Young men, you are missing the forest for the trees. The W230 is not for the same customer as the Triumph - one is made of metal and chrome and the other from plastic and rubber. A customer (me) of the W230 is a motorcycle collector who already has larger and more powerful motorcycles but wants a unique toy that is built to last forever and shared with the generations that come after we’re gone.
Kawasaki is on a roll. I bought a KLX230 a few years ago and it way more fun than I expected it to be. It doesn’t go very fast but who cares. It’s always fun to ride and so far has been bulletproof.
I have a KLX230 and it’s a blast. The engine is powerful enough to cruise comfortably at 55-60mph. A great small displacement motor. I’d love to try this W230.
Royal Enfield build quality is NOT anywhere near Kawasaki. They’re not in the same universe. You get what you pay for. The Kawasaki will give years of trouble free service and they’re simple to maintain.
@@jeffhickman10I paid the same $5,599 for a new 2020 Royal Enfield INT650 that now has 45,000 miles on it. Never had a problem and I own 3 Bonnevilles to compare it to.
I too have a W800 and what you say is 100% true. People say it is overpriced. It may be but the way the bike is made is more expensive than more plastic machines and the quality is beyond reproach. Worth the price in my mind. It is a low volume machine so it can't be discounted based on volume.
I would love a kawasaki W with like 30HP ~15HP is too low and the W800 is too expensive for me. I'm planning to get one in a few months(I get learners licence)
Wow! I'm surprised this is coming to the US. I think this will appeal to older riders. I'm 70 years old and about 10 years ago helped a friend get his first bike, a Honda Rebel 250, buy it for $1500, use it, crash it, sell it for $1500. Even though I had a bunch of motorcycles, I wanted one of those engines for my very own. It took me years to find a Honda 250 Nighthawk (same engine) but, now it's the one I ride 95% of the time. It's just so easy. There are things I don't like about the Nighthawk and I'm working on a project. I have a 1970 Honda CL175 rolling frame and have bought a not running when I bought it, no title 250 Rebel. I'll use the CL175 frame and back wheel, the Rebel front end with the disc brake and engine. I'll use a solo seat and make a carrier for the back. I like the W230 a lot. It gets you away from the stupid wide rear wheel most small bikes that come to the US have. It also has a great riding position. I'd have to keep it stock for the looks but, miss the carrier.
Hey young men. You are doing a really good job! I want to point out the "W" series is now a premium offering aimed at the collector, the aficionado of small displacement machines and older riders waxing nostalgically their first bikes but now they got money.
I've ordered the W230 two weeks ago. Yesterday it arrived at my dealer. We now just have to wait for the papers to arrive so i can register it and get my plate. Greetings from Germany.
A 500 cc version would be sweet ! I absolutely love the Analogue clocks, they make a bike look so much better compared to cheap tacky looking TFT display !
Agree. It seems they've been too big or two small, although those sizes are perfect for some. In my view, 450-650 is about right with 500 pretty spot-on.
@@o00scorpion00o Ouch... I guess it really matters where you are from for value on what you choose. It certainly would make a difference here if the triumph was about $7500 as opposed to the $5000 we have it at. I hope you get some cheaper than us to make up the difference!
@joeln6861 nothing is cheap here unfortunately. A 2nd hand deauville 700 in good condition can go for around 4 - 5 K euros here, it's really crazy the price of stuff here.
I have a KLX230SM that's great around town and fine on highway to 70mph (lots of wind of course, 75mph indicated). Weighs like 296lbs wet, great bar hopper and can do offroad too. Also goes over speed bumps at 30mph no problem, why i love dual sports and SM's :)
I have just purchased the Meguro S1 version of this bike here in Thailand. I am from Australia and have owned many big bikes from Harley Davidson, Yamaha and Suzuki. I have learned over the years that its how a bike makes you feel that’s the important thing and just like my little Honda CT125, the Meguro puts a big smile on my face every time I ride. I would like to add a fast bike on Thai roads is suiside. Better to just enjoy the feel and view.
My 2nd bike was a 1980 Yamaha XS400 Special and it was a terrific step up from my first, a 1967 Honda CD175 (which I bought new). In those days I weighed only 160 and could do more than 60 on the highway but the thing I liked most about the 175 was, (aside from the fantastic freedom it provided, (compared to the bicycle that preceded)), was the range! I could drive between Ottawa & Toronto on less than a tank (2 Imperial gallons). It was $600, in today's money $5,270 so almost the same as yer sr400. Sorry.
@@forrestodonnell4330 I almost bought a SR400 a couple years ago, but it was too far away and nobody to help me. A few months later it showed up at my local RideNow ( RapeMeNow ) dealer, got a chance to sit on it anyway. Cool bike.
It's kind of a shame that too many potential buyers were turned off by the specified low power of an air-cooled, single-cylinder bike (overlooking the benefits of simplicity). The same problem with sales happened to the Honda CB1100 which sold for only a few years in the U.S. People were so excited, at first, about it coming here, but when power specs were compared with higher-compression, liquid-cooled bikes, they lost sight of the benefits of a simple air-cooled engine, so it didn't sell.
@@kenhoward3512My KLX230SM is a great bar hopper and i rode mine more than my sportbike, so light and fun to race around. Price is high these days... but the freedom is worth it. Just shop around for a handful of bikes you like til u find one on sale :)
The black on the cylinder is because 1960's, Japanese bikes had all cast iron cylinders and there was a high temperature black paint that was applied to all nearly Japanese bikes with iron barrels from this era.
As usual you guys overlook a segment of riders this bike will appeal to and that is older riders. As you age you need to downsize to get a lighter more manageable bike. Also speed is no longer a factor for that segment. I ride on rural farmland as in out in the country roads, and this bike would be perfect for that.
For what? They have very cheap bike, but the style is good, the same as the rider’s position. So, they have used the cheap version as well. It isn’t the modern bike and it isn’t the trend in the i industry, so they do what they do. For the experienced riders and the real comfort in “old-style” design they have W800.
