Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Kev m on July 13, 2014, 09:40:22 AM
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While I've been homeless and squatting at my bud's place (with my entire refugee family), I've been giving some attention to his fleet of bikes (a pair of Sportsters and a W650 that he bought on the cheap to "play" with).
My V7 rear tire was down to the cords and I had a week or so between removing the rear wheel and getting a new tire ordered/mounted and finally reinstalled yesterday.
So in that time I was pretty much riding the W650 every day and got to put a couple hundred miles on it.
I must say that I've always liked the looks of the W650 and very much appreciate the beauty of the bevel drive.
The kick start is a nice backup if you've got an old battery (like he does).
Still, I wasn't expecting to be so completely smitten with it as I am.
Overall size and power levels are more in line with say my V7 than with my Buell.
The tires are odd sized and maybe even a tad thin with lousy profiles.
But none of that matters.
I find it an absolute joy to ride.
It starts instantly with a kick or touch of the button and idles perfectly within seconds.
It hums along nicely with a pleasant little growl.
It holds a turn wonderfully with no drama despite the 22k miles and 10+ years of unkind time/wear.
Its single disc brake, though not overwhelmingly strong, is more than adequate and has decent enough feel.
The bars are the big surprise. I never gave much thought to bars (as I so often just plain "fit" stock bikes so well), but I'm seeing first hand now just how much bars can effect the feel of a bike.
For instance, a few weeks ago I rode Jay's V7 Racer back-to-back with his /5 Airhead with relatively wide bars. I realized how much more stable something with narrow clip-ons can feel in a curve when you hit a bump just because it takes so much more effort at the bars to change the angle of the front end.
I mean it's not a lot of effort in the big picture so much as it is just less likely to be disturbed by smaller pressure from your wrists in reaction to the bump.
I realized then that the wider bars of the Stone actually made it feel more nimble and reactive, if a tad unstable once in a while due to road irregularities or even just my own inputs at parking lot speeds.
And THEN I realized that the uber-wide stock W650 bars make it feel even MORE nimble still, while on a straight away at moderate speeds you get the seriously "old timey" feel of a classic "motorbike".
But most of all the W650 completely validates my preference of bikes where LESS IS MORE.
I realize it's got about half the hp of my Buell, but damnit, I think I like it twice as much.
I might seriously consider selling the Buell to provide funds and make room for one.
Hmmmmm, I've got some thinking to do.
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I love discovering "new" bikes. When friends share their bikes or kind dealerships allow extended test rides of older bikes it really allows you the time to discover what is good and enjoyable about a bike.
A few weeks ago I rode a 1995 Triumph Trident and then a 2001 Sprint RS. I didn't expect much. Supposedly the 1995 was top heavy. I have never fallen in love with the modern Street Triple like so many others (too much gear whine, too much sport bike). However, both bikes were awesome. I really enjoyed to engine. There was plenty of smooth power and the ability to pull from any RPM. I had to ride my Griso the next day to make sure it was still worthy. It was.
Kawasaki really should bring the latest W800 over here. I'd like to see the standard version and then a more cafe version similar to the V7 Racer or Triumph Thruxton.
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Nice!
Dean
(http://deuscustoms.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Moto-Grigio-09-1280x853.jpg)
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Kawasaki really should bring the latest W800 over here. I'd like to see the standard version and then a more cafe version similar to the V7 Racer or Triumph Thruxton.
Unfortunately (for us) Kawasaki works under the principle of 'fool me once - shame on you .... fool me twice - shame on me.' The bike mags were all crying 'bring it, we'll buy it.' Not! So unless Kaw has a major change of heart, I don't think the W800 will land on US soil.
I picked up my 2000 silver and blue W650 in Aug 2000, for nearly $1500 off MSRP. They were gathering dust in the back corner of bike shops. Rode mine for nearly 7 years and 50,000 miles and sold for $3350 in 2007. Equipped with E21 Givi bags, Corbin Gunfighter saddle, small tank bag, and lower 'Euro' W650 bars, I didn't hesitate to head out anywhere with it. Even with stock mufflers, the W had a sweet exhaust note. In that time, I replaced the chain 2x along with the sprockets, did regular oil changes, and re-shimmed a couple of valves. Least expensive bike to operate I've owned. Oh, and a lot of fun in the bargain!
