Thoughts on W800

[Lord Popgun]

I also have what Ferret has. LOVE them so bought a set of spares in case I can’t get them.

Also have them on my ST1300. In ST1300 sizes of course

[DaSwami_imp]

I like the way it looks, but I tend to think it would be just too slow and an under performing compared to our CB1100. I am still riding my Kawasaki Z900 RS, retro-Rootbeer colored one I bought in 2018. Yes, I know it is not totally Retro with its water-cooled, large radiator, but on the performance end, not many bikes with such a small displacement will do 155mph or the 1/4 mile near and below 11 seconds.
I just put new Pirelli Angel GT tires on the Z today (a 190/50 on the rear!) and they are so much smoother than the Bridgestone Battlax tires that came on it. Anyone put them on the CB1100 yet? They are 'Z' rated, and can handle the speed of the Z900RS, but are they as smooth on the Honda? Got a little off track, but if the W800 was the only Retro bike out there, I would probably buy one, but the Triumph 1200 Scrambler would be my first choice!

Holy crap, that IS impressive!! I can't stand that big honking radiator, but maybe I need to take a closer look at that bike...hmmmm can I cross over to the dark side (water cooling)....?

[GoldOxide_imp]

I like the way it looks, but I tend to think it would be just too slow and an under performing compared to our CB1100. I am still riding my Kawasaki Z900 RS, retro-Rootbeer colored one I bought in 2018. Yes, I know it is not totally Retro with its water-cooled, large radiator, but on the performance end, not many bikes with such a small displacement will do 155mph or the 1/4 mile near and below 11 seconds.
I just put new Pirelli Angel GT tires on the Z today (a 190/50 on the rear!) and they are so much smoother than the Bridgestone Battlax tires that came on it. Anyone put them on the CB1100 yet? They are 'Z' rated, and can handle the speed of the Z900RS, but are they as smooth on the Honda? Got a little off track, but if the W800 was the only Retro bike out there, I would probably buy one, but the Triumph 1200 Scrambler would be my first choice!

Holy crap, that IS impressive!! I can't stand that big honking radiator, but maybe I need to take a closer look at that bike...hmmmm can I cross over to the dark side (water cooling)....?

Yeah, that is the only way to get the performance out of a liter bike these days while meeting 21st emission requirements. The radiator is a mixed blessing for sure. Great when stuck in summer traffic, but a pain when they start leaking. To insult to injury, some bikes have more than one radiator.

[riceburner_imp]

Had an'02 kawasaki vulcan 1500 classic for 14 years, finned and watercooled,never had a problem with leaks. Or any problems.

[pekingduck]

Back to the W650-W800 topic, I thought I'd share a little opinion. I had ridden a W650back when they were nearly new, and thought they were wonderful, light feeling, toss-able twins, although I ended up on the Bonneville team instead.

But the interest never went away completely, and a couple months ago, I bought one with a motor apart, with 18k on it. The lower bevel gears were destroyed and the top end was off, so the engine needed to come apart completely. Because I had bought it from a second owner, the symptoms or cause are unknown.

Anyway, the bevel-driven lower (and upper) cam drive has lots of parts and shims and spacers that have to be perfect. I've been through a couple bevel-drive Ducati motors, and these are much worse than I recall them to be. In an age of reliable cam chains and belts, this was unforgivable for Kawasaki. When it's together, we'll see how it is. Pushrods would have been better.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Back to the W650-W800 topic, I thought I'd share a little opinion. I had ridden a W650back when they were nearly new, and thought they were wonderful, light feeling, toss-able twins, although I ended up on the Bonneville team instead.

But the interest never went away completely, and a couple months ago, I bought one with a motor apart, with 18k on it. The lower bevel gears were destroyed and the top end was off, so the engine needed to come apart completely. Because I had bought it from a second owner, the symptoms or cause are unknown.

Anyway, the bevel-driven lower (and upper) cam drive has lots of parts and shims and spacers that have to be perfect. I've been through a couple bevel-drive Ducati motors, and these are much worse than I recall them to be. In an age of reliable cam chains and belts, this was unforgivable for Kawasaki. When it's together, we'll see how it is. Pushrods would have been better.

Crap.

Good to know!

[peterbaron]

Seem unnecessary complex design.

[GoldOxide_imp]

The design is not complex. Also, the concept has been around a very long time (not just in a motorcycle).

It could be, though, Kawasaki's material's and mechanical design implementation is not up to where it needs to be for the application. Materials has advanced vastly well into the 21st century, but maybe they just can't leverage it well enough for something rotating at that rate?

[Nachodaddy]

The design is not complex. Also, the concept has been around a very long time (not just in a motorcycle).

It could be, though, Kawasaki's material's and mechanical design implementation is not up to where it needs to be for the application. Materials has advanced vastly well into the 21st century, but maybe they just can't leverage it well enough for something rotating at that rate?

They make fighter-jets and container ships, don't know why this would be so difficult.

[active1951_imp]

Back to the W650-W800 topic, I thought I'd share a little opinion. I had ridden a W650back when they were nearly new, and thought they were wonderful, light feeling, toss-able twins, although I ended up on the Bonneville team instead.

But the interest never went away completely, and a couple months ago, I bought one with a motor apart, with 18k on it. The lower bevel gears were destroyed and the top end was off, so the engine needed to come apart completely. Because I had bought it from a second owner, the symptoms or cause are unknown.

Anyway, the bevel-driven lower (and upper) cam drive has lots of parts and shims and spacers that have to be perfect. I've been through a couple bevel-drive Ducati motors, and these are much worse than I recall them to be. In an age of reliable cam chains and belts, this was unforgivable for Kawasaki. When it's together, we'll see how it is. Pushrods would have been better.

I would change the oil FREQENTLY, with that engine design.