2020 Yamaha TW200 Buyer’s Guide: Specs & Price

January 13, 2020

The 2020 Yamaha TW200 is an authentic vintage dual-sport motorcycle that is virtually untouched since its debut. The TW200 appeared on the motorcycle scene in 1987, as something of an ATV/motorcycle hybrid with its fat tires, low seat, and modest motor.

The air-cooled, carbureted, SOHC, two-valve single is docile enough that it won’t intimidate any potential rider.

None of the individual components on the 2020 Yamaha TW200 stand out. The suspension is limited and archaic, for instance. Yet, when you put it all together, the TW200 is a fun motorcycle to ride that is capable of much more than you think.

While you don’t want to venture out on the freeway—55 mph is pushing things—it is an outstanding urban motorcycle. The fat tires pick up where the suspension leaves off, and the large rubber footprint provides a great sense of security for the rider on the pavement.

Take the TW200 into the dirt, and you’ll see why it is an excellent introduction to dual-sport riding. The fat tires slow down the handling, and never relinquishes traction—the smooth motor helps, of course.

2020 Yamaha TW200 specs — 2020 Yamaha TW200

Although you don’t want to go fast in rugged terrain, the plump Bridgestone Trail Wing tires allow you to ride the TW almost anywhere—all that traction enables you to climb hills that you would think are above the TW’s paygrade.

For a motorcycle to last 33 years on the marketplace with no upgrades more involved than picking up a front disc brake along the way, it has to be doing something right. At $4599, the 2020 Yamaha TW200 is a fantastic introductory motorcycle that can also put a smile on the face of an experienced rider who knows what to do with it.

For more, read our Yamaha TW200 review.