The Best Modern Retro Motorcycle? - Middleweights 

Kawasaki W650 & Kawasaki W800

Love all these bikes. I have a W800. Insanely well built. It's a Japanese work of art in every way.

I looked at all of these and picked the W800 and am crazy happy with it. More than 9,000 km in 6 months of riding and always a joy to ride, look at and listen to.

Hi Alex, just found your vlog cuz I'm a lifelong (78 yrs) biker and a sucker for good comparisons. My third bike was a 1965 BSA Lightning, first long trip on it was over 6K miles cross country USA, and although I loved the look of it, I pretty much felt beat up at the end of the trip. It did leave me with a passion for those old Brit twins, something like a lingering smile when thinking of an old girlfriend, but moved on to a Honda 750 4 banger which was the ultra of its day. Today, being the old man that I am, I have ridden a 1999 Harley Electra Glide since it was new, stylish, comfortable, plenty of Mojo, but too heavy for me now. So, comparisons like this are once again tickling the old passion for a lighter but still appealing standard. The purely modern bikes have become so slash and flash techno loaded that they have, for me, lost a lot of appeal, along with the high prices. I like your straight forward, no BS presentation. Keep up the good work and I hope you gain a lot more subscribers. You deserve it. Thanks

I went to my local dealer who carries most of the large overseas bikes in the US. I went in fully planning on a T120 and ended-up with a new z900rs café. I love it immensely. However, I still long for a brit or brit-style, twin. As it would be an addition, it has to be inexpensive, great looking, and full of character. That leaves me with a used Bonnie, RE Interceptor, or a W800. Great job on the video buddy!

i have since decades a Kawa Z750 LTD Twin Y1 '81, always fun to ride and very reliable, she is very similar to the W800. i upgraded now to a new Triumph T120 as daily Rider and i do not regret it :)

The 900 Bonneville is a water cooled cheat so for me the authenticity goes to the W800 because it's a true retro motorcycle and probably more reliable than the Triumph because I've heard reports of gearbox issues. The Royal Enfield looks nice but for me looks like a mishmash of 60s and 70s styles that requires regular valve clearance adjustment to keep it running sweet, as would the Italian stallions. Well, that's my view on the bikes featured so I think I'd buy the beautiful Kawasaki over the others.

I’ve owned a thruxton 900 and currently a v7. I’d honestly pick the V7 every time it’s just better in every way and is an absolute stunner of a bike

Great video, all great bikes. For me the V7 is by far the coolest bike out there.

I have the w800 and the scrambler. I love the w800. I’ve done around 50000km on it. Super reliable, super comfy, has a similar vibe to my 60s bmw. I upgraded the suspension and it transformed it. Magic. The scrambler is more like a little monster. It does do dirt, but I’ve mostly ridden roads. Much lighter, modern power / vibe from it. Doesn’t feel like a vintage bike. Depends what you’re after. I love both. The RE is great value and get good reviews, but I’ve never ridden it. ps. W650 came out before the modern bonneville.

Five minutes in, i like this man already.

Hey Alex thanks for this. I have a W 800 as a daily rider (no car). I considered the Triumph and the Guzzi. The RE dealer at the time had a bad reputation. Always had my eye on the W. Either way all of the bikes on the list rock!! Cheers.

The Summer I turned 62, retiring and recent widower the Triumph caught my eye; bought two 2012's; a Bonneville SE and Thruxton 900. I still have them, very satisfied with the air/oil-cooled 865cc twins. Five months ago I bought a Royal Enfield 650INT and could not be happier: the factory supplied ABS, Pirelli tires, sweetest gearbox ever, excellent fuel metering, and . . . pipes that don't turn Blue!

Interesting looks like a local Kawasaki dealer offers a lifetime engine warranty.

I had a used 2017 Moto Guzzi V7iii for about a year. It was a beautiful bike, fun to ride, but I didn't have a dealership nearby, which made me nervous. I did all the basic maintenance myself, but I like having a qualified tech in the area in case they're needed. I ended up selling it. I currently have 2 vintage bikes. I love the modern retro bikes and I'll probably get a newer Bonneville eventually but there's something cool about riding of a 50+ year old motorcycle.

