# Stihl ms201t



## cooey (Jan 16, 2012)

Looking for some feed back on the up dated Stihl MS 201T. I tried one out at the local saw shop and wasn"t very impressed with it's output.Just want too mention that the saw had not been completly run in yet and was not fully jetted up, so it may not have been the best demo in the world. How do they compair to the MS 200T's? Is there any modifications that can be done to increase output. The Dealers are completly soldout of 200T's and in need of replacments soon. Thanks for any imput.


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## lone wolf (Jan 16, 2012)

cooey said:


> Looking for some feed back on the up dated Stihl MS 201T. I tried one out at the local saw shop and wasn"t very impressed with it's output.Just want too mention that the saw had not been completly run in yet and was not fully jetted up, so it may not have been the best demo in the world. How do they compair to the MS 200T's? Is there any modifications that can be done to increase output. The Dealers are completly soldout of 200T's and in need of replacments soon. Thanks for any imput.



There is a thread here about modding the 201 t it involved opening up the muffler ,taking the limiter off the high jet and going out more,a timing advance and I think leaning the low screw in a bit.I prefer the MS200ts not a fan of spending a lot of money for something that needs to be fixed before you start using it.That is a lot of money for a little saw and it by all rights should rip.


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## cooey (Jan 17, 2012)

have always loved the 200t's,would buy a new one in a heart beat. They are discontinuing the 200t's and have had no luck finding replacments.So would like to hear any feedback on the performance of the 201t's. Was also wondering if any parts are transferable between the two saws,"mufflers, fuel tanks, handle bars etc".Furthermore how the freezing temps affect them?


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## limbwalker54 (Jan 17, 2012)

FYI the discontinuance of the MS200T was July......

The last distribution of them happened around Hurricane Irene.

We're stuck with the 201 now so lets get them tuned and modded up!


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## lxt (Jan 17, 2012)

Basically a hybrid of 192 styling with the 020, 200 engine................yeah it`ll run great but the body will fall apart in no time, IMHO they`re junk & I run all Stihl saws!!!!!!




LXT.............


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## Nailsbeats (Jan 17, 2012)

lxt said:


> Basically a hybrid of 192 styling with the 020, 200 engine................yeah it`ll run great but the body will fall apart in no time, IMHO they`re junk & I run all Stihl saws!!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



They are far from junk (200t), best top handle ever made.


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## justme23005 (Jan 17, 2012)

Nailsbeats said:


> They are far from junk (200t), best top handle ever made.



I think he was talking about the 201.


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## lxt (Jan 17, 2012)

justme23005 said:


> I think he was talking about the 201.



I was!!!!


LXT.........


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## lone wolf (Jan 17, 2012)

lxt said:


> I was!!!!
> 
> 
> LXT.........



I knew it!I have yet to hear a good report on the 201T


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## mattfr12 (Jan 17, 2012)

lone wolf said:


> I knew it!I have yet to hear a good report on the 201T



ya don't waste your money I'm gonna send a 338xp out and have it modded so it will run like a 200 or a little better.

i just sent both my 362's out to have another 250.00 $ worth of mods done to them so their even worth having stihl really let me down on the 201 and 362. had to spend an extra 500 to make the 362's worth running.

also got to talk to a cool saw guy from the forums thats gonna mod them ill let you guys know how they run when i get them back. their getting ported compression turned up and some other stuff that i don't know what is.


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## epicklein22 (Jan 17, 2012)

lxt said:


> Basically a hybrid of 192 styling with the 020, 200 engine................yeah it`ll run great but the body will fall apart in no time, IMHO they`re junk & I run all Stihl saws!!!!!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Have ya run one? 192? Looks way more like a 200t than a 192t. I just fixed 3 192t's for a large local company, they can't hold the jock strap of a 200/201. They are the real turd of the stihl tophandle lineup.

And, it runs better than a 200 when you do the mods Snelling posted. I bought one, modded it and it runs very nice, smoother too. I'm not worried about the 200t being gone now. They both seem to be good saws if you can do some basic saw work. No rocket science.