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Got my wife an '01. We both Love it. Kawasaki put a lot of engineering in the exhaust note.
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I picked up my 2000 silver and blue W650 in Aug 2000, for nearly $1500 off MSRP. They were gathering dust in the back corner of bike shops. Rode mine for nearly 7 years and 50,000 miles and sold for $3350 in 2007. Equipped with E21 Givi bags, Corbin Gunfighter saddle, small tank bag, and lower 'Euro' W650 bars, I didn't hesitate to head out anywhere with it.
I had a similar experience finding my 2000 W in a shop off to the corner neglected... got it and put the Euro bars and corbin saddle on it and I still ride it regularly...
(http://mysite.verizon.net/onlystudios/myw.jpg)
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You guys got me thinkin......anyone know how many were brought in to the States? Where do they trade these dsys?
thanks,
John
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so Kawasaki beats Triumph at it's own game? just like Mazda Miata is better than an MG? (not quite the same because MG isn't made anymore but still).
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If anything, Kaw may have beaten Triumph coming up with a bike that was more true in look and feel to the original Bonnie than the new Bonnie. I think Triumph was aiming toward a different target ..... ie to build a bike that was larger and more rugged than the original, one that would be more of a general purpose bike in today's world. Triumph retained the sound of the vertical twin, stayed relatively true to the look of the original. Best analogy I can think of would be ...... the new Ford Mustangs. They still have the visual queues so that we know it's a Mustang. The V8 is there, the mustang is there .... but it is very little like the original. Better, but not the same as.
At the time I purchased my dust-gathering W650, the dealer had 2 more doing the same thing. I had the fleeting thought ' ....... why don't I see what they want if I buy all three.....' I'm thinking I could have walked out the door with all three for just north of $12k.
For good or bad, it was only a fleeting thought!
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Is there any wonder why I hot-rodded my Lario, put 4-pot dual Brembos and cartridge forks and rears to match and a LM 1 fairing on it. Smaller great handling little beasts are a ball.
Cool you found this little gem appealing. Maybe your take-away is to put a little of what you found into your V7?? Make it yours.
Kevin
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You guys got me thinkin......anyone know how many were brought in to the States? Where do they trade these dsys?
Good question(s).
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The W650 is a jewel compared to any of the 'Retro' Triumph twins.
My mate Dave made the mistake of buying a Bonnie. It was such a turd he took a three grand hit just to get rid of it!
Pete
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We have all the 3 variants here, 650, 400 and 800 (in chronological order).
These are niche of the niche bikes as most of the potential buyers will go for the "real deal" instead of the clones of a clone.
650 was imported by the Kawasaki distributor in a small batch of ~15 bikes. All of the current owners cling on to them.
400 was a grey/parallel import, I owned one of the 6 units imported into the country, I sold it to fund the V7 Sport after owning it for a good and fun 7 years since new.
800 is the on going model.
Personally, among the three, I would pick the 650. 400 is seriously undepowered and the FI removed a little soul off the 800 engine.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v198/Phang/W400seletar.jpg)
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They're lovely machines. The Big Four are their own worst enemy sometimes. When I bought my ZRX1100 in early 2000, there was a W650 and a ZR750 sitting next to it on the showroom floor. All 3 were within a couple hundred bucks of each other. I went in specifically to buy a zrx but I very nearly walked out with the W650 instead. Just like Yamaha with the SR400 this year...the original msrp was at least $1500 too high for me to bite.
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It's funny, I remember working on a marine project around 00 or 01 and walking into a Kawasaki/Yamaha/Sea-Doo dealer for research and came across a W650. It stopped me in my tracks and I poked around it a while very interested (but not in a position to be buying another bike at the time).
It was about 2-3 years later that I sold my RS and needed a replacement and decided to look at EVERY major brand and spend up to $10k.
By that point all the leftovers were gone and I'd pretty much forgotten about it.
I wound up with what was basically a leftover Jackal and discovered Guzzi.
But I rediscovered the W650 a few years later when my bud was looking for a first bike.
