Why On Earth Did Kawasaki Axe The W800? Review In The Idyllic British Countryside 

I started riding when I retired at age 55. The 2020 W800 was and still is my first bike. I love it.

The first bike that made me fall in love with modern classic motorcycles.

One of very few authentic looking modern classics.

I own a 2001 W650. Not the best in performance, handling or brakes but the nicest looking take on a 60's British bike. And it's got a kickstarter!

the W800 is similiar to my Z750 LTD Twin (Y1) from 1981, 360° parallel twin, 750 ccm, 49 PS, ~50 nm, rear drum break, front twin disc break. she was my all year daily driver in the 80/90th and absolutely reliable and fun to ride.

What I always liked about the W800 in particular is they seem to have got the proportions right, it really does look like a brand new time warp late 60s early 70s bike.

I'm 6ft4 and ride one of these, plenty of room and comfortable for all day rides.

I am a 64 year old grandpa, and actually bussy to get my license. I already made my choise wich bike its gonna be, the W800, or the W650. Brilliant bikes, both of them. Hopefully within 2 months I own one. Can't wait 😊

The 360 degree crank is what really makes this an authentic pastiche of a British bike. Most have dreadful 270 cranks for that v twin sound but very few British bikes were v twins...doesnt ,make much sense to me.

Congrats on the 100k and what a way to celebrate it that by presenting the W800. I bought mine in 2021 so it has the big LED headlight, disc brakes front and back, ABS, and that’s about it! Everything you’d need in a bike. Agree with all of your points, but you failed to mention the stand-out feature of the W800, that beautiful bevel gear driven camshaft, which many mistake for being a balance shaft. It’s such a unique feature that no other bike has, and I can guarantee to go to any bike meet, and not see another W800, which makes it feel kind of special. The later ones like mine, had some changes to the exhaust system which Kawasaki apparently spent ages over to improve the sound of the exhaust note. Many compare it and the RE Interceptor and price usually features prominently, but I would argue that the build quality is superior, and the engine is so over-engineered, it’ll outlast me and I’ll be handing it down in my will. I’ve just done a trip with Nathan Millward down to Monaco and back, nearly 2000 miles through heat and heavy rain, up and down the mountains and switchbacks of Verdon, the big W didn’t miss a beat and I received many a French admiring looks as I rode through the towns and villages.

As an owner of a charismatic bike, the GoldStar, I just love the W800. Fantastic style, Kawasaki build quality and reliability. This is the only bike I'd swop the GoldStar for, i just love it and in that green its just sensational.

I have a Bonneville T120 and will admit the W800 is a better British retro bike. It’s still on sale in the US after being discontinued for a year, but the price at $10k is insane. They sit at dealerships until they get heavily discounted.

I bought the W650, back in 2002, one of the nicest bikes I've ridden. I could turn round on full lock on tickover it was so beautifully balanced. Going for a group ride out to the coast made me smile as all the sport bike riders queued up for petrol as I could get there and back on a tankfull. I could even hold some at bay on the twisties as scraping the hero blobs was no problem! I too used to get complimented on my 'restoration', reinforced when, just for fun, I used to occasionally kick start it. Happy memories indeed.

My first bike was a 80? Yamaha XS650 and I am instantly in love with the retro styling. Love the tank, love the nice low handlebars, and overall just fantastic looking bike. A nice street tracker/ cafe. I came across this bike because I was searching bikes with 360 twins and not many bikes have them.

I have it`s predecessor, the beautiful W650 in burgundy and cream. It has twin Keihin CVK 34 carbs and a kick start, as well as electric start. It sounds even sweeter and has even more charm. If you get a chance to ride one of those, take it.

I'm the proud owner of a 2020 W800Cafe. Beautiful bike, great ride! Thanks for reviewing it!

