Kawasaki W800

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I use this stuff. Currently, it's on my chain. I spray it on the bottom of my mower deck and grass doesn't stick. I like it for curing squeaky door hinges in the car and the house. Maybe it's the right solution to protect your wheels as well. I first came in contact with the stuff working on heavy jets, so I've been familiar with it for a long time.
 
jetmechmarty said:
View attachment 226690
I use this stuff. Currently, it's on my chain. I spray it on the bottom of my mower deck and grass doesn't stick. I like it for curing squeaky door hinges in the car and the house. Maybe it's the right solution to protect your wheels as well. I first came in contact with the stuff working on heavy jets, so I've been familiar with it for a long time.
Click to expand...

Marty, what is that, I can’t read the can.
 
Bob, it's marketed under the name Fluid Film but so far as I can see it's a lanolin-based product, the stuff that keeps sheep's fleeces waterproof.
 
Raymond said:
That's the quick & cheap option. After that you move on to drilling holes and mussin up the tank - maybe not gonna happen.

@WideAWAKE bought a tank with a rack for his beautiful Beach Cruiser XS build. My TR6 had a tank with proper attachments - 1970 bike and the tank rack probably wasn't right for the year but WTH.

The picture don't show the rack to best advantage:

View attachment 226672
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I believe you can get a tank from India with knee pad mounts.

If you were gonna go that route, the raw tank like I got was ROUGH - but super cheap compared to a triumph tank.

If I were to do it again, I think I might buy one already painted (let them to the prep and grunt work) and then just peel and paint over it. To get a painted tank wasn’t much more cost wise.

They may even make a w800 tank…
 
Raymond said:
Already have two of those . . . just not sure if drilling one to mount a rack is in Polly's future.
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Ahh yeah, that would seem like quite a challenge.

You’d have to drill big holes and weld in a bung to thread. Seems like a huge pain to do after the tank is built.

If you were planning on painting your tank you could do it reverse. Tack some to the top on the tank and do it that way.

I’m lazy haha. Seems like a lot of work and to be honest, I think the rack looks cool but how many times have you ever seen a triumph with something strapped to it??? Ive seen exactly zero haha. I don’t think they are all that useful.
 
Was at the local dealer today and was pleased to see a bunch of bikes for sale in the showroom. They had a nice W800 there. Looked like Polly’s twin. Had a look at other new bikes and I must admit I’m still a sucker for vintage or vintage looking bikes. Sat on the W800 and jumped off quickly before I pulled my wallet out. Very nice looking machine!
 
Well, thanks for thinking of Polly when you saw that W650, Van I. The W's are a very popular platform for customs - UK, Europe, Australia.

Kawasaki W is not a common bike, I don't exactly see any others around in the Borders, but looking on-line there's loads of custom ones - Bike Shed, Duex Ex Machina and shops like that have turned out a few. You see the café look, rats, street scramblers, stripped back, etcetera. Couple W650 pictures borrowed off the web:


kawasaki-w650.jpg Kawasaki W650 Brat.jpg



The other thing you could do for fun is look up the W800 Gentlemen's Cup - a race series held when the W800 was launched. Find some clips of the races, custom painted W800s on a sort-of supermoto course with tarmac, ruff, jumps and general mayhem.
 
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Raymond said:
Said I would fit the new disc before the W gets any more use? Today was the day.
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That was Sunday. This morning, the piston seals arrived so able to slap it all back together.


PICT0531.JPG


Oops, some bits left over.


PICT0532.JPG


But never mind, the brake feels good. Managed a short test run before the rain came in again.

When I felt the new disc it was very warm but that's probably because I gave the lever a few good squeezes coming down the road into the village. Pushing the bike to-and-fro there's no feeling of the brake binding on but I'll keep an eye on it.

Also got out on the RE Bullet between showers. Just for the joy of having two out of three bikes back on the road. There's a marked contrast between W800 and Bullet 500 single - must say something about the difference between 'retro' and 'old-fashioned'?
 
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With Miss November's tank at the welder's, Polly is back in the rôle of daily rider.


PICT0542.JPG


Just back from Galashiels. The new brake feels great - been checking it doesn't get too hot and pleased to say, fine with normal use. Oodles of stopping power and feel.

Bike will probably be cleaned once more before being winterised with lanolin spray.
 
Raymond said:
With Miss November's tank at the welder's, Polly is back in the rôle of daily rider.


View attachment 227200


Just back from Galashiels. The new brake feels great - been checking it doesn't get too hot and pleased to say, fine with normal use. Oodles of stopping power and feel.

Bike will probably be cleaned once more before being winterised with lanolin spray.
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Was at the local dealer picking up parts and looked at the W800 again. Tempting….
 
Today applied the lanolin compound. The bike had been in Galashiels this morning and was mucky so gave it a wash first. Found easiest way to apply the lanolin was spray on a cloth then wipe on the bike. Sprayed directly a few awkward places.


PICT0563.JPG PICT0564.JPG


The lanolin has given Polly a gleam or lustre she has lacked of late. However, the plan is to ride through the salt season. We'll see how that goes.
 
Raymond said:
Today applied the lanolin compound. The bike had been in Galashiels this morning and was mucky so gave it a wash first. Found easiest way to apply the lanolin was spray on a cloth then wipe on the bike. Sprayed directly a few awkward places.


View attachment 229005 View attachment 229006


The lanolin has given Polly a gleam or lustre she has lacked of late. However, the plan is to ride through the salt season. We'll see how that goes.
Click to expand...

That really did bring up the gloss on the black parts. Still looks good Raymond! 🙂
 

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