I might be in the minority, because I do all my own saw work, along with using them to make money doing tree work and firewood. There not just a tool to me though, I collect and fix close to 70 a year. So I'm not scared to give it a try or void a warranty. My dealers take care of me anyways.


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## epicklein22 (Jan 17, 2012)

mattfr12 said:


> ya don't waste your money I'm gonna send a 338xp out and have it modded so it will run like a 200 or a little better.
> 
> i just sent both my 362's out to have another 250.00 $ worth of mods done to them so their even worth having stihl really let me down on the 201 and 362. had to spend an extra 500 to make the 362's worth running.
> 
> also got to talk to a cool saw guy from the forums thats gonna mod them ill let you guys know how they run when i get them back. their getting ported compression turned up and some other stuff that i don't know what is.



The 338xp is a decent saw, husky has finally worked out all the kinks that lots suffered with 334/335. There still is the problem of the carb being mounted in front, but keep the filter clean and it should work out well.

Who did you send your saws off to? Eric Copsey just did a 362 and it is lightning fast.


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## mattfr12 (Jan 17, 2012)

epicklein22 said:


> The 338xp is a decent saw, husky has finally worked out all the kinks that lots suffered with 334/335. There still is the problem of the carb being mounted in front, but keep the filter clean and it should work out well.
> 
> Who did you send your saws off to? Eric Copsey just did a 362 and it is lightning fast.



stumpy from the chainsaw side i think I'm gonna have all mine done. sent two 362's gonna send 2 more 200's tomorrow.

I'm really hoping they scream when its done we bought those saws when they first came out they have less than 5 hours on them to weak out of the box.


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## Koa Man (Jan 18, 2012)

The Stihl dealer here still has a few 200Ts left. I just bought one and had him fix the four I had on the shelf. Now I got 5 that run real good, 1 brand new and 1 parts saw.
View attachment 218202


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## sgreanbeans (Jan 18, 2012)

anybody run a Jonsred?


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## epicklein22 (Jan 18, 2012)

sgreanbeans said:


> anybody run a Jonsred?



The 2139t is the same as the 338xpt. So a good saw. Cuts with a 200 with a muffler mod. Rbtree runs one out west. My dealer has one he wants to get rid of, think he'll take 390 for it.


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## lxt (Jan 18, 2012)

epicklein22 said:


> Have ya run one? 192? Looks way more like a 200t than a 192t. I just fixed 3 192t's for a large local company, they can't hold the jock strap of a 200/201. They are the real turd of the stihl tophandle lineup.
> 
> And, it runs better than a 200 when you do the mods Snelling posted. I bought one, modded it and it runs very nice, smoother too. I'm not worried about the 200t being gone now. They both seem to be good saws if you can do some basic saw work. No rocket science.
> 
> I might be in the minority, because I do all my own saw work, along with using them to make money doing tree work and firewood. There not just a tool to me though, I collect and fix close to 70 a year. So I'm not scared to give it a try or void a warranty. My dealers take care of me anyways.





Yes Ive ran a 192..............own 2 of em along with an 020 & 200T & many more............the new 201 has a lot of 192 features is what im saying, the spring on the low end of the handle....like a 192, the body design...like a 192............yes the 201 can be made to run better...but who cares when the case is falling apart!!!! I to do all my own saw work & my father had a shop for more years than I am old.............that dont mean chiot, climb with that 201 & drag it through the tree, see if when you`re swinging around if it will take the abuse of the 020 or 200T.............Cause it wont!!!!

The stihl shop(s) I frequent have many of the 201`s sitting in the repair bin tagged & waiting for handle springs , replacement cases, etc.. They`re Junk!!!! unless you run em like they`re wearing a skirt, then you`ll be ok!


LXT..............


