Kawasaki W650 custom

When I first saw this sensational street tracker-styled Kawasaki W650, I thought it was from a Tokyo custom shop. But I was 3,000 km off the mark: this is a Taiwanese bike. It’s 2002 model customized by Qing Chen, editor of the slick Taipei-based magazine Free Biker. After tracking down Qing, more details emerged. Power is boosted from the usual 50 hp via a Peyton Place exhaust system and Keihin Roundslide CR33 Sidedraft carburetion. Qing cut the front fork down a couple of inches, and fitted Öhlins 36E emulsion shocks to the rear. A four-pot Brembo on the front wheel hauls the bike down from speed much quicker than usual. The seat comes from Logic Brand, the taillight and rear fender are from Japanese custom supplier Daytona, and the bars and headlight are generic no-brand types but fit the look perfectly. Wheels are 18” front and back from DID, shod with retro-style Firestones. And it’s all topped off by a superb custom paint job. For more pictures of the W650 and its construction, jump to this excellent Flickr set—and then check out some of the other sets, because Qing has great taste in two- and four-wheeled machinery. [Via the excellent Mulligan Machine.]