Kawasaki W800 Questions & Answers

The twin engine has a bit of vibration... isnt it great! If you are concerned- get a mechanic to check it. There is a chance some bearings are tight after sitting which your bike apparently has.

Thank you for your reply
I took it to my motorbike mechanic for a check,still there
Maybe a lighter oil to run it in would help ?
Thanks Colin

hi Gideon - well you've got the right bike, -as it may have been sitting idle for awhile may i suggest you change the oil & fuel otherwise just take her for rides for about an hour have a rest for a while & repeat this aides in the running in process worked for me from new so 2,400 is still new. check your tyre pressure too. Like I said you got the right bike - enjoy. PS: I still have mine & She likes me back-win!

I got 12,000 KM out of the original TT100s and then fitted Pilot Activs. I got 18,000 KM out of them and have just fitted a new set because I found they get good wear, they handle great, and unlike the TTs, the rear tyre keeps it's round profile as it wears. I never ride in the rain so I don't know how they perform on wet roads but being Michelins I assume they would be up to scratch.

Thanks for your response. I still havent got new tyres. The wear figures that you gave arent surprising. The TTs are meant to be sticky and soft. The roundness of the tyre is interesting. The softness of the TTs might explain them wearing flat....

Both my TTs are original so are 7 years old. The front one has age cracks and is noticeably low on tread. The rear surprisingly is less worn. I've only had the bike for 18 months so I'm not sure what "good" TTs are like.

I'm starting to think that I am going to replace the front only with a TT.....but I might change my mind in 5 minutes.

Excellent, especially with different tyres (I'm not a fan of the Dunlop TT OEM tyres). Longest journey for me in a single day is over 650km with small holdall (3-4 days away). Longer legs are doable but quite tiring due to vibrations, lack of wind protection. Still get off the bike with a smile at how capable it is.

I agree with the lack of wind protection and also the upright riding position makes higher speed a little breezy. However the speed limit is ok. I find it pretty light steering for a bike that weighs around 200kg dry.... I think that what it is. It has a low centre of gravity or it feels that way. I dont like the TT tyres either and I'm getting Pirellis this week.

It's great for day trips but for a long trip over several days with luggage you would be better off with a purpose built tourer with panniers. It's maximum torque is at 2,500 RPM so it's great in traffic and it's slim enough to lane split with ease. As a bonus you'll get 25 KM per litre or 70 MPG on the open road and not much worse in traffic if you use the torque correctly and don't rev it hard, which you don't really have to with it's long stroke engine.

If you mean when you turn the ignition on and the throttle moves it's just the ECU adjusting the injector idle setting but if you mean while actually riding I get a bit of h f tingle in my hands but nothing like the old British bikes without balancers. W800s also have weights inside the ends of the handlebars to reduce vibration so check that the spot weld hasn't broken. If it's only happening on the throttle grip you might check the cable for too much or too little free play or wear in the grip twist tube over the handlebar. If you join the W800 group on facebook there are a couple of W800 mechanics who might be able to help further.

There are some factory modifications that have to be done to the throttle slides and associated wiring. If you get your VIN number and call a Kawasaki dealer, they can tell you if they have been done. There is a relatively small amount of vibration just under 3000rpm, but the bike generally gets smoother above that. The bike can suffer from typical fuel injection problems - especially if the pipes have been modified. Some owners have removed in the inlet plastics into the airbox with the view to improving air flow.

The bike has been designed to meet european emission targets and can run lean in the "closed loop" when the oxygen sensor in the exhaust comes into play - you might want to investigate if that is still fitted if someone has changed the pipes. I own a V-twin and it's noticeably smoother - with a carbie - than the W800 but these bikes are nothing like the old english twins.

Cheers both I'll see fb for more info

Some guys have mounted panniers, top boxes, etc. A couple of nutters in Newcastle have taken it for a really long ride and love it. I prefer shorter ride, as I don't want change the look of the bike, the tank only holds about 12 litres (appox 240km) and is very smooth at 80-95km/h, handlebar tends to wobble at higher speeds (Dunlop tires?). If I had a choice, I'd go for a tourer, but the missus hates plastic bikes and I'm falling in love with bike. All the best.

Many thanks for that !!! I am looking for something to do weekenders on plus the occasional big trip with the missus on the back so this has confirmed my thoughts that although this is a great looking bike it doesn't really suit my purpose at the moment. Maybe in a few years :-)
Thanks again for the feedback. Cheers Paulo