What timing. Just bought one of these yesterday! Been looking around for ages for one. They definitely are the forgotten modern retro. There are hardly any reviews except from owners on youtube especially compared to Triumphs, RE's and even Moto Guzzi. First time I saw one I fell in love with it, been looking for months but all the bikes were hundreds of miles away from me. Then few weeks ago one came up for sale 20 minutes away, I was over there like a shot and when the cover came off I was smitten, so beautiful! The ride is amazing and just what I was looking for. I'd come from a Honda Hornet and the inline 4 didn't really suit my riding style anymore and I wanted a lovely looking Sunday ride backroads bike and this ticks all the boxes and more...so happy with it, also got a good deal 2016 model with 3800 on the clock for 4 grand 🥰👌☺️ Edit - If you search for "w800 db killer removal" on RU-vid you can see how easy it is and how much difference I make to the sound .

Been waiting years for a decent review of this bike! 👏 congrats on the 100k!

Congrats on 100k!🕺🕺🕺

Congrats on the 100,000! My wife and I are in our mid 50s and bought our Classic 350 about a year ago after watching your reviews. You and your Dad do a great job making them! We especially love the countryside. As far as the W800, that looks like something I might be interested in when I'm ready for my second bike. Thanks for the review and relay our message to your Dad for us. Wish we could come to your celebratory ride, but being from the US, that won't happen, so we hope all goes well with that. We'll be waiting on your next video.

since i own one, watching this video makes me want to go for a ride.... problem is, its pouring down rain and i do not need to go anywhere. love this motorcycle!

Revisiting. Imagine if BSA had made their come back bike look this beautiful, they would be flying out the dealerships. Or if only this one had BSA on the tank. That’s tonight’s dream…………………… Great review too.

The W800 is undoubtedly a fine modern classic. In the UK it's always been somewhat in the shadow of Hinckley's products, but in my opinion it's a more faithful tribute to the idea and the image of what a classic parallel twin should be. It's rather ironic to think that back in the day, the Japanese products helped to cause the demise of the British motorcycle industry back in the 1960's/70's when our factories were turning out similar machines to this 'modern' Kawasaki. I have owned my W650 since 1999, when I traded in my Ducati 900ss to buy it. It came into the country in the same batch as the road test bikes, but was spared that fate, instead being taken into stock by a motorcycle dealership up the road from Kawasaki HQ in Bourne End. It shares garage space with 3 other bikes, but it is still my favourite. I have been riding for 47 years, during which time I have owned more than 20 very different bikes and ridden countless others. I can honestly say that the W650 is one of the best all rounders. Being of a certain vintage myself, I cut my teeth on bikes with drum brakes, basic electrics and generally 'no frills' gizmo and gadget wise. The W suits my style of riding perfectly. It's taken me near and far with the utmost reliability. I do all my own servicing and spannering, and the W is very easy to work on. I like the fact that it has carburettors and a kickstarter. I did take a test ride on a W800 with a view to possible purchase, but with just a 100cc increase in capacity (albeit with fuel injection and a bit more torque), I decided that I preferred my 650. I know that I made the right decision to keep it. Anyway, congrats on the increasing subs and another good review.

The W800 is still sold here in Denmark, so I don't think it's because of emissions, if you don't have it in the UK. Here it costs 50% more than a Royal Enfield Interceptor, so it's a rare bike on the roads, but it truly is gorgeous!

Congrats on 100k!! Love the w800 😍

Dave here, I’ve a 22 plate Kawasaki W800 cafe , I drilled out the baffles with a 35 mm drill bit sounds awesome now, put some straight bars on with bar end mirrors it’s the business now. I’m sure you said your in Rutland,… if so a meet in one of the big car parks a5 Rutland Water would be a good location and riding around the area is stunning. I’m from Loughborough Leicestershire and takes me about 50 mins to get there.

all i have to say, W800 is the superior retro, what they did in 2019/20 with the Cafe, amazing. thanks for the video. love mine

Enjoyed the video. Surprised you didn’t mention the superb condition of the bike. It looks brand new! Saying something for a thirteen year old bike.

At last, you've got around to the bike that really does look like a 60s machine. We are all guilty of brand snobbery. 😂

🌟So glad you have reviewed the W800, I've had one for three years now and I love it: 2011 model; top bike👌🏽

This bike sounds perfect with aftermarket exhaust system, bevel gear driven cams and 360 degree crank

Looking forward to seeing the old man again….legend!

My wife loves those grab handles so much that I had to personally grow them. Now she's got them no matter what bike we ride.

A Japanese motorcycle company called, Megura, I believe, produced a 650 parallel twin heavily based on the BSA A65. Megura was absorbed into Kawasaki who in turn offered their own 650. In the mid 70s Kawasaki had a DOHC 360° air cooled parallel twin called, amazingly, a Z750. In a sea of inline-4s, it was never a big seller. This W800 owes a lot to these earlier machines and it's a great pity it's not available officially new anymore in the UK. Love that rear drum brake on spoked wheels. OK, may not be that efficient, but it looks so right on a bike styled in this manner. Just mo. Congrats on your subs numbers. Very well deserved. 👍

It’s the prettiest for sure. It sounds like an old bike too ! Very cool.

Dear M, thank you for the video. Also, the scene of green grass in countryside is so nostalgic! Have a nice day!

Just because they are not selling them in the UK doesn't mean they are discontinued. We can still get them here in Canada. They cannot produce them cheaply enough to compete on price level with other motor bikes in the UK. Kawasaki uses superior materials and parts and being made in Japan they have a much higher labour cost content than some other motorcycles. Why would you pay 8,000 pounds for a motorcycle if you can buy a bike with similar performance but inferior quality and looks for 6,500 pounds. It's just a matter of economics and marketing. Everyone loves the W800 but won't or can't pay the money they are worth. I did and have no regrets. Cheers BJ

Congratulations on hitting 100K! I think Kawasaki has dropped the ball on the W800 when compared to the RE INT650. The INT has a 6 speed gear box, compared to the W800's 5 speed. Nearly the same HP and torque, however the RE is about 33% lower in price. The W800 is $10,400 US, while the INT650 is $6,849. Both are beautiful modern classics as far as looks, performance, and styling go, but the INT650 comes in at $3,550 US dollars less. Having ridden both I found the power curve for both very similar and the 6th gear on the highway gave the INT for me, a much more relaxed ride. The engine felt far less stressed with over 100cc less displacement. Ride safe!

I’ve commented this before, but I wanted to say again how much I appreciate that you spend a good amount of time showing beauty shots of the bike itself. Most other motovloggers spend far too much time just showing the view from the seat… I stay subscribed to your channel because I love seeing so much of the bike, and not so much of the view over the handlebars. Thanks for that, it distinguishes your work.

I rotate between my w800 and my Sportster roadster it brings me. It brings me back to the 60s when I started riding. Love them both As always another good video thanks

Thank you for the good comment of a fantastic bike, I just wanted to tell my own story of this masterpiece of a motorcycle. I am norwegian, 69 years old. Back in 99 I received driving licence for motorbike and spend whole autumn testing used and new bikes with one ore two cylinders (4 cyl. inline sounds shit for me) After testing more than 20 different bikes I finally had to check the Kawasaki W650 ( which I actually didnt wanted). Became immediatelly hooked after only 2 minutes. Conclusion: "This is my bike". Purchased it in mid november 99 (Norway?) Managed to drive 780km before snowy winter. Now the bike and me has made 283oookm with almost no problem, Ive never needed to do anything with the engine except some maintenance (even far less than scheduled). Ive been 11 times at Kawasaki W- meeting in Germany, and my bike has for long time been known as the reference Kawasaki quality bike in Germany and some other europian countries. The bike is extremely nice to drive, and on curvy roads, very few can follow me, whatever brand, types or horsepower!? (know that we have a lot of curvy roads in norway) The bike looks old, but it has a fantastic smoothness dealing with curves. If your favourites are curves, and not straights, this is your medium powered bike that gives you the real pleasure of biking! (this is a review after testing about 50 different bikes in all genres). And W-comfort is quite good, in 2004 I drove 1713km in 24 hours on a Camel rally inside Norway, without any serious problem, even with an old injury in my back!