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

lxt said:


> Yes Ive ran a 192..............own 2 of em along with an 020 & 200T & many more............the new 201 has a lot of 192 features is what im saying, the spring on the low end of the handle....like a 192, the body design...like a 192............yes the 201 can be made to run better...but who cares when the case is falling apart!!!! I to do all my own saw work & my father had a shop for more years than I am old.............that dont mean chiot, climb with that 201 & drag it through the tree, see if when you`re swinging around if it will take the abuse of the 020 or 200T.............Cause it wont!!!!
> 
> The stihl shop(s) I frequent have many of the 201`s sitting in the repair bin tagged & waiting for handle springs , replacement cases, etc.. They`re Junk!!!! unless you run em like they`re wearing a skirt, then you`ll be ok!
> 
> ...


They aint been out that long to have many of them needing repairs that tells me they break.


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## lxt (Jan 18, 2012)

lone wolf said:


> They aint been out that long to have many of them needing repairs that tells me they break.





Well I should be honest, of the 2 dealerships I go to there are or were 5 201`s needing repairs, 2 of em from the same company, the feedback is they`re just not as durable..........as far as running, yeah they run comparable or if modded run better....But a modded new saw just lost its warranty!!!

Im with Matt in the thought of going to the husky tree saw......or atleast try it out! sooner or later stihls best tree saw will meet its match & with the 201...........it wont be long!!!



LXT...............


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## the Aerialist (Jan 18, 2012)

*What are good mods for the 200?*

I just bought a 192 at a pawn shop for $80. That makes three, but one's a parts saw and one needs the case from the parts saw. The 192 is my backup tree saw. I have two 200s but one needs a diaphragm. I'm thinking about having that 200 re-worked for performance and mounting the new lightweight 16" bar on it.


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

the Aerialist said:


> I just bought a 192 at a pawn shop for $80. That makes three, but one's a parts saw and one needs the case from the parts saw. The 192 is my backup tree saw. I have two 200s but one needs a diaphragm. I'm thinking about having that 200 re-worked for performance and mounting the new lightweight 16" bar on it.



A 14 inch bar is the best overall size and pull the screen out of the muffler and richen up the H jet a bit.


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## lxt (Jan 18, 2012)

AA

what i did to mine is: remove spark arrester/screen from muffler, a muffler mod basically consists of drilling larger holes in the muffler, a topic you might find on here...somewhere!

Ya gotta play with the H/L screws a little, I ported & polished mine, run a hotter plug..........& a few other more involved little secrets for better perfomance. I waited for about a year before really modding it up though, just in case!!!

I bought my 192`s for back up also & then they just became the de-limbing saw for the groundman who if runs a big saw ditches the bar in to the ground..........



LXT.........


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## the Aerialist (Jan 18, 2012)

lone wolf said:


> A 14 inch bar is the best overall size and pull the screen out of the muffler and richen up the H jet a bit.



I run 14" bars on all my tree saws, and the screen goes even on a new saw, but yesterday I bought the Stihl "Light" bar which is 30% lighter due to it's composite sandwich construction, sticker price was $75 but I got it for $60. Still a bit more than I like to pay for a 16" bar but I want to try it out on one of my 200s. I mounted it up and the balance of the saw is not disturbed, if anything it feels like I have a 12" on it. Of course the 16" has more reach to it and I hope it will mean I don't have to have a bigger saw sent up as much.


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

They run so good to start you really dont need much I find the bigger hole drilled blasts your hearing to much just the screen out is all you need.A 12 inch bar screams on the branches.


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## the Aerialist (Jan 18, 2012)

lxt said:


> ... I bought my 192`s for back up also & then they just became the de-limbing saw for the groundman who if runs a big saw ditches the bar in to the ground...



