BW200 BW350 and 82-83 200E questions

[kozaz]

Hey guys, looking for some advice.

First, this seems to be the only place with people who actually have BW200/350 knowledge and are active memembers to a message board!

Question 1:
Are the frames and rear swing arms of a BW200 and BW350 the same? Basically wondering if the BW200 could receive a 350cc upgrade with no major surgery to the frame and rear swing arm?

Question 2:
Has anybody put a different wheel and tire combon on the BW200? I've heard they do not make replacement tires anymore.

Question 3:
Do I have the specs for the 82-83 Big Red Honda correct?
200e?
200cc ?
Did it come with a 185cc?
5speed Auto with Low and High Range?
Factory Electric Start and Pull Start or was electric optional?
Chain Drive only for 82-83?

Depending on my research, I'm thinking of putting the 82-83 Big Red Motor and trans in a BW200. I'm not wanting speed, but the climbing/pulling power of the dual range is what I'm really after.

Was also thining maybe a 200x motor in a BW200.

Main reason for the 200x, it seems like a lot more aftermarket support for the honda engines and trans then for the yamaha motors and trans. Plus I could not believe how cheap rebuilt and new parts where for the honda 200cc motors.

Any input or advice would greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Koz

[Vealmonkey]

Firstly, the bw200 and the bw350 are different frames. Secondly, you can get the superseded tire for the bw200/350. You can get them from the dealer or you can get them from aftermarket sources. I got one on ebay. People have used different tires, but they are either wider, or taller, or shorter. It all depends what you like and some people have used other tires due to budget reasons. In the last year or year and 1/2 all tires have generally gone up in price. I think I've seen some bw replacement rear tires on ebay recently so try looking there. The one I got with shipping was even cheaper than what the dealer quoted me, but you have to shop around.
Thirdly, don't butcher up the yamaha or the honda. You will more than likely end up with alot more issues by using the 2 different makers parts than you would by just finding the parts you need to fix your machine up the right way. Bw200s' are way more common than bw350s. That also means that bw200 are cheaper to get parts for and cheaper in general. The 1985 bw200 has alot of one year only parts and the 86 and later bw200 have electric and kick start and can be sometimes easier to find parts for. I have an 85. It's not fast, but it is fun. I even put a tri z front end on to have the disc brake. The tri z rakes the front end out more, but it still looks cool. It was just a bolt on mod to change the whole front end assemblies out and you need the triple trees and everything. The bw is fun in snow and the neighborhood kids all have been towed behind my bw200 on thier saucers. I now have a semi custom exhaust, a Pro Tec headpipe and a supertrapp economy muffler. I'm having a slight electrical problem which I haven't figured out yet though. If you do a search you'll find pictures of my bw200. Keep it all yamaha and you'll have way less headaches in the long run. Have fun ride safe. I'll help you however I can if you would like. Feel free to pm me.

[tri-shee]

I have all three yamaha big wheels , 80cc , 200cc , 350cc , and also i have a 1986 honda fatcat tr 200 . The yamaha big wheel 200 has plenty of pulling power for climbing .

[JASBIG12]

Hi guys I'm also here with a question bout the big wheel. I've managed to fully rebuild an 87 bw200 et over the last few months and have finished every part except the proper adjustment of the front ( primary ) drive chain.
With the swingarm at its longest adjustment, the chain is still too long and flops around all over the place.And with the swingarm all the way forwards, the chain is not long enough to remove a link!!! All chains,sprockets,bearings , seals ,pivot shaft & nut ,distance collars etc are NEW.I know there should be some kind of guide/roller/ tensioner for the front chain because there is a small bracket that comes down off the swingarm.This guide is not shown in any manual , parts fiche or Yamaha Australias computers.I spose a different sized sprocket would help here but yamaha can only get the one sizes.
Any info or pics would help me heaps here !! cheers Jason.

[Vealmonkey]

The only adjustment I know for the front chain is the idler pulley(wrong word) that has the 2 sprockets that connect the front and rear chains. The shaft has coencentric busings or something like that and there should be a tool or tools in the factory tool kit that fit between the frame and the swingarm that would be able to fit inbetween and fit over the nut so you can adjust the front chain tension. After you adjust the front chain tension, then you go to the rear chain tension adjusters and adjust accordingly. I hope that makes sense to you

[JASBIG12]

Thanks mate, yes the eccentric bushes are actually on the pivot shaft that runs through those adjustable nuts you mentioned that you adjust with the factory tool.The shaft with the 2 sprockets on it runs in non adjustable bearings.I modified an open ended spanner to adjust the nuts to their forwardmost position , but still can't get the chain tight enough.With the nuts adjusted to minimum chain length, It's still not enough to remove a link from the chain.
Do you have the guide/roller/tensioner on your bike??

Thanks a million for replying.

[Vealmonkey]

No, mine doesn't have a guide/roller, but I haven't really had a problem with mine. About the only things I've changed is I have a tri z disc brake front end and I have a Pro Tec exhaust with an economy Supertrapp muffler welded to that. It has a nice sound to it.

[AutoXer]

that was my biggest beef with the bw was that chain in the front never had enough adjustment

[JASBIG12]

Ah yeah the tri-z front sounds good.My local wrecker has one that i'm thinking of grabbing just in case i want to fit it later.I got a full custom exhaust done by a shop with next size up pirimary pipe with original heat guard welded back on, running into a straight through meshed alloy oval muffler.Cost me a fortune but the note is tuff as nails.
So AutoXer , your chain is probably a bit loose as well eh?
So are we all ridin round with loose & really noisey chains clattering about?

[Mr Bracket]

Hey guys, looking for some advice.

First, this seems to be the only place with people who actually have BW200/350 knowledge and are active memembers to a message board!

