2019 KAWASAKI W800 - an 'Any Old Bike' Review

[@sidecarmisanthrope5927]

I prefer the W650, just as powerful and still has the kick start if you want to look cool.

[@SteveBlancoMusicianWarrior]

I love mine so much. The ride, fit, and finish are amazing. And, the sound is pure music. It's a Japanese work of art.

[@bigred8438]

It is an under square bore and stroke engine, which gives it more mid range torque than most modern bikes. In this respect it is much like old school vertical twins. I like that a lot.

[@UncleLongbeard]

The most reliable bike I ever had... and a beautiful one too.

[@roverchap]

I chose one of these for the looks and also it's the only retro twin with 360-degree crank phasing. All the others use the 270-degree phase which is smoother but lacks the right sound and feel of a traditional vertical twin.

[@wordsmithgmxch]

I appreciate your laid-back style, your buttered-toast voice. So different from the "What's UP, ever' bodyEEE!! Ta-DAY, we gonna ..." Yadda-yadda. A few folks mention the seat. Yours seems to be flat like a plank, and with a forward slant. No wonder the goolies get "tanked". I have one of the early W800s, No. 273 to be exact, and the saddle has an -- um -- saddle: a gentle dip in the front part, seen front-to-back. I'm 6'2", too, and never had any problem. So see if you can find an old seat? My main difficulty: that chrome, that polished alu, does NOT stay bright, at least if you ride it through the winter. Kawa has tried a range of liveries, all more off-putting than the last. Finally, I just "disappeared the covers and the headlight cone by spraying them a dark grey. This makes the bright yellow tank really pop. Works for me. Mine has 90,000 km showing, and I know no reason why it won't be good for another 90.

[@nick949eldo]

Hi Griffin. Thanks for the kind comments. I too hate the excessively enthusiastic and tasteless... The bike belonged to a good friend of mine so I only had access to it for a short while. I think, with a few minor tweaks it could have been a bike I grew to love. My friend sold it very quickly - he just isn't a 'retro-bike' kind of guy. His loss, I think.

[@sefton1972]

A nice simple review. Great for bimbling along country lanes or holding its own at motorway speeds all with a style & charm of the bikes gone by.

[@tinytim9413]

Hi Nick Deb and I had a W650 when they first came out. We loved the style and the overall finish was very good. We rode it all over MI when we still lived there a few years back. We eventually went on to other bikes but I wouldn't mind having it back! Thanks for the review. TT

[@robertonunez1085]

I have one 2012 green paint, with 6k miles in the clock.I really enjoy ride this beautifull machine, I love it !! Thank you for your video.

[@coloneljawoof6832]

Love my 2022. Fantastic bike. Thanks for the share.

[@BlakesPipes]

Own a 2020 W800 cafe now a year of ownership, with 8k on the clock, it's the best everyday journey for me to get to work and back. Have a Concours that I also have had for 13 months with 10k on it now. I prefer to ride the W800 but when 300 to 900 miles in a day, I get on my Concours. I am not a Kawasaki fan, just a person that likes what they are putting out to fit my needs and wants. Great review!

[@jamshedsethna3428]

I have the W650, it is carbed and has same HP as the restricted emissions 800. Brilliant bike.

[@jamshedsethna3428]

Not forgetting the bevel driven valves a la Ducati.

[@kdsowen2882]

@@jamshedsethna3428 Actually a la 600 Manx-Norton !

[@Bob-xc2us]

@@kdsowen2882 Actually both.

[@larryyz_hideaway]

I just picked up this exact bike from it's original owner back in May. He picked it up new in July of 2021. As with the W650 20 years ago, I don't think people are buying these in numbers....which means there are deals to be had, I think. More than a third off list made it too good to resist, and a great value proposition vs a Triumph or even one of your beloved Guzzi V7s.

[@nick949eldo]

They start off pricey but as you said, there are deals.....