A retro is all about personal taste. The one you like, is the best!

I love this genre of motorcycle ❤️

I was the owner of W800 Street edition (2019). I had it for 2 years, put almost 20k km. Great bike, super simple and reliable, nice attention to details, great feeling, great sounding engine, nice low rev torque, real propel made in Japan bike... Right now I have 2023 Suzi SV650, great bike. But I am already looking again to buy some retro bike. It will definitely be GUZZI V7 SPECIAL. It just sounds amazing, it is extremely nice detailed, it has V twin wich shakes so nice, it has great haritage, still made in Italy, in Mandello Del Lario facotry, and also it has decent power 65 HP (compared to W800's and Royal's 47 HP). I think of 5 motorcycles you made video of Ducati is bit stranger here. It's more modern and it is more like Monster then other bikes here. Also, Royal Enfield looks way more cheaper and budget when parked near W800, V7 or Bonneville. So I think in real old school retro rating W800, Bonnie and V7 are even.

Way to much plastic on the Royal Enfield. The W800 is an all steel bike. Same with the Triumph. I'd buy the classic Triumph T120.

T120. Love it. Pricey? Yes. So cool? Yeeeees

Great video! The other day I had a test ride on the RE interceptor 650 and i fell in love immediately with that machine! Would like to try the Ducati scrambler as well. A hug from Colombia 🇨🇴✌🏻

I bought a W800, 2022 model. I love it. But alas, those Bonneville's are soooo beautiful. And the Royal Enfields look good and are the least expensive.......not enough time, not enough money, too many bikes!

Great review, and I agree with the assessment even though I own a Royal Enfield INT 650. I hope the aftermarket parts market starts to catch up with the Bonnies, as I think the stripped down nature of the Enfields really lends to better customization.

got my my w800 cafe for $5599 brand new

I ride regularly with my wife as pillion. The only one of these (we didn't try the scrambler) she liked the seating position of was the W800. Solo, I'd have picked the INT650 but without mods, she hated the pillion position. Having some extra cubes also doesn't hurt two up. You are correct about aftermarket for it though - we want a sissy bar for her and unless you take a risk with Chinese brands, you have to get fabricating. I'm in Australia and the pricing and discounting scene is different here. The price disparity is much steeper than the US and discounting in 2021 isn't as common as it was. Having said that we got AUD $2000 off the sticker price for the W800 making it very attractive indeed and coming in less than the base INT650 which you don't regularly see discounted. Triumph is positioned as a premium m/c brand here and the price is much higher relative. Again, no discounts commonly at the moment. The retail for the cheapest Bonnie (T100) is just north of AUD $18k. The INT650 base price is just north of AUD $11k. That is a big difference - much bigger than in the US. I liked your video though - thanks.

Great vid Alex and very impartial as one has to be to come up with a winner.... At the end of the day the personal winner is always the baby you cuddle in your garage whatever that would be. Thanks for all this info, God bless you richly 👍

The best motorcycle is the one which u can enjoy & can have beautiful memories with & also which you can afford 😅

Actually I think you've done a real good and fair assessment. The only other thing to maybe consider is the exclusivity of the bike. Something like the Moto-Guzzi may appeal just because you don't see one every day. My personal favorite is the W-800 but I don't think it's a $9K motorcycle, like you mention discount at $7K is more like it. As you mentioned, I think in a few more years after a picture emerges of the RE's longevity will be better to judge then.

I love the video. I am thinking about buying a Royal Enfield and this solidified my thoughts. I thank you for that. I already have a Ducati Multistrada and want the RE for short cruising and getting back to the basic reason why I started riding motorcycles 40-years ago. Keep up the good work!

I have never ridden a Ducati, maybe because of fear of desmodromics , but I understand why you didn't include the Z900RS or the Yamaha 900 as they are in a different class and make much more power than the bikes you compared. They are high on my list along w/ the Speed Twin, Trident 660, & hope you have a comparison w/ those. Nice work w/ your fair comparisons.

