The Kawasaki W1 Legend.
Parraweena 'Roy' Truganinni
other motorcycle enthusiast for the first time. Most often, this question is
likey to come from other Kawasaki owners (particularly 'Z' owners), who have
never seen the marque before. The word "Kawasaki" is emblazoned on the
primary drive chain cover and the tank badge, but it does not carry any
other identifing marks.
(If you look at the Frame and Engine Numbers, you will find the prefix
"W1").
Read all about it at. http://home.freeuk.com/klawsuc/
...a VERY, VERY few examples exist in Australia.
I have a '68 W1ss, complete with the S.A. 'Police speedo' and 'Cop shocks'.
Very, very rare motorcycle. The frame number is "W1-5035" which makes it
roughly within the first 5,000 motorcycles ever made by Kawasaki, world
wide.
My bike is _possibly_ the OLDEST, registered and riden, Kawasaki in
Australia.
I would certainly like to hear from any other W1 owners and meet there
bikes. :)
Doug Cox
> I would certainly like to hear from any other W1 owners and meet there
> bikes. :)
Orm Snell in Townsville has one.
Doug Cox.
Work to ride, Ride to work...
Greg Breslin
2-stroke, and rode it like a genuine racer around the streets of Gladstone
(Q) showed up at the local "drags" near the Harbour with this brand new 650
Kawasaki twin (I never knew they existed 'til then). He took off the
mufflers and gave it heaps. It was a mild disappointment on the day.
I didn't see him around much but I gained the impression that it ran less
rather than more often. The last I heard about the bike was that he was
riding to Brisbane and it decided it didn't want to go any further. I heard
he kicked the tank in and pushed it off the side of the road.
After looking at the web site, I believe it was a 1969~MODEL W2TT .
(He gave up riding bikes and was killed while a passenger in his own car
(Monaro)). Time passes by and thoughts turn to childhood. Greg
"Parraweena 'Roy' Truganinni" <Ro...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:EqJE9.84210$g9.2...@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
Theo Bekkers
> As a W1 owner and rider, I am often asked "what bike is that?" when
meeting
> other motorcycle enthusiast for the first time.
> ...a VERY, VERY few examples exist in Australia.
>
> I have a '68 W1ss, complete with the S.A. 'Police speedo' and 'Cop
shocks'.
>
> Very, very rare motorcycle.
Not that rare Roy. In the late sixties every cop in Perth rode one.
Cheers
Theo
Knobdoodle
Gawd; I NEVER thought they existed long enough for there to be a twin-disk
model!!
(and there's no mention of them being a BSA A65 copy)
Clem
~
"Parraweena 'Roy' Truganinni" <Ro...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:EqJE9.84210$g9.2...@newsfeeds.bigpond.com...
Knobdoodle
"Greg Breslin" <gbre...@bigpond.net.au> wrote;
~
> (He gave up riding bikes and was killed while a passenger in his own car
> (Monaro)).
Yet another winner of the Gregg Hansford "ya shoulda' stuck to bikes" award!
Clem
Barry Dangerous
threads were BSF and Whitworth mixed with Metric.
Baz
"Knobdoodle" <knobd...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
news:as223b$n7ncc$1...@ID-132915.news.dfncis.de...
Barry Dangerous
about 5 or 6 a few years ago.
Baz
John Littler
really get all consistently metric until the late 60's
JL
"Barry Dangerous" <kat...@froggy.com.au> wrote in message
news:3de48f74$0$12763$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
Roy
> "Parraweena 'Roy' Truganinni" wrote
>
> > I have a '68 W1ss, complete with the S.A. 'Police speedo' and 'Cop
> shocks'.
> >
> > Very, very rare motorcycle.
>
> Not that rare Roy. In the late sixties every cop in Perth rode one.
Ok, Theo. Rare is a relative term.
I have a lot of difficulty finding parts for the old girl. The later model
(70~72) 'Wiza' (W1SA) is still fairly common, and thankfully some of the
parts are interchangable.
However, the W1ss is a rare and classic motorcycle. They only ever made 251
W1ss (according to this site, anyway) and a only few thousand COMMANDER's in
total. Some parts are next to impossible to get, so I often have to accept a
compromise.
I have the S.A. Police variant of the W1ss, which makes it rarer still. The
bike still has the original round S.A. chromed registration holder on the
bike, unused.
Examples of this bike usully sit in museums.
See http://www.classickawasaki.com/bikes.htm for example.