He wound up passing on a pristine one I found him and buying something even smaller as a starter bike. But a year or so later found a used (and abused one) on the cheap and picked it up and has been thanking me for making him consider them ever since.
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Its the best Triumph that Triumph never made.
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Its the best Triumph that Triumph never made.
That's what everyone says...except didn't we uncover that it was really a Meguro, which was a BSA Copy.
http://www.kawasakiw650.co.uk/5.html
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That's what everyone says...except didn't we uncover that it was really a Meguro, which was a BSA Copy.
http://www.kawasakiw650.co.uk/5.html
Meguro/Kawasaki W1. The W650 had an msrp of 6500 in 2000. I paid 6800otd for my zrx and they threw in a leather jacket and tank bag for that price. If I had been 41 instead of 31 in 2000....I probably would have bought the W650
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Kev,
Sounds like you've swallowed the hook.
Maybe you want to get in on this action:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-Other-2001-kawasaki-w-650-/321456026070?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4ad845b1d6&item=321456026070&pt=US_motorcycles#ht_117wt_1023 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-Other-2001-kawasaki-w-650-/321456026070?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4ad845b1d6&item=321456026070&pt=US_motorcycles#ht_117wt_1023)
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That's what everyone says...except didn't we uncover that it was really a Meguro, which was a BSA Copy.
http://www.kawasakiw650.co.uk/5.html
Perhaps, but it'll never top the BSA Rocket 3 that I used to thrash around in my university-student days. I know, I know, apples and bananas, but still ...
In the end, everything is derived from something else.
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Kev,
Sounds like you've swallowed the hook.
Maybe you want to get in on this action:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-Other-2001-kawasaki-w-650-/321456026070?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4ad845b1d6&item=321456026070&pt=US_motorcycles#ht_117wt_1023 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Kawasaki-Other-2001-kawasaki-w-650-/321456026070?forcerrptr=true&hash=item4ad845b1d6&item=321456026070&pt=US_motorcycles#ht_117wt_1023)
After mentioning how I was feeling about this a week or so ago in a text or email my little brother Jay inundated me with links to every CL and Ebay ad in the country for a W650 within minutes... :D
But I'm two weeks away from buying a new house, moving my family, starting a new life... unless someone has a W650 and just happens to want a Buell ST3 in trade, this is going to have to wait a bit. ;)
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I was going to mention a silver one for almost 4K on cycle trader in New York (City area I think) you could grab before you relocate. ;D
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Hmm , don't think any Meguro , W1 , W2 , OR BSA parts are gonna fit on a modern W650 ;D
Dusty
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Hmm , don't think any Meguro , W1 , W2 , OR BSA parts are gonna fit on a modern W650 ;D
Dusty
Thankfully not, for the lucky few W650 owners though it would be a hell of a boon for the classics owners were the reverse possible.
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I was going to mention a silver one for almost 4K on cycle trader in New York (City area I think) you could grab before you relocate. ;D
I COULD... but then I might run out of $$$ to relocate... :o
Hmm , don't think any Meguro , W1 , W2 , OR BSA parts are gonna fit on a modern W650 ;D
Dusty
Not anymore than no Triumph parts are gonna fit either eh?
And I don't know that either is a bad thing...
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Thankfully not, for the lucky few W650 owners though it would be a hell of a boon for the classics owners were the reverse possible.
Except for this Kev m ;D Man , that would be cool ;-T
Dusty
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Dang it Kev! These POSes (gems) are already too few and getting pricey -- please delete this thread. ~;
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The parts availability for the W may not hold true in 2014, but when a careless driver pranged the rear fender and license plate/turn signal assembly of my W650 in April of 2007, I took the bike to a local Kaw dealer fully expecting it to be in the shop for weeks. Big surprise ..... even though the parts shipped from Japan, the bike was ready for me in less than 3 weeks. Although the W650 was only available in the US for two years, perhaps the fact they were on the Asian and Euro market for much longer eased the parts situation.