Very interesting. I'm not a new rider. I have had almost every kind from my first bike, Kawasaki 550 GPZ to Ducati's 750ss and a 1098 to Triumph Rocket III's and a Harley Ultra Classic and about 10 other bikes scattered in there. I have currently sold my last bike and am now looking for something very easy to get on and off, never taking it on the hwy, just back roads through the neighborhood and to local spots. This could be a contender.
I love it. The 315 lb curb weight will be a nice selling point for this one. I'd go for a 2" taller seat and accompanying 2" of additional ground clearance and suspension travel. Throw in a set of scrambler style tires and it would be perfect for my local gravel roads and byways.
It seems like Kawi raises the price on nostalgia. I have a TW200 which is a fat tire dual sport which has plenty of torque and is great in the dirt as you guys know. Buying a bike for looks is not a good reason. You buy for value and I'm changing appearances for cheap. A 230 is a little slow for the cost and I would rather have a utility bike than a retro even though I want some sort of retro bike but its not an emergency. I will enjoy the TW. But I love the idea.
18 hp and 18.6 NM Kawasaki W 230. Great retro bike. Topspeed; 118 km/h tachometer, GPS topspeed; 113 km/h. This bike is just beautiful and the fuel consumption is amazingly economical. The quality goes without saying. I want one. ❤
The Harley '88 883 Hugger i used to have had a lower seat height because of shorter rear shocks. I could place both my feet flat on the ground while sitting still. Maybe Kawasaki should put shorter rear shocks on this lastest offering in order to appeal to those with a shorter stature.
I was hopeful that the price would be closer to 4500. Paying 500 more for a bike that makes half the power of the speed 400 is a crime. You would have thought they would have learned their lesson from poor sales of the w800 which I think was because of the 10,000 dollar price tag. I also hoped it would come with a kick start.
On paper Royal Enfield seems like a better proposition, and for most people they might be, but they aren’t without their faults. I would expect the Kawasaki to have better build quality overall. And at over 100lbs lighter the 230 seems more appealing. When you get down into low hp figures a couple here or there doesn’t really make a difference.
Bin der gleichen Meinung. Das Gewicht 143 kg ist einfach 👍 Ich würde mir hier nur noch ein paar PS mehr wünschen. Aber ... 🤔für mich eine weitere Bereicherung meines Fuhrparks. Ein tolles Motorrad.
If you ever owned a Royal Enfield like I did in the early 2000 (Bullet 500 Deluxe) you may not choose a Kawasaki over a RE. Just look at second hand REs for sale with very low mileage or age. You look at the W from a young rider angle, but old timer like me appreciate the simplicity and reliability of a Kawa bike with enough juice to cruise around. Nice presentation, thanks guys
So the early 2000's RE were not exactly durable for riding at speed, especially the Bullet 350 which in both the 500 and 350's cases were old school, long stroke engines, ( that weren't meant to be wrung out) with pushrod/OHVs. the Kawasaki has an OHC and a more durable crank and engine build and can stand being revved for hours at 6K+ RPM. The only engine more simple and as durable is the Lifan CG based 230cc OHV and it can be happily run at 6K+ RPM too.
The W1 was based on the 1948 BSA 500cc parallel twin which was a long stroke low revving bike that red lined at 5000rpm. The old 1955 BSA Golden flash was 650cc pre unit parallel twin with 4 gears, single carb iron head ohv with pushrods. It red lined at 5750rpm had 7 to 1 compression ratio with flat top pistons and could achieve 80mpg and was such a lovely bike. Kawasaki could've made a unit construction twin and had it simple with even simple motor like 175cc twin with single OHC like Honda CD175..what a strong, reliable, simple basic utilitarian bike that was and would do 65mph all day and was good for over 80mph. They would sell so well especially in Africa, Asia and south america. A good adventure type bike like with a simple Royal Enfield 411cc Himalayan but using a similar motor of 450cc and 46 bhp but torque and simple like the old Honda cl450 but wouldn't a bike like the 400cc Suzuki trial bike from the early 70s but with a good 4 stroke motor similar to XT500, DR650 that is very very strong, reliable, simple and long lasting but it needs to be cheap not with expensive brembo brakes and expensive forks, shocks etc. The Chinese will kill the bike market coming in much cheaper with quality bikes like those Benelli bikes for example.
I just purchased a restored 1972 Harley Davidson Sprint 350SS. I should get it in a couple of weeks. Stock those would do a little over 90 MPH and weighed 321 pounds.
I believe this bike is not inspired by the W1, W2 650 Kawasakis but rather the 250 SG which, like the 650s, was also a Meguro design that was picked up after that company was bought them up in the early 60s. They have been selling a version of it in Japan called the Estrella for several years now.
I like how we got another w bike the w800 cool but expensive and things like groms and klx300s sell so this do be in a pocket you know how 125-300cc is like the prime ribeye of msf course bike. Theyre the best bikes often because i can really lean it and it doesnt weigh 850 pounds while im trying to do a 360 in the box
I think this is amazing motorcycle. I love kawasakis they're w800. Fantastic! When it comes to retro stuff, I think 230 is too small for the American market. It's an amazing piece in the UK or Southeast Asia, but our roads are much larger and our cars are much faster. So I guess in a city like New York or La or Denver it would be great. But maybe not so much in the urban areas and that's going to bite Kawasaki in the butt, I think.
At first, I didn't understand why this bike is so small but then I realized it's what I've been saying for years - manufacturers need to be pursuing young, entry-level riders if they want the industry to survive. However, Kawasaki needs to be competitively priced, relative to the competition.
I'll definitely be picking one up if they are released in Vietnam. The only other comparable options here are the H'Ness, which doesn't appeal to me, and a used 250 Rebel, which can cost 6K or more in good condition. The controls would need to be moved forward, though.
If you miss the Triumph T15 and T20 from the 1950's and 1960's...maybe you should check this out. Looks like most of their good features, and a lot more.
