[Warwick]

It great for most riding conditions. However, it no highway tourer, particularly with that riding position.
cheers and beers
Warwick

[dickim]

Trust me on a 110kmh limit 4 lane highway with no central separation, compared to a C5........20km to nearest town feels MUCH Better 😀

[Haggisman]

You need to remember 40 years ago this would have been a powerful and fast bike! It is still no slouch,  Motoguzzi  V7 has similar power output for larger engine capacity.

[9fingers]

And I need to add that in a recent comparo with the Kawasaki W800, the INT 650 was quicker. They also preferred it overall.
9fingers

[Jako]

You need to remember 40 years ago this would have been a powerful and fast bike! It is still no slouch,  Motoguzzi  V7 has similar power output for larger engine capacity.

Yea it still is fast and powerful to me, I tour on my 500cc Bullet  and  700+ km days are common, I can easily cruise at or above the legal speed limits,  l enjoy the challenge of small capacity engines.  So my interceptor  feels like a road king to me, I don't understand why people say you can't tour on Interceptor.   

[gizzo]

Yea it still is fast and powerful to me, I tour on my 500cc Bullet  and  700+ km days are common, I can easily cruise at or above the legal speed limits,  l enjoy the challenge of small capacity engines. I don't understand why people say you can't tour on Interceptor.   

Same here, mate. I've done enough big km, highway trips on my 535 CGT to know it's quite OK at it. It'll sit on the speed limit all day. I don't hold anyone up and when we get to the mountains it's me waiting for them.

[Haggisman]

I seriously thought about buying the 535 then I test rode the interceptor,  bought the interceptor

[gizzo]

I seriously thought about buying the 535 then I test rode the interceptor,  bought the interceptor

I've ridden my mate's one a few times. Super nice and it'd be easy to live with. I like singles though. And would really like to have an original '60s 250 CGT. The 535 is to scratch that itch. Turns out it's a nice motorbike, too.

[twocoolgliders]

I had lusted after the Kawasaki W650, which was only offered in USA for two years.  My friend has one...easily mistaken for an old Bonneville....(but none of the problems of a classic bonnie) ....good looking bike....

I tried to find used ones...most are not for sale...the few for sale are often rough...and high price..they make a beautiful cafe racer!

When the W800 came out, in cafe style, I got excited...until I saw one in person...what a turd!  And it is turd brown paint job too....and the "Cafe" is all out of proportion and ugly.

BTW..one dealership, where I test rode the RE650....had a W800 cafe.....the salesman saw me looking at it....he came right over and said he would sell it to me if I wanted it...but in his opinion the RE was far better...and that's head to head, not even accounting for the huge price difference!  He said at that price of the W , go for Triumph.

Another customer looked at it too...and then opted for the "retro" Kawasaki 900...

Now they have in USA the W800 regular looking version ...my other friend ordered one...in chrome tank(sound familiar ?)  this is a good looking bike....

Also since the Cafe, and the regular don't sell well in USA, and that dealer is "stuck" with them...my friend got a huge discount!

Bottom line.....these are all about the same performance bikes....in that "retro" class.....plenty fast enough.



Cookie

And I need to add that in a recent comparo with the Kawasaki W800, the INT 650 was quicker. They also preferred it overall.
9fingers

[Haggisman]

The W800 is also heavier too,  $4000 more expensive in Australia

[GlennF]

I had lusted after the Kawasaki W650, which was only offered in USA for two years.  My friend has one...easily mistaken for an old Bonneville....(but none of the problems of a classic bonnie) ....good looking bike....

Cookie

BSA

They are not really related to the Bonnie, they are actually based on the W1 which was a 50's BSA A7  ripoff.

It is a slightly convoluted story. Kawasaki bought out Meguro way back when, and Meguro had a licence to make BSA products. This enabled Kawasaki to build the BSA look-alike WI in the late 60's.

Decades later the BSA based W1 became the inspiration for the W650 and W800.


Kawasaki W1:




BSA A7 :

[Haggisman]

I remember them, similar vintage to the Yamaha XS1 650. I wonder if the W1 leaked oil like a BSA. The W1 looks like it has a raked front fork.

[dickim]

Horses for Courses - really wanted a chrome GT but sciatica and no knee cartlidge (rugby) even sitting on one was painful 😣 looked at Kawasaki but WAY overpriced in Oz. Best bike I've owned for highways and NOT being moved by the triple roadtrains coming the other way was  Suzuki GSX750F and was comfy to eat up the mikes all day long. Yesterday collected & delivered a Ford Focus Turbo to my mates workshop - 25km of noise and discomfort! not to mention plastic- had to take the roofless MGA out to clear the system  😀🤣 Real bikes and real cars and the Covid word is forgotten 👍

[dickim]

o.k guys - taking a chance here, and realise this link is full of ads, but the classic 70's bikes bring back memories (good and bad!)


https://www.brakeforit.com/classic/best-motorcycles-from-the-1970s/?utm_source=tb&utm_medium=sevenwestmedia-perthnow-tb&utm_term=These+1970%27s+Bikes+Are+Classics-https%3A%2F%2Fwww.brakeforit.com%2Fhivemedia-images%2Fcreatives%2Fzzt%2Fzzt.jpg&utm_content=2898713453&utm_campaign=4555015-tb&utm_source=tb

[gizzo]

Real bikes and real cars and the Covid word is forgotten 👍

Amen to that.  We went out today on the classic Ducati and CX500.  Uncomplicated fun.