Length 2180 mm / 85.8 in
Width 790 mm / 31.1 in
Height 1075 mm / 42.3 in
Wheelbase
1465 mm / 57.6 in
Seat Height
790 mm / 31.1 in
Wet Weight
216 kg / 476.2 lbs
Ground Clearance
126 mm / 4.9 in
Fuel Capacity
14 Litres / 3.6 US gal
Dark and interesting, the W800 Special Edition
mixes matt and gloss black surfaces with gold anodised style rims, detail
features and subtle highlights into an intoxicating cocktail.
Back to the future, the new W800 Special Edition
delivers a classic blend of retro style with up the minute technology. Drawing
fans of all ages, the quality and W heritage of the air-cooled parallel twin
shine through.
The W800 Special Edition is the result of a
thorough pursuit of the beauty and ride feel posessed by vintage notorcycles.
It offers a rare beauty care of components
meticulously crafted down to the smallest detail, as well as a feeling of
authentic quality that can only come from using metal parts. The throb of the
air-cooled Vertical Twin engine and the distinct handling character that comes
with large-diameter wheels recalls the ride feel of machines from an older
generation, gone but not forgotten.
The W800 Special Edition, in both looks and feel,
pays homage to Kawasaki's legendary W1, the model that started a brand that
spans 45 years.
Classic Beauty
Beautiful Appearance Care of Meticulously Sculpted Forms-Visual impact from
air-cooled Vertical Twin engine with iconic bevel-gear- driven-cam- Classic
image from well-balanced chassis with large-diameter wheels- Meticulous
attention to detail- Simple yet elegant muffler design
Metal Parts
Add Radiance and Authentic Quality- Metal parts
used in favour of plastic throughout- Deep chrome and buffed engine covers add
to high-quality finish- Even small parts are formed of blacked-out aluminium-
Corrosion-resistant parts ensure lasting beauty.
Vintage Ride Feel
Vertical Twin Engine Rich in Character- Loads of
feel-good pulse from an engine displacing 773 cm3 - Unique pulse care of a 360°
crankshaft- Maximum torque at 2,500 rpm- Strong low-mid range torque enhances
unhurried pleasure of a Vintage Ride- Heavy flywheel contributes to the strong
torque feeling in the low-mid range- Now with fuel injection.
Kawasaki W800 Special Edition Features and
Benefits
All the great features of the W800 plus:
Wheel rims - Gold style anodising, just one
subtle way the W800 Special Edition stands apart from the crowd
Black engine parts - Contrast and compare. The
W800 Special Edition shines thanks to a black engine and clever highlights
Matt black exhaust - Talk softly, but speak
strong. Cool matt black exhausts sound good and add subtle streetwise character.
Emblem on tank - The look of love. Every time you
look down you can see the unique Kawasaki Special Edition logo
Vertical Twin Rich in Character
The W800 Special Edition produces loads of
feel-good pulse from the Vertical Twin engine displacing 773cm3. The strong
low-mid range torgue enhances the unhurried pleasure of the vintage ride.
Electronic Fuel Injection
The W800 Special Edition features a fuel
injection system that does not take away from the vintage look of the
motorcycle.
Historic Roots
The W800 Special Edition is the latest model in a
brand that spans 45 years with Kawasaki's original W1 debuting in 1966. It was
the largest displacement Japanese model of its time.
Metal...Not Plastic!
Metal parts are used in favour of plastic
throughout the W800 Special Edition. Corrosion-resistant parts have also been
used to ensure lasting beauty.
Large Diameter Wheels
The 19" front and 18" rear wheels add to the
classic appearance of the W800 Special Edition. The 19" front provides that
classic handling feel with a fine balance of relaxed, light turning and straight
line stability.
Seat
Long, comfortable seat with thick, ribbed padding has plenty of room for rider
and passenger. Urethane at the front of the seat is shaped to facilitate the
reach to the ground. Piping around the edge of the seat follows the line between
the rider and passenger's legs to ensure it does not cut into the rider's thighs
when at a halt.
Details
As much as possible, plastic was eschewed in favour of metal. The result is a
feeling of authentic quality that can only be obtained from the solid feel of
metal parts.
"W" styling
Voluptuous fuel tank finished in high-quality paint contributes to the W800
Special Edition's aura of functional elegance.
Newly designed tank emblems, finished in chrome, contribute to the high quality
appearance.
Adjustable levers
5-way adjustable clutch lever and 4-way adjustable brake lever enable riders to
fine-tune lever span.
Front brake
Single 300 mm front disc brake offers sure stopping power.
Large headlamp
Large headlamp is offset wonderfully by the speedometer and tachometer and
simple console.
Elegant muffler design
Simple, elegant muffler design comprises smooth curves and long, straight lines.
Peashooter-style silencers with slim chambers and long tailpipes add a vintage
touch.
