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17 Apr 2012
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Retro Kawasaki
I was at my local Kawasaki-dealer to pick up my Vulcan after a service (heading to Turkey this summer) and I noticed a brand new Kawasaki retro style bike in the showroom. I was on my way to work so had very little time to take a proper look. It shows similarities with the Bonneville and it really looked the part! Does anyone on the HUBB know about this model and/or has any experience on this specific bike?! Rob.
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17 Apr 2012
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Would it be one of the VN900s?
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17 Apr 2012
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I imagine you were looking at the W650.
http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/...ro-on-its-way/
Sold in US for a couple years and Europe until 2008. Possibly coming back soon as the W800.
Best,
John Downs
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17 Apr 2012
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I think the latest version is the W800.
More like the original Bonnie than the Hinckley Bonnie I reckon.
Nice bike
Kawasaki W800
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17 Apr 2012
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Your talking about the w800 the successor to the w650.
I used to have a w650 and rode it to Croatia and back in 2009. lovely bike really flicks from turn to turn on twisty rodes. The engine is phenomenal lovely air cooled twin.
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18 Apr 2012
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I've seen a couple of W650s locally; they were only brought into North America for a couple of years unfortunately, so you don't see them very often. I don't think Kawasaki has ever brought in the W800 to North America. Too bad; they are nice looking machines.
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18 Apr 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Robertsmits
I was at my local Kawasaki-dealer to pick up my Vulcan after a service (heading to Turkey this summer) and I noticed a brand new Kawasaki retro style bike in the showroom. I was on my way to work so had very little time to take a proper look. It shows similarities with the Bonneville and it really looked the part! Does anyone on the HUBB know about this model and/or has any experience on this specific bike?! Rob.
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I knew a guy, years ago, who was riding the W650 and he rated it highly.
The W800 is indeed the new update, and they come up on ebay UK regularly - see the link below.
There is a special edition this year with a very nice colour scheme - maybe what you saw recently!
w800 | eBay
I took a look at them last Nov at the UK bike show; the saddle has loads of room for both the rider and a pillion. Yes, it looks more like a real Bonneville than the current Bonny, and so did the earlier W650.
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19 Apr 2012
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Retro vs Cruiser
I've done some searching and I must say I really like the look of the W-650 and W-800, also a Bonneville or Scrambler for that matter. I really like the mechanical look of the bikes but I am a sucker for (mid sized) cruisers also and when Alexlebrit came up with the pic of the VN-900 I would find it very hard to choose between the two. At the end I normally go for looks and would pick the VN-900 but as I am riding a cruiser at present I would love to own a somewhat more sharp steering bike for a change. I generally find modern bikes very ugly with their sharp fuzzy angles and plasticky looks but I can see myself gearing up one of those retro's with matching panniers and knobblies and head out for an adventure. For now it is all about wait-a-while when they appear on the second-hand market (and my children to finish their studies) so funds become available.........Hell, I could buy a couple of brand new ones when that day comes! Cheers, Rob.
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