My ground guys get all my saws in the dirt by the end of the day so I'm limiting top handle saws to when you are off the ground. I bought a used Farm Boss for the ground guys to use. Cousin Lee bought a new 260 exclusively for his own use (_he did let me break it in by dropping a tree with it_) so he is covered, and my new ground guy brings his own saw (_a Puke_lan) so all I have to worry about are the nephews careless habits.



lxt said:


> ... what i did to mine is: remove spark arrester/screen from muffler, a muffler mod basically consists of drilling larger holes in the muffler, a topic you might find on here...somewhere!
> 
> Ya gotta play with the H/L screws a little, I ported & polished mine, run a hotter plug..........& a few other more involved little secrets for better perfomance. I waited for about a year before really modding it up though, just in case!!!...



Yeah, it's those _little secrets_ that I want to put on one of my 200s so it will turn the 16" bar deep in an Oak if need be. What kind of gains can I expect to get? Are there any big bore kits for the 200?


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## the Aerialist (Jan 18, 2012)

*Well I do wear hearing protection ...*



lone wolf said:


> They run so good to start you really dont need much I find the bigger hole drilled blasts your hearing to much just the screen out is all you need.A 12 inch bar screams on the branches.



I did have one of the 192s set up with a 12" bar and I liked it for de-limbing Pines.


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## lxt (Jan 18, 2012)

those little secrets will have ya splitting the case!! My pap is a whiz on that stuff, I dabble in the easy stuff or rebuilds.....the drilled holes will require use of ear protection thats for sure.

I know some crank work was done........but I dont suggest doing this unless you have a spare saw & know what you`re doing, My pap use to build competition hot saws, so he has a good ability in "hot roddin" however he takes his time & im a want it done yesterday type.......but the wait is worth it!

Ill see if I can find out what he does.........If he`ll tell, due to me doing less tree work & transitioning, he dont really do much saw work any more.......he had a quad by-pass the year for me, eyesight not what it use to be & hands not as steady!! so he Mods up his stump machine...........bigger pieces to play with...LOL


LXT.............


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## the Aerialist (Jan 18, 2012)

*Bored & Stroked FTW ...*



lxt said:


> those little secrets will have ya splitting the case!! My pap is a whiz on that stuff, I dabble in the easy stuff or rebuilds.....the drilled holes will require use of ear protection thats for sure.
> 
> I know some crank work was done........but I dont suggest doing this unless you have a spare saw & know what you`re doing, My pap use to build competition hot saws, so he has a good ability in "hot roddin" however he takes his time & im a want it done yesterday type.......but the wait is worth it!
> 
> Ill see if I can find out what he does.........If he`ll tell, due to me doing less tree work & transitioning, he dont really do much saw work any more...



Matt's sending some saws out to be modded so I'll see how that works out for him. If it's reasonable I'll ship the powerhead to be tweaked by a pro. The 200 in question needs some work anyway and with my "new" backup 192 I'll get by now that slow season is here.


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## redoakneck (Jan 18, 2012)

the Aerialist said:


> I run 14" bars on all my tree saws, and the screen goes even on a new saw, but yesterday I bought the Stihl "Light" bar which is 30% lighter due to it's composite sandwich construction, sticker price was $75 but I got it for $60. Still a bit more than I like to pay for a 16" bar but I want to try it out on one of my 200s. I mounted it up and the balance of the saw is not disturbed, if anything it feels like I have a 12" on it. Of course the 16" has more reach to it and I hope it will mean I don't have to have a bigger saw sent up as much.





Where did you get your 16" stihl lite bar??? My dealer said he could not get them anymore. Saw some for 82 bucks on the e-bay?? Pretty steep for a 16" bar, 60 is a great deal!!!


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## the Aerialist (Jan 18, 2012)

redoakneck said:


> Where did you get your 16" stihl lite bar??? My dealer said he could not get them anymore. Saw some for 82 bucks on the e-bay?? Pretty steep for a 16" bar, 60 is a great deal!!!



Ianetti's a landscape and supply company (and Stihl Dealer) almost in WVa. They had one in there since Summer tagged at $75 so I asked the old guy who runs it if he'd cut me a break since it wasn't selling at that price. He did.


