Classic Motorcycle Mechanics – September 2019

The oldW800 was lovedby many. It wa ssimple,

straightforward and appealedtoageneration who

remember whenbikes had kick-starts. Equally,a

younger audience enjoyedpersonalising and

modifyingthe W800 andthe olderW650–both,of

RETRO RIDE

uniquebevelgear-driven cam, which Kawasaki

admits was originally chosen for cosmetic/traditional

reasonsonly.Internally, the engine hasbeen

upgraded with new pistons, butremains similar to

the older unitwithaquoted,A2-compliant47bhpat

With alineage goingway back to the1960s, theW-range

of Kawasakiparallel twins isastapleofthe retro scene.

CMM rides thelatest incarnation.

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