I think the reason your videos are so enjoyable is because of the excellent video and sound quality, the reviews, the humour but, most importantly, your evident joy in life. In these crazy times, this is much appreciated 👍.
Love that thing! Oh and I cut off 1.5 mm off the exhaust to be able to remove the original baffles. Gloriousness is the result if u ever wondered...✌️ ☺️👍
Nice review, agree with all you say. My W650 is 20 years old done 32000 miles without a single problem. Gets an oil and filter every other year and that's it. A new front tyre felt much better but it does get a bit wobbly on uneven road surface over 60 mph.
I owned a red 2016 W800 for a couple of years or so. All red and chrome, it was a beautiful quality retro bike, lovely to ride, but too fast for me!! Sadly because of my size I felt it was also too heavy for me so I swapped it for my latest bike, a 2020 RE Classic Chrome 500. No regrets, but I remember how beautiful and comfortable the W800 was. Good value too! Great video, thanks. As you say the W800 is bloody marvellous!👍
Marvelous Monday morning mutter again TAYM Thanks a lot for the mention appreciate that😊😊 yes il get better bit by bit Love the gadgets 😊😊 Great stuff and watch those bloody roads snow is on its way soon 😊 Have a great day😊😊😊
@@ruahinesrider I didn't run today as I was 15 minutes late, so walk on the beach was in-store for this morning. I am nearing 50 years old and as health care worker and seeing health care direction, work on health a little with walking. You didn't ask, but as a PT I ensure you, a little work now goes a long way.
I also have that same bike here in the U.S. and I feel as you do about the bike. I believe Kawasaki gave the dealers a rebate on the price as I got a price similar to you. Regarding the horn (hooter), I had a factory recall for the horn and the dealer installed a new mounting bracket. It worked fine before and works fine now. You might check with the dealer and see if yours is recalled. Ride safe!
Picking up a 2020 W800 Cafe, metallic brown at a dealer here in U.S. this week. Brand new w/ warranty, non current model. Tired of watching reviews. Gotta have one😊.
Silver Sheen BSA my favorite with the polished engine casings is a £7000 $1800nz is a lot money for mods on a R.E650.Thats Headers,slip on's,Yss fork upgrade & you'll have a bloody marvelous bike.
I love the W800. Its the bike that lead me to your channel. I have ridden the RE GT Continental and 900 Thruxton, but I like the W800 best. If I could find one in driving distance for the price I want, I would buy it.
My five things I don't like. 1 tires, 2 no center stand, 3 minimal aftermarket parts, 4 gas light comes on to early and makes me think I need gas . Comes on with a gallon left in the tank, 5 sadness when I have to leave her in the parking lot when I get to my job. The most favorite part about the bike, the enjoyment of life when I toss a leg over her every time. No better feeling.
I changed my tyre's on my Interceptor when they wore out & put Bridgestone Batlax BT46 on & they heaps better.New tyre's & not stock will stop wobble.The gas dials on the R.E 650 sounds similar got 2 bars left & have half a tank left.I think in modern bikes with fuel injection it's a fail safe so you fill up when there 5-6Liters left so fuel pump doesn't get damaged.It's good practice to have at least 4Liters left in tank to protect fuel pump & fuel sender.Fuel sender can get stuck if run it to low & the wire stem on fuel sender can bend & tank won't fill up all the way & need to replace.On a Interceptor last bar means you have 3.1liters left & all other bars are 1.7liters so when get down to 2 bars start looking for a gas station cause you got about 20km till you'll have 4liters left & that's about as low as you want to go.My mate took HIS Inty down to 2.5Liters left & put 11liters in tank & fuel gauge wouldn't work so I told him to hold front brake in & push up & down on shocks & side to side to free up fuel sender.It worked.I told him why & how & what happened & HE won't be running that low again. Also I was told the headlight wasn't any good but I was impressed with it & full beam is really good.
