VOLUME 57 ISSUE 25 JUNE 23, 2020 P99
swingarm setup up with 5.9 inches
of wheel travel in the back. Neither
is adjustable.
The TW has a very-low and invit-
ing 31.1-inch seat height, standard
instrumentation, and a modest
1.8-gallon fuel tank. It weighs just
under 280 pounds.
But what makes the TW a TW is
its "fat" tires. And it's because of
these fat tires that the TW still ex-
ists today. These tires give the TW
its unique personality and, more
importantly, the ability to go places
where most motorcycles—or any
vehicle for that matter—can't, or at
least not nearly as easily.
The TW's chubby tires combined
with the bike's low seat height,
small overall size, and unintimidat-
ing engine make it an excellent
go-anywhere machine that is also
perfect for the beginner. It's also
great for the experienced rider who
wants to do some hard-core back-
country exploring on rarely used
roads or trails—as long as you don't
mind doing so at creeping-crawling
speeds, because the TW isn't
meant to be ridden fast or hard, just
over stuff. The TW's low gearing is
proof of that.
As far as going fast, the non-
adjustable suspension simply
prevents this from happening, at
least on the dirt. The 5.9 inches
of travel in the back feels more like
two inches and doesn't do much
to smooth out the ride, and the
fork isn't any better. And don't even
The TW200 isn't really a jumper. It can
do it, but the landings are brutal.