Yes, the price is severely high. That said Kawasaki dealers are typically first tier and not a add on like RE. Plus if your looking at RE, the 650 isn't a beginner bike and is heavy with higher seat height. The 350 Bullet certainly is interesting although very heavy for it's size. If it was my money, I'd look for a used Suzuki TU250, very comparable to the W230 and you can buy one for significantly less money.
Alles richtig, das Gewicht ist entscheidend bei kleinen Motorrädern. 195 kg bei einer 350 Royal Enfield sind einfach zu schwer, da kann ich gleich eine größeres Motorrad kaufen. 🙋
The price is WAY TOO HIGH! I would buy one at $3999. I like small motorcycles because they weigh much less. Yet, for the money, I would go for the 100 more pounds of the RE350 Bullet. I know that they are comfortable and probably last a long time because of the low stressed engine. This W230 would be a great replacement for the missing Suzuki TU250. Still, the price is too high.
Love the styling. The only thing besides the price, (and it's a biggie),..I sure wish it had been small twin. I get the parts off the shelf concept. Simplicity and target market? But the sound of a twin in a small classic bike, even under 250cc's belongs there. Not a thumper. Imagine the sound of a little twin cracked wide-open on a classic styled bike. That would grab some attention. Don't get mad. Just an opinion, lol.
Lovely style. Like the low seat height. Could benefit from a 250cc or 300cc engine. Keep it air-cooled. Price is not competitive, especially when compared to the Kawasaki Eliminator.
I THINK I GET IT NOW!! It's supposed to be Kawasaki's answer to the Honda Monkey (?) It checks all the boxes and then adds a few more that the Monkey lacks. Classic styling, small displacement aircooled ("bulletproof") engine, excellent fit and finish, fun in a little package, but with the added benefit of: more range, higher top speed (though not by much), double the power than the monkey with just slightly higher weight (ie better power to weight ratio), 6-speed, can fit conventional dirtbike tires for instant dirt tracker cred. You can even use it on some highways. (I tried that on a Monkey - doable, but stressful, for both me and the bike) On top of all that, it's going to be better reliability than a compareable Royal Enfield, KTM, or CF Moto. Other than the Monkey I 'm not seeing any other Japanese manufacturer competition (yet). I'm hoping that Kawasaki increases the limiter so that it can do a little better than the low 70-ish MPH some Thai reviewers are reporting the bike is governed to.
Cruiser?! It's a standard. It has mid controls and the forks aren't raked out. It's much like the thumper TU250X. The Nighthawk 250 was a similar-weight twin with carb, drums, and small wheels. I'd go with the Triumph Scrambler 400X. It has more power, suspension, and dirt potential for not much more weight. Kawi should offer a scrambler version, IMO.
This w230 sorta eats into the hole left by the old honda rebel 250 when the 300 came it is like the old rebel 250 moreso than it would be the new rebel 300
That Kawasaki 650 at 00:53 would be infinitely more interesting and versatile, but would not compare favorably, these days, with liquid-cooled, high-compression engines, power-wise (for most buyers, unfortunately).
Nice bike, but I agree a Royal Enfield is a better proposition. I think RE are going from strength to strength, both in build quality and affordability, very impressive!
I was thinking this looked like a reasonable option for a small retro bike, but that price? No thanks! I'll go to Royal Enfield for much less of a price and more power. This W230 is a great bike for $3,800.
Dachte auch die Royal Enfield wäre da die bessere Option. Aber die 350er wiegen 195 kg und das ist für mich einfach zu schwer für ein Motorrad mit 20 PS 🙋
As someone who has been riding for over 50 years (yeah, I’m an old fart), I’m strangely attracted to and impressed with this little bike. I’ve owned (and still own) and ridden just about any kind of bike you can think of, but this little Kaw is cool! However, the price is gonna steer lots of potential buyers to those other brands mentioned here, and other types of bikes, such as Honda’s CRF300L, which is one of my all-time favorites. If Kawasaki would bump up the displacement to around 400 or 450 cc, but keep the price the same, they would have a market leader. Add a kickstarter, and they wouldn’t be able to manufacture them quickly enough.
I don't know if America gets the Honda GB350S, but if you do then I'd say check that one out, I prefer the styling on the W230 but the price point seems a little high to me.
The idea of having a cheaper, smaller alternative to W800 is great! The bike is beautiful. However, the 230 CC engine is surprisingly small. My Classic 350 is already on the underpowered side here in EU. I struggle to see who would be interested in this bike apart from very young, beginners (who just have the A1 license) with a fat wallet.
Really I doubt you live in EU with comments like this, 125cc bike is the most popular machine in Europe far more than any 300cc and above so in no way is the power of 230cc a problem unless you are a bot or troll.
What do you think about the Janus Halcyon 250. That is a retro style bike and the price is about 6900 bucks. a review on that could be interesting they also have a 500 cc motorcycle.
While I don't like the idea of this bike being pointed at specifically at "beginners" I can see why it is. And the value to retro style you speak of between this and a Royal, well that is arguable. Price is better on a Royal no doubt. Style is competitive. But a lot of people don't have the confidence in the reliability of a Royal. And may not want to spend personal time on repairs or $ for a shop to maintain it. But I do agree with you. I like both, but for the purchase price, I would take a Royal. IF you had not reminded me of that fact, I would simply say, this bike is grand, but they are not taking that chunk of change from me on an air cooled street bike just cause it is retro inspired.
Alles gute Argumente, dachte auch so, aber für mich ist das Gewicht entscheidend. Eine Royal Enfied 350 wiegt 195 kg 🤔 das ist zu schwer für ein kleinen Motorrad mit 20 PS. Da kann ich gleich ein größeres fahren, die wiegen auch kaum mehr. Die Kleine W230 wiegt 143 kg. 🙋
As long as you're somewhat mechanically inclined or have a good dealer I'd agree. The Chinese bikes are getting there just some of the parts are so cheaply made and fail so easily. Again, if you have any mechanical abilities and don't mind ordering parts you'll be fine I bought a brand new 150cc scooter and in the year I had it I had things that just don't fail on name brand bikes go bad- kill switch, ignition switch, welds broke on the exhaust just stupid little silly things meanwhile my 09 Honda Shadow hasn't required anything but oil changes and a battery since new lol
I gotta add the Yamaha Vstar 250, to the list to consider. I am the opposite of a beginner , I have been riding for over 60 years. This little Yamaha will do 80mph and/or get 80 mpg.
