[FourWheelDrift]

While this may not be to the liking of Triumph Bonneville fans, it will be to those who love the discontinued Kawasaki W650.

Here's an article that appeared in MCN yesterday :

Kawasaki W800 Bonneville-rival is real - | Motorbike reviews | Latest Bike Videos | MCN

Kawasaki W800 Bonneville-rival is real

By Guy Procter -

New bikes

27 August 2010 15:56

Kawasaki is about to reveal a bigger replacement for the defunct W650 Triumph Bonneville replica, confirming internet speculation.

The bike will be called the W800 and feature a largely similar chassis, but feature a disc brake at the rear and power hiked to match Triumph’s own modern-day Bonneville, at around 60bhp.

Kawasaki’s original W650 was popular with customisers, especially in Japan, but it was always hampered by its authentically flat 49bhp parallel twin motor.

If Kawasaki keeps a lid on the price, the W800 should give the reborn Bonneville serious competition – the W650 was widely praised for out-retroing the Hinckley bike until it was discontinued in 2006.

Some more links for images and news on the same subject :

M&M's motorcycle Blog KAWASAKI W800 ?

Vanity Fetish: New Kawasaki W800

Imageshack - w800.jpg

News moto 2011 : Kawasaki W 800 - Moto Station

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

[navpreet318]

hope this comes into india.It really will be the ONE bike i have been yearning for years.perfect power usable in the city.can stretch its legs in the open as well.looks retro like a bullet.and i can just about park it anywhere and go for a nice romantic walk with my better half without caring one bit about the bike.PERFECT!

[St. Anger]

Originally Posted by navpreet318

hope this comes into india.It really will be the ONE bike i have been yearning for years.perfect power usable in the city.can stretch its legs in the open as well.looks retro like a bullet.and i can just about park it anywhere and go for a nice romantic walk with my better half without caring one bit about the bike.PERFECT!

You totally nailed it there bro, finally retro lovers would stand a chance - total drool worthy stuff. Praying that they actually launch it here and not mess up with the pricing like they did with the Ninja250.

[FourWheelDrift]

@St. Anger :

If this bike will be sent to the US, it will probably retail for around US$ 8,000 (US$ 1 = INR 47, so US$ 8,000 = INR 3,76,000).

The predecessor to the W800, the W650, sold in the US for 2 model years = 2000 and 2001. Both years the MSRP was USD 6,500.

I would expect inflation and the enhancements to push the price up to what I've indicated above.

There is NO CHANCE that the W800 will come in cheaper than the Ninja 250, if it comes to India at all.

Somehow, I doubt Kawasaki wants to create a retro image in India. My guess is that it probably wants to build it's image here on it's sport biking competence.

Let us hope that when Triumph come to India with their Bonneville, that it is a runaway success, so that Kawasaki might be tempted to bring this here, to compete.

The last fly in the ointment would probably be our motorcycle emissions standards , which are AMAZINGLY more stiff than the U.S.

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

P.S. Am glad to see at least 2 retro bike lovers who've responded ... who can think beyond Enfield.

[hillram]

W800 looks smashing and has real retro design.I would love to own such a motorcycle in my stable.

[shan2129]

wow ! looks pretty good. Somewhat looks like a bullet.

[khoj]

I want to ride this NOW!!

Riding this would be fulfilling my school days fantasy of riding the RD350, only this should be way better.

I was very seriously contemplating putting the cash down for a XL883R Roadster from HD but the W800 is so much better looking, should be even better in flesh.

Eagerly awaiting more developments and if someone from Bajaj Probiking/Kawasaki is reading this I seriously have the money ready to pick up the first one

[St. Anger]

Originally Posted by FourWheelDrift

@St. Anger :

If this bike will be sent to the US, it will probably retail for around US$ 8,000 (US$ 1 = INR 47, so US$ 8,000 = INR 3,76,000).

The predecessor to the W800, the W650, sold in the US for 2 model years = 2000 and 2001. Both years the MSRP was USD 6,500.

I would expect inflation and the enhancements to push the price up to what I've indicated above.

There is NO CHANCE that the W800 will come in cheaper than the Ninja 250, if it comes to India at all.

Somehow, I doubt Kawasaki wants to create a retro image in India. My guess is that it probably wants to build it's image here on it's sport biking competence.

Let us hope that when Triumph come to India with their Bonneville, that it is a runaway success, so that Kawasaki might be tempted to bring this here, to compete.

The last fly in the ointment would probably be our motorcycle emissions standards , which are AMAZINGLY more stiff than the U.S.

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

P.S. Am glad to see at least 2 retro bike lovers who've responded ... who can think beyond Enfield.

@fourwheeldrift (love d sound of that)

While it truly is wishful thinking to expect Kawasaki to bring in this bike for us, i couldn't help myself from dreaming about it. Guess, its going to be a long wait for us retro-lovers to have a non-bullet option. Thanks for the lovely explanation on pricing, emission norms and company image.

Originally Posted by hillram

W800 looks smashing and has real retro design.I would love to own such a motorcycle in my stable.

Hi hillram,

I agree, the gentle flow of the bike from the tank to the tail got me swooning. Unfortunately, its all eye candy for us, sigh!

Originally Posted by khoj

I want to ride this NOW!!

Riding this would be fulfilling my school days fantasy of riding the RD350, only this should be way better.

I was very seriously contemplating putting the cash down for a XL883R Roadster from HD but the W800 is so much better looking, should be even better in flesh.

Eagerly awaiting more developments and if someone from Bajaj Probiking/Kawasaki is reading this I seriously have the money ready to pick up the first one

Hi khoj,

even if i could ride it, i possibly couldn't afford to own it, not with the pricing as explained by 'fourwheeldrift'. The RE Electra and an Rx in my family have taught me that wheels are meant to be worshiped from the saddle/seat, not on the stand in the garage/showroom. This is what has kept me from adding a RD & Yezdi to my collection, along-with me not owning a petrol station that is.

[aargee]

No way; you guys are kidding; this is looking like a girlish version of Bonneville. Anyday, I prefer a Bonneville for the retro. Looks like the Japs are copying.

[FourWheelDrift]

@argee :

In a convoluted way, you are correct.

The bike that came before the W800, i.e. the W650, was actually inspired by a '60s Kawasaki, the W1.

For more information on this classic Kawi, please click on :

Kawasaki W series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

OR

Museum [W1]

Where you are correct is, that the original W1 was created as a competitor to the '60s Bonneville, and thus looked somewhat like it.

The rebirth of the W1 in '99 as the W650 took the styling inspiration a lot more closely from a mid-late '60s Bonneville.

Reviews of the W650 will tell you that it was even more pleasing to the purists' eye, than Triumph's own resurrection of the Bonneville in 2001.

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

P.S. I will try to find an email ID of Kawasaki, either here in India or in Japan, so that I can point them towards this thread, and that they may keep an eye on this thread. One never knows ... stranger things have happened.

[navpreet318]

Frankly i would buy this bike over the triumph even if similar deals are give to me.This will undoubtedly be way way more reliable than a triumph.Parts would be cheaper and maintenance would be easier too.Typical Jap traits.One would say that european bikes give you more soul etc etc.But I live in India.Earn my money working way harder than anyone at a similar level in the whole world and that money is dear to me.So to hell with the soul.I want to ride! without spending a bomb on garage bills and also precious time in the garage as well.

I will frankly always ride a Jap bike because its money well spent always.

[Haroon]

I am also a fan of retro bikes and I am seriously dreaming of owning a retro bike with fuel injection, tubeless tires etc- In other words classic looks but without the pain of constantly working on the bike (choice is now down to a new Bonnie SE or the new CB1100F). BUT for our country that is madly obsessed with race replica super sports bikes, with a few cruisers/nakeds thrown in to the pack, there is hardly a chance such retro bikes would ever make it to our shores although these would be far more practical & enjoyable to ride & own in India. Even the W400, W650, CB1100F etc are all bikes mainly targeting Japanese market and its a long shot for us to expect them in India. Anyway no harm in hoping....

[FourWheelDrift]

Ok, if anyone is inclined to write to Kawasaki, either through Bajaj or directly in Japan, here's how you can :

In India, through Bajaj Auto = customerservice@bajajauto.co.in

Directly in Japan : Kawasaki Motorcycle &amp Engine Company --Regarding Inquiries via the Internet-- is a disclaimer, which if you agree to, takes you to the form https://www.kawasaki-cp.khi.co.jp/inquiry/form_e.html where you can type in your message.

@navpreet318 : couldn't agree with you more ... although the modern Hinckley-made Triumph Bonneville is a fairly reliable and economical-to-own (close to Japanese in both respects) motorcycle.

Cheers,

FourWheelDrift

[shrini78]

Real simple deal to see on shores of India..
Govt should reduce the taxes and we would see many such beatuies.,alas being INDIA
"Government tries prevents anything & everything except CORRUPTION"

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Haroon

BUT for our country that is madly obsessed with race replica super sports bikes, with a few cruisers/nakeds thrown in to the pack, there is hardly a chance such retro bikes would ever make it to our shores although these would be far more practical & enjoyable to ride & own in India.

Ducati GT1000 is already into India with the price of Civic

Originally Posted by FourWheelDrift

Where you are correct is, that the original W1 was created as a competitor to the '60s Bonneville, and thus looked somewhat like it.

Again, the original Bonneville is more appealing than the copied Kwacker; the japs are better in technology, why not create their own retro design instead of copying?

Originally Posted by FourWheelDrift

Reviews of the W650 will tell you that it was even more pleasing to the purists' eye, than Triumph's own resurrection of the Bonneville in 2001.

Is it? Let me have a look & post an update here.