According to Darwinism, if one can’t adapt, one will die out. We all know the story of the dinosaurs, but the history of evolution is littered with the stories of megafauna that became too specialized for their habitats, and then died out when there was a minor change in the environment, rendering them incapable of adapting in time. Look closely, though, and you’ll find the opposite of these super specialized species as well, species that we’ve come to call ‘living fossils’. Among them are sharks, coelacanths, crocodilians, and the duck-billed platypus. If you asked us which motorcycles could be included, the Kawasaki KLR650 would be one possibility. The Yamaha TW200 is the other: it is definitely the two wheeled equivalent of a living fossil; it first went on sale in 1987 and the only updates to it in the intervening 35 years have been to meet emission regulations. It hasn’t even reached the stage where it requires fuel injection, so Yamaha hasn’t installed it! The reason it keeps going strong is how good a motorcycle it truly is for the beginner, while still offering fun, back-to-basics experience to more experienced riders. Here are 10 reasons why we believe the Yamaha Trail Way 200 is a great beginner bike.
10 Simplicity
Have we mentioned that the TW200 has been on sale since 1987, and not much has changed since? That means everything is ridiculously simple. One air cooled cylinder means no coolant, radiator, or water pump. There isn’t even a radiator for the oil! The instrumentation is all analog, with a speedometer, odometer, trip meter, and three lamps that make you aware of neutral, high beam, and whether your indicator is turned on. There is no rev counter or fuel gauge, you have to rely on the fuel cock and switch to ‘reserve’ when you need to fill up – meaning the fuel delivery is via a carburetor. Of course, this means that anyone with a basic tool kit and the desire to learn to service the TW will be able to manage it in a very short time.
9 Low Center Of Gravity
The TW200 isn’t a light motorcycle by small displacement standards, at 280 lbs. However, the 200cc motorcycles we usually compare it to are dirt and enduro machines that are specialist bikes, or novelty machines like the Monkey. What the TW200 has is a low center of gravity, which means that once you’re on the move, it feels very balanced and light. The lighter off-road focused machines that we tend to instinctively compare it with usually sit a lot higher, and that isn’t a beginner-friendly feature. A low center of gravity also means that lifting a fallen Trail Way is not the deadlift one would expect it to be with that weight. And as a beginner, one expects that there will be a lot of lifting of a fallen motorcycle…
8 Low Seat Height
Having a low center of gravity is one thing, but the TW200 backs that up with a low seat height of 31.1 inches. In comparison, something like the small KTM Duke range has a seat height of 32.3 inches. That might not seem like much, but in inseam terms, the difference can mean falling over, or being able to dab your foot and keep the rubber side down. A low seat height makes it a lot easier for beginners to find their footing quickly (pun unintended) and practicing U turns also becomes a lot easier. For those who are beginners to off-road motorcycling, the low seat height is equally important. Many have been the times we’ve seen someone keel over in slow motion while riding off-road because they put the down slope foot down. Whether a complete beginner or just a beginner off-road, the TW’s low seat height is a big advantage.
7 Friendly Power
Let’s get the figures out of the way in the very beginning: the TW200 generates an eye-popping 16 horsepower and 11 lb-ft of torque. That coupled with the five speed gearbox means that you’re never going to get to 80mph unless you got someone to get off and push. However, what that also means is that beginners will not struggle to control the throttle during their first few days. Sure, that will lead to fewer motorcycle fail videos, but it also means more motorcycle riders eventually, so we’re all for it. Even off-road, 16 horsepower is possibly enough to break traction in first gear if the grip is low enough – but not the higher gears. So you couldn’t get into trouble even if you tried. That’s a beginner-friendly feature for sure.
6 Purchase Price
The TW200 costs less than $5000 new, which is not a great price for an entry-level machine. When you consider the fact that a KTM 200 Duke will cost you $1000 less – or a full 25% less – it doesn’t seem like good value. However, the TW200 is the last of a dying breed, with the nearest competition in the form of the Suzuki VanVan being discontinued some time ago, so Yamaha can price it a little higher than expected. TW200s are always in great demand and there are never enough new or used examples going around, which makes them as rare as gold and equally valuable to those who want or have one. The longevity of the TW200, not to mention its resale value, will ensure that it is a good investment despite the high sticker price.
5 Spares Availability
It hasn’t changed for 35 years, so getting spares will be the least of your worries. Of course, if at all something isn’t available via your local dealer, there will always be an aftermarket option available, or one from your local scrapyard (provided there have been some TW200s running around in your area). The TW200’s parts are really basic, so replacing them will also be a doddle. If all else fails, repairing the broken parts or replacing them with equivalents should not be too difficult if you have an experienced motorcycle repairman helping out. However, the TW being what it is, it is highly unlikely that anything will break in the first place: it is a tough little machine that doesn’t get up to the speeds that can cause real damage.
4 Reliability
Did we mention that the TW200 has been essentially unchanged since it launched in 1987? If we haven’t, well, it hasn’t. This is in addition to that power figure of 16 horsepower from 200 cc, which means the engine is so unstressed, it makes a Rastafarian look wound up. The KTM 200 Duke which displaces the same amount of cubes produces 26 horsepower, nearly 40% more than the Trail Way. Beginners, take note: the less your engine’s specific output (horsepower per unit of displacement), the less stressed it will be, and the less likely it will go kaboom. The rest of the TW200 is similar – the rear brake is a drum brake and the sum total of the suspension adjustment is preload adjustment for the rear shock. The TW200 follows that adage, “the less there is, the less there is to go wrong” and we couldn’t agree more.
3 Aftermarket Options
The Trail Way hasn’t changed in 35 years: it’s been so long that its looks went out of fashion, and it has now come full circle and is cool again because it looks retro. However, even without that caveat one can’t deny that it looks quite good with its proportions and those balloon tires. It has been surprisingly popular with the custom motorcycle building community, and that is a great thing as a motorcycle owner. As a beginner you want it to be inexpensive to repair, with parts that are easily available, but as you progress through your riding journey, you will probably want to be able to customize it to your specific needs – or to suit your personality. With a platform like the TW200, this is never going to be a problem.
2 Dual Sport Capability
The clue is in the name of this Yamaha – it is called the Trail Way, after all. The TW200 was designed to be fun on the road and off, and it has the credentials to back it up. It has been to the North Pole in the hands of Shinji Kazama, and so far as the Internet can tell us, it is the only motorcycle to achieve this feat. We’ve already gone over its limitations both on and off-road in the previous paragraphs. To recap, you’re never going to get up to freeway speeds, let alone overtake someone on the freeway. And you’re never going to feel like a Dakar participant off-road. Heck, you might not even feel like a regular dirt bike rider off-road – but that’s missing the point of the TW. If your goal is to get there in one piece and not at breakneck speed, this is the bike for you.
1 Fun For The Whole Family
The beauty of the TW200 is that if you have one, it can serve as a beginner motorcycle to anyone in the family. Whether it is the 18-year-old getting his or her first riding lessons or a grandparent who wants to fulfill a (risky) lifelong dream, you can’t go wrong with a TW200 as a first motorcycle. And hey, if you’re a family who rides, maybe the grandparent and the teenager can learn to ride at the same time with the same motorcycle! We haven’t forgotten the off-road beginner: like we’ve mentioned before, you’re going to need manageable power and the ability to drop the motorcycle without regret, and the TW200 gives you both of those in spades. We just need to figure out how to help you get your mitts on a TW200, now.