NGC - 2021 W800 - finally got out for a ride!

[ohiorider]

Not a long ride ........ perhaps 55-60 miles, mostly in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (NE Ohio.)

What a little sweetheart!  Fast?  Hardly!  All of 48hp.  But what a sweet feel through all the controls.  Clutch take-up is butter-smooth.  Throttle response is linear.  The 5-speed tranny is as good as it gets ..... and with a neutral finder!  Single front disc feels more than adequate for the bike.  And though some would say the suspension is way too soft, I'm good with it, especially with the poor condition of some of our roads.

This little bike is a time machine that takes me back to my start in motorcycling ........ to my rides in the mid-1960s on Bonnevilles and BSA's.

I might be good for another year or so, before ageing out of biking.  Hope so!

Bob

[twowheeladdict]

 

[Kev m]

Awesome, glad to hear and not surprised!

[blu guzz]

"This little bike is a time machine that takes me back to my start in motorcycling ........ to my rides in the mid-1960s on Bonnevilles and BSA's."

That's why people love these kinds of machines.  Many of us started out like that, then started chasing power and speed and in the end, come full circle as you are doing.  I hope you can bring it to Zanesville later in the year.

[kballowe]

I looked really hard at those.  They look good, and bring up some good memories.
 

[DaSwami]

Love the look! Love the quality!  Hate the vibration!  Even sitting at a light in neutral, twist the throttle and feel it in the grips, pegs and seat.  Plus, fits me like a TU250X...which is not good. 

I moved on from my W800 fascination once I got on one...but happy for you!

[ohiorider]

My 2nd go-around with a Kaw W model.  The first was in 2000, when I purchased a W650 which I enjoyed for over 50,000 miles.  So, in the words of the great Yogi Berra ................... .............. well, you know!

Bob

[tazio]

Bob

Congratulations!
Very cool pic 

[john fish]

I’ve never had a neutral finder on a bike. How’s it work?  Separate lever?

[LongRanger]

Nope. When you come to a stop and the bike is in first gear, simply shift up and it’ll go into neutral (without jumping into second).

My ‘91 Concours had this feature too, so it’s been around.

[80CX100]

Really glad that you like it. It's a sweet looking ride, and you're right, it's a timeless classic design, just like the bikes I drooled over when I was a kid 

Wishing you many safe miles and smiles on it. 

[Navydad]

I really like those bikes, but have never ridden one. It would take a lot to get me off of my V7ll. Even the new V7's haven't swayed me and I have ridden those. The neutral finder has been a Kawasaki thing for many years. My 1974 Z1 had that feature. Some kind of ball, spring, and detention system.

[john fish]

Nope. When you come to a stop and the bike is in first gear, simply shift up and it’ll go into neutral (without jumping into second).

My ‘91 Concours had this feature too, so it’s been around.

Interesting.  I've only seen the ones with the separate levers before:

[lucky phil]

Interesting.  I've only seen the ones with the separate levers before:

Add a handlebar control to your list as well then as this is what Current MotoGP bikes have to select Neutral as they dont have neutral between 1st and second on a Seamless transmission.

Ciao

[ToddK]

Beautiful bike! Like kballowe, I looked hard at them too. I still do, whenever I'm at the local dealer! Neat to hear about the neutral finder, my new Kwak is the first bike I've owned with that feature.

[guzziart]

 

[Redrider]

If I remember correctly, Kawasaki uses a "Check Ball" in the secondary shaft that blocks the shift drum from passing neutral unless said shaft is spinning. (My last jap bike was a 1981 GPZ 1100.)

[ohiorider]

If I remember correctly, Kawasaki uses a "Check Ball" in the secondary shaft that blocks the shift drum from passing neutral unless said shaft is spinning. (My last jap bike was a 1981 GPZ 1100.)

I think you're right about the check ball.  It worked flawlessly on my 2000 W650 for over 50,000 miles.

Bob

[Markcarovilli]

Bob

Been wondering- glad you got out and making be wanting the same.

Great looking bike but I prefer the bikini shots…..

Mark

[ohiorider]

Mark,

Took the little Kaw out today ....... first stop State8.  Meant to ride by your office and see if you were working, but road work on State Road caused me to reroute down Quick Road into the Valley on my return home.  Hope all is well with you, and the new single cylinder machine!

The W800 feels quite small, and I'm babying it during break-in, but a few 2nd and 3rd gear runs to 4500rpm shows this bike's sweet spot.  It was so damned windy today it was difficult to get a good feel for the bike.  I think she'll work for me.  She's just a 'jump on and go riding' kind of machine.  No drama!

Bob

[Sykestone8886]

Good for you, keep it in the wind , like the saying goes you didn’t quit riding cause you got old,you got old cause you quit riding !!!

[grebmrof]

Good...  always good to get a little stink blown off of ya!  Good therapy too.

[willowstreetguzziguy]

Just curious… why emphasize the “W”? What’s the significance of it over the Kawasaki name?

[ohiorider]

Just curious… why emphasize the “W”? What’s the significance of it over the Kawasaki name?

You have to go back over 50 years, to a time where Kaw wanted to get into bigger bikes.  To do that, they licensed-built a Brit bike, the BSA A50, which they badged as the "W1."  So, Kawasaki had a history of badging bikes with the "W."  If you want more history, I'd suggest Googling.

Bob

[SoCV]

 Twin cylinder guys are twin cylinder guys 

 Dusty

[ohiorider]

Twin cylinder guys are twin cylinder guys 

 Dusty

We definitely rode them!  And loved them.  At the time, I didn't know there was anything else.  I think I've bored you guys to death with my one story about the BSA Spitfire Scrambler ride to Brownsville TX and home to Charleston WV in 1966, so unless there's a special request, I won't do it again!

Bob

[lucky phil]

Just curious… why emphasize the “W”? What’s the significance of it over the Kawasaki name?

The "W" is for "Wimpy" 

Ciao

[bad Chad]

Maybe the W is for “wonderful “.

[JJ]

Congratulations on a fine machine!

[D Knaus]

Last summer I was heart-broken over having to sell my '79 Bonneville because it was kickstart only and I was having back problems.  I saw the W800 at a Case-IH dealer who also sold Kawasaki 4wheelers as well as farm equipment.
I bought it and could not be happier.  It has all the feel, light weight, etc of the Bonnie.  Love the vertical twins.
The "W" is the model, like "Ninja" is on some other Kawasakis.