Kawasaki W800, W800 Cafe Get Tasteful New Colours

The 2021 iteration of both the standard and the cafe racer variants have been launched in Indonesia

Kawasaki has launched the 2021 iteration of its classic motorcycle, the W800, and its sportier variant, the Kawasaki W800 Cafe, In Indonesia. The W800 retails at IDR 291 million (approximately Rs 14.94 lakh) whereas the W 800 Cafe will set you back by IDR 298 million (approximately  Rs 15.30 lakh).

The latest version of the W800 comes in a tasteful red colour scheme with white pinstripes on the fuel tank. This replaces the blue paint scheme with the curved pinstripes in the 2020 model. We must say, it looks a lot bolder than the blue one. On the other hand, the Kawasaki W800 Cafe is draped in a subtle black colour scheme with sporty L-shaped gold and white pinstripes, replacing the grey and black dual-tone scheme in its predecessor. And instead of the gaudy looking green seat cover, the new model gets a more premium suede unit. 

Other than the aesthetics, the mechanical aspects of the motorcycle have remained unchanged. Both share a 773cc air-cooled fuel-injected parallel twin engine churning out 52PS at 6500rpm and 62.9Nm at 4800rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed transmission with a slip-and-assist clutch.

Staying true to its retro charm, the bike rolls on  19-inch front and 18-inch rear spoke wheels with tubed tyres. Braking is via a 320mm front and a 270mm rear disc with dual-channel ABS as standard. The bike rides on a telescopic front fork and a pair of preload-adjustable shock absorbers at the rear. 

The difference between the standard variant and the W800 Cafe is that the latter features a cafe racer-styled cowl with an LED headlamp, sportier-looking blacked-out fenders, lower clubman style handlebars, and a contoured seat.

The India-spec BS6 Kawasaki W800 looks rather plain jane in its current black and grey colour scheme. We hope Kawasaki brings the new red colour at least as an option to liven up the motorcycle.