[@broadwayFan28]

When I got to 3:00 and you mentioned the handlebar vibrations, sighed a bit. Yes, all the old Brit twins did that and I was hoping it was eliminated. Love the looks and thanks for the review. Sure must be nice to have a friend like Norm who loves bikes too.

[@nick949eldo]

Nothing wrong with a bit of vibration. It makes bikes feel alive. Personally, the only bikes I've ever ridden that bored me silly were inline 4s. Too smooth - nothing there at all. Yes, Norm is a good friend and constant source of new bikes to ride.

[@davidchesson5707]

​​@@nick949eldo I got my 2021W800 last fall. I watched alot of videos of people riding theirs. Eveyone complains about vibration, guess they have never been on a solid mounted Sporster, and rides the bike below 3500 RPM. After my intial break in period where I kept the RPM's under 4000, i slowly increased them. This bike comes alive at 4500-5000 RPM'S. The bike really gets your attention, the vibrations go away and is way more exhilarating to ride. Now i shift at almost 6000 RPM'S and cruise aroung the 4500 to 5000 RPM's . Im not talking about speeding, just ride in a lower gear. Try riding in 3rd and 4th instead of 5th all the time.

[@nick949eldo]

@@davidchesson5707 Understood David. It's the same with older Guzzis. People ride them as if they're Harleys even though they're more akin to Ducatis in their like of revs. Enjoy your bike.

[@davidchesson5707]

Hey Nick Adams What part of Canada are you in. Im in North Eastrn New Brunswick. Whet to Gatineau in October to pick up my W800, and rode it home. Great way to break it in. Ride safe.

[@nick949eldo]

@@davidchesson5707 Eastern Ontario, near Kingston. A nice ride would be a great way to get to know a new bike. I hope you avoided 20 and the Trans-Canada as much as possible. Congrats. Enjoy it and ride safely.

[@carlmarkwyatt]

Thanks for the review. I like the W800 a lot, especially the bevel cam but I'm not a fan of chains anymore so brought it's competitor the Guzzi V7 850.

[@nick949eldo]

I haven't had a chance to ride the V7 850, but having ridden (briefly) the V85TT, I imagine it feels great.

[@terryross6070]

@@nick949eldo come ride the NC mountains and I will let you ride my V7 850 if you let me ride your Eldorado. lol

[@nick949eldo]

@@terryross6070 thanks Terry. Generous offer.

[@davidpianosi4512]

Thanks for taking the time to give a 'flavour' kind of review. I appreciate the 'gut feeling' style/

[@richardjohnson3463]

Thanks Nick, a good "no nonsense" review

[@ridewithted2003]

Simple is always appealing isn't it? Sadly there just isn't enough appreciation for it. Nice vid Nick!

[@paulcannell7188]

nice review. nice bike. I have 2 friends with W800s and one with a W650. As my friends are always classy I think that this is a ringing endorsement for the Trad Kwaks.

[@bobbreckenridge8880]

I bought the Cafe model last year and traded it this year. The killer for me was no centre stand available and the battery was buried so deep under electronic modules I couldn’t get it out for the winter. I liked the mufflers and the gear tower like my old Ducati but decided my Guzzi V7 is more fun.

[@andrewhannam.]

Which V7? The new 850 or the V7III, V7II?

[@Bob-xc2us]

Too bad about the center stand. My 2022 standard W800 came with a center stand and I don't know why every bike doesn't have one. Removing the battery is not a big deal. A couple of screws and the ECU swings out of they way.

[@genegoodwin8925]

The W800 is as close as anyone can get to an old Brit bike without going back in years. The W800 has the 360 degree crankshaft just like the old BSAs and Triumph used to have.and isalso where the name "W" comes from. The crankshaft is shaoed like a "W". It also has the durabilty and the dependabl=ilty if a KAWSAKI. You can't go wrong there. Kawasaki aquired the Meguro company back in1963 which had the right to build the K1 which was a copy of the BSA 500cc (W1) parallel twin. But then Kawasaki incresed the size to 624cc making it the W2, the largest motorcycle from any Japanese manufacture at the time. Honda's largest was 305cc. With the W800 you get a heritage that dates way back to when BSA was building their 500cc parallel twins, but with Kawaski quality. You just can't wrong with that.

