[Arizoni]

Here's a link to a well written comparison of the RE and the Kawasaki.

It seems the RE comes out on top.

https://www.cycleworld.com/royal-enfield-continental-gt-650-versus-kawasaki-w800-cafe/

[Richard230]

I saw that article in the latest Cycle World magazine that I received in the mail last month.  It certainly didn't make the Kawasaki sound like anything that I would want to buy, especially for thousands of dollars more than the RE.   

[9fingers]

Excellent review and somewhat shocking, in multiple ways. I need to test ride a GT. Thanks for posting.
9fingers

[GlennF]

I saw that article in the latest Cycle World magazine that I received in the mail last month.  It certainly didn't make the Kawasaki sound like anything that I would want to buy, especially for thousands of dollars more than the RE.   

The non-cafe version used to sell OK in Australia back in the early 2000's.

TBH though if you are going up in price from an Interceptor, want to stick with a  mid range spoked wheel naked retro bike, and do not want to fork out a fortune for a Thailand Triumph the Italian made V7 iii Rough is possibly a better option.

[Dr Mayhem]

Sometime in the 90s I test rode the W650 and a Victory sport with the new fuel injection the same day.

Both were horrible for different reasons. As I recall, the 650 was the most underwhelming bike I had ever ridden to that point.

This RE 650 GT is a refined beast in comparison with character to spare. Absolutely love this thing! Ok, times have changed, and in quantum leaps it seems, LoL

[mattsz]

Sometime in the 90s I test rode the 650 and a Victory sport with the new fuel injection the same day.

Both were horrible for different reasons. As I recall, the 650 was the most underwhelming bike I had ever ridden to that point.

What 650 are you talking about?

[Dr Mayhem]

 wouldn't that be obvious? predecessor to the W800 

[mattsz]

wouldn't that be obvious? predecessor to the W800

Well, it wasn't so obvious to me, but I'm an acknowledged idiot, so thanks for modifying your post for the rest of us... 

I don't like to make assumptions - I figured you meant the Kawasaki, but you said "sometime in the 90's." There were other 650's available throughout the 90's, but the W650 didn't exist until late 1999 (according to Motorcycle Classics magazine).  Plus, you called it "horrible" and "the most underwhelming bike I had ever ridden to that point," which is the type of language I have never heard used to describe the W650.  Royal Enfields, sure, but not the Kawasaki.  So I thought I'd ask...

[Dr Mayhem]

1. safe spaces are an illusion, especially so on the internet!

2. take what motojournalists write about motorcycles with a grain of salt!

3. 'horrible' is subjective

[Richard230]

Here is a photo of a older W650 that my granddaughter took in Berlin.