The W650 was released in 1999 before the Triumph Bonneville and goes way back to the W1 which was based on the BSA A7 so it's more authentic than the Triumph which does suffer from gearbox issues so the W800 is the real McCoy.

Nah , they didn't reinvent the Modern-Retro ( Triumph that is...) The Kawasaki W650 was at least 2-years before that , only you-Guys (USA) didn't get them back-then (1999) , then they withdrew-them from the US when Triumph released 'Their' retro . My pick is Your Bike , although I own the W650 , purely because it came my way at a bargain-price . The W-series is the only 'True' retro , in that it's a 360-deg twin, they even tuned the "balancer-shaft' to produce some vibration when the proto-type was considered too-smooth and 'lacking-character'. I also think that motorcycles should be accessable price-wise and the only New-Bike that IS.... is the RE650 . Best-selling Retro two-years-running , in Britain , home of the Triumph (well it was home...once...actually....twice ! now it's a Thai-umph ) Dave NZ

Triumph Bonneville is the yardstick for which all other retros are measured. I have a 2006 Speedmaster variant and it still looks and rides like new! W800 is a close second. They are all great bikes, whatever fits you best, it's all good.

I love the triumph but many recent models , the trany has isues that surface around 30,000 miles .have they fixed that yet ? I have a 750 shadow a.c.e and a 650 suzzuki v-strom....love them both . Very good vid bud ,informative and nicely presented .

The best modern retro bike is the one that you enjoy riding.

I own a w800 and I agree with you. But it is not fair at all to take the Ducati in comparison because the w800 delivers you a retro looking bike (and indeed all is of Metall) with retro style riding quality, while the Ducati in the end has old style element but is a modern bike. To be fair, you should compare the Ducati to a Kawasaki Z650RS or even a Z900RS. That the Triumph might be slightly better than the W800 I might agree, but I like the W800 more, just the look.

Very happy Scrambler owner for 3 years, but love all the bikes in your list. Yes they get all the Hipster cliches, but with bikes essentially being a hobby item nowadays, these are well priced, accessible and fun. My Scrambler has been reliable , but it’s no entry level bike, purely as the maintenance costs for regular servicing are insane

Outstanding information this is actually their view I've been looking for

I really like this cathegory of bikes. Too bad i can't own more than one, and you really can't do much with a classic one. I often travel with luggage and sometimes a passenger, so i own an adventure bike. If i could own a second bike, i would go with the z900rs.

Excellent comprehensive video, well done. I'm an Fjr1300 owner but looking to get one of these aswell. I like them all and would agree with most your comments and views. I think the W800 looks the most convincing Retro. I like the quirkyness of the V7 and the heritage of the Triumph. The Ducati looks to modern for my taste, the RE is great value, but you can see where those cost savings have been made. It's a toss up between a T100 or W800 for me!! You've got another subscriber, keep up the great reviews.

Hopefully by summer I will have the W800 in my garage along side my other two bikes. So far I have a cruiser, Honda CTX 700, a adventure bike, the Kawasaki Versys X300 and now I', looking for a retro bike.

The water cool Triumph’s, some have developed gear box gremlins after as little as a 1,000 miles, I like the look of the Triumph but for that Reason I’d go for the W800 all day long , I love the RE 650 but the seat is too high for me. 😎👍🇬🇧

W800 Cafe 👌

The duc scrambler definitely got me the first time but as my head was saying how expensive it is to keep. My vote goes for w800 simply because of after sales and reliability but I would probably buy a used one. Problem is there aren't many around in the market :)

great video and as you know I don''t have a bike. I haven't ridden a moto guzi but have sat on one and revved it . I don't like the feel of the transverse engine. I guess it is either something you love or hate. I am drawn to the RE or the Kawasaki. I wish the Kawasaki was a six speed. I love the RE's but the confidence in the Kawasaki reliability is hard to beat.

Alex, you are the most diplomatic MC analyst everrr! That was a terrific opening complete with a steamer trunk full of legal disclaimers. Interesting condideration.. RE used Triumph engineers to create the twins therefore they should be reasonably reliable but time will tell. They give you the same old school Bonneville rushh for less $$.