[@joeh773]

First! j.k. Interesting seeing this one on here. So how did you like it compared to your bikes? Will it make you convert from the Convert? Did you ever have a chance to ride W650? I always liked that one, might just have it one day. I am a bit disappointed Kawasaki did the fashionable bloat and increased the engine size like so many manufacturers do on many models. I wish they just put FI on and carried on... But i'm just one silly guy. Also, every Kawasaki i owned and sat on (granted, not that many, but all of those), tipped or slid me forward, crushing the ... you know what. Thanks for the vid! How does your Audiobook pricing work on Amazon? They say it's free with the Audible trial or membership, but I am not ready to jump on that yet. To buy outright they are all different prices, yet your kindle or paperback books seem to be all same price across the format. Just curious.

[@nick949eldo]

I not lining up to buy the W80. I did like it but not enough to wean me away from my old Guzzis. Now, if it had carbs and points...... Never rode the W650, but I imagine it's similar. I have no control over Audible's pricing. It may be determined by file size, but I haven't a clue. I get a 40% royalty of their 'net', whatever that is. With the books and Kindle versions, I set the price based on what seems reasonable - most are around $15US I think. Either way, I'm not lining up to buy a Ferrari or a yacht just yet. A beer or two, maybe.

[@kdsowen2882]

@@nick949eldo The W650 is Fun and very-nimble Dave nz

[@jonsharron184]

Thank you for another great video

[@nick949eldo]

Thanks Jon 😁

[@chrestensrensen2486]

A great old man is telling us about his motorcycle. And he choosed the one from two models - A fine India made Royal Enfield 650 and a Nippon Kawasaki 650. And now just listen what he says: Superb maschine the Kawasaki W800 and wonderfull to drive. And the feeling of British classic wiht the same facts as the Bonneville - but better.Thank for the great Bonneville to Triumph in Coventry - the real old fine Triumph makers - And i must tell you fine mechanichs from Triumph in Coventry - Kawasaki has respected your fine job and made a little better - remember we are 70 years ago and gone. To the Royal Enfield 650 i will say it is a beauty - Classic and fine - But But?? It has a short stampel stroke and this make the sound not english. The Kawa w650 or w800 instead looks and sounds more classic even the new Triumphs. And off course the Royal Enfield 650. So I choose Kawasaki -

[@griso107]

Lovely..

[@henryhawk978]

Nice bike, I think Kawasaki would like it to be a "Starbucks " bike, meaning 1r2 in every Starbucks parking lot. Which is what I believe Moto Guzzi is trying to do with the V7 line. Enjoyed the vid Nick.

[@RideWithRen]

Here in Korea the W800 is extremely expensive, unfortunately, about 12k USD. The Guzzi V7 is cheaper. Probably due to import taxes from Japan... beautiful bike, otherwise! And the engine just sounds right!

[@Frank-xo7zj]

12,000usd..Ive been looking at it and the price is 9100usd

[@RideWithRen]

@@Frank-xo7zj i just checked, the cheapest new one available in Korea is 14 million Won, about 10,900 dollars in today's exchange rate.

[@martinrea8548]

Would this bike be good for touring? Throw on some panniers and hit the open road.

[@nick949eldo]

In my opinion, almost any bike is good for touring. It just depends on your expectations. It doesn't have Gold Wing comfort or the unpaved road capacity of a BMW GS, but it should get you from one side of a continent to the other.