Mine has almost been constantly registered and riden, for 35 years.
Roy
"Doug Cox" wrote in message
> "Parraweena 'Roy' Truganinni" <Ro...@bigpond.com> wrote in message
> > I would certainly like to hear from any other W1 owners and meet there
> > bikes. :)
>
> Orm Snell in Townsville has one.
Thanks Doug, any chance of an Email address?.
Townsville is way out of my territory, but we could compare notes.
Roy
"Greg Breslin" wrote in message
> This brings back memories. One of the locals, who owned a 250 Kawasaki
> 2-stroke, and rode it like a genuine racer around the streets of Gladstone
> (Q) showed up at the local "drags" near the Harbour with this brand new
650
> Kawasaki twin (I never knew they existed 'til then). He took off the
> mufflers and gave it heaps. It was a mild disappointment on the day.
Indeed. Kawasaki did make 2-strokes prior to the W1.
They also made the engine for the Meguro K2, and later, after the frame
building technology was transfered to Kawasaki, they made the whole bike.
The 650 was never a 650. Only 624cc, even though the sales literature
refered to it as a 650, at the time. It produced 50 Hp, at best, and
vibrates
horribly, through the stearing head. A bitch to ride, but worth the 'pain'.
> I didn't see him around much but I gained the impression that it ran less
> rather than more often. The last I heard about the bike was that he was
> riding to Brisbane and it decided it didn't want to go any further. I
heard
> he kicked the tank in and pushed it off the side of the road.
Sacrilege! I guess that only proves that any dickhead could own one.
They are a very strong motor. Almost unkillable. For example, I can pull a
plug, turn off a fuel tap, (and even disconect a coil and a battery. I have
configured it with twin batteries and twin coils)
..and just ride it away. It goes fine as a single! About the only thing
that will stop it is generator failure.
I don't think they deserve a reputation as 'unreliable'. Quite to the
contrary.
> After looking at the web site, I believe it was a 1969~MODEL W2TT .
> (He gave up riding bikes and was killed while a passenger in his own car
> (Monaro)). Time passes by and thoughts turn to childhood. Greg
That is a great shame, I loved Monaro's. ;)
Knobdoodle
I wrote A10 and then backspaced and typed A65 instead!!
I shoulda' backed meself!
Clem
~
"Barry Dangerous" <kat...@froggy.com.au> wrote in message
news:3de48f74$0$12763$afc3...@news.optusnet.com.au...
Knobdoodle
"Roy" <Ro...@bigpond.com> wrote
~
> Townsville is way out of my territory, (snip).
~
Hmmm... I wonder how much a move to Townsville would cost...........
Clem
Roy
"Barry Dangerous" wrote in message
> I think they were an A10 copy not A65 unit construction. Even some of
the
> threads were BSF and Whitworth mixed with Metric.
Officially it's the A7:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/9472/keeble.html
they copied, according to the Kawasaki museum web site anyway:
http://www.khi.co.jp/mcycle/museum/w1/history/index_e.html
I guess that if Kawasaki say that that this the bike they copied, there's no
point arguing with them.
The matter is often argued amoungst W1 owers . Certainly the bike LOOKS much
more like the A10.
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Downs/9472/roncutone.html
Roy
> Des Ayres who used to have a bike shop in Ungarie NSW had a collection of
> about 5 or 6 a few years ago.
Any way of contacting him? Again just to compare notes.
michael
remember seeing some website had some new kawasaki bikes that look
similar to these ones.
BT Humble
> FUCK!
> I wrote A10 and then backspaced and typed A65 instead!!
> I shoulda' backed meself!
> Clem
Bummer mate, there goes all your Trainspotter Street Cred! ;-)
BTH
Doug Cox
> Thanks Doug, any chance of an Email address?.
That's the local Harley Dealer. Warren Snell is the owner/proprietor and he
owns the bike.
Theo Bekkers
> Officially it's the A7:
> The matter is often argued amoungst W1 owers . Certainly the bike LOOKS
much
> more like the A10.
Hmmm, as the A7 was a 500 and the A10 the same frame with a 650 motor, it is
a reasonable mistake to make.
Theo
My first bike was an A7.
Knobdoodle
"BT Humble" <za...@hotmail.com> wrote;
So I'll have to fall back on my male-potency and my sexual-attraction as my
greatest strength then?