Side note - for an additional $400 or so dollars, I purchased a Kaw factory extended warranty that added two additional years and unlimited mileage coverage to the bike. One cracked muffler/tailpipe section paid for it. I paid so little for the bike, that even with the extended warranty, it came in a thousand less than MSRP
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Kev there is a nice W650 on Ebay in Joplin MO. Don't outbid me on this. lol http://www.ebay.com/itm/251586381863?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648
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I really like the W650, never driven one but was top of my list some 15 years ago.
If the tables were turned and you have had the kwacker for a long time and then extensively test driven the V7, in a parallel universe, would there be post on the kawasaki forum entitled "Re: V7 Love (SKC)" ?
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Unlikely because the vast majority of people who might buy a Kawasaki would never consider something they considered an 'Oddball'. That is of course assuming they even knew the existence of Moto Guzzi.
Once the blinkers were removed chances are some would happily jump the fence but the very conservative orthodoxy of most motorbike riders would mean that the circumstances in which such a scenario would happen are unlikely to occur in any meaningful way
YOMV.
Pete
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I've ridden a W650 and I also think they actually look more like a Triumph than a Triumph. The W650 appears more svelte, not as chunky as the Nuovo Triumphs. They have that trim look of the original TR models. Yeah, the bevel shaft on the side is a little out of place but it looks good.
I've considered buying one a few times. But, I have some personal quirks and prejudices that I confess. I just can't get too worked up about having something that tries to look like something else that it's not. I know that sounds a little silly. It's just me.
I don't want a Harley clone, no matter how nice it may look. I also don't want a Triumph clone from japan, no matter how good it looks or works.
I know. Judging something on its own merits alone makes sense to many, if not most, people. I have just not evolved to that point.
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Kev there is a nice W650 on Ebay in Joplin MO. Don't outbid me on this. lol http://www.ebay.com/itm/251586381863?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648
That is a nice example. One thing that would need clarification ..... why is the tank off the 2000 model? You could have any color you wanted in the USA in 2000 as long as it was blue and silver. Same for 2001 ... one color combination only .... ivory and dark green. Saddle with pleats looks like it's a 2001.
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I pulled into the Barber Museum a couple of years ago and noticed what I thought was a Hinckley Triumph Bonneville sitting between a couple of GS BMWs, on closer inspection it turned out to be a W650. I also noticed it had an Oregon license plate, I looked the trio up inside and sure enough they had ridden from western Oregon. The W650 they stated had no problem running 75-80 mph all day, with the small tank like the Triumph you had to stop every 150 miles or so. I agree with several folks that it looks more like a classic than the Triumph.
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I pulled into the Barber Museum a couple of years ago and noticed what I thought was a Hinckley Triumph Bonneville sitting between a couple of GS BMWs, on closer inspection it turned out to be a W650. I also noticed it had an Oregon license plate, I looked the trio up inside and sure enough they had ridden from western Oregon. The W650 they stated had no problem running 75-80 mph all day, with the small tank like the Triumph you had to stop every 150 miles or so. I agree with several folks that it looks more like a classic than the Triumph.
I had much the same experience when I saw my first one. Since I had given up on magazines a couple years earlier, I never saw it coming. Add to that the heavy styling of the first ones and I was thrown for a loop.
I had walked out behind our building to do one thing or the other and saw it perched on a center stand looking like a "time capsuled" Triumph - a model that I knew nothing of. Having the son of a Triumph guy working for us, I went back in to get Mike and ask him what model it was - curious as to why it apparently had had such a limited production asa to have escaped my awareness. When we returned and approached it, it quickly became obvious that this was no pampered '60s limited run but a new bike. Now I don't recall whether it had been de-badged a bit or if it was cleverness on the part of Kawasaki but we both assumed it was a new Hinckley release being tested in Arizona as so many manufacturers do. Had to pay close attention to find it a Kawasaki.
A really compelling aspect of the experience was that it was parked out back the building at a neighboring suite to one of our tenants at the time: Borget Motorcycles (he of the stretched, melted and excessively-assed, oil in frame choppers) and it was nearly painfully obvious that none of the chopper guys wanted to get caught by any of their "brothers" looking at, let alone admiring this beauty. They kept finding reasons to pass with the extreme wall-eyed (I'm not looking) expression of prey fish.
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The W800 is even more stealthy in regards to Kawasaki badging...