Great video. I would love to own the one right behind you! GT 😎

I’m 27yo, Is okay for me as a new rider to buy a xsr700 as my first 🏍?

I like water cooled engine. I think they are better than air oil cooled. I like Ducati design but, the engine maintance is "painful" (spend a lot of money). I must agree that Triumph is a winner. Especially with his new Trident 660cc 81 hp engine and price just about 7400 euro. Maan i can't wait till it comes to Baltic states. Take care.

I was curious... Is the Harley Davidson 883 Sportster too expensive for this list ? Quality not good enough ? Or is it the ride and handling ? And NO, I am NOT a Sportster fan . My personal favorite motorcycle is my 1986 Honda 750 Nighthawk. When/IF it finally dies, I will have to take another look at Your List !!!

Once again, it all boils down to what you like but I could have easily bought the Royal Enfield ( dealership was too far away) Triumph I love but just too expensive for me, and never considered the Moto Guzzi or The Ducati. . This was the first Kawasaki I owned, w800 Cafe, and I must admit , price drop to 7000. and Close to home Dealership sold me after test riding it.

Hey, nice timing. I've been checking out a few of these bikes both new and, sort of, used for the past month or so. Here's my completely unofficial, completely worthless reviews. Moto Guzzi V7 III: Great bike, funky looking. A lot of torque, throttle is twitchy but in a good way. Felt low to the ground (I'm 6'1), almost too centered. Nice ride. High school girlfriend meter: That girl who wasn't conventionally pretty but looked good from certain angles. Fun to hang with but a bit weird too. Triumph Bonneville (and Street Twin): Very pretty. Great torque. It will pick up quickly, but you feel in control. And, yet, it was almost too clean. High school girlfriend meter: The cheerleader who gets straight As and dad is a lawyer. She's perfect and, yet, there's something bland about her that you can't put your finger on. Why don't I like her more? Royal Enfield Interceptor: Felt great to sit on. Nice power, but not crazy. Torque was good but totally in control. Doesn't feel as low to the ground as the Guzzi and more fund to handle than than Bonneville, even though the Bonneville is tighter. Just a blast to ride. High school girlfriend meter: Pretty, but not perfect like the Bonneville. Quirky, but not weird like the Guzzi. You just feel comfortable around the Enfield. She's the one you want to hang out with day in and day out. I went with the Interceptor. (Would have ridden the W800 but I got a deal on a barely used Int 650 for $5,500 from a friend's neighbor so no need to ride the W800.)

For me it’s all about how it looks , I’m 61 and I choose T-100 followed closely by the Moro Guzzi .

For me the Moto Guzzi and Scrambler win the cool factor, but Based on posts and comments from various Facebook groups I worry about reliability for both and the same for Royal Enfield. Being in a rural area there are no Ducati, Guzzi, Enfield or even Triumph Dealers closer than 180 miles away. So for me it’s W800.

Great video! Would love to own the W800. Kawasaki did a nice job with this motorcycle... Z900rs as well. Tough for me to choose between the two honestly. I also love the CB1100 as well, but I don’t think Honda will be bringing that one back to the United States anytime soon.

Bought a Triumph Street twin gold line last week, it’s fantastic.

Rather have a Suzuki Tu250

I am an older guy looking to get back on a bike. I have been focusing on the Enfield. You had so many bikes in your post that it made it difficult to show a ride rating .What I found missing from your report was your personal impressions on mirrors, seat comfort, and braking. The value and three year warranty and free service puts the Enfield over the top. I live in Portland Oregon and there are two major stores selling Enfields. I wanted to capture the fun and easy riding of my 78 Honda 400 hawk. Other than the weight I think the Enfield will ve my pick.

