TWIN PEAKS

The burble of twin exhausts resonates across the stunning Japanese countryside of the Nagano Prefecture as the bevel gear-driven cam twin effortlessly propels me along the road. Ahead is the dramatic, snow-capped mountain region of Kirigamine – home to Mount Fuji.

I can feel the heat of the mid-morning sun on my face and am certainly in no hurry. I’m simply taking in the delights of Japan's scenery and Kawasaki’s all-new W800 is proving to be the perfect combination of style and comfort to explore this stunning, jaw-dropping area of the country.

The old W800 was loved by many. It was simple, straightforward and appealed to a generation who remember when bikes had kick-starts. Equally, a younger audience enjoyed personalising and modifying the W800 and the older W650 – both, of course, designed to look like the original W1, from the 1960s. The ‘old’ W800 was in desperate need of an upgrade,