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## cooey (Jan 18, 2012)

Thanks for your two bits boyes.Maybe Stihl will pull there heads out of there butts and make some case and handle improvements for 2012-2013. It seems stihl has also headed down the road of disposible products. All we can do is keep makin saw dust and hope for the best with the 201T's......... 



Cooey..


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

cooey said:


> Thanks for your two bits boyes.Maybe Stihl will pull there heads out of there butts and make some case and handle improvements for 2012-2013. It seems stihl has also headed down the road of disposible products. All we can do is keep makin saw dust and hope for the best with the 201T's.........
> 
> 
> 
> Cooey..


Could we be at a turning point and older saws will still kick ass and new ones will start being choked by the EPA?


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## tree MDS (Jan 18, 2012)

The 201T just doesn't have it.... even blake's modded brand new one sounds gay. It's like they put the 200T on antidepressants and gave it a vagina.. what's next, one of those girl friendy recoils?? Grr... And to think, my local hardware/lawn and garden store had a 200t left.. but no, I had to buy a 372 instead because a certain someone smashed one of mine to a pulp with a sycamore stubb, so I didn't make it in time...


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## Toddppm (Jan 18, 2012)

Looks like they still have those ####ty caps on the 201's? Such a simple thing to ruin and make a pia.


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## epicklein22 (Jan 18, 2012)

tree MDS said:


> The 201T just doesn't have it.... even blake's modded brand new one sounds gay. It's like they put the 200T on antidepressants and gave it a vagina.. what's next, one of those girl friendy recoils?? Grr... And to think, my local hardware/lawn and garden store had a 200t left.. but no, I had to buy a 372 instead because a certain someone smashed one of mine to a pulp with a sycamore stubb, so I didn't make it in time...



Gay? They sound good with the muffler mod and no different than any other saw really. The 200t has it's own sound though. It's alright if you guys are bitter about the 200t being put to death (it's an amazing saw, one of the very best ever made), but let's keep it based on facts. The 201t isn't a slouch like you guys act like it is.

When I modded the 201t, I compared it back to back with the 200t. Even had one in the left hand, one in the right hand. 200t sounds like it's gonna blow and spoils up fast, 201t sounds a little throatier, and spoils just a tad slower, but is stronger in the cut. I'm gonna have to see about making a video myself.


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## epicklein22 (Jan 18, 2012)

lxt said:


> Yes Ive ran a 192..............own 2 of em along with an 020 & 200T & many more............the new 201 has a lot of 192 features is what im saying, the spring on the low end of the handle....like a 192, the body design...like a 192............yes the 201 can be made to run better...but who cares when the case is falling apart!!!! I to do all my own saw work & my father had a shop for more years than I am old.............that dont mean chiot, climb with that 201 & drag it through the tree, see if when you`re swinging around if it will take the abuse of the 020 or 200T.............Cause it wont!!!!
> 
> The stihl shop(s) I frequent have many of the 201`s sitting in the repair bin tagged & waiting for handle springs , replacement cases, etc.. They`re Junk!!!! unless you run em like they`re wearing a skirt, then you`ll be ok!
> 
> ...



I respect your opinion, but the saw resembles a 200t, not a 192. Gonna have to do some picture comparison. You are correct about the spring AV, that's about it. 201 shares the similar tank, crankcase and handle designs. What I like about the 201 is an improved on/off switch, better carb (hopefully no more accelerator pump problems), tank vent and hopefully they did away with the bakolite type crank seals (A big PITA to change).

200t are good saws overall (I own 2, a rear handle and a top handle), but they suffered from a lot of carb problems, tank vent issues, and I've bought a few with broken cranks. The 020t was a amazing saw as well, but the 200t is faster, as they changed porting and carbs.

I let my buddy climb with the 201 on a 36" pin oak crane removal since the limbs were very horizontal and covered in ice, so he was crawling all around the tree and smacking the saw the entire time. It did a great job. We usually only use a 044 or 460 with the crane.