[@martinrea8548]

@@nick949eldo Ok, thanks. I love the looks of this bike. I'd like a bike that's good for touring but is still agile on smaller country roads. Currently I have a Honda Cb500f. The power of both bikes is similiar at 47 hp which makes me ask the question that other than aesthetics would this represent a move up for me?

[@nick949eldo]

@@martinrea8548 I really can't answer that Martin. I would see if you can get a test ride somehow. Only that would tell you what you need to know. Comfort, 'feel' and 'fit' is such a personal thing that I would never encourage anyone to buy a bike without trying it first.

[@michaellandis2144]

Nomenclature for the windshield?

[@nick949eldo]

Sorry, no idea.

[@Gfthce3426]

Mmm think I would have kept the Strom. Yup think so

[@slash502]

Nice review Nick. I used to own a 2014 w800. They changed it a lot from 2019, which i think made it worse. 1. The seat on Norm's w seems to be a thinner lower seat, especially at the front, made for shorter riders. Normal seats are taller and did not push me forward. Im 190cm im height. 2. Paint on tank, side covers were much nicer pre2019. Tank shape also much more beautiful. Slimmer, more elegant. 3. Handle bars were flatter pre2019, overall pre2019 w were much much more beautiful, shinnier bevel gear, more metal used, drum rear brake, no ugly abs black box ruining the lines etc. But! It lacks the raw guzzi big block character. When i got on my guzzi 1100, i immediately noticed that i was on a hot blooded stallion, that the w was soo timid by comparison. I do miss the beauty of my orange 2014 W800 SE, one of the best looking real motorcycles ever made. And it relaxed me much more that the guzzi, its a therapy to ride it.

[@nick949eldo]

Norm has both seats. I think he put this one on because I'd said I preferred it, but after a few miles I wasn't so sure.

[@Bob-xc2us]

@@nick949eldo I have the standard seat as well as the 1 inch shorter seat from Kawasaki and I prefer the standard seat. The shorter seat does not slope forward like Norm's does so I think it is either after market of from the older W650 which may have had slightly different seat mounting geometry. The shorter seat gives a more acute angle that my old knees don't like for more than short rides. Getting old sucks but I suppose it beats the alternative. BJ in North Gower

[@silverback802]

I would love to own a w800. I even went to look at one. But at 6'2" and 282 pounds my buddy just started laughing when he saw me on it. He said I am way too big for it. I bought a kawasaki versys 1000.

[@nick949eldo]

I'm 6'2" too and didn't dwarf it, but you have 70lbs on me. Key advice: never listen to your friends.

[@rodneybjornstad9016]

I looked at one today. I am same size. Told friend at times it would be great to be more Tom cruise sized . Go pygmies !

[@geraldscott4302]

The non blacked out W800 is a beautiful bike, but I wouldn't consider one. I don't ride computerized bikes. That means no EFI, ABS, traction control, or "rider modes". I'm 64, I grew up with carbureted bikes, and that's what I'm going to stay with. Mixing computers and motorcycles is just plain wrong to me. I once had a 1966 Triumph Bonneville. It was a wonderful bike, it had character, and it was all machine, no computers. Wish I still had it. I currently have an '06 H-D Sportster 1200, '97 Kawasaki Vulcan 750, and a 2013 Royal Enfield B5 Bullet 500, which I converted from EFI to an Amal Concentric MK1 carburetor. There is not a single new bike that I have any interest in. I have put around a million miles on carbureted bikes, and they have all been nearly trouble free, and easy to work on if something did go wrong.

[@jsj297]

I’d by books on tape recorded by you. 🤷‍♂️

[@nick949eldo]

Thanks. All my motorcycle books (and others) are available on Audible and Amazon, narrated in my own snotty Brit voice. Just search for 'Nick Adams Motorcycle'. 😍

[@Bob-xc2us]

@@nick949eldo That "snotty Brit voice" is very calming to listen too and I like that you don't waste two thirds of the video with commercially available specs and features as some reviewers do. You get right to the point of what you like and don't like.