Waterwolf: Son of Zombiestomper
Base model: 1987 Yamaha TW-200
Motivated by the awe-inspiring job done by Zombiestomper, as documented in this forum, my 2011-12 winter project was to convert a barely-running, decaying TW-200 into a head-turning addition to my assembly of kayak fishing gear. Carried on a rack on the back of a Toyota Land Cruiser, the bike would serve as a shuttle vehicle between the take-out point and the put-in point on fast flowing rivers. Very useful for solo trips or other occasions when bringing two cars is not an option.
I’d owned the bike for many years, but could never trust it to run right. The first photograph shows it – pre-conversion – being put to use as a shuttle vehicle in its original incarnation, circa 2002. It was retired from this duty several years ago due to its infuriating lack of reliability. But several unnecessary carburetor rebuilds later, the culprit was finally identified (with the help of this forum.) And the true problem was – drum roll, please – a faulty CDI! With the bike now running like a dream, and mesmerized by the miracles performed on the Zombiestomper (which I discovered while researching the CDI issue), the vision for the Waterwolf was born. I had never heard of a Theme Bike before but now was consumed with imaginings of what it could look like, tempered significantly by what my (very modest) technical abilities would allow.
My first decision was probably my best – do not remove the engine from the frame and don’t do anything which requires significant re-wiring -- which pretty much makes this a purely cosmetic rebuild. The second decision was to fix up the old shed behind the barn as a dedicated workshop, including building a ramp from cinder blocks and 2 by 8’s to bring the bike up to just above knee level.
Then I removed from the bike everything that was reasonably removable, painted it and reassembled it. But those sparse words don’t do justice to the experience. I really learned a lot! Like why people make such a big deal out of the preparation phase of painting. I also learned that I could replace little gizmos and doo-dads that were missing and worn out, either at the local hardware store or on the internet. I took it on my first kayak fishing trip of the season this weekend, and it was just like I pre-visualized it. The bike ran like a dream and served its purpose like a true champ.
The pictures tell the tale. And again, many thanks to Zombiestomper for the inspiration and encouragement.
Base model: 1987 Yamaha TW-200
Motivated by the awe-inspiring job done by Zombiestomper, as documented in this forum, my 2011-12 winter project was to convert a barely-running, decaying TW-200 into a head-turning addition to my assembly of kayak fishing gear. Carried on a rack on the back of a Toyota Land Cruiser, the bike would serve as a shuttle vehicle between the take-out point and the put-in point on fast flowing rivers. Very useful for solo trips or other occasions when bringing two cars is not an option.
I’d owned the bike for many years, but could never trust it to run right. The first photograph shows it – pre-conversion – being put to use as a shuttle vehicle in its original incarnation, circa 2002. It was retired from this duty several years ago due to its infuriating lack of reliability. But several unnecessary carburetor rebuilds later, the culprit was finally identified (with the help of this forum.) And the true problem was – drum roll, please – a faulty CDI! With the bike now running like a dream, and mesmerized by the miracles performed on the Zombiestomper (which I discovered while researching the CDI issue), the vision for the Waterwolf was born. I had never heard of a Theme Bike before but now was consumed with imaginings of what it could look like, tempered significantly by what my (very modest) technical abilities would allow.
My first decision was probably my best – do not remove the engine from the frame and don’t do anything which requires significant re-wiring -- which pretty much makes this a purely cosmetic rebuild. The second decision was to fix up the old shed behind the barn as a dedicated workshop, including building a ramp from cinder blocks and 2 by 8’s to bring the bike up to just above knee level.
Then I removed from the bike everything that was reasonably removable, painted it and reassembled it. But those sparse words don’t do justice to the experience. I really learned a lot! Like why people make such a big deal out of the preparation phase of painting. I also learned that I could replace little gizmos and doo-dads that were missing and worn out, either at the local hardware store or on the internet. I took it on my first kayak fishing trip of the season this weekend, and it was just like I pre-visualized it. The bike ran like a dream and served its purpose like a true champ.
The pictures tell the tale. And again, many thanks to Zombiestomper for the inspiration and encouragement.
