Odds & Ends 324

Visions Of The Past, Present, And Future

Racing Is Life 003

Georges Godier 1975

Kawasaki W800 By Philippe Starck

  Here’s something haven’t seen before, a renowned designer and architect tackles a custom motorcycle.  The results are, well, somewhat lacking in my opinion.  Of course, others think it’s the bee’s knees, such as Luxatic….

Given Philippe Starck’s experience in unique designing, it is no wonder that any object that gets out of his hands is a stand-alone wonder. So is this Kawasaki W800 Dirt Bike that got itself a crazy look, emanating a jazzy aura, painted in beautiful combinations of silver, yellow and white tones. If you’re the type of lad that enjoys getting dirty, this one will be of interest to you.

The engine, the front-end, the transmission and handle-bars are beautifully grey-coated, while the tires, wheels and seat are contrasting with them, being painted in black. There’s also a white box noticeable on the sides that assorts with the coloration of the tank.

The yellow and white tones blend in beautifully, in addition to the silver cross painted over, giving the bike an extreme, sporty shine. Philippe Starck adopted a close-to-minimalistic style when painting this vehicle, using calm but weird combinations of colors, for example the matt-silver rearview mirrors and handle-bars.

He even declared that they chose this way of designing based on the idea that less is better, and that a bike needs only few things to run: “an engine, a reservoir, two wheels”. One thing is for sure: taking in consideration the purpose of the bike, luxury isn’t an appropriate way to do it. The same idea goes for its possible owners.

  For a professional, there’s hardly anything special here.  The seat is fairly standard, the headlight area is rather uninspiring, and that silver “X” on the tank looks like an afterthought.  It’s an OK build, but hardly what I would call a stand-out winner.

Source: Cafe Racer 76

Nice Bike 266

Kawasaki W650 Custom

Kool Kat KZ250

  Featured on Ebay a couple of months ago, this is a very interesting mishmash of bobber and brat elements.  She’s a little unbalanced, with the monoshock looking lonely out there, and the solo seat’s just floating there.  It’s part of the style, and while it’s different, it’s not my cup of joe.  The speedometer being so low on the fork is a strange choice also, but it’s different.

DirtyRider’s Kawasaki W650 Version 2

  Here is DirtyRider’s second version of his W650, and I think I like it better than the first.  It has a meaner stance to it, with more black and a lovely green tank.  All the differences are mainly cosmetic, but they add up to a big difference.  Which version is your favorite? 

Tracker W650 Website

DirtyRider’s Kawasaki W650 Version 1

  It’s such a shame that Kawasaki’s W650 never took off here in the States.  It’s just a beautiful bike, and so popular for customizing, too!  DirtyRider took his and created a nice street-tracker version, with custom seat, tank, fenders, you name it!  She’s very clean and purposeful, and the monochromatic color scheme works well.  There’s a version 2 coming, so don’t get too attached to it just yet!

W60 Tracker Website

Alex Veaone’s KZ400

  It’s a basic rule that applies in nearly every situation in life, yet so many either forget or get caught up in the details… Keep It Simple (Stupid!).  Alex Veaone kept things simple, and the result is stunning in it’s execution.  No, this is not the next big thing in the custom motorcycle cosmos, and that’s even more of a reason to like it.  Good taste and honesty are timeless, and this bike will still look good twenty years from now.  Everything has been slimmed down to only the bare essentials, no instrumentation or front turn signals, and the brake light and rear signals are so well integrated that you can barely notice them when they’re not lit.  Top it all off with a superb paint job, and I’m impressed.  I’d take this any day over something from, say, El Solitario!

 

Source: The Bike Shed

Dust Motorcycles 454 Ltd

  I’m always looking for builds that are just a little bit different.  There’s only so many times you can see another CB750 cafe racer.  Dust Motorcycles took a lowly Kawasaki 454 Ltd, the little cruiser with half a Ninja 900 engine, and took it up to something to lust after!  Just look at this thing, all badass and lovely, and looking almost nothing like a stocker.  The stance is much lower, and the flat black tank is a great touch.  Not so sure about the usefulness of the mirrors, and the license plate holder looks like an afterthought, but those are minor weaknesses.  Overall it’s a success, especially when you consider what they started with!

Source: Red Fox Cycles

Moto-Photo 321

The Lineup

Baseball And Motorcycles

  While the advent of the internet is continuously making the world a smaller place, there remains cultural differences around the world, and sometimes you see them reflected in custom builds, such as this Kawasaki 250TR from Heiwa Motorcycles in Japan.  To use a sports analogy, America is the land of home runs, while Japan hits base runs all day long.  The legend of Babe Ruth and his called shot during the World Series, where with two strikes the Babe points to the outfield, signaling that the he’s going to homer the next pitch right there, and then does it, is typical American heroism. 

  The Japanese, on the other side of the coin, relentlessly put up base hits, a methodical approach that just doesn’t excite Americans very much.  This build from Heiwa is much the same, being not very different from al their other offerings, and yet I find it irresistible!  Everything is in fine balance, and the elements add up to a cohesive whole with impeccable taste.

  The engine and frame are blacked-out, yet the wheels are left chromed, and then the tank goes from black to a rich shade of brown, very subtle yet striking.  The bike looks and feels much more expensive than it is, and the level of quality and detail is wonderful, especially for a small bike.  Rarely would such a motorcycle get this treatment in America.

  Maybe base hits aren’t that bad after all…

Heiwa Motorcycles

Source: Monkey King

Free Biker W650

  Kawasaki’s W650 was on sale in the United States very briefly, only from 2000 to 2001.  I remember viewing one at the local Kawasaki dealer and falling in love with the design.  Classic British good looks with Japanese reliability, how could it succeed?  Well, it didn’t, at least not here in the US, but overseas it had a much better run.  This example from Taiwan has been tweaked with some custom touches, and looks stellar. 

  The changes are minor, mostly cosmetic, but they enhance the retro look superbly.  the bike is still ride-able, but stands out from a stocker.  Too bad they are so hard to find here, they’re still a great bike!

Free Biker Magazine

Source: Mulligan Machine