Kawasaki W800 Bonneville-rival is real

Kawasaki is about to reveal a bigger replacement for the defunct W650 Triumph Bonneville replica, confirming internet speculation.

The bike will be called the W800 and feature a largely similar chassis, but feature a disc brake at the rear and power hiked to match Triumph’s own modern-day Bonneville, at around 60bhp.

Kawasaki’s original W650 was popular with customisers, especially in Japan, but it was always hampered by its authentically flat 49bhp parallel twin motor.

If Kawasaki keeps a lid on the price, the W800 should give the reborn Bonneville serious competition – the W650 was widely praised for out-retroing the Hinckley bike until it was discontinued in 2006.