain than than the 203/204's are in the dirt, if you're gunna compromise.

 

[qwerty]

Tires are 10 years old. No matter how much tread is left, they are still 10 years old. Old tires are significantly more likely to fail catastrophicaly than new tires. I replace tires, tubes, and rim strips as sets. I never mount a tire over 3 years old and never keep a tire on a vehicle over 3 years. Dry rot is an insidious tire killer.



Google TW200 sprocket and 428 o-ring chain for those parts. I shop for price-plus-shipping and do not accept deals "to good to be true".



Parts Unlimited sells a 15T countershaft sprockets, but you'll need bigger than stock bolts for the retainer. You'll need to drill the retainer. The Yamaha 50T wheel sprocket is excellent quality. I don't know of any bad brands of o-ring chains in the TW's 428 size. DID, RK and SK all cost about the same, and they all work. You'll need 122 links length. You mat also need a side cover gasket when you change the countershaft sprocket. I'm on my third countershaft sprocket, 47xxx miles, and still on the original gasket.

 

[makakio]

Thanks both! Much learned here.

 

[makakio]

UPDATE:



All work performed (800mi 'break-in' tune) except that I ended up sticking with tires/tubes for the moment.



Carb: float assembly was tweaked -- last guys who took it apart (FYI - Yamaha dealer in Bend, Oregon) to clean the carb really bent it out of shape AND crimped the float bowl gasket. Replaced, along with jets (shimmed per info here).



Valves: needed significant adjusting. Bike is soooo much smoother now.



Everything else looked good and tech was able to fit the inline "L" fuel filter up and under the edge of the plastic fairing by the carb. Neat fitment.



O-ring chain and new 14T on front with a 47T on rear stretched the gearing out a little without any penalty. Hits 60mph sooo much easier. Can't feel that the oring has robbed any power adn 1st is actually useful on the street while 2nd gear starts are still very smooth and don't require much additional throttle / clutch feed-in.

 

[qwerty]

Glad you like it. Even though a TW is an obsolete engine design, it is still a high performance engine that is sensitive to tune.



14/47 is about the same as 15/50.



O-ring chains don't draw enough power to worry about unless you're in a very competitive racing class.



Stick with the TW34 rear tire and use a Kenda K270 or Shinko Golden Boy in 5.10-18 on the front. Either is better than the stock front tire in any condition from dry concrete to gumbo mud. Replace tires, tubes, and rim strips as a set.

 

[TW_in_BC]

You can buy the angled fuel filters from BikeBandit.com



http://www.bikebandit.com/visu-filters-in-line-fuel-filter