Motorcycle specifications Kawasaki W 230 2026 Une catherinette du temps

Buying a new machine with a purely retro look comes with a small problem: the price tag. The most famous, the Triumph Bonneville, costs over 11 grand. At Kawa, it's kif-kif with the W 800. So what do you do when you're itching for a 60s ersatz on a rather dry budget?

The W 230 is the answer. A motorcycle of this displacement in our landscape is closer to an ephemeral curiosity than a fashion story in the making; according to a local point of view. After all, this type of motorcycle is very popular in emerging countries. And let's face it, driving around in this kind of little icon is a lot more stylish than driving around in an ordinary 2-and-a-half SUV designed to carry pizzas.

A veritable little W 800 in miniature, it takes up its theme, silhouette and spirit. All this in a reduced, bucolic dimension. The big one's a joy to ride, the little one's a flower in the teeth. It's all a question of retro-seduction, with its classic lines, spoked rims, sausage pot, tranquil seating just 84.5 cm off the ground, and an engine whose simplicity touches every piston stroke.

Equipped with 233 cm3, the single-cylinder engine claims only limited performance. Speed, stress and performance ricochet off it and its fins. Air cools it, a single camshaft moves its two valves, and its compression effort is so far removed from modern mechanics... Another time, and 18 horsepower available, reached at 7,000 rpm. Torque is puny, at 1.9 mkg at 5,800 rpm. Should we expect more? No, because that's the size of this little bike.
Would you dive into the crowd and bellow away in a discreet café-theatre with Cabrel and a selection of guests?
Would you sip herbal tea on a sofa during a Linkin Park concert?

The engine's pretensions are simple; so is the chassis. A 265 mm disc at the front and a 22 mm one at the rear brake this little 143-kilo beast. The double-cradle steel frame holds a 37 mm fork and two rear shock absorbers. Slim tires, a rather long wheelbase for its size, 6 gears to dial in on a country tune... The W 230 exudes calm with the charm of an old suburb.

a closer look at the W 230 soon reveals its twin sister, the Meguro S1. Same design, same chassis, same engine. It's all a question of spirit. The S1 reminds us of the distant past of Meguro, a small Japanese manufacturer whose destiny crossed paths with Kawa in the 60s. As for the W models (230 and 800), their reputation is based on the 1966 650 W1. On the ground, there are a few differences to note: the meter bases, the seat - covered with a different coating and 5 mm higher on the Kawa - chrome on the Meguro's tank, and each with its own ideological emblem.

The Kawasaki W 230 will, however, meet a serious adversary on its home turf: the Royal-Enfield 350 Classic or Bullet. Just a little more power, but with more torque, thanks to a different displacement level. If Kawa can keep the price down, the W can hope to make a small mark on the market.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos