Kawasaki W800

[Raymond]

Hi Guzzi Guy, welcome to the forum. Most of the forum is Yamaha XS650 but I'm very happy to answer your W800 questions. You could also go to https://thelonelyones.co.uk/ which is mainly W800s and Royal Enfields but they're really nice people into interesting bikes, as are the folk here.

Had my W800 SE from new in 2014 and done over 34,000 miles.

The Dunlop OEM tyres wear out fast on the W800 and they're not the best for handling, esp as they wear out. Changed the Dunlop at 3,500 miles for an Avon Roadrider which gave much improved handling and lasted at least twice as long as that. Have since run through a few sets of Avons and I would recommend them.

At the moment, running Kenda K761. Not too sure about them at first - made the bike feel different, especially at the rear, quicker turning, almost unstable, felt like the rear tyre was too narrow. But getting used to them and, when the time comes, will have to decide whether to buy Kenda again, go back to Avon or try something else.

Are you looking at a new or used W800? I think they are great but like all bikes it depends what you want and what you are going to use it for. There's an active Lonely One member down in your neck of the woods on an older W650 - if you see him, say Hello to Angof. Cheers, Raymond

PS - crossed in the post with Grizld1

Actually, ask about the suspension - W800s definitely benefit from money spent on better shocks, many people fit Hagons.

 

[Guzziguy]

Thanks for your useful observations.
I am thinking of a used W800’s as I dislike the current matt colour schemes; give me the gloss green or red.
As my name suggests, most of my motorcycle life was spent working up to big Guzzis but the weight of them has forced me to something lighter.
Cheers to all !

 

[Guzziguy]

BTW, a W800 would be a dry weather motorcycle which in Cornwall means relatively few days but at least the roads see salt infrequently.

 

[Raymond]

IMHO a W800 would be perfect for that type of use. Obvious alternative traditional, naked motorbikes would be RE Interceptor, Triumph Bonneville or RE Classic 350. Clearly, I'm biased but I think the W is best in that group - better built than the Interceptor, the Triumph is too big and too modern for me and I don't know much about the RE Classic but might be a good option for local lanes?

I have a 2002 500 Bullet which I love, but is in disgrace at the moment. If interested look here https://www.xs650.com/threads/2003-royal-enfield-500-deluxe.60842/post-760465

 

[Guzziguy]

I have a Meteor and love it apart from service costs which are eye watering. I took it to a family reunion last weekend . The event was in Hampshire some 250 miles away; despite bank holiday traffic the bike averaged 50 mph. I generally use E5 99 octane but on the return journey had to use E10 and lost 8 mpg. Conditions were pretty similar so I was surprised. Have any of the rest of you found E10 to be false economy?

 

[MaxPete]

As you know, there are also these brand specific approvals for "long life" oil change intervals. In my VW 2.0TDI van engine, I use Castrol Edge, as that oil has the VW xxx xxx approval that is specified for my engine. As an auto industry guru, what's your take on that?

Ahhh - good - another oil thread. I was hoping this topic would come up again. And also, hmm.....I'm not sure I'd self-describe as a guru - but I can read SAE standards and OEM manuals.

Anyhow, as far as I am concerned, OEM car and bike manuals usually specify an API service class (see the photo below) which would be something "SJ" or "SN" or some two-letter code, and the required viscosity (something like SAE 10W40 or 20W50 etc.) - and as long as what you are using meets those both of those requirements, you should be fine.

By the way - the bottle in the photo below carries the API designation as an "Resource Conserving" oil.
DO NOT use any oil with that type of designation in your motorcycle. It means that the oil contains special friction modifiers and anti-wear additives (which are good for your engine) BUT these very chemicals will make your wet clutch slip (which is bad for your riding). Also note that this has nothing to do WHATSOEVER with whether the oil is a synthetic or not. Your can buy oils which are not "Resource Conserving" in either synthetic or "normal" petroleum-base formulations - and all of them will work fine and not hurt your clutch.

In my view, the rest of the "recommended oil" stuff is baloney from the marketing weenies who like to cook-up deals with various suppliers to push their products in return for product-placements in the supplier's adverts. For example, you'll see Harley recommend say....Quaker State oils - and "coincidentally", you will see a lot of Harley bikes in Quaker State adverts....etc. etc. etc.)....and then the next year, the favoured oil brand will be Mobil, or AMSoil or The Grace L. MacKenzie Storm Door and Petroleum Co. house brand....

These marketing clowns are the same bunch of jokers who decide what the various bike and car models should be called - and in the industry, they are often referred to as "The Beauty Police". Those types of recommended oil things do not come out of the engineering groups (i.e. the people who actually know what-T-F they are talking about when it comes to lubrication and lubricants etc.).

Read the fine print in the manuals and on the oil jug and ignore the marketing bumpf and in any event, since this is not an oil thread, that is also my final word on the issue.

Pete

 

[Raymond]

. . . and in any event, since this is not an oil thread, that is also my final word on the issue.

Amen.

 

[grizld1]

Et vobiscum pax.

 

[MaxPete]

Amen.

BTW - I had written my response before I saw your welcome and wise reminder that this is not an oil thread Raymond.

My apologies for straying.