@@groverearp2600 Mine was a 2007, newest bike I've ever had by a long shot. I was pretty happy with the gearing on mine. If I was going to be riding 50mph or more, I would roll out a different motorcycle.
Great classic bike but too pricey. More expensive than the Royal Enfield Classic 350. The RE looks fabulous with single seat and the torque difference is huge. Kawa reliability is suposed to be better as well as lighteness. A 400 cc version could be a blast.
For what it is worth, and this is total conjecture, but I have heard Triumph was having QC issues with their Speed and Scrambler 400. The Kawasaki build quality you know will be on point. I imagine this was designed for the Asian market and I am sure they will sell a ridiculous number. I'm just grateful they are bringing it to the US.
Honda GB350S is the best proposition on the market. Not sure if it's coming to the States but it's come to Europe already andI want one. 5150 euros is the price.
Love the styling, prefer a counter-balanced twin with twin megaphone pipes, one on each side. $5.5 K? Just saw a mint Harley Low Rider with 15K miles on it for $4K on Craigslist...
This bike better do well in terms of comfort, riding experience, reliability etc since it seems that power is not what they are heading for for example my xsr155 already produce about 20hp at 155cc
I rode a Guzzi once as a loaner from the dealer while my R1100R was being repaired, and I remember thinking that if I could have only one bike, that Guzzi could be a contender.
Du sagst es, 👍ich finde das ist neben der guten Verarbeitung das beste Argument. 195 kg für ein 20 PS Motorrad sind ein Witz! Da kann ich auch ein größeres Motorrad fahren.🙋
Hmm too expensive to be an msf trainer. Not as powerful as the RE 350s (surprise). I bet the fit and finish is great though. The promotional materials do mention comfortable highway speeds but I'm skeptical about that.
Young men, you are missing the forest for the trees. The W230 is not for the same customer as the Triumph - one is made of metal and chrome and the other from plastic and rubber. A customer (me) of the W230 is a motorcycle collector who already has larger and more powerful motorcycles but wants a unique toy that is built to last forever and shared with the generations that come after we’re gone.
Kawasaki is on a roll. I bought a KLX230 a few years ago and it way more fun than I expected it to be. It doesn’t go very fast but who cares. It’s always fun to ride and so far has been bulletproof.
I have a KLX230 and it’s a blast. The engine is powerful enough to cruise comfortably at 55-60mph. A great small displacement motor. I’d love to try this W230.
Royal Enfield build quality is NOT anywhere near Kawasaki. They’re not in the same universe. You get what you pay for. The Kawasaki will give years of trouble free service and they’re simple to maintain.
@@jeffhickman10 yes my KLX230 is a Kawasaki
@@colpitts350🤣
@@jeffhickman10I paid the same $5,599 for a new 2020 Royal Enfield INT650 that now has 45,000 miles on it. Never had a problem and I own 3 Bonnevilles to compare it to.
klxがその速さで快適に巡航できるならw230も快適に走れそうで楽しみ！！
I have a W800 and it's such a nice bike. Can't go anywhere without having people talk to me about it.
I too have a W800 and what you say is 100% true. People say it is overpriced. It may be but the way the bike is made is more expensive than more plastic machines and the quality is beyond reproach. Worth the price in my mind. It is a low volume machine so it can't be discounted based on volume.
I would love a kawasaki W with like 30HP
~15HP is too low and the W800 is too expensive for me. I'm planning to get one in a few months(I get learners licence)
@@arjungupta3531 I believe that Kawasaki sells a W400 in some markets that makes 29hp. Sounds about right if you can get your hands on one.
They stopped bringing the w800 into the uk ( of course they did)
I have a 2005 Kawasaki w650 from new , brilliant bike, totally reliable 28500 miles,I do like the w230.
Wow! I'm surprised this is coming to the US. I think this will appeal to older riders. I'm 70 years old and about 10 years ago helped a friend get his first bike, a Honda Rebel 250, buy it for $1500, use it, crash it, sell it for $1500. Even though I had a bunch of motorcycles, I wanted one of those engines for my very own. It took me years to find a Honda 250 Nighthawk (same engine) but, now it's the one I ride 95% of the time. It's just so easy. There are things I don't like about the Nighthawk and I'm working on a project. I have a 1970 Honda CL175 rolling frame and have bought a not running when I bought it, no title 250 Rebel. I'll use the CL175 frame and back wheel, the Rebel front end with the disc brake and engine. I'll use a solo seat and make a carrier for the back. I like the W230 a lot. It gets you away from the stupid wide rear wheel most small bikes that come to the US have. It also has a great riding position. I'd have to keep it stock for the looks but, miss the carrier.
CL 175❤❤ that was my first bike. It had been overbored to 232 . I was one happy 16 year old.😎
Hey young men. You are doing a really good job! I want to point out the "W" series is now a premium offering aimed at the collector, the aficionado of small displacement machines and older riders waxing nostalgically their first bikes but now they got money.
Very good looking. The industry needs these to get the “ whipper snappers “ riding
I've ordered the W230 two weeks ago. Yesterday it arrived at my dealer. We now just have to wait for the papers to arrive so i can register it and get my plate. Greetings from Germany.
A 500 cc version would be sweet !
I absolutely love the Analogue clocks, they make a bike look so much better compared to cheap tacky looking TFT display !
Agree. It seems they've been too big or two small, although those sizes are perfect for some. In my view, 450-650 is about right with 500 pretty spot-on.
I also agree- you can get a Triumph Speed 400 for less $ (5K) and get more horsepower.
@@joeln6861 5k dollars wow very lucky here in Ireland it costs nearly 7,000 euros once the Government get their cut.
@@o00scorpion00o Ouch... I guess it really matters where you are from for value on what you choose. It certainly would make a difference here if the triumph was about $7500 as opposed to the $5000 we have it at. I hope you get some cheaper than us to make up the difference!
