(06-26-2023, 03:13 PM)pdedse_imp Wrote: I love riding my motorcycles...particularly when there's a new route to discover, a hike thrown in at some point, a friend to visit...today was a good day to go look at a bike.

I love my CB1100ex, but sometimes I wonder: if the Kawasaki W800 had come out at the same time in 2017, would I have chosen it instead? (in the U.S., the W800 arrived in 2019). The W's engine vibe is completely different than that of the CB's, but it's a feel that simply makes me happy. Recently, a 2022 W800 (RED!) came up for sale near me...less than 300 miles...for $5,000. I called the guy right away and set up a day/time to meet him and buy the bike.

But then "reason" started to kick in: I already have 3 bikes, and two of these are "classic" looking (Royal Enfield INT650). And I didn't have room for another bike...but dadgum, 5k was a great price. I thought I could sell the RE...but then I'd have 2 red classic bikes, and it just didn't seem right, so I told the guy no thanks.

Then I saw a 2021 BLUE W800 for sale in Kennewick, Washingtong, a mere 200 miles from me...a whopping 71 miles on it...but they want $8,000. I started toying with the idea that I've had 5 good years out of the CB1100, maybe I just ride there and see what would happen if I did trade-in...maybe an even swap: a '17 CB1100ex with 20k plus miles for a '21 W800 (BLUE!) w/ 71 miles.

So yesterday I verified the bike was unsold, planned a route and was on the road by 8:45 this morning. I can get to Kennewick in 3.5 hours if I take I-84 nearly all the way... actually it's a beautiful ride along the Columbia, but there are some 'new to me' routes that looked promising.



Exited I-84 at Hood River to cross over the Columbia and into WA, then east on 14 to Lyle, where I headed north on hiway 142. This is a lovely stretch of road that follows a canyon through which passes the Klickitat River.



My brother and nephew both work for BNSF--train maintenance out of Topeka, Kansas, so this photo is for them:


There were fisherman on the river--that seemed another great way to spend the day:




Made it to Goldendale a little before noon, and then took Bickleton Hiway toward the town of the same name. Was not expecting this!

It only lasted 2 miles, but a lot of the rock was loose and deep. The rest of the road was farming and spectacular views.




Then north by northeast, heading towards Mobton down below:



It was getting a little later than I wanted, so I hopped on I-82 and buzzed over to Kennewick where I was in for a bit of a surprise...
...I rode 200 miles to see a blue, 2021 W800. But the first bike that caught my eye was a 2020 W800 café model--the UPS brown one. It has the same engine as the base model, but handlebars and blacked out engine are the big differences ergonomically and visually.


I just stared at it for a few moments, remebering the one I had purchased Sept of 2021. I had always wanted a W, but already had the CB so I never seriously considered buying one. But then they started selling the leftovers café versions for only $6k, so I decided I'd try it for a year...put 4200 miles on it and then sold it for 6,200 to RumbleOn, an online bike buying company.

I started looking over this café version and I noticed it had Grip Puppies on it. That was meaningful to me, because I had put GP on mine. I asked the guy about mileage, and he said just over 4200. Hmm. I asked him if by chance they purchased it through RumbleOn and he said they did! I asked when and he said back in Sept of last year--right when I sold mine!! They checked the vin for me, and sure enough, this was MY Kawasaki W800 café that I owned for a year!



Could not believe it...what are the odds that of all the dealerships that cold have bought my bike from Rumble, that it was this one, the very one I was visiting today? And to look at another W!! It was good to see bike again. They were asking 7,800, which I think they'll be hard pressed to get.

Anyway, salesperson and I had a good laugh about it.

But I was there to see the BLUE:



It looked pretty...even had the all-important matching side covers!!



But I just wasn't feeling it...nothing about it said "I'm much better than the CB1100 / look at me, I'm BLUE...not red! / buy me today and trade in that hefty thing you call a classic motorcycle!"...nope...it said nothing. Still, it was fun to hear it start up, sit on it...a very fine bike--but I actually like the 2023 slate blue that's starting to show up in dealerships. Within a year, they should start dropping the prices when scores of them are still on the floors. Then it will be 'adios' RE INT650, and maybe, just maybe I'll finally own a blue motorcycle.
I only spent about an hour at the dealership, and then it was time to ride another 200 miles back home. But this time I would take 14 on the WA side, and then 84 on the OR side to get home before dark.