Pete

 

[Raymond]

Today, noticed a discussion in https://www.xs650.com/threads/adopting-another-problem-child.62144/post-764243

As @drgonzo and @jetmechmarty both noted, some makes such as Triumph and Royal Enfield used to sell bikes with black fenders and side covers with the tank another colour. It's a traditional look that Kawasaki adopted for the W800SE - the Special Edition.

So whereas the standard W800 has chrome mudguards, wheel rims & headlamp shell, a silver engine and side panels same colour as tank, Polly has all those in gloss black. Well, the engine is a sort of heat-dissipation black.

It means is the only colour on the SE is the fuel tank. Which in turn means if you want to give the bike a new look, you only need to change the tank. And I just happen to have a tank on the shelf. Oh, and a set of old-style W650 knee-grips and tank badges.





The Kawasaki wing badges will make quite a change from the kinda Triumph-style eyebrow W badges on there now.

The tank has a few dents, you might see one near the front and there's two tiny dings on the far side. To give Polly a makeover, just need to devise a colour scheme I like, which suits the bike, and suits knee pads and those badges. Suggestions welcome. Then go and see Neil who painted Miss November.

As I said at Winter Wheels https://www.xs650.com/threads/winter-wheels.62760/post-764085 going to use Polly through the bad weather but now feeling buoyed up by the idea of rejuvenating the old girl next year.

 

[jetmechmarty]

Are your W800 wheels black anodized or paint/powdercoat?

 

[jetmechmarty]

Today, noticed a discussion in https://www.xs650.com/threads/adopting-another-problem-child.62144/post-764243

As @drgonzo and @jetmechmarty both noted, some makes such as Triumph and Royal Enfield used to sell bikes with black fenders and side covers with the tank another colour. It's a traditional look that Kawasaki adopted for the W800SE - the Special Edition.

So whereas the standard W800 has chrome mudguards, wheel rims & headlamp shell, a silver engine and side panels same colour as tank, Polly has all those in glass black. Well, the engine is a sort of heat-dissipation black.


View attachment 226603



It means is the only colour on the SE is the fuel tank. Which in turn means if you want to give the bike a new look, you only need to change the tank. And I just happen to have a tank on the shelf. Oh, and a set of old-style W650 knee-grips and tank badges.


View attachment 226604 View attachment 226605


The Kawasaki wing badges will make quite a change from the kinda Triumph-style eyebrow W badges on there now.

The tank has a few dents, you might see one near the front and there's two tiny dings on the far side. To give Polly a makeover, just need to devise a colour scheme I like, which suits the bike, and suits knee pads and those badges. Suggestions welcome. Then go and see Neil who painted Miss November.

As I said at Winter Wheels https://www.xs650.com/threads/winter-wheels.62760/post-764085 going to use Polly through the bad weather but now feeling buoyed up by the idea of rejuvenating the old girl next year.

I like the idea this much.

Tins painted by @Jim. HAPPY HAPPY

 

[Raymond]

The wheels are black painted and unfortunately the paint has stated to come off. Zoom in on the front rim and you might see lots of tiny flecks, looks like flies stuck to the rim, but it's white showing through. K must have used white undercoat.

When the bike gets rejuvenated, which I'm beginning to realise might be an expensive project, going to have to think about what to do with the wheels. They could be dismantled, rims blasted clean, then sprayed or powder coated. Or buy new rims, for example, anodised alloy. Take them to an expert to rebuild them? Probably. I've never built wheels but maybe it's not too late for an old dog to learn a new trick? Have a lovely spoke key and made meself a wheel stand which made an appearance in the Enfield Bullet thread.




Probably put up a picture of the spoke tool before but it's such a cool tool.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I've never built wheels but maybe it's not too late for an old dog to learn a new trick?

I'm confident you can!

(Now, to put this down and do something productive)

 

[jpdevol]

To give Polly a makeover, just need to devise a colour scheme I like, which suits the bike, and suits knee pads and those badges. Suggestions welcome.

I love the tank rack look,

 

[Raymond]

There's a rich vein of ideas to prospect in the proper old Triumphs. The new Thai bikes sure use that, uhm, heritage to good effect.

Oh dear, did my prejudices show for a moment just then?

 

[Raymond]

I love the tank rack look,

Just for you, JP

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/19501527...MIi4SC4ci_-gIVhWDmCh3ffgDxEAQYBSABEgJaOPD_BwE

 

[jpdevol]

I think we need a higher level of commitment than suction cups.

Commitment can be explained best by one's bacon-egg breakfast: the chicken was involved...the pig committed

 

[Raymond]

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:

 

[Raymond]

Said I would fit the new disc before the W gets any more use? Today was the day.

Comparison of original and EBC discs - Ooh, wavy, Mister!





Going to need new pads anyway, so took the old ones out, started to clean up the caliper. Pistons were cruddy - that's the technical term - so pulled them all the way out.





The worst has been cleaned off the pistons but I'll clean them up proper. Find out how expensive, hopefully not to bad, to replace the rubber seals. There's four, the two external bellows and the piston seals in the cylinders.

Went to Galashiels on the Royal Enfield - thank goodness I've still got one bike that works - and bought some DOT 4 from ASDA, for some reason they have the 500 ml size on offer at the moment. What's that, saving money on brake fluid are we? Too damn right, bought two bottles, one will sit in the products cupboard until the next brake service.

The other new arrival in the products cupboard is this lanolin-based protective film stuff which I bought following @Skull's suggestion.





Slather that all over the W before the great salt arrives . . .