(http://motosvit.com/KAWASAKI%20W%20800/1/w608h405_00000340D3FD0884.jpg)
... I think I'd actually prefer the Kawi "K" over the "W". Owners are likely to spend a disproportionate amount of time explaining to curious onlookers what a W-branded motorcycle actually is.
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Dang it Kev! These POSes (gems) are already too few and getting pricey -- please delete this thread. ~;
Sorry man
Kev there is a nice W650 on Ebay in Joplin MO. Don't outbid me on this. lol http://www.ebay.com/itm/251586381863?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648
I won't, but man, just hit the buy-it-now!
I've considered buying one a few times. But, I have some personal quirks and prejudices that I confess. I just can't get too worked up about having something that tries to look like something else that it's not. I know that sounds a little silly. It's just me.
I don't want a Harley clone, no matter how nice it may look. I also don't want a Triumph clone from japan, no matter how good it looks or works.
But it's NOT a Triumph clone. If anything it's like the Japanese built Harleys that were licensed.
Maguro paid for the rights to build a BSA, and Kawasaki bought Maguro.
No clone, genuinely legal production and arguably lineage.
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The W800 is even more stealthy in regards to Kawasaki badging...
(http://motosvit.com/KAWASAKI%20W%20800/1/w608h405_00000340D3FD0884.jpg)
... I think I'd actually prefer the Kawi "K" over the "W". Owners are likely to spend a disproportionate amount of time explaining to curious onlookers what a W-branded motorcycle actually is.
It is a Marlon Brando bike . A "Watchless" ;D
Dusty
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My W650 has been daily driver for 10 years (short commute).
A few notes about the difference between a 2000 and 2001. The 2001 had a larger front axle, which is suppose to be more stable, and more comfortable seat (in most people's opinion).
While I was in Japan I bought a newer tank with a rare factory paint scheme, the factory low bar kit (which is stock for the ones they sell in Europe and Japan), and I also got some aftermarket pipes, pancake air filters, smaller side covers, and Ikon shocks. The W650 has really soft springs and the biggest improvement is Progressive springs to stop the nose diving.
(http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq183/kirkshouse/IMG_0026_2.jpg) (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/kirkshouse/media/IMG_0026_2.jpg.html)
Great bike, very reliable, easy maintenance (although 8 valves).
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A few notes about the difference between a 2000 and 2001. The 2001 had a larger front axle, which is suppose to be more stable, and more comfortable seat (in most people's opinion).
The 2001 model had the front end raked a little as well to try and correct a wobble that the high wide bars on the U.S. bikes would experience at high speeds. By putting on the factory low(er) bar kit the wobble disappears...
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My W650 has been daily driver for 10 years (short commute).
A few notes about the difference between a 2000 and 2001. The 2001 had a larger front axle, which is suppose to be more stable, and more comfortable seat (in most people's opinion).
While I was in Japan I bought a newer tank with a rare factory paint scheme, the factory low bar kit (which is stock for the ones they sell in Europe and Japan), and I also got some aftermarket pipes, pancake air filters, smaller side covers, and Ikon shocks. The W650 has really soft springs and the biggest improvement is Progressive springs to stop the nose diving.
(http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq183/kirkshouse/IMG_0026_2.jpg) (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/kirkshouse/media/IMG_0026_2.jpg.html)
Great bike, very reliable, easy maintenance (although 8 valves).
Nice bike! Lovely pipes ..... and the air cleaners add to the vintage appearance. Re maintenance ..... has any bike that uses valve shims been easier to adjust? Nope! (unless Kaw used that system on other bikes). I installed Kaw's Euro handlebars on mine too. An improvement for me.
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They're lovely machines. The Big Four are their own worst enemy sometimes. When I bought my ZRX1100 in early 2000, there was a W650 and a ZR750 sitting next to it on the showroom floor. All 3 were within a couple hundred bucks of each other. I went in specifically to buy a zrx but I very nearly walked out with the W650 instead. Just like Yamaha with the SR400 this year...the original msrp was at least $1500 too high for me to bite.
This was the big problem for Big Green. They cannibalized their own sales by offering the ZRX1100/1200 (in Lawson Green, no less) AND the W650, at the same time. Bad move.