Question 1:
Are the frames and rear swing arms of a BW200 and BW350 the same? Basically wondering if the BW200 could receive a 350cc upgrade with no major surgery to the frame and rear swing arm?

Question 2:
Has anybody put a different wheel and tire combon on the BW200? I've heard they do not make replacement tires anymore.

Depending on my research, I'm thinking of putting the 82-83 Big Red Motor and trans in a BW200. I'm not wanting speed, but the climbing/pulling power of the dual range is what I'm really after.

Was also thining maybe a 200x motor in a BW200.

Main reason for the 200x, it seems like a lot more aftermarket support for the honda engines and trans then for the yamaha motors and trans. Plus I could not believe how cheap rebuilt and new parts where for the honda 200cc motors.

Any input or advice would greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Koz

Hi Kozaz!

I had a BW350 and I loved that thing, however it didn't have enough power to make it up some of the steeper dunes here in Oregon. Also as you mentioned the parts are getting harder to come by. This is exactly why I built my Fat Bottom Dune Bike! I would suggest finding a good dirt bike that has the kind of power you want and converting it to a fat tire bike. I'd be happy to help! Check out my conversion:

http://www.bikes4cargo.com/UltimateDuneBike.html

Mike

[JASBIG12]

Mr Bracket - first of all much respect to you for the big wheel 450 build !! We don't see stuff like that here in OZ so I'm sending the pics to all my mates.Seeing how you have owned a BW & have BUILT one as well , I'm hoping you can shed some light on the front drive chain adjustment for me...... did your BW have a guide/roller/tensioner ??? if so what did it look like ? Should it push the chain upwards(inwards) or downwards(outwards) ? Do most big wheels run without them? Does your CRF have a tensioner on the front chain & how does your adjustment work? Any info is gonna help me heaps here mate so don't hold back haha .

KOZAZ - the tires that i have fitted to the standard BW200 wheels are made by KENDA , & are called BEAR CLAW. You can get the correct front size ( 25 x 8 x 12 ) & a rear in 22 x 12 x 9 that is basically the same as the 23" because of the huge tread.It's an agressive pattern but rides just fine on the bike.

[corndawg]

Thanks mate, yes the eccentric bushes are actually on the pivot shaft that runs through those adjustable nuts you mentioned that you adjust with the factory tool.The shaft with the 2 sprockets on it runs in non adjustable bearings.I modified an open ended spanner to adjust the nuts to their forwardmost position , but still can't get the chain tight enough.With the nuts adjusted to minimum chain length, It's still not enough to remove a link from the chain.
Do you have the guide/roller/tensioner on your bike??

Thanks a million for replying.

dont know if this will help much, but i know they sell "half links"...i dont know how they hold up or anything, but the local farm store here has them in every popular chain size

[JASBIG12]

Hey thanks corndawg- I heard a similar suggestion today from a mate !! I'll see if they have em in a 530 size.

As it turns out, I've managed to space up the top chain guide about 10 mm with 6mm nuts underneath the guide which has raised the guide enough to get the chain fairly tight.It only makes a little noise under throttle but it sounds cool anyway haha.Not sure how many guides I'll go through but I'll order a few anyway.

[JASBIG12]

yeah you can get half links , but of course not in the correct 530 size ......

[Garage Dude]

Industrial chain #RS50 that's what I used on mine (on the primary chain) fits like a charm. But I too have questions on the primary adjustment, I am new to Big Wheels and I bought mine like a month ago (in bad shape). I did not ride it yet still working on a few problems.

(Fact) The two swing arm bushing are eccentric which can be adjusted by a special tool and locked by a 6 mm phillips head screw. But of what I can see there are only two position to lock the bushings, and from position 1 to 2 there is not a hole lot of travel.

(Question#1) What if your chain is in between the positions then you have to go back to position 1, if position 2 is not enough for your slack is there enough travel to remove at least a half link?

Of what i can figure out is that the chain is doomed to run loose no matter what you do! I know a chain needs a certain slack to operate with out stretching itself, but not sure if this system is enough to fill the gap. If only the bushings were bigger and had more than two locking positions, it would offer better travel and more than two locking options.

[Garage Dude]

Adjusting the primary chain on Bw200es 1986

(Fact) The two swing arm bushing are eccentric which can be adjusted by a special tool and locked by a 6 mm phillips head screw. But of what I can see there are only two position to lock the bushings, and from position 1 to 2 there is not a hole lot of travel.

(Question#1) What if your chain is in between the positions then you have to go back to position 1, if position 2 is not enough for your slack is there enough travel to remove at least a half link?:wondering

Of what i can figure out is that the chain is doomed to run loose no matter what you do! I know a chain needs a certain slack to operate with out stretching itself, but not sure if this system is enough to fill the gap. If only the bushings were bigger and had more than two locking positions, it would offer better travel and more than two locking options.

[JASBIG12]

yeah yr right , there's nowhere near enough adjustment between position 1 & 2 ( or all forward / all backward ) I'll look for an industrial link like you described in the mean time , but , try my other suggestion which is to elevate the top side of the nylon chain guide by propping it up with some 6mm nuts underneath the guide.I just did a seriously hardcore enduro last weekend on my big wheel ( yes i had the oldest but coolest bike out of 800 entrants )that was 50 km's long through the tightest up/down/rocky/sandy/dry/dusty/steep/deadly terrain in OZ & the chain & guides & bushes & swingarm components all pulled through without ANY movement or wear at all ....... hard to believe.

To answer yr other question... even with my chain at It's minimum adjustment , It's still too loose !!!! that's why I propped it up with the nuts.

Maximum adjustment with all new components is miles away from being close to tight enough.

ps: my special tool to adjust the eccentric bushes is just a huge open ended spanner that i opened up with the angle grinder.