From Rowen point, used my Canon Powershot SX740 to get some photos of the wind surfers / kite-boarders playing in the Columbia:



Not sure what these guys were playing at, but cool to see them zoom above the river:



There's the mouth of the Kickitat River, where I had started the fun portion of the ride in the morning...now looking at it from the OR side:


Sun taking its time going down...it will be light out till 9:30...gotta love the long summer days!



And Scenic Hiway 30 never disappoints...



The other reason I did this trip was to see if how well I can manage an all-day ride. This started at 8:45 and I was back home by 8:30pm. About 420 miles. That's not bad because I've got at least one, hopefully 2 multi-day trips planned for the summer, and need to build up the riding stamina.

Still can't get over coming across an old flame.

(06-26-2023, 05:13 PM)Gone in 60_imp Wrote: Wow, man, the ride alone was worth it!
What great scenery. Glad you didn’t sell the CB.

Get that stamina up and hit the road!

(06-26-2023, 08:11 PM)Hovmod_imp Wrote: Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

(06-26-2023, 08:11 PM)Hovmod_imp Wrote: Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

(06-26-2023, 09:35 PM)Tev62_imp Wrote: Great day out pdedse. The W800 classic look is the best of the bunch, looks great in Blue and the Green model. I have ridden the older 2015 model with the rear drum brake, that updated version looks great. Cracking bikes with the old 360 crank layout which makes them nostalgically a bit special. Some round trip. I would of taken that red for $5K in a heartbeat.

(06-27-2023, 01:32 AM)pdedse_imp Wrote:

(06-26-2023, 05:13 PM)Gone in 60_imp Wrote: Wow, man, the ride alone was worth it!
What great scenery. Glad you didn’t sell the CB.

Get that stamina up and hit the road!

Was going to try a Portland to San Diego trip here in June, but daughter had too many plans...tentatively thinking early September, right after Labor Day. I thought I might try it on the INT650. Would love to stop by and say 'hola', compare bikes whether on the CB or the INT.

(06-26-2023, 08:11 PM)Hovmod_imp Wrote: Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

I was pretty sure that was going to be the case for me. Mainly, I wanted an extra reason to ride in the area I did. Having owned a W800 prior, I didn't push a test ride. I wanted to "test ride" the visual aspect of the blue, and it didn't disappoint.

(06-26-2023, 08:11 PM)Hovmod_imp Wrote: Great pictures!
Last year, I test rode (not sure, but probably around) twelve bikes that each had tickled me in some way, and every time I ended up keeping my CB. The closest call was a Ducati, but my girlfriend hated sitting on it, and I love riding with her, so no Multistrada for me. Taking the CB1100 home every time became such a pattern, nobody believed I would trade it, and now neither do I.

That front fairing on the W800 looks exactly like the one I have on my RS, it's from Samurider, isn't it?

If you mean on the brown W800 café, that fairing is stock for the café model. The bike in photo hadn't been ridden a single mile since I sold it last September, the only mod to it was the Grip Puppies. It looked dusty and a bit neglected.

(06-26-2023, 09:35 PM)Tev62_imp Wrote: Great day out pdedse. The W800 classic look is the best of the bunch, looks great in Blue and the Green model. I have ridden the older 2015 model with the rear drum brake, that updated version looks great. Cracking bikes with the old 360 crank layout which makes them nostalgically a bit special. Some round trip. I would of taken that red for $5K in a heartbeat.

Totally agree with all of that. In retrospect, I should have bought that bike for 5k, and then either ordered a blue tank and sold the red, or I thought later I could have the red painted green and cream, the colors of the 2001 W650:



I love this color combo and paint design on the 650--the tank pads flow with the cream and the overall tank design. Just beautiful. I think Kawasaki could have been a little more creative with the white tank stripe on the W800:



It's not a bad look, just that I prefer the curvy nature of the green / cream on the 2001.

Oh well, the one that got away.