Kawasaki through everything at this bike, it's quality is magnificent & go forever.For a 800cc could of had 7-10hp more.I think the bevel drive is for looks on engine casings but correct me if I'm wrong.A great comfy cruiser & probably good on long trips but not a corner carver like R.E or T100 but it's a cruiser & has bullet proof reliability.Does have a long wheel base & low foot pegs so wouldn't suit me & my corner carving & my need for a all-rounder bike.Fit & finish is top quality & second to none.
I can’t disagree though the bevel drive is not just for show. It is really comfy for long rides despite the clubman bars. I am told that changing the tyres improves the handling but I don’t mind the wobbling and twist, it reminds me of my proddie racing on the 250’s😂😂😂 my biggest wonder about this bike is why it didn’t sell , I am amazed.😂😂
No wonder you bought Wendy at £6500 what a bargain.They do seem to be a bike people overlook for others & in my hometown there is a 2020 model still for sale for $18k NZ.I should go & have a look to see if price has dropped like yours did in the UK.13k NZ is a bargain but being a small town & small country can't see that happening.
@@TAYM The price of living in paradise is through the roof now.Auckland is the most expensive city to rent or buy a house in the world, average house in Auckland is over 1 million dollars & the rest of NZ rents have increased 150% in 4yrs.Never had a issue with homelessness & now homeless & people living in cars are everywhere.A lack of housing caused by 9yrs of one governments policies like double the immigration sell off state housing unregulated real estate business. Kiwi's can't afford home ownership the kiwi dream is dead to many rich foreigners driving up prices, shortage of land doesn't help.We need a housing crash in NZ.There was 1 house for rent on the East coast of NZ it's shocking & all this happen in last 5-6yrs.Paradise lost more like it.
@@ruahinesrider oh dear. Over here covid caused a mass evacuation from cities pushing up prices in the country. Not quite as bad NZ but not far off. It’s a crazy world at the moment for sure
Marvelous video as always .. About the bike.. I am not sure about that retro spoiler in front. I do not like it. But it's not my bike, it's yours and you can like what ever
The Kawasaki W800 Cafe is a lovely bike and a quality build. Do you notice any engine vibrations at 70mph in 5th? I saw that you have Grip puppies on the bars, which I have on my Interceptor. These are available in Bangkok, but I think not at your purchase price. Then there is the Continental GT in British racing green 🙂. Good to hear you waxing eloquently about Wendy.
Isn't it "Marvellous" when a bike you're not too sure about buying turns out to be the one you are so reluctant to sell .. My case (M'lud 😉🤐) being my Splendiferous Green RE Classic 350, Now that's deffo a keeper! 😍😍 See you at Stonham Barns tomorrow, I'll be giving Beatrix a good ride. . . (Ooh err missus!)...
In the looks department, as much as I like the Continental GT, I just go weak at the knees when I see Wendy! 😊 I don't get why they didn't sell so well in the UK. At least you have a bike that you don't see every day of the week. I think there are a few new ones still dotted about, gah, if only I had the spare lolly... 😂 Spendiferous long term review sir 😁
That’s what happened to me when I first saw her. I was looking for a winter bike😂😂 it is a mystery why they never sold. It could have been timing or the high list price. Who knows!😂😂😂
Much lollage when you were talking about riding within yours and Wendy's limits or upgrading! Haha very good. Great looking and sounding bike and i do look at the new one my local dealer has atm and think if i hadn't of bought my interceptor last year then maybe, just maybe. I'd only be swapping the search for seventh gear on mine for sixth on the kawasaki tho :)
Marvelous, always loved the look of the the W800, I think the price put a dent in the sales initially which is a shame because when you look at the quality it is justified to a point, some dealers have discounted them quite heavily so there are bargains out there....