If they brought the W800 here for a couple of years, I bet it would sell.
I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
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Japan has a habit of selling their best bikes every where but the U.S. Revenge?
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Japan has a habit of selling their best bikes every where but the U.S. Revenge?
Nah, experience. They learned long ago that the very bikes that magazine "editors" scream for the most are the first ones to be torpedoed by the same editors in the next years; comparo/shootout/thrashing editorial assassinations.
Then the riding sheep are shamed by side-bar numbers into ignoring the most appealing bikes. This allows a bunch of us others to go about crowing about how much we saved on left-over stock then griping about the lack of parts and accessories.
That 800 would be an epic flop here after the editors got done with it by telling us how badly it compares to 1400 and greater bikes.
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Nah, experience. They learned long ago that the very bikes that magazine "editors" scream for the most are the first ones to be torpedoed by the same editors in the next years; comparo/shootout/thrashing editorial assassinations.
Then the riding sheep are shamed by side-bar numbers into ignoring the most appealing bikes. This allows a bunch of us others to go about crowing about how much we saved on left-over stock then griping about the lack of parts and accessories.
That 800 would be an epic flop here after the editors got done with it by telling us how badly it compares to 1400 and greater bikes.
cruzzi - I'm probably one of those who did crow over what I paid for the 'orphan' W650, but I never bitched about parts availability. Nothing broke on the bike in 50,000 miles aside from the right exhaust pipe covered under warranty. Took a couple of weeks for approval and supplying the dealer with the replacement part. The biggest surprise came when Kaw was able to supply body parts within a week of an accident. Rear fender, and a few other parts. Shipped from Japan to the dealer doing the insurance repair.
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The bike was built for something like at least a decade overseas right? And then morphed into the W800 since... I would think parts availability won't be an issue for quite some time.
But feck it, I've got a Buell... know what I mean... :D
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My W650 has been daily driver for 10 years (short commute).
A few notes about the difference between a 2000 and 2001. The 2001 had a larger front axle, which is suppose to be more stable, and more comfortable seat (in most people's opinion).
While I was in Japan I bought a newer tank with a rare factory paint scheme, the factory low bar kit (which is stock for the ones they sell in Europe and Japan), and I also got some aftermarket pipes, pancake air filters, smaller side covers, and Ikon shocks. The W650 has really soft springs and the biggest improvement is Progressive springs to stop the nose diving.
(http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq183/kirkshouse/IMG_0026_2.jpg) (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/kirkshouse/media/IMG_0026_2.jpg.html)
Great bike, very reliable, easy maintenance (although 8 valves).
Kirk , you have got to stop posting pics of that gorgeous motorbike , it makes me envious :D
Dusty
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(http://i446.photobucket.com/albums/qq183/kirkshouse/IMG_0026_2.jpg) (http://s446.photobucket.com/user/kirkshouse/media/IMG_0026_2.jpg.html)
Now, I really like that too. Beats the hell out of any of the newer Triumph models.
Where are those pipes from?
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Given Japan's history of getting burned on retro bikes I was a bit surprised to see the CB1100 make it over here. I hope they don't do the W800 as I'll have to sell something to get it! ;D
A local buddy has a W650 and she is one pretty bike. Very tempted at times. Very tempted.
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Low miles (6,717), and reasonable price, $3,450.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4570164466.html (http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4570164466.html)
(http://images.craigslist.org/00101_cKUISBC3xqq_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.craigslist.org/01616_jKEg44bOW0v_600x450.jpg)
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Low miles (6,717), and reasonable price, $3,450.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4570164466.html (http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4570164466.html)
(http://images.craigslist.org/00101_cKUISBC3xqq_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.craigslist.org/01616_jKEg44bOW0v_600x450.jpg)
Let me be clear, I HATE YOU, Just sayin... (see phrase thread) ~; :BEER:
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Don't be a hater, Kev …
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Don't be a hater, Kev …
Haters gonna hate...oh wait I was just dismissive to myself... :D
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Let me be clear, I HATE YOU, Just sayin... (see phrase thread) ~; :BEER:
That's OK, it's all YOUR fault that I'm trying to figure out how to finance a new Ducati. :BEER:
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That's OK, it's all YOUR fault that I'm trying to figure out how to finance a new Ducati. :BEER:
I've always been a great influence. ~;
It's all good! :BEER:
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Kirk , you have got to stop posting pics of that gorgeous motorbike , it makes me envious :D
Dusty
Thanks for the compliments - I like it too!
