Shozo Kawasaki as a young man, has been in trade business with sugar, which is why he had to travel around the world. He noticed that the Japanese ships are in much worse shape than European ones, and decided to manufacture its own ships. In April 1876, Japanese Government gives him the land on which Shozo sets up a company – Kawasaki Tsukiji. With the help of the Japanese finance minister, in 1894 he manages to obtain a permit for the transport of goods in major Japanese routes. In 1897 they made the highest number of ships and over the next 15 years improved their production to the point that they began to compete with European ships. Today, Kawasaki shipyard produces ships for transportation of liquefied petroleum gas.

In 1906 Mr. Kawasaki founded the firm HYOGO WORKS which initially produced locomotives and freight trucks, and then perfected the production of airplanes, only 15 years after the first flight of the Wright brothers.

In fifties of the 20th century, Japan experienced a major development….Shozo Kawasaki decided to manufacture motorcycles. However, this is not the first attempt of Kawasaki. In 1924. they tried to produce motorcycles, but because of the small interest, production was discontinued.

After several failed attempts breaking to the motorcycles scene in 1960. under the patronage of Kawasaki Aircraft Co., first motorcycle had been manufactured – “New Ace” with 125 ccm two-stroke engine. To the possession of know-how and technology Kawasaki group came, purchasing the oldest Japanese motorcycle factory – Meguro Motorcycles. During six years of successful sales with 125 ccm engines, factory portfolio had been gradually enriched by more powerful models         ( W1, A1, A7 Avenger ).

In 1969. Kawasaki catches up with the competition producing a model “H1”, with an engine of 500 ccm, known as “Mach III”. Kawasaki started a true revolution, launching model Z with 903 ccm, which, thanks to uncompromising performance, quickly had been dubbed – the king of motorcycles. Three years later, refreshed “Z900” arrived. At the end of the seventies factory in Akashi launched “Z 1000”, and soon after, in 1978….the legendary “Z 1300”.

The story of the new motorcycle in our offer begins somewhere in the 1960s. In the 1960s, most motorcycles on the Japanese market were small-volume machines in the 125 cc class. As oppose to the before mentioned, the huge volume and abundant power of the four-stroke 624 cm3 W1 made it position itself above the crowd and become the object of longing of Japanese motorcyclists. For Kawasaki, the W1 marked recognition on the world stage as a manufacturer of large motorcycles. It also marked the beginning of Kawasaki’s quest for speed and passion that later led to development of a number of legendary models. The text above is in fact the base of the story we want to tell.

First introduced in 1965, the cult W is back, and we have purchased the 2019 W800 Street model. The W800 is powered by a vertical “Twin” that emits a lot of torque, the incredible sound of two factory exhausts and the traditional quality steering, which is based on a solid frame with large diameter wheels. This motorcycle attracts looks wherever it appears. More importantly, the owners of this motorcycle have the respect of other honest motorcyclists. As a final result, we have a stunningly stylized classic in front of us.

With this motorcycle, Kawasaki brings us authentic style, sound and feeling in the increasingly interesting retro class of motorcycles. When building the W800 Street itself, Kawasaki meticulously produced one of the most authentic retro motorcycles in appearance and design, paying attention to the past, while at the same time, with taste, implementing modern technology and features into it.

Developed for motorcyclists in search of a complete motorcycle that is not only rich in history and character but also full of modern technology. The W800 Street is powered by an air-cooled 773 cc vertical twin engine and has an updated modern chassis design and modern suspension components that bring an unparalleled level of authenticity and performance to the retro motorcycle category.

Our humble / personal attitude towards this motorcycle is that it is a real “commuter”. With incomparably beautiful design, this is a motorcycle for breaking through the city crowds with style and great torque. For weekends, you can certainly use it with a co-driver as a cruiser for beautiful and unforgettable trips without any problems.

However, in the continuation of our story, we focus on what amazes us about this motorcycle – design and appearance. Striking vertical “twin” engine, classic proportions with large diameter wheels and with a lot of attention to detail give this retro classic authentic quality and timeless beauty that is hard to find on modern motorcycles. The W800 Street chassis follows the design concept of simplicity, functionality and elegance. Large diameter wire-spoked wheels and a traditional steel frame with a double cradle result in a very well-balanced package deal. The stunning contours of the fuel tank make it even more irresistible and represent a key element of style.

At the end of the story we present the Kawasaki W800 Stree. Produced in 2019. Through pictures and specifications, enjoy the offered model.