Now, what you omitted from that review was that you were on your way to Haywards to trade her in for a GT 😂😂. Joking aside, lovely bike but your review was missing the sorting cone! Do you remember the creature comforts shorts from ardman animations? I was wondering, while listening to this vid what animal they'd choose to put your voice to, and ainsworth and Derek 🤣
Good review TAYM. Thank you! Yes, I've noticed she's missing from the Kwak catalogue. Shame really. I guess you could look at an import if you were really keen, but that would probably be prohibitively expensive. I've always liked that bike but to be honest was never totally convinced by the colour (but that's personal taste, I guess) Other than that, brilliant! Is it possibly authenticity that's missing that stops it getting top marks? My Z650RS in the colours you tested back when, does lack that ingredient but taken for what it is, a modern classic??, heritage, retro? Not sure of the correct term - I can happily live with that right now and enjoy it for what it is. Keep up the good work, ol' son. Popeye.
I asked my local dealer Cornwall Kawasaki (hint hint guys give us a good deal) and they said all the 2022 bikes were customer order only and that they could not get any more this year. I heard a similar story on the Honda rebel 1100 at a Honda dealer. Basically, other countries buy more of them, so they get the ones that are made.
There seems to be the misconception here that Euro 5 killed of the W800. This is not correct. Indeed the W800 is no longer on Kawasaki website of UK, but I checked for the Netherlands (where I live) and Germany and the W800 in Euro 5 compliance is still offered there. It now also has a rear disk brake (looks less nice as the drum brake in my view) and ABS. I used to own a 2014 blacked out Special Edition and a 2016 blue/chrome one. I am considering to buy a Euro 5 model now, to complement my Triumph T100 and Moto Guzzi V7 III Special (and others). As you say, unfortunate that Royal Enfield did not build it, for the heritage.
@@TAYM In the UK the W800 was not really competitive with the RE Interceptor. From other reviews I understand the price difference was 3,000 GBP. Here in the Netherlands price difference was only 1,100 Euro (compared to the bi-colour Interceptor), since a week or so it is now 1,200 Euro. It's all marketing.
😂😂😂 I do get it, I wondered if anyone else would. 😂😂😂 I very often slip things in but not many connect 😂😂😂 I noticed a year or so ago, Saddlebags73 does it. It is fun though😂😂😂
Thanks for that couldn’t remember. People think they have no heritage but if you think , yes they are a copy but a 1960’s copy that has been in and out of production for nearly 60 years, not bad I’d say 😊
@@TAYM I know your busy guy but are the header pipes discolouring ? I used to have an old W800 (2012) and the pipes were double skinned so no discolouration issues but someone on Utube was complaining about the discolouration on the header pipes on the cafe model 🤔
Wednesday wittering with wonderful Wendy .Wondrous !😄. I can only imagine Wendy painted in red metalflake with an upswept exhaust similar to Norton🔩 Commando peashooters. 😍😍 But maybe her beauty is better left understated . Bevel drive⚙️ OHC is a cracker too,reminiscent of old Norton 🔩Internationals. Such a shame that Kawasaki have withdrawn it from 🇬🇧 market, it's a good competitor for the RE 650s🥘, Triumph 🫖100 and Moto Guzzi V7🍕 . Maybe Uncle Stuart🦤 could give it some publicity 👏 on SFTV 📺? When you pulled up outside the flying 🏫 , I thought we would hear " Hello kids , hope you're well , it's The St Edmunds Sailor here🤣 ! " . "So let's be thankful for small mercies ", as Mrs Flyer would say .😘😂 PS. Talking about BSA , which we weren't, have you heard Steve Gibbons' song B.S.A.?
Marvellous song and the irony is my dad bought me an old zodiac to do up when i was a teenager. I loved it but had to start from under the bonnet with a hammer across the solenoid 😂😂😂
@@TAYM . Glad you enjoyed it . Steve Gibbons also has songs about Triumph Bonneville and Harley Davidson ( quite tongue in cheek) and the old classic song Tulane . 🔨 for a stuck solenoid 😄, marvelous ! ( TAYM , professor of hammerology )