I agree with you except for one little caveat I have a Moto Guzzi V7 I too am a total Triumph guy love em ( Triumph) all ways have I really wanted a Bonneville but my almost equal choice was the Guzzi. My caveat IS Moto Guzzi never stopped making the “ retro” motorcycle! The V7 never went away it didn’t “come back” it’s always been since it’s inception. I do agree though on your criteria the Bonneville wins for the reasons you said but AGAIN the Moto Guzzi’s were always there so in the “ retro” idea of motorcycles I believe Moto Guzzi should take a close second although as said overall dealer availability parts etc Triumph does squeak ahead. To be honest Triumph is my favorite brand but taking into consideration all of the factors above I chose the Moto Guzzi. But great vid I do agree mostly.

I like Kawasaki w 800😊👍👍👍💪

I'm looking for the lightweight list

Triumph for me too! But RE I think comes a close second considering the price.

Thank you very much for making this video.

Couple of comments: 1) Do you still have your GT? 2 )The price is very close to the SV 650 (well made Japanese) why did you chose Royal Enfield (indian/"British"). 3) Can you also compare the service intervals...i as told GT & cont 650 have short service intervals and needs head value adjustment every 5K

On a serious note, I have seen people complaining about the seals on the shaft drive of the V7. This seems to be pretty common problem and I have been told that it will cost you over $1000 to have it redone with new seals. This has been a consistent problem from the V7 to present day with the V7 III. Which is a bummer since I think the V7 III racer is the prettiest mass-production cafe racer currently for sale, plus shaft drive means no chain maintenance. I don't understand why Guzzi does not correct this KNOWN issue. You would think that they would have addressed it when updating to the Mark II version, let alone the Mark III. Additionally, I am surprised that the Kawi did not take the reliability title. Hard to beat the Japanese when it comes to reliability.

Fun video!! The name Triumph invokes sex and elegance! T-100 is for me. I scored a new 2022 blue/white model for 7999 in burbank Ca. This was the first year of the new performance enhancements. When you fire up a Triumph there’s a beam of light that shines on you from the heavens!

Its good to hear different opinion’s , it takes out a lot of the guess work out of choosing a new bike. , that one may be looking at to buy ,, .

I am waving my little British flags as you deliver your conclusion, and hoisting a pint of bitters, mate.

Z900 kawasaki should be on the list 111hp

Got to be the RE. Of course, not biased. No2 v7 then w800 the scrambler, nah. Bonnie, liquid cooling ruins the sound IMHO and is not typically retro. The RE is not perfect, mines developed a low speed squeak which, despite going through brakes, suspension and bearings is still there! Adds to the character. Had to put to bed early (that's another story) for winter thoroughly cleaning, drying and detailing with a suitable indoor covered course 👍

well done ;; its east to say the triumph is best = as it cost more than most , but as you dont own one its harder, so this is to say well done again for being honest as it shows your reviews can be trusted, if people dont like the results then they can try setting a channel and we can watch them;;;;

Dont want to piss on your fire but Triumph would not win reliability, Just watch Stuart Fillingham video on the triumph bonneville gearbox problems. Ie gearbox failure I had a 2017 street twin. Thank goodness I got rid of it before I heard of the major problems the this model of motorcycle has. Which Triumph dont admit to. Basically the earlier models are affected.

I would go with any of these except for one thing. Where I live, all of them except for the W800 would mean I'd have to travel 200+ miles to get to a dealer. Kawasaki dealers are pretty much everywhere, 3 are within 40 miles of where I live. The only one on your list that, to me, is questionable to be considered a "classic retro" style is the Ducati. The only thing retro on that bike is the tank. I say that because I had their classic in the 70s, a 750 GT.

I am torn between the T100 and the W800.

My local dealer is asking for $8700 OTD for the RE650.

Looking forward to the lightweight video

What happened to the XSR 700 from Yamaha? It has been around a long time and nearly the same power and fun of the Ducati. Tons of aftermarket for the Yamaha xsr700.

Very fair comparison

Lots of love for the W800 in the comments. I'm surprised, but also not. I like it and the V7. 20 years since I've ridden, and these two have caught my eye. Leaning toward the W800.

Hello this is jose All good picks all have there good qualities but I have been and i still love the RE also I do agree with all you said . But even though most of the bikes have been out longer than the RE 650 in reality none of the makes of motorcycles you mentioned have been around like the RE brand. RE has been around for more than 100 years. I would still consider buying an RE because of there longevity as a company reputation.