It's hard to see, but changed the turn signals and tail light to Lucas replicas, and repositioned the rear turn signals.
Some of the newer Triumph owners seem to be a little embarrassed when they see it.
The pipes have removable baffles that I keep in, but I have drilled a couple of holes in for a little more db level.
I run Mobil1 20-50, Iridium plugs, rejetted the carbs when I changed the air cleaners and pipes.
Yes, I don't really care for the shim valve adjusting, but it doesn't require much adjusting.
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I've always been a great influence. ~;
It's all good! :BEER:
I guess I can also blame drums4money for showing us pics of his beautiful S2R in the "new Monster 821" thread. ;-T
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Here is another low-miles W650 for a decent price:
http://longisland.craigslist.org/mcy/4570797603.html (http://longisland.craigslist.org/mcy/4570797603.html)
5,254 miles, $4,000.
(http://images.craigslist.org/00s0s_exwWTEqOGPm_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.craigslist.org/00J0J_4D0CuPDeSxW_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.craigslist.org/01313_fsMTvBYP6rj_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.craigslist.org/00s0s_exwWTEqOGPm_600x450.jpg)
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Price dropped to $3,100.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4586994678.html (http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4586994678.html)
Low miles (6,717), and reasonable price, $3,450.
http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4570164466.html (http://newyork.craigslist.org/que/mcy/4570164466.html)
(http://images.craigslist.org/00101_cKUISBC3xqq_600x450.jpg)
(http://images.craigslist.org/01616_jKEg44bOW0v_600x450.jpg)
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You suck... >:(
This has nothing to do with me getting that email yesterday saying the Hud1 shows we should be walking with about $4k cash back after this coming Monday's closing, does it? :D
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You suck... >:(
This has nothing to do with me getting that email yesterday saying the Hud1 shows we should be walking with about $4k cash back after this coming Monday's closing, does it? :D
Seems like perfect timing to me. :BEER:
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Nothing quite like the warm glow of brotherly love ;D You suck , no YOU suck :o :D
Dusty
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But it's NOT a Triumph clone. If anything it's like the Japanese built Harleys that were licensed.
Maguro paid for the rights to build a BSA, and Kawasaki bought Maguro.
No clone, genuinely legal production and arguably lineage.
You are correct, sir! If you end up with one be sure to check out: www.w650shop.de They've got plenty of nice bits to make a W your own.
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Kev, a couple of observations ... the R Island W650 appears to have been left stock (referencing the Kaw badges remaining on the R Island bike) I don't recall if these were held on with adhesive or if there were mounts threaded into the tank. Also, R Island bike pipes appear to have run cooler. I know, blue is beautiful, but the W comes with double wall pipes, and mine at 50,000 miles and stock jetting looked like the pipes on the R Island bike.
Of course, $900 difference might not be worth the difference, unless one bike is a 9 out of 10 and the other is a 5 out of 10. Hard to tell from the pics.
Also, ask the seller if the rear fender was ever changed out under warranty. Some of the W650 rear fenders cracked at their mounting point, and I think Kaw replaced them. Mine never split up to 35k miles or so, but was replaced by insurance when an errant driver hit the gas when I hit the brakes.
If you buy a W, I think you'll enjoy it.
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There was a 2001 W650 listed on the Philly craigslist with 14k miles for $3k.
I was VERY tempted, but, resisted the temptation. Now it is gone. My money is safe,......... for now.
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I'm still holding off myself for 2 reasons:
1. Money - still spinning from selling/moving/buying houses last year.
2. SPACE - until we can afford a garage expansion I'm kinda out of room. I mean I COULD squeeze something in if SOMETHING was ALWAYS on the bike lift, but I don't like that as a plan.
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They did a test some time back on the 800 out here. The reviewer had the opinion that the 800 was a superior machine to the 650 in many respects. He really enjoyed the ride.