11/20/2022 0 Comments Review on cammask 2019![]() It is also important to note that the V7 and Street Twin require restriction kits to become A2-compliant. Then there's the the Royal Enfield Interceptor (from £5699, 2020) and Continental GT (from £5899, 2020) 650 twins, which undercut the rest of the class with their exceptional value for money. Not as punchy as an £8100 (2020 pricing) Triumph Street Twin, or as eager as a Moto Guzzi V7, it's the most convincing 'classic Brit' on the market right now - outshining Triumph's fleet of Bonnevilles, which all feel thoroughly modern by comparison. The A2-compliant, retro roadster class was one of 2019’s most competitive and it continues to roll on into the new decade - with the arrival of the straight-laced W800 model for 2020 injecting new blood into the fashionable genre.Īll three of the Kawasaki variants (the Café, Street and W800) face some stiff competition from around the globe, however nothing else offers such a truly authentic retro experience. It’s a pity that most of the vibes arrive at 3500rpm, as this is 60mph in top (fifth) gear. The balance shaft does a decent job of eliminating tingles while still allowing you to feel the engine’s character. It 'gathers speed' rather than accelerates, has dual peashooter silencers and, if required, will cruise at 80 on motorways and top out just above a ton. Off the throttle it’s pleasant, unthreatening and easy with an elastic midrange that doesn’t really care which gear you’re in and an 8000rpm redline that’s pointless getting anywhere near. With just 47bhp (A2-legal) the W800’s power delivery is easy-going and relaxed, the twin thrumming politely beneath you. This gives a distinct exhaust note, far more reminiscent of an old Bonneville or Commando (and also of a BMW boxer, as it happens), and a different feel. Other parallel twins use a 270 ̊ firing interval to sound and feel similar to a 90 ̊ V-twin, but Kawasaki have stuck with a 360 ̊ crank where the pistons rise and fall together. What makes the W800 so convincingly period is the crankshaft. And although higher quality than the Enfield, the £3500 difference is difficult to justify. The old Ws, the last in 2016 being just over £7K, undercut comparable Triumphs. The biggest of all, though, is the price. On the slight downside, there are a few niggles (plasticky guards, no metal tank badge on some models) and, like most 47bhp bikes, it’s a fairly underwhelming performer. The previous W650/800 was always one of the most authentic retros and the same is true of these latest versions. Review on cammask 2019 plus#This, plus longer mudguards and old-style indicators and mirrors, mean this bike’s character is more 'sunny Sunday' where its siblings are 'trendy urban'. The engine also gets a silver finish and chrome tank emblems. The latest W800 gets a 19in front wheel compared to the other models' 18-incher and is covered in chrome and detailing. £700 less than the Café at its launch, other changes included a different seat and silver rims. New LED headlight is a stylish, welcome modern addition.Įlsewhere, the metallic black W800 Street promised a more 'traditional' upright appeal for the retro enthusiast. ![]() Dropped 'Ace' bars aren’t as extreme as they look and are certainly not uncomfortable – in fact it reminds very much of Royal Enfield’s 650 Continental GT in this respect. The Café model’s cowl is neat and stylish but doesn’t really do much. 2019 saw the introduction of the hunched-over Café and flat-barred Street, with Kawasaki introducing a third pure 'W800' to the 2020 line-up. It was reintroduced in 2011 as the fuel-injected W800, dropped again due to Euro4 in 2016 and, heavily reworked (Kawasaki claim, despite appearances, 90% is new), is now back again. ![]() ![]() Related: Best base bikes for custom motorcyclesīut although praised for its 1960s authenticity, its appeal was limited by flaccid performance (the 2001 790cc Bonnie produced 62bhp) and was dropped in 2006.Related: Kawasaki W800 gets a touch of class.Latest news: Kawasaki revive Meguro with W800-based K3.Beating Hinckley Triumph’s revived Bonneville to the punch, it paid homage to the Japanese firm’s first motorcycle, the 1966 650cc W1 (itself based on BSA’s old A7). Kawasaki’s cute and authentically retro, bevel-drive twin has come and gone repeatedly since the original’s launch in W650 (actually 675cc), 49bhp form back in 1999. ![]()
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