Good morning to everyone here, I just registered, my name is Riccardo and I live in Milano, Italy.
I have just bought (two days ago) a 1989 TW200E, VIN # 000319, the bike has just over 6K miles on it and looks great apart from a cut fork cover.
I have been searching for an early TW200E after an holiday to Greece back in 1989 (I was 17 back then) when my parents rented me a TW that looked
identical to the one I have.
That bike was not officially imported in Italy at the time, sales started in mid 90s but the model I wanted was the one I drove that late 80s summer, I kept
searching until last week when this 1989 model went for sale about 60 miles away from home, with just 6K miles on the clock (around 9.000 kms actually)
I could not resist the € 1000,00 asking price (something around US $ 1.300,00).
I havent' told my wife about that yet but I guess she will like it as the first thing that she told me when I gave her a 2003 Suzuki RV 125 VanVan as a present
some 6 years ago was "very cool that looks like a TW, my favourite bike"....we had never talked TWs before so that was a surprise...also even newer TW200s are
a very rare sight in Italy, this also explains how amazed I have been to find a 1989 model for sale locally!
Apparently the first owner wanted so badly this little bike that he had one imported back in 1989 from France where it was officially on the market but ended up using it
only once in a while.
My plan is to keep it stock, I will need to find two new fork covers, and drive it when time permits.
We have other bikes in the family this is why the TW's mileage will stay low, my wife's VanVan has covered just 4.500 kms in 10 years.
We also ride a 1981 BMW R80G/S, a 1985 Harley-Davidson FXST Softail, a 1986 Yamaha SRX-6 and 3 Vespas that date back to 1961, 1978 and 1982.
I hope to find some new contacts with this forum, I am happy to share an image of my new TW200E with you, I really like this little bike!