Yamaha tw200 or Honda crf230 ????

[jrebel]

I am looking for a trail bike that is real easy to handle and has good low end power.  I am a big guy coming in at 270 lbs (250 come hunting season).  I am not looking to break any land speed records.  I just want something that is fun to cruise around dirt roads and maybe take me to and from work (2 miles one way).  What do you think?  or would you reccomend anything else?

Thanks in advance for any information.

Johnny

[blacktailer]

I can't speak for the Honda. but have a TW200 and really like it.  I weigh 200 pounds, and it has plenty of power for me.  Fun bike and easy to ride.   I have an older model that has both kick and electric start.  I was told that was the way to go.  Good luck...

[poopooheaddad]

I will be trying to sell my sons 230f soon,(only has electric start) cant stand that bike, cant go wrong with the Yamy

[Skyvalhunter]

I have both a TW200 and a Honda Ct110. They are both nice but the CT110 will go places the TW200 won't since it can be put in low gear and walked along side due to its auto matic tranny. The TW200 has a some what noisy muffler but is still light weight compared to my BW350  which has alot more power but is heavy. You might end up beefing the shocks with your size. If you are strictly staying on dirt roads and paved roads the TW200 should work fine.

[MHWASH]

I don't either bike, but do have a Yamaha 230. I'm not quite your size, 185, but I really like this bike, na dit goes pleanty fast for the woods. It also has a super low first gear, that is almost useless for trail riding.

[HardCorpsHuntr]

I have a 2005 TW200 and a 1982 Honda CT110.  They are both unique within their specialty, but I would take my TW over my CT for most all trail / dirt road rides.  I live off a Forest Service road that climbs about a straight 5,000 feet.  Last year I took my 9 year old daughter up on the TW and about burned the clutch out on it!  I'm 6' 185 and she's about 85.  The suspension really sucks too, but it's for trials and was designed that way!  I loved my Honda XR650L for pavement and dirt road riding, but was way too tall, heavy, and high geared for what I needed a bike for! 

To answer your question.  I don't know.  You're a big guy and that TW may not have enough for a lot of the steeper stop and go that occurs in the hills! 

Do an internet search on "Big guy trail bikes" and that should get you on the right path for what would work best for you.  Good luck!     

[superdown]

I have the yamaha xt225 which is more similar to the honda than the tw200 and i like it alot the tw200 has the wide rear tire the xt has the standard track they now offer the xt with a 250cc engine  mine is 2006 model . I am 6'1 /230lbs and it has enough power i modified the exhaust and put a smaller front sprocket in that helped alot.

[swanny]

I had a Honda 230 a couple years ago as a first bike. I got rid of that thing within a year. It was slow and soft and I was probably about 220 at the time. For your size, get a real bike, you wont regret it.

The electric start is nice, but no backup kick start sucks. You will for sure need heavier springs and shocks for it too, if you decide to go with this bike check out BBR, they make, or did make at the time, a ton of aftermarket parts for the bike.

[mr.ktm95]

My dad had the tw200 and didnt like it at all he sold it the next year and bought a wr250r which is still street legal (I would recomend this bike) It can go way more places then  the tw200. I had the crf230 when I was 13 and I loved it.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I used to own a TW200, I am 6'4" and pushing 280#, bike worked fine, but I recommend getting the kick-start, had some issues when I took if from sea level riding up to Elk Camp and 6000 feet, would die on me at low speed, until I adjusted the fuel intake/air.
I had to sell the bike due to financial difficulties, really miss it for scouting purposes.

[NoBark]

Well, I have no experience on the Honda, but I can tell you this. That Yammie will take you wherever you want.   Picture proof! that's over 500 lbs and it took us everywhere we needed after the quad brokedown. 

[mebco09]

I have a TW200 and a XR250 (close to the 230, but older).  TW200 is a fun bike on forest service roads and some pavement and it can be packed with a bunch of gear and used as a motorized mule.  Mine has the electric start only, which scares me a little when you go way out.  I would not take the TW200 on any single-track type trails because it has weak suspension and is comparatively heavy (no aluminum parts anywhere).  On flat graded ground it is great.

