The Kawasaki W650. In my long search for a motorcycle that fits my needs, the W seems to be the best choice for me. I don't like sport bikes (mainly the people that ride them and the image surrounding the sportbike world), I don't fit on a cruiser very well, and want something to maneuver around town on easily. And finally I don't like bland bikes (Honda Nighthawk -gag-). What I'm looking for in a bike is something that I feel proud to be seen on. A bike that says "Hey! I have a personality and can make choices on my own (and do)." A bike that sees more time on the road than in the garage, broken down. Also a bike I can maintain on my own and get years of trouble free service out of.

The W650 seems to offer all of the above mentioned. It has a look all of its own (borrowed from British bikes of years ago). It has an upright seating position that I have grown to love over the years and is great for maneuvering around town. The potential for modifications is more on par with what I would like to tackle. I could put on a cafe wind screen, drop the bars, put on a duckbill racer seat, etc. In a day and age where every 17 year old on a crotch rocket stuffs a K&N pipe on their bike and thinks they are TT racers, I'd like to take make riding fun again. True, I'm only 23 years old, and most likely the only 23 year old that has visions of a Y2K cafe lookalike from the 60's. I could accomplish this by simply buying an old Triumph or BSA perhaps, but being too fed up with my past bikes and their downtime I have decided that buying something new will be a good step for me to take in the motorcycling world. Great looks with out all the leaking oil or no-start conditions!

The W650 isn't a bike I intend on impressing anyone with. If I wanted people to look at me I'd just cut the mufflers off of my Honda and ride around town dressed like a dirty greaser. But I've decided that I just want to ride. Screw all that crap about 0-60 times or the cruiser world where more CC's = more manhood. Whatever.. I just want to get out in the open and cruise. But I also want to ride around town and go to and from work. With a cruiser I would lose a lot of control that I'd have if I were on the W650. Oh.. the other reason I wrote off owning a cruiser: Garage Space. Yes, sadly I have no room for a big Drifter and my car to fit in the garage at the same time. Oh well, after talking to people that owned BOTH a Drifter and a W650, they said the W accelerates faster and is easier to ride down the highway. With a good windscreen they said it was perfectly capable of tracking down the highway easily for longer rides.

Now that I own the W (the above had been written before I owned the bike) I am still impressed. It is reliable, and runs fine. It's fast enough for any road, and the power is predictable. If I had to change anything on the bike, it would be the front shocks and the tires. But other than that, I feel that this bike is worth the money I paid for it, and I'll own it for a long time. Maybe someday when I fall into more money I'll consider a Harley, or BMW, but for now, the Kawasaki is going to suit my needs. It provides plenty of enjoyment on the dollar, and gives me the same feeling as some of my old bikes I liked did. I stick out like a sore thumb in this town, not fitting in with any of the other cyclists, but that's fine. The W is a great bike to own if you are cycling for yourself, and not the rest of the world. If you want to experience the ride with about as little creature comforts possible, this is a good way.. You don't have menacing breakdowns, or tedious operation trouble with this bike, but at the same time, you don't get much in the way of luxury. I think this is a good thing. If you want a nice ride and protection from the wind, get a car. But if you are looking for a great way to get out and enjoy the world at 55 mph, the W is a good choice.

This is the whole bike in its glory. Retro looking, but built to today's standards for quality.

This is the engine. Very cool. The bevel drive cam rod is very interesting, and the engine is classing twotone black on grey just like the old Bonnevilles.

This is the view from a seated position on the W650. You can see how nothing is left to question. You can just get on and ride.

I don't know how torquey this thing is, but it looks plenty powerful to me. No streetbike I've ever owned had the ability to wheelie.

Here are most of my bikes from over the years.

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