My 2003 TW200 has 700 miles on it. Could it just be "not broke in"? I mean I have currently three bikes to compare, the TW200 Xt225 and DR350. In terms of road speed, The Tw200 is more like a CB125 I used to have, the Xt225 feels more like the DR350 than the TW200. When I was young I had a CB200T Honda that, if you laid on the tank, would tickle 80mph any day. the XT225 hit 75 with ease. The TW200 MIGHT hit 65 if you stay in it long enough and you dont have a head wind or hill.
I would like to take a few short trips on this bike, but with wfo speeds of 60 mph, and slowing on the hills, I could see other drivers getting "upset" and "aggressively" passing me in less than safe maneuvers...
The bike seems to run smooth and steady, but I also read about re-jetting the carb. Would I really see a difference? I really like to ride this bike on the dirt roads and trails. I am a big guy, 6'2, 275. Am I better just trailering it to the trails and mountains to ride off road?
It takes about 2000 miles for Tdub to break in. You're just getting to the point where you'll start noticing slowly improving performance.
A properly tuned carb can also make a noticeable difference.
You don't give your location or elevation, but proper jetting can help. Keyword "proper". "Proper"=compromise if you still want it to run acceptably once you hit the mountains.
Sort the postings here carefully. You have the new-style CV carb as opposed to the early carb. Often posters here don't differentiate, leading to buckets of bad info and worse running bikes.
I don't give a rip what anyone claims, shimming needles and fattening jets will kill your bike in the mountains, unless your mountains are under 3,000 ft.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Exactly why I try to avoid giving part numbers to specific individuals. Go to the "Carb Tuning" sticky and pay attention to the Butt Dyno Diagnostics listed therein. I listed the common rideability issues for poorly tuned carbs. This applies to any carbed, spark ignition engine, not just TWs. Understanding what to look for and how to eliminate those problems is the key to keeping any carbed engine operating it's best. With a little experience, it is possible to plan in advance when and where to stop for a rejet to keep the engine happy.
lizrdbrth is also right about fattening a mixture being the wrong thing to do for riding in the mountains. The stock EPA-mandated 49-state North American tune was just about perfect on the 12,000-foot passes in the Rockies, and slightly rich (slight off-idle bog) at 14,000+ feet atop Pike's Peak with 40*F temps. The exact same state of tune resulted in surging, pinging, and poor throttle response at 1100 feet riding through Carter, TX, a week later, with temps touching 100*F. A 10-minute roadside rejet cured the poor drivability in Carter, but the resulting tune probably would have resulted in a fuel-fouled spark plug long before reaching the top of Pike's Peak.
Point is, learn to listen to what your engine is telling you, and make adjustments based on the conditions you expect to be riding through. Carbs balance air and fuel by volume. Engines need oxygen and fuel balanced by particle count. Learn to work within the physical limits of a carb--don't expect more than the technology can deliver. Only an electronic air/fuel mixing system responding to a lamda sonde reading in the exhaust can do that.
