What did the motorbike do? Did you dream of owning when you were young? For Mike Chen, that’s the big thing Yamaha TW200—and who can blame him? Loved by generations of fans, the TW200 is the coolest farm bike on the planet.
Even so, Mike’s dream remained out of reach for a while. He came around when he was eighteen – something like that. Unable to afford an imported TW200 (Mike lives in Taiwan), he bought a locally made Kymco KTR and modified it to resemble the Tee-Dub as much as possible.
Currently, Mike runs the custom shop Mike’s Garage, based in Taipei, where he focuses on custom bikes under 400 cc. Finally, he got his hands on a Yamaha TW200, which he customized to great effects to his personal taste. street tracking.
Mike found the 1987 model donation bike in a junkyard, in exactly the condition you would expect. Barry Lim, Mike’s good friend, said: “Not only was the frame twisted and broken, but the pistons were jammed, the wheels were rusted and the wiring was incomplete.
“Mike still insists on bringing it home, no matter how high the cost, because owning a bike with the same year of manufacture as his birth year means so much to him.”
The bike was so damaged that Mike could barely start it. Between the TW’s inherent asymmetrical frame design and some soldering ‘fixes’ made by the previous owner, he couldn’t even find the centerline of the frame to straighten it. So he scrapped it and imported a used frame from Japan instead.
From there, the frame mod is small; Mike simply reworked the subframe to refine the bike’s shape and to accommodate the shorter saddle. The front fork has been refurbished and stiffened, while the rear shock has been swapped out for a stripped-down Benelli Leoncino 250. Mods have also reduced the seat height by a few inches.
Mike’s garage really specializes in making wheels, so, of course, the TW200 will roll on new wheels. Mike kept the size 18F/14R in stock, fitted with Kenda motorcycle tires in front and Duro ATV tires at the rear.
The engine has been completely rebuilt inside and out, and now looks clean enough for corrosion. Mike installed a new Yoshimura MJN26 carburetor, exhaust tips and a new silencer. All the gremlins wiring was also taken care of.
TW’s new fuel tank looks like it’s taken from a classic motorcycle, but it’s actually a custom piece. Mike built it and the fiberglass rear fender. And if you’re wondering where the unique shape of the fender comes from, it was inspired by aftermarket parts Mike saw in Japanese magazines when he was younger.
Hoffman Bygone’s custom saddle sits at the top, with custom side panels completing the bodywork.
The track-style flat handlebars sit on top, decorated with cherry red translucent grips and a single classic switch block. The speedometer is a standard aftermarket part, but it is mounted low down the left side of the bike, so that the cockpit is as sparse as possible. A custom drill holder holds the headlights—and serves as the hub for a single warning light.
The ignition button and start button are both integrated into the left cover of the Yamaha. Turn signals are available on duty at both ends, with the basic round taillight neatly integrated into the rear fender, just above where the license plate would normally be.
We never thought about putting a hot rod flame on the TW200—but Mike does, and it looks spectacular. A few smaller details in red, such as the fabric spark plug wires, show how much thought has been put into this charming quirky custom.
Mike told us, “The TW has been my dream bike since I was a kid. “When I was 18, the first time I saw it, I said ‘One day I’ll own you and make you the style I like’.”
Mike’s Garage Instagram | Special thanks to Barry Lim
