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I purchased a new left-over '21 W800 a few weeks ago, and then it promptly rained for a week, but it hit 83 degrees this afternoon, barely a cloud in the sky...so a good chance to introduce "Blue", with Mt. Hood in the background giving the welcome:
Been a long time coming. One of the reasons I originally became interested in the CB1100 back around 2014 was that I had spent two years prior looking for a 2000 or 2001 Kawasaki W650. I loved both the 2000 silver / blue tank and the '01 green 'n cream. I just wasn't quick enough on a few nicely priced ones, and others were priced too high, or too far away...just never happened, so I turned my attention to the CB1100.
Just over two years ago, I bought a left-over 2020 W800 café (brown), and while it was fun for a year, the handle-bars were the forward ones, and not very conducive to all day riding. I was able to sell it for what I bought it for after 4 thousand miles. Tried the Royal Enfield INT650, wonderful bike, 7k miles. But both of these I knew were going to be short term bikes--and they were. Very fun to satisfy one's curiosity, but the standard W800 was still on my mind.
Only trouble was, nearly all the ones available were the 2020 or the 2022 models...which are both red. I just couldn't deal with two red classic motorycles, and what I really wanted was the 2021 blue.
There was one used blue '21 available at a dealership about 2 hours away. I went to look at it, and while it only had 350 miles on it, it looked like it had sat outside a lot, even some rusty spots on the chain. They wanted too much for it and plus I still had the RE and didn't feel ready mentally to pull the trigger. Looked and looked some more...plenty of red '20s and '22's, just a few blues but far, far away.
After a sublime trip to San Diego on the RE, I felt it was time to move on from it, and found a buyer. Now I had money in hand and I kept searching...Cycletrader, CL and Facebook market place. I ended up typing "w800 for sale" and the search brought up "motohunt"...never heard of it. But a few pages down and there was a brand new blue...4 hours away from me in Port Angeles, Washington.
A salesman confirmed for me they still had the bike, and I asked about the MSRP of 9200. He said he could discount that. I had already received a "best price" quote for a red one from a local Kawi dealer at $7300 and I told him that, but I preferred the blue. We agreed on 7 even. Two Saturdays ago, I was on the road by 530am, arrived at 930, bike loaded before 1030 and home by 3p. And then it rained a week sold, so I couldn't even ride it.
Gratutious Mt. Hood shot as I stopped for photos...
It feels good to be back on a W800. Parallel twin, 360 crank...I think that means 2 cyclinders go up / down and the same time...true? No matter...it's got a cool vibe and feels fun to ride.
Got an approving stare from this little guy as I stopped so we could admire each other.
Air cooled, classy lines, nice build quaility, similar to the CB1100 in a number of ways.
My career is winding down, and in 2-3 years--due to downsizing issues--I may have to decide between which to keep: the CB1100 or the W800? The plan is to put plenty of miles on them until then so I can make the "right" decision. Hmmm...it might come down to blue vs. red.
Been a long time coming. One of the reasons I originally became interested in the CB1100 back around 2014 was that I had spent two years prior looking for a 2000 or 2001 Kawasaki W650. I loved both the 2000 silver / blue tank and the '01 green 'n cream. I just wasn't quick enough on a few nicely priced ones, and others were priced too high, or too far away...just never happened, so I turned my attention to the CB1100.
Just over two years ago, I bought a left-over 2020 W800 café (brown), and while it was fun for a year, the handle-bars were the forward ones, and not very conducive to all day riding. I was able to sell it for what I bought it for after 4 thousand miles. Tried the Royal Enfield INT650, wonderful bike, 7k miles. But both of these I knew were going to be short term bikes--and they were. Very fun to satisfy one's curiosity, but the standard W800 was still on my mind.
Only trouble was, nearly all the ones available were the 2020 or the 2022 models...which are both red. I just couldn't deal with two red classic motorycles, and what I really wanted was the 2021 blue.
There was one used blue '21 available at a dealership about 2 hours away. I went to look at it, and while it only had 350 miles on it, it looked like it had sat outside a lot, even some rusty spots on the chain. They wanted too much for it and plus I still had the RE and didn't feel ready mentally to pull the trigger. Looked and looked some more...plenty of red '20s and '22's, just a few blues but far, far away.
After a sublime trip to San Diego on the RE, I felt it was time to move on from it, and found a buyer. Now I had money in hand and I kept searching...Cycletrader, CL and Facebook market place. I ended up typing "w800 for sale" and the search brought up "motohunt"...never heard of it. But a few pages down and there was a brand new blue...4 hours away from me in Port Angeles, Washington.
A salesman confirmed for me they still had the bike, and I asked about the MSRP of 9200. He said he could discount that. I had already received a "best price" quote for a red one from a local Kawi dealer at $7300 and I told him that, but I preferred the blue. We agreed on 7 even. Two Saturdays ago, I was on the road by 530am, arrived at 930, bike loaded before 1030 and home by 3p. And then it rained a week sold, so I couldn't even ride it.
Gratutious Mt. Hood shot as I stopped for photos...
It feels good to be back on a W800. Parallel twin, 360 crank...I think that means 2 cyclinders go up / down and the same time...true? No matter...it's got a cool vibe and feels fun to ride.
Got an approving stare from this little guy as I stopped so we could admire each other.
Air cooled, classy lines, nice build quaility, similar to the CB1100 in a number of ways.
My career is winding down, and in 2-3 years--due to downsizing issues--I may have to decide between which to keep: the CB1100 or the W800? The plan is to put plenty of miles on them until then so I can make the "right" decision. Hmmm...it might come down to blue vs. red.