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## epicklein22 (Jan 18, 2012)

cooey said:


> Thanks for your two bits boyes.Maybe Stihl will pull there heads out of there butts and make some case and handle improvements for 2012-2013. It seems stihl has also headed down the road of disposible products. All we can do is keep makin saw dust and hope for the best with the 201T's.........
> 
> 
> 
> Cooey..



The internet is a bad place to start rumors based on just a few problems of a couple members. I was reading about the new 6.7 ford diesel and a guy blew one up because a rock put a hole in his oil pan. Is the new ford 6.7 diesel now junk because of that issue?

The springs probably got pulled out because someone got the saw stuck. As for crankcase problems, what are you doing to pop a hole in it or break it? Probably got dropped out of the tree, the stuff happens. My 200t needs a new chainbrake handle because of gravity and I had a tank break as well before.


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

epicklein22 said:


> The internet is a bad place to start rumors based on just a few problems of a couple members. I was reading about the new 6.7 ford diesel and a guy blew one up because a rock put a hole in his oil pan. Is the new ford 6.7 diesel now junk because of that issue?
> 
> The springs probably got pulled out because someone got the saw stuck. As for crankcase problems, what are you doing to pop a hole in it or break it? Probably got dropped out of the tree, the stuff happens. My 200t needs a new chainbrake handle because of gravity and I had a tank break as well before.



My mechanic and the owner of Napa said to stay away from them trucks.


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## epicklein22 (Jan 18, 2012)

lone wolf said:


> My mechanic and the owner of Napa said to stay away from them trucks.



They're too new for anyone to make a real judgement. I'm seeing a ton of them on the road though and have heard nothing but good things from the owners, probably has something to do with the 400 hp and 800 lbs of torque too. Puts my old 7.3 to shame in the power department. I'm gonna step into a late model 7.3 in the spring hopefully.


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## lone wolf (Jan 18, 2012)

Same with the 201 T wait and see how they do in 1 year.


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## lxt (Jan 18, 2012)

Well cosmetically it is a bit more rounded the the boxy 200, that spring getting effed up was not due to gettin the saw stuck....but a matter of bearing down on it as one would do with the 200, then bam....bent spring or mount site gets cracked!!

The only bad thing about the 200 or 020`s was the on & off switch.....tight crotches would choke it off, now as for performance.....you better run the 201 yerself instead of someone else??? it has what seems to be a shorter power band & thats great for average cutting.......but big meat bogs that saw like a poulan wildthing!!!

Now compare the millage of the plastic casings......the 200 is much more thicker, the 201 is the same as the 192........an over priced cheaply made saw......bottom line!! all the improvements you think are good are also the achilles heal of the saw & the problem with the gas vent & carb are from end users not performing maintenance.

Look at the pull cord rewind in that 201.........junk, notice anything about that wire routing to the electronic ignition???? Look, Like I said the motor is good!!!!!! its just the rest of the saw that will fall apart & its awfully funny of those 5 saws in the shop..........all of em were to replace the 200 & a must have by because there stihls & its a new product...............

well those 4 fellas are running 200T`s right now cause the 201 couldnt handle the same abuse/conditions!!! I say wait a couple months & then check your saw shop...........201`s will be the floor mat you walk in on!!!



LXT................


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## superjunior (Jan 18, 2012)

Toddppm said:


> Looks like they still have those ####ty caps on the 201's? Such a simple thing to ruin and make a pia.



that's why I won't buy one. I'll pull an old 019 off the retirement shelf before I spill another 10 gallons of bar oil all over the place again this season.


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## mattfr12 (Jan 18, 2012)

epicklein22 said:


> I respect your opinion, but the saw resembles a 200t, not a 192. Gonna have to do some picture comparison. You are correct about the spring AV, that's about it. 201 shares the similar tank, crankcase and handle designs. What I like about the 201 is an improved on/off switch, better carb (hopefully no more accelerator pump problems), tank vent and hopefully they did away with the bakolite type crank seals (A big PITA to change).
> 
> 200t are good saws overall (I own 2, a rear handle and a top handle), but they suffered from a lot of carb problems, tank vent issues, and I've bought a few with broken cranks. The 020t was a amazing saw as well, but the 200t is faster, as they changed porting and carbs.
> 
> I let my buddy climb with the 201 on a 36" pin oak crane removal since the limbs were very horizontal and covered in ice, so he was crawling all around the tree and smacking the saw the entire time. It did a great job. We usually only use a 044 or 460 with the crane.