Instrumentation
Traditional instrumentation includes individual speedometer and tachometer with
classic display. A multi-function LCD screen incorporates an odometer,
tripmeter, and clock. A full range of indicator lamps includes an FI warning
lamp, dual turn signal indicators, low fuel level indicator, high beam
indicator, neutral indicator, and oil pressure warning lamp.
Classic-styled Engine
"Building a beautiful engine" was a key concept when designing the air-cooled
Vertical Twin. The classic-styled engine is lightweight, simple and a joy to
behold. Iconic bevel-gear-driven cam adds beauty to the cylinder head while
contributing to the engine's classical appearance.
Rear shock absorbers
Dual rear shock absorbers, adjustable for spring preload, offer a smooth ride
and clean look.
Traditionally styled front fork
Traditionally styled front fork uses rubber gaitors to protect the fork tubes
and ensure long fork seal life. Outer tubes have a buffed finish, which
contributes to the light looking front end.
Kawasaki W800 Review
Kawasaki were the first of the Japanese brands to go seriously
retro with their W650 more than a decade ago. Despite this, Triumph’s modern day
Bonneville (also largely manufactured in Asia) had more cred’ with the buying
public, thanks to that British brand name on the tank. The Triumph was also the
more appealing ride, having improved and changed over the years, while the W650
remained the same.
In 2011, thanks to a 5mm larger bore, Kawasaki have reinvented
their machine and the W650 has grown to become the W800 and this time around
Triumph should definitely sit up and take notice.
Retro-chic is all about the look and the W800 is a truly
stunning machine. The attention to detail on this bike is really a class above
the competition. The chrome rims with their beefy spokes, the authentic
lighting, saddle and streamlined tank, all ooze class. The W650 did a reasonable
job in this regard but the W800 has stepped it up another few notches.
It is only upon close inspection of details like the switchgear
and small LCD gauge inside the instruments, that you actually realise that this
is not the real deal from the 1960s. And you certainly don’t have to be of that
vintage to appreciate this classic styling – I certainly am not! You get the
style without the kick-starting or oil leaks.
The vertical side-by-side twin certainly looks the part with the
bevel-drive cam a particular masterstroke of the stylists. Despite a 360-degree
crankshaft and heavy flywheel the rider is largely isolated from what’s going on
beneath them, which is a little disappointing. Nothing a set of rorty pipes
wouldn’t fix though.
Developing maximum torque from as low as 2000rpm, there is no
real benefit in revving the fuel-injected mill too hard. It revs cleanly to
7000rpm but the best grunt is available between 3000 and 5000rpm.
Acceleration off the line is a little sluggish but once up and
running the W800 responds okay. There is no real feeling of significant thrust
as the engine is just so incredibly smooth. Expect to be surprised, however,
when you look at the speedo. Top gear roll on from 60km/h or 100km/h is actually
quite respectable and a downshift is rarely needed to accomplish a swift
overtaking manoeuvre. Its pull is deceptive.
The fuel tank holds a modest 14 litres, but the W800 easily
betters 20km per litre which gives the Kawasaki a 280km range.
The spring rates in the twin shock rear end are quite soft but
the damping does a reasonable job of keeping it from bouncing too much over
bumps. One up it is passable, but if carrying a pillion I really think some
stiffer springs will be in order. Again, that’s quite an easy fix and if you
really enjoy pushing through corners then throw in a set of stiffer springs in
the 39mm forks while you are at it.
Sporting prowess in the hills is not really the design brief for
the W800. Although it is much better in the hills than virtually any cruiser
style motorcycle you care to name. The skinny rubber helps make the W800 feel
very athletic when sweeping smoothly from bend to bend and as long as you attune
to its limitations it still offers a fun ride in the hills. There’s no pressure
riding a bike like this, you just pick your pace and rock your socks off along
your favourite riding route. It’s not quite as competent in the hills as the
Triumph iterations on this theme, but it’s still good fun and you don’t really
care.
The single disc front end has no ABS, nor any need for ABS, as
there isn’t enough stopping power to lock the front. The forks couldn’t cope
with serious stopping power anyway and again it’s a horses-for-courses scenario.
I think some female riders would appreciate less effort being required at the
lever though and a little more braking power would be welcome.
This style of bike is perfect for a Sunday cruise out for lunch
and would additionally make a fantastic commuter. The W800s easy going nature,
smooth engine and low seat height makes for a ripper bike around town. It is
certainly worth serious consideration amongst buyers that are after something
with plenty of style but endowed with handling dynamics far superior to the vast
majority of cruiser style motorcycles. And for a fraction of the price.
At $11,999 plus on roads is a little dearer than the base model
Bonneville from Triumph but it is $1500 cheaper than the Bonneville SE. The
clincher is that the Kawasaki is a more authentic retro experience than the
Triumph, but for some it won’t matter how good it is if it doesn’t have that
Triumph badge on the tank. Unfortunately for Kawasaki, that’s just how it is.