Clem
Roy
"michael" <le_t...@mbox.com.au> wrote in message
> nice bikes. i think retro bikes are a big thing in japan at the moment i
> remember seeing some website had some new kawasaki bikes that look
> similar to these ones.
The impression I get is that if you have an early model W1 in Japan at the
moment, you are a 'sex god'. ;)
But seriously, they are enjoying a resurgence since Kawasaki re-released the
'W's in the form of the W650, which is a far better bike than the original
W's ever were.
The W650 has been overlooked by the market here in Australia, so far. I
don't expect it will ever be a popular bike. The Japanese have a special
relationship with the bike.
Roy
> Would "1964 Kawasaki W1 Frame# W1F-08035 Engin# W1E-55383" be the same
> bike or are you just trying to corner the market!?
If yer referrin' to my post in 'rec.sport.olympics', it is the same bike.
I got the false impression that they may have used the W1 in the '64 Tokyo
Olyimpics from reading the history at the Kawasaki Museum. But on a more
carefull reading of that site, the correct interpretation is that it was the
K2 that they used for these duties.
They didn't start making the W1 to 65, as I lately found out.
The right frame number is 5035. A simple mistak. My frame is '68 and the
motor is '69. Kawasaki never matched frame and engine numbers, and still
don't.
I'm still researching the history of the bike. The W1 in general, and that
specific to my bike. It appears that it was built from 2 bikes, about 20
years ago, one of which was the x-police model (probably the '69 bike, was
put into a '68 frame).
barry taylor
aha! just knew you had a mammary problem ......
+ursus australis
--
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_--|\ __ __ __ _ __
/ \ /__/ / /__/ /__ /_\ /__/
\.-- *_/ /__/ _/ /__/ /__ / \ / \
v
barry j taylor < tayl...@ozemail.com.au>
ICQ # 21309897 Yahoo: taylorbj2000
AIM: ursus australis
A file that big?
It might be very useful.
But now it is gone
103eas...@gmail.com
Rheilly Phoull
ANOTHER time traveller.
Fred Kroft
> Early number ?? Knock about 5032 off of that. Have serial number 0003
> 100% in tact in excellent shape and running here in the U.S.A. Just took
> it to a vintage bike rally last weekend sponsored by the American
> Motorcyclist Association.
W1-0001. So nerrrny neernny nernny nerrr !. Mister I've got a W1-0003 and
it's better than a W1-5035 !. I would post a pic, but can't. Ask Virago
John. He has seen it.
:P
Diogenes
=================
Onya bike...
Gerry
mitd...@mac.com
We are after left hand switch, clutch lever, and rubber foot pegs at the moment.
Dave
fluf...@gmail.com
> "Parraweena 'Roy' Truganinni" wrote
>
> > As a W1 owner and rider, I am often asked "what bike is that?" when
> meeting
> > other motorcycle enthusiast for the first time.
>
> >
> > I have a '68 W1ss, complete with the S.A. 'Police speedo' and 'Cop
> shocks'.
> >
> > Very, very rare motorcycle.
>
>
>
> Theo
Theo Bekkers, I am in Perth too, I have a 1970 W1SA, also a police bike, but is a Black Police Escort, so not a single seat.
Can you tell me any more about the Perth Kawasaki W1's.?
Also you wouldn't be any chance related to the Bekkers that new the Koning family Cor was a milk vendor, who lived in Claremont/Nedlands during 1960-1970's.?
FRANK
adulla...@hotmail.com
> As a W1 owner and rider, I am often asked "what bike is that?" when meeting
> likey to come from other Kawasaki owners (particularly 'Z' owners), who have
> never seen the marque before. The word "Kawasaki" is emblazoned on the
> primary drive chain cover and the tank badge, but it does not carry any
> other identifing marks.
>
> (If you look at the Frame and Engine Numbers, you will find the prefix
> "W1").
>
> Read all about it at. http://home.freeuk.com/klawsuc/
>
>
> I have a '68 W1ss, complete with the S.A. 'Police speedo' and 'Cop shocks'.
>
> roughly within the first 5,000 motorcycles ever made by Kawasaki, world
> wide.
>
> My bike is _possibly_ the OLDEST, registered and riden, Kawasaki in
> Australia.
>
> I would certainly like to hear from any other W1 owners and meet there
> bikes. :)
hunt...@gmail.com
John Tooth
> I also live in Gympie and have just bought a W1 SS if you want to get in touch ?
Thanks .. JOHN ..I live in Townsville...