Firstly Darcy & your dad, congrats on 100,000 mate! 👏🏼 I love this Kwaka! My late uncle here in Australia was riding AJ’s, Matchless & Ariel’s back in the 1950’s! He married my mum’s sister, Auntie Barb back then & they went on their honeymoon on an old Ariel! Any years later after my dear Aunty Barb passed away Uncle Don said to me “I’m thinking about getting one last bike! I like the Kawasaki WR800. What do you think?…” I said “Uncle Don, go for it! Unfortunately his health took a turn for the worst & he never got the opportunity. Nonetheless, Darcy a wonderful tribute by Kawasaki to a bygone era. I still have my Triumph Thruxton 900, 2011 model, a Triumph Steve McQueen Edition & a lot older classic, the BMW R100s,1980! 😎👍🏼🇦🇺

Absolutely the most authentic bike built today . Original design and build materials with todays safety features. ABS, FUEL INJECTION.

Firstly, congratulations - much deserved too 👏. Yes, a stunner that W800. I'll bet it's made in Japan too which adds to the authenticity. These were 650 originally and I saw one of those a couple of year's ago.

I was wondering if Mr. Darcy or the Ol' Man would ever review my bike, and just then as if my magic, you did! This is great. I'll confirm video matches my thoughts as well. About a decade ago I noticed a really good looking bike parked by my office here in New York on a regular basis and found out it was a 2000 or 2001 Kawasaki W650. I learned it was imported to the States for just those two years and started trying to find them on the used market. But then Kawasaki announced they were coming out with a W800 for 2020 and I got it as soon as it got warm enough to ride, which turned out to be a week before the pandemic. Anyway I couldn't be happier! I love everything about this bike. It's very well suited for city riding and perfectly fine on the highways. A really great all-purpose bike which I've been using as a commuter for four years. It is like riding to work on a work of art!

I always wondered why the W800 is still not there, and here it is! ❤

I got one few months ago and really love that motorcycle, as much for its great esthetic as for its character. The kind of bike I’ll keep forever 😀

Thanks for reviewing the W800, particularly the original version. I have the 2014 Black Edition. Lovely bike.

I have the w650 2002 it's stood the test of time build quality is excellent, it's even more of a classic than the w800 you get a choke lever, fuel tap with reserve and a kick-start which came in handy for a few weeks when the Battery died, you have to think more regarding the brakes and ride it smoother but down your favorite back road it's great fun. Stick another 15 on your 70 easily, Absolutely Love it!!

the first W800 is the most simple, confortable and beautiful retro bike, only modern for the fuel inyection. I'm a owner of a W800 SE 2012 Balck and Gold. Amazing bike

still my favorite bike

Wow, this Kawasaki W800 looks amazing bro...I'm interested to hear more about the comparison between this W800 and the Royal Enfield Continental GT. Those are both such cool bikes, and it would be great to see how they stack up against each other...congrats on reaching 100,000 subscribers! That's a huge milestone. Here's to many more!"

It's great that Kawasaki kept the 360 degree crank. I bought a Triumph T100 in 2011 and the 270 degree crank was a complete disappointment in the engine feel compared to the Triumph T140E I owned for 15 years

whoo, finally a W800 review from you guys! a nice surprise to see during this hot Saturday afternoon accompanied by a glass of iced coffee. i have the smallest variant of the W series family, the W175 as my weekend toy. quite spartan compared to its contemporaries, but in my eyes it looks the most retro

Certainly the most authentic retro twin cylinder bike with its 360 degree crank. The green ones are my favourite. Undercut substantially in price by Royal Enfield 650’s and on paper difficult to justify the cost extra of the Kawasaki unless your heart was set on one. Shame really, love the bevel drive on the engine ! 🇬🇧

One of the best looking bikes ever! 👍 Perhaps THE best looking bike besides the 1972 Norton 750 Commando! (And of course, beside my Sportster 😂).

I share your enthusiasm and fascination for this beauty. For me too, it is one of the most beautiful motorcycles ever produced.

She’s a beauty and what I consider a true classic. The exhaust is an easy fix with a hole saw and that green is my favorite color but they don’t offer it anymore sadly

That's it! The W800 from the first series is the most authentic retro bike behind the W650 in our times! 😉👍

I have been looking for a modern Retro as a second bike for some time with a budget of £5- 6K so went to look at the new BSA"S and RE"S yesterday in Bristol. While I know I will be berated for saying this but it is obvious they are built to a budget, thats not an issue if thats what you want to spend and want a new bike but not for me!! I've bought a second hand W800 Final Edition with Very low miles. i't quality, looks, finish and Kawasaki reliability sold me!! coming next week!