I dont think the 201 is junk i just dont like taking a step backwards. i think when a new saw comes out it should be better or equal to the previous. and anymore thier not. not junk but not worth buying. especially if you have to throw a couple hundred more at it to get it running as good as or better than a 200.


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## lxt (Jan 18, 2012)

I agree with Matt.....I should re-state my view, the saw is not junk It is just as Matt said " a step Backwards" when you are use to a certain standard & then the new product falls way short, well...... I just call it junk!! its not, but...it is dissappointing!!!



LXT..............


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## treeclimber101 (Jan 18, 2012)

epicklein22 said:


> the internet is a bad place to start rumors based on just a few problems of a couple members. I was reading about the new 6.7 ford diesel and a guy blew one up because a rock put a hole in his oil pan. Is the new ford 6.7 diesel now junk because of that issue?
> 
> The springs probably got pulled out because someone got the saw stuck. As for crankcase problems, what are you doing to pop a hole in it or break it? Probably got dropped out of the tree, the stuff happens. My 200t needs a new chainbrake handle because of gravity and i had a tank break as well before.



actually i think this post is a bit ass backwards , if you have a brand new engine and the mechanics are already shunning them , then there junk , and as far as the 201's are concerned they are junk too they are a half breed 192 /200 and they are tits on a bull ... Maybe they can make a mod for it that replaces the engine and clutch of a 201 with a 200 , now that would be worth it ....


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## treeclimber101 (Jan 18, 2012)

lxt said:


> i agree with matt.....i should re-state my view, the saw is not junk it is just as matt said " a step backwards" when you are use to a certain standard & then the new product falls way short, well...... I just call it junk!! Its not, but...it is dissappointing!!!
> 
> 
> 
> Lxt..............



when they turn on the lights in the bar and you realize the girl that you just wasted 20 bucks on and 2 hours is missing her front teeth that is a dissappointment ,but when you spend 600+ on a new saw after they basically scrapped the best ever ,well thats a bit different i was mad enough to almost buy a husky and believe me thats saying something


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## arborjockey (Jan 18, 2012)

cooey said:


> Thanks for your two bits boyes.Maybe Stihl will pull there heads out of there butts and make some case and handle improvements for 2012-2013. It seems stihl has also headed down the road of disposible products. All we can do is keep makin saw dust and hope for the best with the 201T's.........
> 
> 
> 
> Cooey..



I hear lots about "power" in the discussions about trim saws but to me the #1 factor is control and comfort. As brought up above "handle improvement" here comes the barn burner I'll run a modified echo with a 18" bar to trim with over a short bared 200t. I ran a 338 for 3-4 years and 200t's for 6-7. love that 338. stihl ergonomics suck:taped:


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## rymancm (Jan 18, 2012)

lone wolf said:


> A 12 inch bar screams on the branches.



Hell yes! And safer too when you're holding a limb with one hand and cutting with the other. A 12" gives more chainspeed, more torque and more precision. Plus, you can still handle a 14" or 16" cut with little extra maneuvering. I have gone to shorter bars on both climbing and felling saws and will never look back....


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## arborjockey (Jan 19, 2012)

I go big saw short bar when I'm bucking down but when trimming I switch up and use a long bar on the trim saw. It started some years back when pruning big conifers. The short bars wont work because the circumference of the tree was so great you couldn't get a close cut. Then I started to prefer the longer bar for the fact that I tended not to reach as much, which keeps my work closer, which is where I'm stronger and safer, which also saves my shoulders.
338xp long bar. trim
200t short bar . removal


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## Ogopogo (Jan 21, 2012)

I think everyone is being grumpy because the 200's are gone. I have a brand new 201 and I love it. I've run 200 for the last 2 years, my 201 sounds *identical. The only 200's that sound different are just older/used so they sound gruffer. The 201 has more bhp too, 2.41 vs 2.1. 