Great video.... When are you doing the heavyweights?

For me the most authentic /retro feeling are the Enfield and the Guzzi, the most fun the Ducati. The Triumph looks the part, but is a modern motorcycle to ride ( & the factory fitted alarm looses points for reliability in my experience). I found the w650 a bit bland, & like the Triumph (had a Thruxton for 10 years) a bit lacking character. Good video, Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻 Edit... Most "authentic" old bike feeling is probably a Cossack /Dnepir/Ural, but guess you don't get them in the US (they're dire so you're not missing out 🤣)

Alex, the proper name of an Italian twin cylinder engine is a "L-twin". The "L" is for lira, which you will be handing over to Ducati like drug money, between the price and cost of maintenance. Mama mia, that's expensive spicy ah-meatball!

The V7 isn't a modern retro, btw. It's a modern classic. And yes, there is a difference.😁 Quibbling aside, the V7III is second to none on that list, in my biased opinion!

You said for some reason you did not include the yamaha xj650 and the kawasaki z900. I really like to know those reasons if you don't mind

I hope you make 10k this year. Good luck.

I like the content. But... The self deprecating demeanor present throughout the video is distracting from the topic. Just dive in, don't focus on the detractors. It's sad that you have to focus so much on being apologetic for offering your opinion. Again, I like the content and topics. It's just that the interwoven apologies detract from the quality and enjoyment of the video. Looking forward to the next topic.

To understand an Enfield 650, you really need to do yourself a favour and watch/read the design direction Enfield engineers took, many of which ironically were ex-Triumph engineers. Read up on "Paul Young", he's a professional motorcycle racing legend. He was the lead development rider during the design of these bikes. He greatly influenced and helped the development and final product. Look closely at the geometry specs of the 650's and you'll notice quite a bit of "sport" in their chassis unlike the other models. The highly regarded Harris Performance frame builders in England designed the frames. So much thought time, resources and effort went into these bikes by incredibly talented, passionate people. The final product? Brilliance! For the money I think it's a no brainer. Enfield ALL the way. There is now a plethora of performance upgrades one can do to their bikes on a relatively small budget. They are an over-engineered bike with a forged crank and will easily take some big horse power if you choose to do so in the future. I've owned and or ridden all but the Kawasaki W800 in this comparison and as an all-round package/price, the Enfield 650's simply cant be beaten. If you haven't ridden one do so with plenty of enthusiasm and tell me I'm wrong. If you cant have fun on this bike, you're doing it wrong. If you're already got one and want more performance in way shape or form take a look at Tec Bike Parts. They offer some very tasty bits and pieces for a reasonable low price. That's my plan once I get one :)

Great video very detail

My #1 pick would be the Triumph, #2 the Moto Guzzi.

I love the retros but they're just too small for me; also I prefer performance et al. But I do look at the W800 at times and wonder...

Quality Kawa Saki

For me it's the Bonnie and the W. Not only both look awesome but the only dealers by me are those. Probably keep my NC700X, it looks a little funky but does everything well and I'm addicted to the storage compartment. So many great bikes, so little time!

bonnie more reliable than the W? Where did you take that idea from??? lol

It has oil air cooled engine. Does the scrambler come in retro category.

Starting my 10:th seaason with my Kawa VN750 next year. I have not ridden any of these but getting very interested in the Interceptor so propably going to test one in the spring. Triumph Street Twin also a possibility for next bike. Based on looks alone I choose the Bonneville for winner, with the Interceptor as a close second. Kind of like the Kawa also and I´ve owned several but there are some issues for me with how this one looks but ok, 3:rd place for that.

You tube should not allow content creators to delete comments

Best is cb400sf vtec...but unfortunately not in usa...we got it in Australia, fantastic bike.

It’s the Moto Guzzi V7 Special

I agree, the Bonneville is the best modern retro motorcycle, but like you, I own a Royal Enfield 650. You get a more authentic (air-cooled), retro bike for 2/3 the price of a Bonneville that does not leak oil and has a better transmission.