KAWASAKI W800 (2010-2011) Specs, Performance & Photos

The Kawasaki W800 was a retro motorcycle made by the Japanese manufacturer that debuted in 2011 as a successor to the W650, with a design based on the 1960s British motorcycles like the BSA A7 and Triumph Bonneville.

The bike represented a new, bigger, and better version of the acclaimed W series that came with the same classic design and attitude but with a new fuel-injected engine tuned for a strong low-mid range of torque.

With its compact 12-hole injectors that saved both weight and space and its heavy flywheel that added to the strong low-mid range of torque, the lightweight pistons featured the same weight as those of the W650, despite having a 5 mm larger bore.

It also featured the world’s first use of a compact external in-line high-pressure fuel pump that allowed the elegant fuel tank to remain the same.

As for handling, the Kawasaki W800 featured a lightweight double cradle frame with a 50 mm backbone square section that provided stable riding and a compact overall design. On the front end, the model packed a 39 mm telescopic fork and on the rear end, two shock absorbers mounted on each side provided spring preload adjustability, a smooth ride, and a clean look.

In the performance department, the 2011 Kawasaki W800 had at its core a 773cc four-stroke parallel-twin air-cooled engine that delivered an output power of 48 hp with a peak at 6,500 rpm and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) of torque available at 2,500 rpm.

As for braking performance, the bike packed a single 300 mm disc squeezed by a two-piston caliper on the front wheel and a 160 mm drum on the rear wheel.