The 201 is a great saw, time will tell how the body holds up. I love mine.*


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## cooey (Jan 21, 2012)

Ogopogo said:


> I think everyone is being grumpy because the 200's are gone. I have a brand new 201 and I love it. I've run 200 for the last 2 years, my 201 sounds *identical. The only 200's that sound different are just older/used so they sound gruffer. The 201 has more bhp too, 2.41 vs 2.1.
> 
> The 201 is a great saw, time will tell how the body holds up. I love mine.*


*
finally some positive feed back, keep cutting, let us know how the 201 performs long term. 


peace cooey..*


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## ipkyss (Jan 22, 2012)

Ogopogo said:


> I think everyone is being grumpy because the 200's are gone. I have a brand new 201 and I love it. I've run 200 for the last 2 years, my 201 sounds *identical. The only 200's that sound different are just older/used so they sound gruffer. The 201 has more bhp too, 2.41 vs 2.1.
> 
> The 201 is a great saw, time will tell how the body holds up. I love mine.*


*


Are you sure you are looking at the right numbers on the side of the saw? There is no chance stock for stock they sound anywhere near the same, or have near the same power. After using the 201T for a while now. I do like it better than the 200T. I think it is better balanced, I like the handle/trigger better, and a few other small things. The side cover is kind of a pain to get use to. As far as power, it plain sucked until Brad got his hands on it. Now I can say its a good saw. Time will tell if I can call it a great saw.*


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## Ogopogo (Jan 29, 2012)

yeah, im talking about the 201. check the specs. the 201 has more horsepower. 2.4 vs 2.1. i think the only 200s that sound different are older (meaning used for awhile) , so they have the nice gruff sound to them.

I sunk my 16" all the way into some live oak removals the other day and the power held up nicely. with a sharp chain, the saw is a beauty.


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## superjunior (Jan 30, 2012)

I hear that some day husky is going to put out a saw to compete, or even exceed the 201..It's the t540xp, I've actually got one on order at my local saw shop. Only problem is so far it's a myth, maybe even a legend kinda like bigfoot or the lochness monster..There's "pictures" but no actual body to examine..

Oh well, I'll wait on that before I deal with any more of those fancy new caps.. Thanks stihll....


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## 2treeornot2tree (Jan 30, 2012)

superjunior said:


> I'll wait on that before I deal with any more of those fancy new caps.. Thanks stihll....



I dont really care too much for the new caps, but what I do is before I flip the tab down, I pull up on the cap to make sure its locked in. It only takes a second, and i havent had any problems since I started doing it.


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## juststumps (Jan 31, 2012)

*Ms 201t*

I just got a new MS 201T , 2 weeks ago. Compared to a MS 200T , it is a piece of junk !!!!!!

I know , I've read the posts ,,, "YOU HAVE TO MOD THEM "

WHY ????

After spending $635 plus tax on a PRO SAW , the thing should run !!!!

Brand new out of the box , MS 200T , 

1: fill with gas and oil . 
2: put choke on , pull cord .
3: take choke off , pull cord .
4: let her rip !!!!

Brand new MS 201T

1: fill with gas and oil . 
2: put choke on , pull cord .
3: take choke off , pull cord .
4: put choke back on , pull cord .
5: take choke off , nurse throttle , little longer , little more , OK . 
6: cut , oops , wait for the throttle lag . 
7: now cut .

ITS REALLY BULL TO HAVE TO FIX A $635 SAW !!!
I never had to touch a MS 200T , started right up and ran . 
The MS 201T , every time i shut it down , its an ordeal to get it running.

JMHO


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