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Posted by kfoster
- September 07, 2015, 09:52:41 AMCool!!! I have seen some of the material about the W-1 series. The photos of the vertical twins with the bevel drives are great. I just think that it is fun that they did these retro-W's this way. They could have easily done a timing chain and been done with it. The bevel drive makes the bike way more interesting.
Troll, how long have you had your W650? Any things that I need to watch out for, besides the cracking rear fender. This one is not cracked yet, indicating either it was braced or replaced!
Posted by Troll
- September 07, 2015, 08:07:45 AMYeah, you're kinda right about the W, except that it is actually a continuation of the first "Big" bike Kawasaki imported. They bought a company called Meguro that was building BSA A-10s under license in Japan. They improved the design incrementally and started bringing them into the us in '66 as the W-1 through w-3 series Commanders. Sooo, if you do a DNA test, you'll find there is a bit of BSA in that bike....As far as the bevel drive cam goes, that's been a common practice all around the world. Everybody from BSA to Norton, Cyclone (in 1910), Ducati, Velocette, Eyesink....just to name a few. Like Paul Harvey always said...now the rest of the story!
Posted by kfoster
- September 06, 2015, 23:39:15 PMWell between the 650 and the 800, you would be at 1450cc!
It is interesting what they did back then with these retro bikes. The Drifters were obviously based on the 800 and 1500 Vulcans with all kinds of interesting Indian features, especially the floating rear fenders.
The ZRX was really a Zephyr with a water cooled ZX11 engine, a trick swing-arm, and fully adjustable suspension. It also featured Eddie Lawson paintwork and cowl. The last year for the ZRX in the US was 2005. A more modern ZRX is still being produced for the Japanese market. It is fuel injected and had slightly more angular styling.
The W650 was pretty much clean sheet of paper. This bike was unique as it was not part of a larger series. The really neat feature is the bevel drive single overhead cam vertical twin. It serves no specific purpose other than to prove that Kawasaki can make a neat engine just for the fun of it! The last year for the W650 in the US was 2001. It continued to be sold in other markets. There is now a fuel injected W800 in production that is being sold in Asia and Europe.
Posted by CDNRatMan
- September 06, 2015, 22:57:15 PMWOW very nice...perhaps I should look for one rather then a 1500....lol.....
Posted by kfoster
- September 06, 2015, 22:53:31 PMNow that I have the Drifter sorted and working well, it seems like it is time for a new bike. (possibly project, once we see what we have) I have placed a deposit on this baby and will drive down to Silver Sring MD at the end of the month to collect her.
This should complete my collection of 20th century Kawasaki retro bikes!
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1999 ZRX1100
2001 Drifter 800
It seems that Kawasaki got very nostalgic at the end of the 20th century. They had three retro-bike styles in the line-up at the same time as they were moving forward with far more modern machines. All three of these bikes have found cult followings around the world.