@joeln6861 nothing is cheap here unfortunately.
A 2nd hand deauville 700 in good condition can go for around 4 - 5 K euros here, it's really crazy the price of stuff here.
I have a KLX230SM that's great around town and fine on highway to 70mph (lots of wind of course, 75mph indicated). Weighs like 296lbs wet, great bar hopper and can do offroad too. Also goes over speed bumps at 30mph no problem, why i love dual sports and SM's :)
I have just purchased the Meguro S1 version of this bike here in Thailand. I am from Australia and have owned many big bikes from Harley Davidson, Yamaha and Suzuki. I have learned over the years that its how a bike makes you feel that’s the important thing and just like my little Honda CT125, the Meguro puts a big smile on my face every time I ride. I would like to add a fast bike on Thai roads is suiside. Better to just enjoy the feel and view.
Wish Yamaha kept the sr400. Best motorcycle I’ve owned
They did keep it a very long time !
My 2nd bike was a 1980 Yamaha XS400 Special and
it was a terrific step up from my first,
a 1967 Honda CD175 (which I bought new).
In those days I weighed only 160 and
could do more than 60 on the highway but
the thing I liked most about the 175 was,
(aside from the fantastic freedom it provided,
(compared to the bicycle that preceded)),
was the range!
I could drive between Ottawa & Toronto on less than a tank (2 Imperial gallons).
It was $600, in today's money $5,270 so
almost the same as yer sr400.
Sorry.
@@forrestodonnell4330 I almost bought a SR400 a couple years ago, but it was too far away and nobody to help me. A few months later it showed up at my local RideNow ( RapeMeNow ) dealer, got a chance to sit on it anyway. Cool bike.
It's kind of a shame that too many potential buyers were turned off by the specified low power of an air-cooled, single-cylinder bike (overlooking the benefits of simplicity). The same problem with sales happened to the Honda CB1100 which sold for only a few years in the U.S. People were so excited, at first, about it coming here, but when power specs were compared with higher-compression, liquid-cooled bikes, they lost sight of the benefits of a simple air-cooled engine, so it didn't sell.
@@kenhoward3512My KLX230SM is a great bar hopper and i rode mine more than my sportbike, so light and fun to race around.
Price is high these days... but the freedom is worth it. Just shop around for a handful of bikes you like til u find one on sale :)
THAT is a nice looking bike, and Kaw will never let you down. Winner.
The black on the cylinder is because 1960's, Japanese bikes had all cast iron cylinders and there was a high temperature black paint that was applied to all nearly Japanese bikes with iron barrels from this era.
As usual you guys overlook a segment of riders this bike will appeal to and that is older riders. As you age you need to downsize to get a lighter more manageable bike. Also speed is no longer a factor for that segment. I ride on rural farmland as in out in the country roads, and this bike would be perfect for that.
As a fellow “old fart”, may I suggest a set of “dual sport” tires - if you can find a 17” for the front.
Get a used Suzuki TU250X for $3000. Tons of fun per dollar and Japanese reliability.
They don't sell the TU250x in NA anymore. The V Star 250 for $4700 should have been mentioned though. Similar style but 900 less
@@LoganLLyon That's why he said used.
Tu250 was never sold in. California
W230 looks better
Or keep your trash opinion to yourself?
They should have used their 292cc engine, especially for the price!
For what? They have very cheap bike, but the style is good, the same as the rider’s position. So, they have used the cheap version as well. It isn’t the modern bike and it isn’t the trend in the i industry, so they do what they do. For the experienced riders and the real comfort in “old-style” design they have W800.
low seat makes the center of gravity more stable harder to flip about so not necessarily eraser to ride ,but feet on ground
Very interesting. I'm not a new rider. I have had almost every kind from my first bike, Kawasaki 550 GPZ to Ducati's 750ss and a 1098 to Triumph Rocket III's and a Harley Ultra Classic and about 10 other bikes scattered in there. I have currently sold my last bike and am now looking for something very easy to get on and off, never taking it on the hwy, just back roads through the neighborhood and to local spots. This could be a contender.
Air- cooled. Perfect. A proper motorcycle. Made in Japan?
Since i once owned a W650, I like this W230 BUT its rather expensive for what you get. Will nevertheless test ride one next spring.
SO close.
Add 50-60cc.
Subtract $800.
If it's being built in Japan, that explains the high cost (and, as well, high quality).
I love it. The 315 lb curb weight will be a nice selling point for this one. I'd go for a 2" taller seat and accompanying 2" of additional ground clearance and suspension travel. Throw in a set of scrambler style tires and it would be perfect for my local gravel roads and byways.
It seems like Kawi raises the price on nostalgia. I have a TW200 which is a fat tire dual sport which has plenty of torque and is great in the dirt as you guys know. Buying a bike for looks is not a good reason. You buy for value and I'm changing appearances for cheap. A 230 is a little slow for the cost and I would rather have a utility bike than a retro even though I want some sort of retro bike but its not an emergency. I will enjoy the TW. But I love the idea.
18 hp and 18.6 NM Kawasaki W 230. Great retro bike. Topspeed; 118 km/h tachometer, GPS topspeed; 113 km/h. This bike is just beautiful and the fuel consumption is amazingly economical.
The quality goes without saying. I want one. ❤
Interesting
I lived in Australia in 2016 and they had a lot of retro-style bikes like this there.
The Harley '88 883 Hugger i used to have had a lower seat height because of shorter rear shocks. I could place both my feet flat on the ground while sitting still.
Maybe Kawasaki should put shorter rear shocks on this lastest offering in order to appeal to those with a shorter stature.
Now this reminds me of the bikes of my youth in the '70s. This looks like a great first bike or A nice re-entry to riding bikes. 🤔
Or a good bike for an old rider with a garage full of bigger bikes.
I was hopeful that the price would be closer to 4500. Paying 500 more for a bike that makes half the power of the speed 400 is a crime. You would have thought they would have learned their lesson from poor sales of the w800 which I think was because of the 10,000 dollar price tag. I also hoped it would come with a kick start.
