There are moments in a rider’s life when the road, the bike, and the scenery merge into one seamless ribbon of joy. Beccara, tucked into the rolling countryside of northern Italy, is one of those places that makes you believe motorcycles were invented for roads like these. Narrow cobbled stretches twist into open hillside bends, olive groves sway in the breeze, and in the distance, stone villages cling to the hills as if holding onto stories centuries old.

It was here that I first swung a leg over the Kawasaki Meguro S1, a motorcycle that wears its history like a tailored Italian suit. On paper, it’s a modest machine: 233 cc, 18 horsepower, air-cooled single. But paper specs are a pale reflection of reality. Out here, with the scent of espresso drifting from roadside cafés and the asphalt warming under the afternoon sun, the Meguro S1 proved that charm and capability aren’t measured in raw numbers.

First impressions – rolling back time in Beccara

Pulling up to the small piazza where our test day began, the Meguro S1 immediately drew a crowd. It’s not loud, brash, or dripping in chrome, yet it has a presence that makes people pause. The rounded fuel tank wears a rich, deep paint scheme, framed by polished metal and the signature Meguro badge. Narrow tires, wire-spoked wheels, a flat seat, and upright bars complete the picture. It’s a bike that could have rolled straight out of the 1960s… if you ignored the discreet modern touches.

Starting the bike is an unhurried affair, not because it’s slow, but because it invites you to savor the ritual. Thumb the starter, and the single-cylinder thumps to life with a polite, even heartbeat. No frantic cam chatter, no hyperactive idle. Just a steady, confident rhythm.

The first few kilometers through Beccara’s old streets reminded me why motorcycles like this still matter. The narrow tires and light weight made it ridiculously easy to thread between parked Fiats and the occasional tractor. The clutch? Light as a feather. The gearbox? Clicks into place without protest. This isn’t a bike that fights you; it works with you.

The engine – more than just numbers

On the spec sheet, the Meguro S1’s single-cylinder produces 18 hp at 7,000 rpm and 18.6 Nm at 5,800 rpm. In today’s world of 200 hp superbikes, that might sound like a footnote, but riding it is another story entirely.

Out on the sweeping road toward San Marino Pass, I discovered the joy of a linear, honest power delivery. There’s no sudden rush or peaky surprise, just a smooth, predictable pull from idle all the way to the redline. You learn to surf the torque curve, shifting less often and letting the engine hum in its happy midrange.

And that smoothness? Impressive. Even rolling on the throttle hard out of hairpins, there’s no chain snatch or lurch, just steady, tractable drive. The fueling is spot on, and Kawasaki’s tuning ensures that the S1 feels lively without ever being frantic.

I’ll be honest: overtakes at 90 km/h require planning. You don’t have the luxury of instant warp speed here. But that’s part of the experience, you anticipate, commit, and execute. It makes you more engaged, more connected.

Handling – small, light, and utterly in its element

Here’s where the Meguro S1 shines like a perfectly polished tank badge. At 143 kg ready-to-ride, it’s nimble in a way most modern bikes can only dream of. Combine that with its short wheelbase, narrow 90/90-18 front and 110/90-17 rear tires, and you get a machine that feels like it can read your mind.

On the Beccara switchbacks, I barely had to lean my body, a gentle push on the bars and the bike tipped in gracefully, holding a steady line without wobble or complaint. The suspension, 117 mm of travel up front and 95 mm at the rear, isn’t exotic, but it’s well judged. The fork absorbs rough patches on cobblestones without diving under braking, and the twin rear shocks keep the bike composed over rippled tarmac.

Even braking hard into a downhill hairpin, the chassis stayed calm. The 265 mm front disc and 220 mm rear disc won’t pin you to the tank, but they’re perfectly adequate, with good modulation and no sudden grab.

What I loved most was the feedback from the front end. You know what the front tire is doing at all times, a trait many heavier, tech-laden bikes have lost.

Electronics – or rather, the absence of them

This is a motorcycle stripped to the essentials. No traction control. No riding modes. No quickshifter. No TFT screen with enough pixels to stream Netflix.

And it’s glorious.

Riding the Meguro S1 reminded me how much satisfaction comes from a direct, unfiltered connection between rider and machine. You don’t scroll through menus, you listen to the engine, you feel the chassis, and you adjust yourself. The reward is a sense of involvement that’s disappearing in an era of digital safety nets.

The only “assistance” here is ABS, and it’s subtle. It only steps in when genuinely needed, letting you modulate braking the rest of the time.

Living with the Meguro S1 – comfort and practicality

Not every retro bike nails comfort, but the Meguro S1 gets it right. The seat height of 740 mm makes it accessible even for shorter riders, and the upright handlebar position keeps your back relaxed during longer rides. The seat is flat but well-padded, and the peg position avoids the knee-cramp that some smaller bikes cause.

The 12-litre tank offers decent range. During my day in Beccara, I averaged just under 3.5L/100 km, meaning you could cover well over 300 km before needing to refuel. That’s more than enough for a full day’s exploring without hunting for petrol stations.

And while the bike’s design is retro, it’s built with modern reliability in mind. Fuel injection means easy starts in any weather, and the build quality feels solid, nothing rattles, nothing squeaks.

Technical Specifications – Kawasaki Meguro S1

The technical data presented is derived from the Kawasaki’s official online listings. We only use verified and authentic sources for our reviews.

Specification	Detail
Engine type	Air-cooled, SOHC, single-cylinder, 4-stroke
Displacement	233 cc
Power	18 hp @ 7,000 rpm
Torque	18.6 Nm @ 5,800 rpm
Transmission	6-speed, chain drive
Front suspension travel	117 mm
Rear suspension travel	95 mm
Front brake	265 mm disc
Rear brake	220 mm disc
Front tire	90/90-18
Rear tire	110/90-17
Seat height	740 mm
Fuel tank capacity	12 litres
Ready-to-ride weight	143 kg
Wheelbase	1,370 mm (approx.)

Comparisons – where it stands against rivals

The retro lightweight segment is an interesting one. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 has more mass and a slightly lazier feel. The Honda GB350 offers a bigger presence but lacks the nimble character of the Meguro. The Yamaha SR400 (if you can still find one) has a kickstart charm but doesn’t match the S1’s smoothness.

The Meguro S1 finds a sweet spot: light enough to dance through corners, refined enough for daily use, and authentic enough to turn heads at any café. It feels like the spiritual successor to the Japanese singles of the 1970s, except it starts every time, doesn’t leak oil, and won’t leave your hands tingling after a ride.

Conclusion – a reminder of why we ride

By the time I rolled back into Beccara’s piazza, the sun was beginning to set behind the hills, bathing the town in a warm golden glow. I parked the Meguro S1, stepped back, and realized I was grinning.

This is not a bike for chasing lap records or blowing past superbikes on the autobahn. It’s for riders who appreciate the act of riding, the rhythm of the road, the way the bike talks to you, the joy of getting it just right through a corner.

In a world obsessed with speed, the Kawasaki Meguro S1 offers something rarer: connection. It’s proof that sometimes less really is more, and that 18 hp, when delivered with character, can be just as satisfying as 180.