Kawasaki W800 Coming Next Month

The bikes are already on display at Kawasaki dealerships across the country

Belonging to the 50-year-old Kawasaki W series, the W800 is a classic motorcycle that carries a simplistic and pure design. There are quite a few manufacturers manufacturing retro-styled motorcycles but this one comes with typical Japanese perfection and harks back to the unique and tasteful group of 70’s era classics. Its uniqueness lies in not just the heritage retained in its design but also the mechanicals. 

Powering the Kawasaki W800 is a 773cc air-cooled parallel-twin motor that has a special cam drive system. Instead of a chain drive, it uses a bevel drive to rotate the single overhead camshaft - a rare sight on a modern motorcycle. Though the carburettors were replaced with fuel injectors in 2011, the engine retains the classic look thanks to the abundance of chrome. Mated to a five-speed gearbox, the engine makes around 48PS of power and delivers a peak torque of 60Nm which might be less for an 800cc machine but most of the torque is available at as low as 2500rpm.

Old-school design features abound, like all-metal construction, padded brat seat, chrome handlebar and fenders, a round headlamp and spoke wheels. The W800 also gets twin pea shooter exhausts and a drum brake unit at the rear for enhanced retro feel. The front though gets a disc brake for safety.

While Kawasaki has already introduced a “Final Edition” model in Europe where thy will stop selling the bike owing to stringent Euro 4 norms, they don't face a similar problem in Asian markets where pollution norms are more relaxed. The company has also been observing the response for retro bikes like the Triumph Street Twin which has been doing quite well. When launched in January, the Kawasaki W800 will carry a price tag of around Rs 6.5 lakh and will compete with the like of Triumph Street Twin and Harley Davidson Street 750.