In general, you can't go wrong with a Honda.  The motors last forever. The 230s are lighter and have better gearing than the TW.  At 250 lbs, you might want to go with a bigger bike anyway, like a XR650 or XR400 really depends on your riding style and where you are going.

[groundhog]

I have put a lot of back country miles on a TW200 and I tip the scales at 235. We geared ours down so that they were better in the hills. They do not have a lot of power but they will get the job done.

[dscubame]

TW200 all the way without question.  Wish I never sold mine so now I am going to buy another.  I made a mistake and boutht a new DRZ 400 thinking bigger the better and not good at all.  You can look around while riding the tw but not with the DRZ you have to watch the trail.

[gasman]

The TW will do fine for cruising the roads and the trails, but if you want to really ride the trails, you will want a better bike for sure. You will not be happy with trail riding and will be stuck with trail putting.

I am 6'3", 330lbs and I ride a 2008 WR250R, fuel injected 

IT DOES FINE......... Street legal, quiet, and trail ready. I keep up with all my other frinds when we go trail riding and have no problems at all. They were amased on how well it handles on thetrails, especially with me being a fat A$$.

[YoterHunter]

i use to have 2- 230 crf .good bikes. do like gasman did you will be real happy .most of my freinds that hunt have the yammy 250 .plus there street legal. good luck.

[ihunt]

I have a 2005 tw with a 62 tooth rear spocket,25 inch tera cross atv tire on the rear. I ride single track trails mostly eastern wa and Idaho. it well go any place i point it.the tw is a good choice.

[TheHunt]

TW200 all the way without question.  Wish I never sold mine so now I am going to buy another.  I made a mistake and boutht a new DRZ 400 thinking bigger the better and not good at all.  You can look around while riding the tw but not with the DRZ you have to watch the trail.

I have the DRZ400S and I put a smaller sprocket on the front and it really slowed it down.

[YoterHunter]

i have a drz 400 to but if was going to hunt off of a bike i would by a yammy 250 alot lower to the ground and lighter. dont get me wrong i do like my 400.

[nwhntr08]

i have the yamaha 230 and it is a good bike on the trails, low gears and enough power to pull me around ( im 6' 220) only problem is the suspension is not that great. (and not a lot of adjustment) if i start getting too crazy it bottoms out pretty hard. my best friend had the honda 230, same bike pretty much just not as much power. not familiar with the tw200. another good bike to look at for a bigger guy is the yamaha wr250. power is good, low end gears for trails and the suspension will handle as much weight as you can put on it. i have a mx bike that i ride all the time on trails and am thinking about powering down to the wr250. rides like a cadillac on even really nasty stuff.

[Red Ryder]

The TW200 makes a good choice for cruising around the woods. Being street legal allows you to ride down the road. If you are planning to use it for hunting, Cycle Racks in Idaho makes a real strong rack for the TW200 and other bikes also. The TW200 has a low 1st gear which allows you to creep along. It makes it nice for checking something out as you ride. You can always gear it lower if you need it. It's easy on gas. Clarke Tanks now makes a larger tank for them. They can be modified but there's not a lot of parts out there. I think most of the TW200 riders would like to see a little more engine in it but the 200cc powerplant works just fine. I go exploring/scouting before opening day and this is the bike I take. I have a Honda XL600 which is great for longer rides involving highways but not as good in the areas where I like a low 1st gear. 

Here's a link to good forum to get more info on TW200s:
http://tw200forum.com/forums/index.html

[HuntandFish]

The TW is a terrible trail bike and not much of a enduro either. The tracking of these bikes with there odd size tires is extremely tiring to ride, not to mention there horrible gear ratio. Many people buy these bikes with the mistaken perception that they go better in the snow and carry more weight then a standard trail bike, both are very wrong. I have rode a TW in both situations.

Bottom line don't go with the TW, and I would recommend getting a XT 225 if you are looking for a low seat height and easy to ride gearing. If you are a more experienced rider go with a WR, this is what I ride and the bikes cannot be beat in the woods, and they also are making a street legal version in a 250. I have thrown more then one deer on the back of mine and rode it out of the woods.

Good luck,
H&F

[throttlejocky20]

I would check out the wr250, xr250, And cr250x