I suggest Squires bikers cafe in Sherburn in Elmet near Leeds. It’s a big venue with a big car park, lots of land, cafe and bar areas, bikers shop etc and is used to hosting big events….more importantly it is slap bang in the middle of the country for all your viewers

Congratulations for 100K, go for 200K ! when i bought my Honda 125, the owner's nephew followed me for a test ride on his W800. fantastic looking bike !

100K! Congrats. Well deserved. Been fun to follow you up to 100 and it will be a joy to tag along to a million. Keep it strong as always. Hope you and your dad will have a great celebration. Proud of you both.

Congrats on crossing the 100k subs threshold, well deserved for your restless top notch quality work, lads👍

Congrats on the 100K. I have been watching religiously for the past couple of years. Wishing you both the absolute best! I only have a 125CC bike as I'm new to all this but would be up for the meet.

Gorgeous! That says it all…I want one so bad , but would have to sell my GS. Not a bad idea at the age of 66.. Great job Mr.Darcy of presenting this gem of a motorcycle. Greetings from Berlin, Jim

Still available in Canada and a 2024 model at that. The key differences are single ABS discs front and rear, fuel injection hidden as with Bonnies( can’t remember if the 2011s had FI) and a pleated seat with white piping. Same engine appearance, pipes, non progressive rear shocks and instrument layout. So a modern classic in some respects like Royal Enfield. One recommendation. Add a fender extension to the front fender to keep stones from puncturing the oil filter. Don’t ask how I know about this 😎. One note, the exhaust was especially developed by Kawasaki to give it its unique sound.

A bike I haven’t really considered but it definitely has those classic looks

At least where I live in the States, we don't have them either. I like them. Great on gravel & 2 lane blacktop roads. Plus bopping round town. Once was nice isn't no more. The world has gone bonkers. We've lost so much & are going backwards at an alarming rate. Not good. W800 is gorgeous cause it's not all black. It looks real as compared to the all blacked out crap which looks like a plastic model kit. Absolutely gross no matter what bike type it is. P.S. If you've not ridden old bikes, you gotta ride a hopped up to the hilt 1969 BSA Lightning Cafe with unbaffled TT pipes. What a blast.

I own a 2019 W800 Cafe and I get after market parts from Omega Racer in Thailand. They make exhausts for the 2019 and later models as well as some of the earlier models. Some of the exhausts differ from the original (like a scramble option) but they make one that looks exactly the same but no cat and they come with or without baffles. I was very happy with my exhaust and other parts and would recommend them. Not only does it sound better, but you will feel the extra HP above 5000 revs.

Love the style of both bikes, and my Continental GT l, Classic 350 and soon Shotgun 650 because they are functional and have lines that are there for beautiful

Stunning bike. Wish they’d kept a kickstarter like they did with the w650.

Great video thanks Darcy. I'd like to congratulate you and the Ol' Man for achieving 100K subscribers, this in my opinion is long over due but very well deserved. Please keep doing what you both do as we all love your reviews, they are always professionally produced and informative.

I am sad that a bike with no features and "tech" is way more expansive just because it looks.... Gorgeous

Started riding at 36 in a w650. Still is my bike and I can0t find a reason to replace it and boy... do I look around. Amazing motorcycle, beautiful and very easy to work on...except changing battery... :D... Also one exceptional exceptional international community in Facebook... If you want a proper classic without the "i got me a triumph because all the cool kids had one" give this one a try.

Finally! Been waiting on you to review this bike. Nice work, it’s been worth the wait.

Bike Meet suggestion: The Robin Hood, Clifton Reynes, close to Olney. I love the W650/800 - I want one!

I was considering this as my first bike. None available at the time in my area, and the horsepower is a little low. I like the styling aside from the pea shooter exhaust. I bought a Speed Twin 900 instead. I'm really happy with my choice, but the W800 bike has great styling, and I only assume reliability will be solid. I enjoy the videos!

