Yamaha TW200 motorcycle hunting - share your thoughts

M

Matlock

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Anyone using a Yamaha TW200 motorcycle for hunting/transportation? What are your thoughts on these bikes? Have you had any experience with some of the similar model/competitor bikes? (Yamaha XT250, Honda CRF250L, DR200S/DR200SE) How does it compare?

Thanks for sharing!
 
I had a TW200 for several years and it ran like a champ. The reason that I finally sold it was that at 6'3" the frame was just a little to small for me. For short rides it was fine but 20+ miles on forest service roads and my crotch area would literally go numb due to my leg position. I have had a lot of dirt bikes and need a full size frame for a more natural riding position. If your knees are not to high when your feet are on the pegs then you will love it!
 
I've been looking at them for years. Just the opposite of the above post, I'm 5'7" and have short legs 29"inseam drags on the floor. The TW-200 was the only bike that even comes close to being comfortable and even then I was looking for a way to lower it more(even found that). While my mind is still 21 my body is 70 and I'm pretty sure my off road motorcycle days are over. There seems to be a lot of people that find it a very nice trail bike that they can still take out on the hiway, even quite a few commuters on them.

I'm looking for a Baja Bug now to tow behind the van, I would love to have a dune buggy but in the NW it is cold and rains so something enclosed is more to my liking.
 
I have a dr125 that has been riden HARD for over 10 years. I am 6'3" also but the small frame doesn't bother me. I couldn't ride it for 20 miles either though. I also ride a 230TTR and it works great as well.

Those little bikes will run forever and take a lot of abuse.
 
Originally Posted By: jcs271I had a TW200 for several years and it ran like a champ. The reason that I finally sold it was that at 6'3" the frame was just a little to small for me. For short rides it was fine but 20+ miles on forest service roads and my crotch area would literally go numb due to my leg position. I have had a lot of dirt bikes and need a full size frame for a more natural riding position. If your knees are not to high when your feet are on the pegs then you will love it!

I'd say I'm taller than the average guy - a hair below 6' - but not quite that tall. This is actually very useful feedback though because I used to own a Suzuki RM125 and it was on the smaller side for me towards my end of ownership. I need to get out and test drive one of these TW200's before I make any decisions. Thanks for the feedback.
 
Originally Posted By: AzDiamondHeatThose little bikes will run forever and take a lot of abuse.

That is what I've heard...
 
Rokon bikes were something i looked at for hunting.

With two daughters that went away fast.

If you are looking for a hunting rig look at those if you haven't seen them before. Those were made to last, and be repaired by the average guy.
 
I've definitely seen those around, but I never knew what they were called. I would probably be looking for something with a bit more on and off-road capability. There are more dirt roads in Idaho than paved roads, but sometimes you have to ride a paved road to get to the next dirt road.
 
I'm an ex rokon guy former rokon dealer,looking at a TW 200 and what all I would need to do to it to get it to haul my heavy self through the woods.
P8060009.jpg
 
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I have a TW200. Been using it for hunting for about 5 years and love it.



I made a tail rack for mine so I could carry a rifle, action packer box, and a folding chair for predator calling. The action packer box has a 12 volt plug inside. This allows me to recharge batteries in my e-caller or cell phone and run a USB cable to the handle bars to operate a GPS unit.

Here is a link to more info about the tail rack.
http://tw200forum.com/forum/performance-...ed-hunting.html

Yamaha has not changed the TW200 since 1987. So a new 2016 is the same bike as a 1987 model. This makes finding parts easy and there are a lot of after market accessories available for them. Very simple bike that is easy to work on. First gear is like a granny gear and the wide tires allow this bike to go anywhere. Top speed is 65mph on level ground. I can drop the tire pressure down to 5 psi and use it like a sand buggy, but I typically run 20psi for most riding conditions. I also use my TW200 for transportation around town and it gets about 70 miles/gallon. The main gas tank has a range of about 100 miles with an additional 20 miles on the reserve side. They come from the factory to be street licensed.
 
Funny, I've also been thinking of one of those Yamahas for predator/varmint hunting for some time now. Screwed around and missed one at a dealer for a decent price last summer.
Looks like Fursniper nailed it.
 
Nice looking setup indeed! Thanks for the pic and the links!

It is amazing how well these bikes hold their value and how sought after they are. I've just been browsing to see what I could pickup one used for and even at 10+ years old, the bikes are selling for much more than one would expect.
 
I had one that was all tricked out for hunting. It ran great and was perfect for going in between sets so long as your eyes were always on the road. I found myself staring off into the country looking for critters way too much and I would end up dropping in a rut or hitting a rock in the road. And it sucked when ya come up to a gate on uneven ground. I finally sold it and went back to an atv. Much smoother less hazardous ride and easier to load/unload, but slower when covering miles. It really depends on the country and your own hunting style. They are nice bikes and there is a ton of after market hunting accessories for them.
 
That TW200 looks like just the ticket for me. Due to driving so many miles I have gone to driving a car instead of a truck. I could pull a small trailer with the bike on it and use the bike to "get me in". Here in NC, we can only use LICENSED vehicles on most Game Land roads. So, no ATVs, UTVs' dirt bikes, etc.
Thanks for the information. That is something I didn't know about.
 
Been riding one for years, it's Coyote Tan and black. I'll have to figure out how to put up some pics. I cover a lot of country with that thing, It's my third one. I can run the single track cow trails between watering holes and not see another vehicle for hours.
 
Originally Posted By: tripod3I saw a TW 200 with a utility sidecar. Maybe my speed
Well... I guess a tripod really needs three points of contact.
lol.gif
 
@MotoHunter, Yes, please do post some pics.

I've been trying to do my own research on these before I pull the trigger on one of my own. I use a family member's ATV to hunt big game and I've thought about getting one of those, but a dirt bike can go so many more places in our great state. I'm not real interested in a dirt bike to tear up the single track. Mostly something to fart around on and reliably get me through the Idaho backroads from stand to stand and explore along the way.

Some of the research I've done has lead me to believe the suspension leaves a lot to be desired once you get off a dirt road. For those that ride them, how do they handle and track if you get off trail?

@tripod3, I've been daydreaming about a sidecar to bring the dogs along on adventures. Not hunting of course.
 
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