Kawasaki W series
The Kawasaki W series is a line of vertical-twin standard motorcycles motorcycles made by Kawasaki beginning in 1965. First sold as a 1966 model in the North American market, the initial Kawasaki W1 had the largest engine displacement of any model manufactured in Japan at the time.
Kawasaki W1SS, a two-carburetor offshoot of the original W1 with the brake pedal on left side | |
| Manufacturer | Kawasaki Aircraft Industries, later Kawasaki Motorcycle & Engine Company |
|---|---|
| Also called | Meguro X-650, Kawasaki 650 Commander, Kawasaki RS650 |
| Parent company | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
| Production | 1965—1974 |
| Assembly | Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan |
| Predecessor | Meguro K1, Kawasaki K2 |
| Successor | Kawasaki W650 |
| Class | Standard |
| Engine | 624 cc (38.1 cu in) 4-stroke, inline 2-cylinder, air-cooled, OHV |
| Bore / stroke | 74.0 mm × 72.6 mm (2.91 in × 2.86 in) |
| Compression ratio | W1 8.7:1 W2 9.0:1 |
| Top speed | W1 180 km/h (110 mph) W2 185 km/h (115 mph) |
| Power | W1 50 PS (37 kW; 49 hp) @ 6500 rpm W2 53 PS (39 kW; 52 hp) @ 7000 rpm |
| Ignition type | Battery ignition |
| Transmission | Manual 4-speed |
| Frame type | Steel tube duplex cradle |
| Suspension | F: Telescopic R: Swingarm |
| Brakes | F: Mechanical drum, double 2 leading R: Mechanical drum, leading trailing |
| Tires | F: 3.25-18 R: 3.50-18 |
| Wheelbase | 1,415 mm (55.7 in) |
| Dimensions | L: 2,126 mm (83.7 in) W: 880 mm (35 in) H: 1,060 mm (42 in) |
| Weight | 181 kg (399 lb) (dry) |
| Fuel capacity | 15 L (3.3 imp gal; 4.0 US gal) |
| Oil capacity | 3 L (3.2 US qt) |
Based heavily on a licensed version of the post-war, pre-unit construction, 500cc vertical-twin BSA A7, the bikes were clearly aimed at the market then dominated by the classic British twins of the day. Production of the original series, which saw W2 and W3 models, ended in 1974. In 1999 the W650 appeared, and was produced through 2007. In 2011 Kawasaki announced another retro version of the “W” brand, the W800, which remained in production until 2016, then was re-introduced in 2019. A W175 was released in 2017.