Jake's Friend's W650 Gallery Volume 1

These are my friends from the W650 Rider's group and their bikes. There's a whole lot of customizing going on! Some of these pictures are available at our Yahoo group. Click any picture for a larger version.

I've had to add a second volume due to the number of pictures. Now there's Volume 2!

01 Darrell's race-winning 2000 model.
02 This is the Kawasaki case-guard, with attached and folded Kurakyn highway pegs.
03 And here are the pegs unfolded, ready for long hours on the freeway.
04 Finally at the back end we have a genuine Kawasaki rack, a nice way to finish off this W650.
05 Darrell's bike outfitted for touring. This includes a set of Nelson-Rigg throwover-type saddlebags secured under the seat, a sleeping bag, pillow, and cooler strapped on, and a Sony Jogging Radio strapped onto the bars for use with earphones. All of this was good for a 350 mile trip.
06 This W650, belonging to David Landsberger, features some unusual modifications, in that they are not W650 accessories. They are either universal kits or bits for other bikes that David has modified to fit the W650.
07 And talk about a great friend, he's agreed to will me his sissy bar, a B&H luggage rack/sissy bar. :)
08 Check out those vintage saddlebags! They're a 1980 Calafia saddlebag kit. I'm hoping to get a set for my bike soon.
Cold, Wet, Icy. It's from the UK!09 Union FlagMy first photograph from across the big pond is from the W Group's Jon Haddock. It's worth being a member of the group just for the stories that are told. Jon's a former Dispatch Rider, so he rides in all weather, all the time, bombing around England's many wet roads. The stories we've heard of Jon's "adventurous" riding style make for a great, if not terrifying, read. Thanks to Jon for our first BritPic!
10Bald as a coot! Jon Haddock: "My girlfriend brought down a set of electric clippers the other week so I could save a bit of money and cut my own hair. It was easy, I fitted the No4 shield over the blades, which allow a reasonable amount of hair to remain, and just buzzed it over my scalp...lovely job. Well, Wednesday is my daughters first sports day so I figured that I would just tidy my hair up for the big day. I got out the clippers, fired 'em up, and started on the long wispy hairs that grow down the neck. 'Strange', I thought ' a lot of hair is coming off...my hair does grow fast'...It was then I realised....I had forgotten to fit the No4 shield and had just shaved my head down to the scalp in a jagged line round one ear, and across the back of the neck...what a TWAT. After about 1/2 hour of trying to salvage the ruined remains I managed to get my hair looking like I had just got a haircut by that barber that does Marines when they first join...I gave up and shaved the lot off. I'm off to look for a hat now....."
11 The second UK bike for my collection. This 2000 model belongs to Ron Cartwright of the United Kingdom. He's using a Givi windscreen and topbox.
A different view of the Givi windscreen.
A look at the Givi top box mounted. He also has Oxford heated grips (marvellous), a Scottoiler, and a custom reworked seat.
14 The 'Pegaso' of PapaJames. "The mirrors and taillamp assembly are period 60's pieces. The turn signals are custom. The forks are longer than stock and set the bike up straight. The headers are single wall light weight mild steel tubing with ceramic coating inside and out. Top speed is 110 in 4th gear and 105 in 5th. The bike delivers 50+ mpg @ 65mph and 3500rpm. It has a real sweet spot at 4000 rpm and 75mph. Unofficially the bike turns 13.50 sec. @ 95mph in the 1/4 mile. It will also pull from 10mph up to 110 in 4th gear without a hiccup. Stop signs with the feet up are no problem at all and wheelies are easy in 2nd gear.
15 Here is Dick Tym's (Our group moderator) 2000 W650 at the beach at Brighton. Brighton is an important part of Britain's motorcycling history.
16 Another shot at Brighton. Note the classic British weather to go with the classic bike.
17 Also note that you can now play Crazy Golf when visiting Brighton.
18 A sunny day at Hastings. This photograph shows off Dick's solo Corbin Gunfighter seat. Hastings is the next coastal resort from Brighton and has always been another popular destination for motorcyclists. Every May Day Monday Bank Holiday the huge car park on the sea front is handed over to the BMF for bike parking only as thousands of bikes descend on the town. There is also a parade of Morris dancers and members of " Jack of the Green" so a really good time is had by all.
19 And finally, an ultra-rare picture of the man himself, Dick Tym, our fearless moderator and a motorcyclist of more than 40 years.
20
 This is the amazing Chris Adams from Carlsbad, California on his W650 in Palomar. A terrific action shot taken by the lovely Dave Lockard. Chris and his wife Lisa have a great website you should go see.
21 This is Bill McWilliams W650 from Oklahoma. It's been modified with reproduction Kawasaki A1 badges, and Lockhart-Phillips turn signals front and rear.
22 A closeup of the A1 badges. They look great on the 2001 one model and work with the flow of the paintjob.
23 This photo shows how much better the bike looks by getting the turn signals off the fender and to the rear of the seat. They are Lockhart-Phillips turn signals, approximately 40% as large as the stockers
24 It's the incomparable Gene Fitch and his Ural rig! Today the well-dressed Fitch wears a warm fur Russian hat and an fur coat. Some sort of clear beverage is often present and the excited Fitch is known to occassionally break out in song and Cossack-style dancing.
25 This beautiful red and black 2001 belongs to Manuel Helzel of Ontario, Canada, which explains the rare paint scheme. It seems that red and black was only for the Canadian market.
26 Here's his 2001 with a few more miles on it and Manuel in his Draggin' Jeans and Marena, who's still a growing puppy at just over 30 pounds.
27

And here we have Craig Rollins on his 2000, from Utah. A special note, that jacket is not armoured, he is really shaped like that. I understand he took up motorcycling so he could wear this type of jacket to conceal his odd armour-shaped callouses.

Even more importantly, I also understand that Craig has a fantastic sense of humour and does not have a particularly large stash of weapons.
28 This is our group's Laura Szalacha, a famous author and doctor. She's done some beautiful and unique modifications to her 2000, a few of them I'd really like to swipe. Laura also occassionally swats us down when our snorting and rooting in the mud gets too out-of-hand.
29 This Dub belongs to Laura and sports some unusual modifications. In this photograph note the nifty flyscreen and the bluedots in the turn signals.
30 Here you can see the bar-end mirrors, bluedots, and a kickass headlight visor!
Wow. Here is the ammeter addition in the headlight shell. Looks completely stock, doesn't it?
32 One of my favorite photos. It shows Laura's lovely rack, pack, rear bluedots, and a great chrome strip down the fuel tank. Also another good view of the bar-end mirrors and I think she's updated the kneepads on the tank. All-round a first class job!
33 And here's Laura's latest addition, a set of new tank badges. Too nifty for words!