On paper Royal Enfield seems like a better proposition, and for most people they might be, but they aren’t without their faults. I would expect the Kawasaki to have better build quality overall. And at over 100lbs lighter the 230 seems more appealing. When you get down into low hp figures a couple here or there doesn’t really make a difference.
And dealer network.
Oh ein guter Kommentar, so sehe ich das auch,👍
Royal Enfiled 350 wiegen 195 kg 🤔
Your points are valid, until you look at the weights. If someone wants a lightweight bike, I think this Kawi has those others beat.
Bin der gleichen Meinung. Das Gewicht 143 kg ist einfach 👍 Ich würde mir hier nur noch ein paar PS mehr wünschen. Aber ... 🤔für mich eine weitere Bereicherung meines Fuhrparks. Ein tolles Motorrad.
Great review guys. Thank you.
If you ever owned a Royal Enfield like I did in the early 2000 (Bullet 500 Deluxe) you may not choose a Kawasaki over a RE. Just look at second hand REs for sale with very low mileage or age. You look at the W from a young rider angle, but old timer like me appreciate the simplicity and reliability of a Kawa bike with enough juice to cruise around. Nice presentation, thanks guys
I got a Meteor 350 as my first bike. I love it. Just don't try to go over 65, lol.
So the early 2000's RE were not exactly durable for riding at speed, especially the Bullet 350 which in both the 500 and 350's cases were old school, long stroke engines, ( that weren't meant to be wrung out) with pushrod/OHVs. the Kawasaki has an OHC and a more durable crank and engine build and can stand being revved for hours at 6K+ RPM. The only engine more simple and as durable is the Lifan CG based 230cc OHV and it can be happily run at 6K+ RPM too.
The W1 was based on the 1948 BSA 500cc parallel twin which was a long stroke low revving bike that red lined at 5000rpm. The old 1955 BSA Golden flash was 650cc pre unit parallel twin with 4 gears, single carb iron head ohv with pushrods. It red lined at 5750rpm had 7 to 1 compression ratio with flat top pistons and could achieve 80mpg and was such a lovely bike. Kawasaki could've made a unit construction twin and had it simple with even simple motor like 175cc twin with single OHC like Honda CD175..what a strong, reliable, simple basic utilitarian bike that was and would do 65mph all day and was good for over 80mph. They would sell so well especially in Africa, Asia and south america. A good adventure type bike like with a simple Royal Enfield 411cc Himalayan but using a similar motor of 450cc and 46 bhp but torque and simple like the old Honda cl450 but wouldn't a bike like the 400cc Suzuki trial bike from the early 70s but with a good 4 stroke motor similar to XT500, DR650 that is very very strong, reliable, simple and long lasting but it needs to be cheap not with expensive brembo brakes and expensive forks, shocks etc. The Chinese will kill the bike market coming in much cheaper with quality bikes like those Benelli bikes for example.
Curious, I’ve had a few under 300 cc motorcycles pre 80s that would achieve 65 to 70 mph, what happened to the newer ones?
I just purchased a restored 1972 Harley Davidson Sprint 350SS. I should get it in a couple of weeks. Stock those would do a little over 90 MPH and weighed 321 pounds.
I believe this bike is not inspired by the W1, W2 650 Kawasakis but rather the 250 SG which, like the 650s, was also a Meguro design that was picked up after that company was bought them up in the early 60s. They have been selling a version of it in Japan called the Estrella for several years now.
The Estrella is under the W brand in some markets
I like how we got another w bike the w800 cool but expensive and things like groms and klx300s sell so this do be in a pocket you know how 125-300cc is like the prime ribeye of msf course bike. Theyre the best bikes often because i can really lean it and it doesnt weigh 850 pounds while im trying to do a 360 in the box
I appreciate the information!
I think this is amazing motorcycle. I love kawasakis they're w800. Fantastic! When it comes to retro stuff, I think 230 is too small for the American market. It's an amazing piece in the UK or Southeast Asia, but our roads are much larger and our cars are much faster. So I guess in a city like New York or La or Denver it would be great. But maybe not so much in the urban areas and that's going to bite Kawasaki in the butt, I think.
You're a small market for this. Kawasaki don't care
In the midwest or Texas, this thing is going to get squashed by pickups going 90
I dig it. To me, it looks cooler than the Speed 400 and the Bullet 350.
Und dann das Gewicht! Triumph 400 wiegt 170 kg, 350er Royal Enfield 195 kg 🤔
Very good analysis.
At first, I didn't understand why this bike is so small but then I realized it's what I've been saying for years - manufacturers need to be pursuing young, entry-level riders if they want the industry to survive. However, Kawasaki needs to be competitively priced, relative to the competition.
I'll definitely be picking one up if they are released in Vietnam. The only other comparable options here are the H'Ness, which doesn't appeal to me, and a used 250 Rebel, which can cost 6K or more in good condition. The controls would need to be moved forward, though.
I love the old school styling, especially from Kawasaki, but none of these smaller displacement retro bikes fit my 6' 4" frame well.
You are tall. Get a dr650. Xr650
If you miss the Triumph T15 and T20 from the 1950's and 1960's...maybe you should check this out. Looks like most of their good features, and a lot more.
I love it. Though I wish manufactures would kill tubed tires on street bikes even on the most basic models. Time to move on.
They are so easy to convert to tubeless. (as long as tire can do it)
Hundreds of dollars at least.@@misters2837
I like doing my own tire changes.
@@misters2837 for lots of money, 2nd time to comment. Utoob commee censors
Or don't be a lazy bum
Yes, the price is severely high. That said Kawasaki dealers are typically first tier and not a add on like RE. Plus if your looking at RE, the 650 isn't a beginner bike and is heavy with higher seat height. The 350 Bullet certainly is interesting although very heavy for it's size. If it was my money, I'd look for a used Suzuki TU250, very comparable to the W230 and you can buy one for significantly less money.
