2020–2025 · Retro Classic · Buyer's Guide
Style First, Always Style
Kawasaki built the W800 around one idea: a bike that looks like it stepped out of the 1960s and rides like nothing of the sort. The 773 cc air-cooled parallel twin runs a 360-degree firing order with a bevel-driven cam, and it makes its case at 48 hp and 46 lb-ft, both arriving early and staying flat. Wire-spoke wheels, a 19-inch front, chrome everywhere the eye lands. Electronics stay out of sight: ABS is the only rider aid, nothing else blinking at you, while a mechanical slipper clutch takes care of hard downshifts. In a class where retro often means compromised, this one keeps the styling honest and the hardware modern underneath.
Ridden, it asks for very little. The 31.1-inch seat, upright bars and 5-speed box suit a rider who wants to cover a hundred miles of two-lane and stop for lunch, not chase a number. Fuel economy around 50 mpg from the 4.0-gallon tank keeps running costs low, and the mechanical simplicity means it should age gracefully with basic care. The honest caveat: 496 lb wet is real weight for the output, and the front fork has no adjustment at all. Push hard and the W800 politely declines. That's the deal you sign.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 48 hp (35 kW) @ 6,500 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 46 lb-ft (63 Nm) @ 4,800 rpm |
| Displacement | 773 cc |
| Engine | Parallel twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front brake | 320 mm |
| Front tire | 100/90-19 |
| Rear tire | 130/80-18 |
| Wheelbase | 57.7 in (1465 mm) |
| Seat height | 31.1 in (790 mm) |
| Wet weight | 496 lb (225 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.0 gal (15 L) |
| Fuel economy | 50 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
Drivetrain
Safety
None of this comes from a launch event. It's what has accumulated over years of standing around in paddocks, talking to owners at club nights and gas stops, and reading the messages riders send me directly. The pattern on the W800 is unusually consistent: the praise is broad and repeated by nearly everyone who owns one, and the complaints are narrow, specific, and mostly cosmetic or acoustic.
Riders keep coming back to how little the W800 asks of them. Newer owners point to the low seat and power delivery that never catches them out, and more experienced riders say it holds their interest anyway. The upright bars and the seat itself get named again and again, on commutes and on longer days out. The engine draws the same description from almost everyone: torque arriving low, linear, predictable, with enough left over to carry a passenger without drama. Owners also mention the attention the bike gets from strangers.
The exhaust note is the one letdown that comes up on its own. Riders describe the stock system as muted and thin for a classic twin, and note that replacements cost real money. A few also mention the weight at walking pace, when they're turning it in a parking lot or moving it around the garage.
Exhaust pipe nuts and collar may detach (safety recall)
NHTSA Campaign 21V819: Exhaust pipe nuts and collar can loosen and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of crash or injury. Affected units should be repaired by a dealer.
Left cylinder misfire/stalling
A few owners experienced difficulty starting or keeping the left cylinder running, potentially caused by spark or fueling problems.
Throttle hesitation on higher-mileage bikes
Some owners report hesitation or stumble on initial throttle opening as mileage accumulates, possibly due to throttle body fouling or sensor issues.
Surface rust on chrome parts
Chrome components, notably exhaust headers and mirror stems, are susceptible to surface rust, which is purely cosmetic but frustrating to maintain.
Where this Kawasaki W800 pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the W800 is actually built for.
This is your bike. Small towns, historic routes, an easy rhythm and a machine that looks right parked outside a diner. Just plan around the 4.0-gallon tank on empty stretches.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
The W800 has real character and a sound worth listening to, but it's a slim, upright classic, not a low-slung cruiser. If your identity is tied to that silhouette, this won't scratch it.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Fine for relaxed Hill Country loops and the BBQ stop after. If you ride the Twisted Sisters at pace, 496 lb and 48 hp will hold you back.
Made for Austin / Texas Hill Country · Twisted Sisters · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Kawasaki W800. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
Competitor · 2021–2022
Classic Looks, Usable Power
~$500 cheaper used than this bike at 4 yr
Competitor · 2017–2020
Dark Factory Custom, Zero Compromise
Roughly $1,100 pricier used than this bike at 6 yr
Competitor · 2021–2024
Purist Retro, Italian Soul
~$700 pricier used than this bike at 5 yr
Competitor · 2021–2023
A Hundred Years of Character
Roughly $800 pricier used than this bike at 5 yr
Competitor · 2018
Pure Sixties Style, Modern Bones
Roughly $1,900 cheaper used than this bike at 5 yr
Same Platform · 2019–2022
Café Style, No Compromise
About the same used price as this bike at 5 yr
Similar Character · 2018–2024
Z1 Soul, Modern Muscle
~$3,000 pricier used than this bike at 4 yr