In my opinion the problem with drum brakes isn't stopping power. But lack of feel and that they fade quite quickly. Also congrats for the 100k! 🥳

Good one Darcy - I’ve always admired this bike from afar, it’s beautiful

Great review of a lovely bike! If you are going to ride and review some older bikes, see if you can get hold of a mid nineties Triumph Thunderbird 900, I'm sure there are plenty of people who'd be interested in that! Cheers

Could you guys do a video, on what bikes you would recommend to an older beginner rider. Congrats on the 100k subscriber milestone. I’m a new subscriber and I’ve really enjoyed the content thus far.

I purchased a brand new Kawasaki W650 in 2005 still got it fantastic bike nearly 28000 miles totally reliable I thought of buying a new bike but I can not let it go.

Finally got your hands on one! IMO the design of this bike is perfect, when I have a spare £5k lying around I need to acquire one and baby it. I have deliberately avoided buying one to date because my bikes usually get used and abused, I need the facilities for a second bike that I can look after properly before I pick one of these up. Also crazy that you haven't ridden any older bikes! You should just take a punt on an 80s or 90s Honda.

Congrats on the 100k! Was already thinking about doing a roadtrip from Amsterdam to the UK on my XJR1300, but your bike meet just convinced me 🤙🏻

Beautiful Great video Imagine how great that engine would look with a Rickman Metisse chassis wrapped around it

Nearly got W800 was looking at W800 ,Interceptor , Bonneville T120 but ended up with Thruxton 1200 (looks nice LOL ) Always thought they should have been called W750 as 750 sounds retro were as 800 sounds modern , do like sound of a 360 twin though

Congrats on the 100K subscribers! Very lovely bike indeed.

Hi, For Bike Meet, Suggestion: The Yew Tree Inn, Cauldon Low, Staffordshire They host Motor Events, and it's a great old Pub, lots of Character

I've owned two of these. Beautiful looking bike. The 360-degree crank gives that traditional parallel twin sound and feel, without heavy vibes. I'm six foot fall, and like you I found the riding position a bit cramped. Also, the gap between thighs and narrow rear of tank/front of seat prevented a good connection with the bike.

Congratulations on 100K well deserved. Keep it up🏍️😁

I'll keep my '05 Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter 1500,but that's a nice one too!👍

Discounting the Australian chap, who's resurrected and improved the old Ducati 900SS, I think this is the only bevel driven valve gear bike still made. It'd be great if it had hydraulic adjusters, as it'd be virtually maintenance free, from an ownership viewpoint, barring regular fluid changes.

It will be nice to see the old man back as well

Well done for reaching your milestone, very well deserved; you guys put a great deal of effort into your content and is a welcome change to the POV videos that proliferate RU-vid. As for the W, well, I bought the Cafe version which is actually a bit roomier as there’s a bit of a stretch like the Continental GT and rear disc which works far better. They are only Euro 4 hence there demise in Europe and U.K. which is a shame but being Japanese built, we’re costly. The one thing you forgot to mention, its standout feature, is that bevel drive for the OHC. Done purely because they could, and expensive talking piece; ‘tricketry’ as Henry Cole would say. I look forward to the Interceptor comparison; I decided against that one mostly because they are everywhere; I’ve never seen another W Cafe on the road but a few Standards and 650s are out there.

Been waiting for this bike for a long time!! I think another great comparison would be this bike and an air cooled Bonneville or Thruxton 865 from between 2001 and 2015 before they added liquid cooling. I believe those bikes also have a 360 degree firing order so would make a great comparison for the W800

Cool looking bike. Need to test ride one of these one of these days. Thanks for the review.

had one back in 2011 a lovely thing for sure

Brilliant stuff Mr. Darcy! I’m an older rider here in the US and always look forward to your rides and reviews…. Got back on the RE Classic 350 couple years ago to get my feet wet again. Now contemplating a bump up to the Int650…. So very much looking forward to your next video. Thanks again for all that you and the “old man “ do for us out here! Cheers…

You can change the exhaust w/o intake remapping up to 2020. Delkevic and Khan Moto make Norton style systems for W800 that sound fantastic!