Alles richtig, das Gewicht ist entscheidend bei kleinen Motorrädern. 195 kg bei einer 350 Royal Enfield sind einfach zu schwer, da kann ich gleich eine größeres Motorrad kaufen. 🙋
The price is WAY TOO HIGH! I would buy one at $3999. I like small motorcycles because they weigh much less. Yet, for the money, I would go for the 100 more pounds of the RE350 Bullet. I know that they are comfortable and probably last a long time because of the low stressed engine.
This W230 would be a great replacement for the missing Suzuki TU250. Still, the price is too high.
Preis ist hoch, aber bedenke eine Royal Enfield 350 wiegt 195 kg, da kann ich gleich ein großes Motorrad fahren, und keines mit 20 PS. 🙋
Agree. The Honda CG350 costs 4.500€ and it is a much better option.
Wait 2 years buy a used one a guy will buy ride 100 miles park it got too busy need money he lists it you pay 3900 before dmv sales tax
Thank you
Thanks. Bought an enfield bullet 350 after watching this video
Love the styling. The only thing besides the price, (and it's a biggie),..I sure wish it had been small twin. I get the parts off the shelf concept. Simplicity and target market? But the sound of a twin in a small classic bike, even under 250cc's belongs there. Not a thumper. Imagine the sound of a little twin cracked wide-open on a classic styled bike. That would grab some attention. Don't get mad. Just an opinion, lol.
Lovely style.
Like the low seat height.
Could benefit from a 250cc or 300cc engine.
Keep it air-cooled.
Price is not competitive, especially when compared to the Kawasaki Eliminator.
Gorgeous motor. Sweet!
There are still many Suzuki TU250x around to be had used. That W is lovely!
Good job guys.
It looks fantastic!!
I THINK I GET IT NOW!! It's supposed to be Kawasaki's answer to the Honda Monkey (?) It checks all the boxes and then adds a few more that the Monkey lacks. Classic styling, small displacement aircooled ("bulletproof") engine, excellent fit and finish, fun in a little package, but with the added benefit of: more range, higher top speed (though not by much), double the power than the monkey with just slightly higher weight (ie better power to weight ratio), 6-speed, can fit conventional dirtbike tires for instant dirt tracker cred. You can even use it on some highways. (I tried that on a Monkey - doable, but stressful, for both me and the bike) On top of all that, it's going to be better reliability than a compareable Royal Enfield, KTM, or CF Moto. Other than the Monkey I 'm not seeing any other Japanese manufacturer competition (yet). I'm hoping that Kawasaki increases the limiter so that it can do a little better than the low 70-ish MPH some Thai reviewers are reporting the bike is governed to.
Hope you have a chance to ride and review the bike? I’m thinking the W230 or a Dax for my first bike.
a Kawasaki VanVan? wonderful! ☺️ Oh, this makes me so happy!
Great addition to bikes in America. More of this.
Why no kickstart? it will never look retro without a kickstarter!
Kickstarter is totally 'old school'.
Nah it doesnt need it. I like how my trail 125 has it
Cruiser?!
It's a standard. It has mid controls and the forks aren't raked out.
It's much like the thumper TU250X.
The Nighthawk 250 was a similar-weight twin with carb, drums, and small wheels.
I'd go with the Triumph Scrambler 400X. It has more power, suspension, and dirt potential for not much more weight.
Kawi should offer a scrambler version, IMO.
This w230 sorta eats into the hole left by the old honda rebel 250 when the 300 came it is like the old rebel 250 moreso than it would be the new rebel 300
@@JacobWillitsIt's not a cruiser like the Rebel 250 though. It's a standard, like the Nighthawk 250 or the TU250X.
That Kawasaki 650 at 00:53 would be infinitely more interesting and versatile, but would not compare favorably, these days, with liquid-cooled, high-compression engines, power-wise (for most buyers, unfortunately).
Very cool! But they should have put their 300 in it, I wouldn’t mind the radiator.
A 300 air-cooled would have been fine. Keep it simple.
This great bike will be good fit for Indian market which may give good competition to Royal enfield ones. Thx
I’d lean into the Triumph 400
Nice bike, but I agree a Royal Enfield is a better proposition. I think RE are going from strength to strength, both in build quality and affordability, very impressive!
Royal Enfield (350 ccm) 195 kg ist einfach zu schwer!
Where is the 230 made where is fhe enfield made
@@JacobWillits Google is your friend 😉
@@dermotorradfahrer-roberto5831 Not too heavy for me, the weight is part of the appeal, all metal not plastic, pure class 😎
Nicely explained, gives direct the pros and cons.
I was thinking this looked like a reasonable option for a small retro bike, but that price? No thanks! I'll go to Royal Enfield for much less of a price and more power. This W230 is a great bike for $3,800.
Dachte auch die Royal Enfield wäre da die bessere Option. Aber die 350er wiegen 195 kg und das ist für mich einfach zu schwer für ein Motorrad mit 20 PS 🙋
Buy it used then you could get itbwhen theyre used for that
Where is this bike made?
Beautiful
Motorcycle sales have crashed as the prices go up. Go figure?
Think about it. Lots of sales prices can go down and a profit can be made. Less sales, in order to make a profit prices must go up.
I just buy trail 125 bro
I love it!
It's a weird choice that they'd use the 230 motor, considering it's already pretty weak. Why wouldn't they do the 300 instead?
They might have other Ws planned
As someone who has been riding for over 50 years (yeah, I’m an old fart), I’m strangely attracted to and impressed with this little bike. I’ve owned (and still own) and ridden just about any kind of bike you can think of, but this little Kaw is cool! However, the price is gonna steer lots of potential buyers to those other brands mentioned here, and other types of bikes, such as Honda’s CRF300L, which is one of my all-time favorites. If Kawasaki would bump up the displacement to around 400 or 450 cc, but keep the price the same, they would have a market leader. Add a kickstarter, and they wouldn’t be able to manufacture them quickly enough.
Fahre auch seit 50 Jahren! Stimme dir fast zu, 👍denke aber dass die Kleine W230 schon wegen ihrem niedrigen Gewicht Punkten kann! 🙋
Why would you recommend the enfield over the triumph? Same price but triumph has much more power.
ネイビーのカラーかっこよさぎる
I don't know if America gets the Honda GB350S, but if you do then I'd say check that one out, I prefer the styling on the W230 but the price point seems a little high to me.
The idea of having a cheaper, smaller alternative to W800 is great! The bike is beautiful. However, the 230 CC engine is surprisingly small. My Classic 350 is already on the underpowered side here in EU. I struggle to see who would be interested in this bike apart from very young, beginners (who just have the A1 license) with a fat wallet.
Really I doubt you live in EU with comments like this, 125cc bike is the most popular machine in Europe far more than any 300cc and above so in no way is the power of 230cc a problem unless you are a bot or troll.
That white color is 🔥! Hopefully thats an option here in the states
What do you think about the Janus Halcyon 250. That is a retro style bike and the price is about 6900 bucks. a review on that could be interesting they also have a 500 cc motorcycle.
The USA is going to eat up all that retro stuff for sure but they need to send us the white version.
While I don't like the idea of this bike being pointed at specifically at "beginners" I can see why it is. And the value to retro style you speak of between this and a Royal, well that is arguable. Price is better on a Royal no doubt. Style is competitive. But a lot of people don't have the confidence in the reliability of a Royal. And may not want to spend personal time on repairs or $ for a shop to maintain it. But I do agree with you. I like both, but for the purchase price, I would take a Royal. IF you had not reminded me of that fact, I would simply say, this bike is grand, but they are not taking that chunk of change from me on an air cooled street bike just cause it is retro inspired.
Alles gute Argumente, dachte auch so, aber für mich ist das Gewicht entscheidend. Eine Royal Enfied 350 wiegt 195 kg 🤔 das ist zu schwer für ein kleinen Motorrad mit 20 PS. Da kann ich gleich ein größeres fahren, die wiegen auch kaum mehr. Die Kleine W230 wiegt 143 kg. 🙋
I love the bike, but the price tag is just too high for it
Stimmt, dachte ich auch aber für mich ist das Gewicht ein Faktor, andere Motorräder dieser Klasse wiegen 170 - 105 kg 🤔
Kawasaki is a reliable brand
they need a yamaha sr400 copy
Another alternative is the CSC SG250 (230cc, air-cooled, carburetor) for ONLY $2,495.00!
As long as you're somewhat mechanically inclined or have a good dealer I'd agree. The Chinese bikes are getting there just some of the parts are so cheaply made and fail so easily. Again, if you have any mechanical abilities and don't mind ordering parts you'll be fine I bought a brand new 150cc scooter and in the year I had it I had things that just don't fail on name brand bikes go bad- kill switch, ignition switch, welds broke on the exhaust just stupid little silly things meanwhile my 09 Honda Shadow hasn't required anything but oil changes and a battery since new lol
+1 for the CSC SG-250
I gotta add the Yamaha Vstar 250, to the list to consider. I am the opposite of a beginner , I have been riding for over 60 years. This little Yamaha will do 80mph and/or get 80 mpg.
I'm an old guy and I had a Virago 250. Forward controls suck as does the wide rear tire.
@jerrym3261 Yamaha has been making that bike for roughly 30 years. I have a 2019, and I changed the front and rear sprockets .
@@groverearp2600 Mine was a 2007, newest bike I've ever had by a long shot. I was pretty happy with the gearing on mine. If I was going to be riding 50mph or more, I would roll out a different motorcycle.
Great classic bike but too pricey. More expensive than the Royal Enfield Classic 350. The RE looks fabulous with single seat and the torque difference is huge. Kawa reliability is suposed to be better as well as lighteness. A 400 cc version could be a blast.
Ja, aber die Kawa wiegt halt nur 143 kg und das ist ein Argument! Und auch die Verarbeitung ist bei Kawa bestimmt besser.
For what it is worth, and this is total conjecture, but I have heard Triumph was having QC issues with their Speed and Scrambler 400. The Kawasaki build quality you know will be on point.
I imagine this was designed for the Asian market and I am sure they will sell a ridiculous number. I'm just grateful they are bringing it to the US.
I also dont want made in india
Gutes Video, Danke. 👍 Aber Ihr dürft nicht vergessen bei all den Vergleichen.
Die Sitzhöhe und vor allem das Gewicht von 143 kg
Honda GB350S is the best proposition on the market.
Not sure if it's coming to the States but it's come to Europe already andI want one.
5150 euros is the price.
And if we don’t want anti-lock brakes?
Love the styling, prefer a counter-balanced twin with twin megaphone pipes, one on each side. $5.5 K? Just saw a mint Harley Low Rider with 15K miles on it for $4K on Craigslist...
This bike better do well in terms of comfort, riding experience, reliability etc since it seems that power is not what they are heading for for example my xsr155 already produce about 20hp at 155cc
Good review. W230 for $5600? No thanks.
Used theyll be less. Trail 125 goes for 5182 after dealer dmv fees taxes.
5600 wow, no way. 6 grand for less than 20hp.
Fool and his money.
I like the looks and the low weight, but I would probably still go for the 350 Royal Enfield Classic instead.
You can have a Guzzi V7 old stock for 5700. 65hp v-twin. If you browse the web, awesome deals can be had.
I rode a Guzzi once as a loaner from the dealer while my R1100R was being repaired, and I remember thinking that if I could have only one bike, that Guzzi could be a contender.
50 kgs between the RE 350 and the new W !!!!!
Du sagst es, 👍ich finde das ist neben der guten Verarbeitung das beste Argument. 195 kg für ein 20 PS Motorrad sind ein Witz!
Da kann ich auch ein größeres Motorrad fahren.🙋
RE 350 is about 100lbs+ heavier ! ( Hunter 350 is the lighter version with 17” cast wheels ) I think Classic 350 is 429lbs/20hp
Hmm too expensive to be an msf trainer. Not as powerful as the RE 350s (surprise). I bet the fit and finish is great though. The promotional materials do mention comfortable highway speeds but I'm skeptical about that.