One-Off Kawasaki W650 Street Tracker Complements Great Looks With Upgraded Running Gear

Both residing in Lyon, they are Nicolas of Egerie Velo Moto and Sebastien from Age of Glory. The former indulges in bike-modding practices regularly and builds custom bicycle frames, while the latter is the owner of a successful clothing brand. They met at a flat track racing event in 2016 and quickly became friends, so it wasn’t long before custom bikes became a core subject of their discussions.

Sebastien was looking for a one-off build of his own, but didn’t quite have the necessary skillset to pull it off from start to finish. What he did have were plenty of cool ideas, though, and Nicolas was more than happy to assist with the practical side of things. To act as the project’s basis, the guys picked a Kawasaki W650 from the model-year 2002.

It was to become a rad neo-retro street tracker with upgraded running gear and an entirely new look, but what got the transformation process underway was a complete teardown. With the W650 taken apart, Nicolas turned his attention to the suspension sector to kick things off with a bang. Gone is the motorcycle’s stock suspension equipment, making room for an assortment of higher-spec replacements fore and aft.

At twelve o’clock, we now see the inverted forks and triple clamps of an Aprilia SXV 550, which was kind enough to also donate its front brake. The caliper got replaced with a better-fitting alternative, though, and the fork tubes have been finished in gold to suit the appearance that Nicolas and Sebastien were after. Out back, suspension duties are the responsibility of twin Hagon Nitro shocks with adjustable preload.

The W650’s factory wheels are still in play, but they’ve been repainted, fitted with stainless-steel spokes, and shod in Firestone flat track rubber on both ends. Moving on to the powertrain mods, the boys decided not to mess with the 50-hp, 675cc parallel-twin engine internally, but some tweaks to the intake and exhaust were definitely on the menu. Nicolas first addressed the Keihin carbs.

He did so by getting them rebuilt with a Dynojet kit and then topped with some high-grade air filters from K&N’s range. At the other end of the combustion cycle, we see a custom high-mounted exhaust system made of stainless-steel. Although it gives the impression of straight-through, unmuffled pipes, Nicolas had it fitted with internal baffles to keep noise levels in check.

An aftermarket solution was found when it came to replacing the fuel tank, and the new part got secured in place via tailor-made mounting hardware. Further back, you’ll notice a shortened and looped subframe with laser-cut aluminum side panels attached to it on the flanks. We’re even more intrigued with the component placed up top, it being a two-piece saddle with separate rider and pillion sections.

It’s neatly upholstered in the same type of tan leather found on many jackets designed by Age of Glory. Bespoke fenders make an appearance at both ends, with the rear unit being flanked by a pair of small yet bright LEDs. They do double duty as taillights and turn signals, while the lighting up north is just as modern in the form of an LED headlamp. It’s installed on stainless-steel brackets and accompanied by Motogadget blinkers on each side.

The bike’s cockpit features an aftermarket handlebar perched on custom risers, sitting right behind a tiny speedometer from Motogadget’s catalog. Nicolas also added leather grips color-matched to the seat upholstery, as well as KustomTech control levers and discreet switchgear. Serrated billet aluminum foot pegs round out the W650’s updated ergonomics, but the project’s author wasn’t done just yet.

Focusing on the electronics, he installed a lithium-ion battery and had everything rewired through a Motogadget control module. The electrical bits are all stored inside the Kawi’s stock tray, which is hidden well out of sight behind the aluminum side panels we’ve mentioned earlier. As a final touch before moving on to the paint job, Nicolas relocated the ignition to the left side of the seat on a frame gusset.

Then, a dark coat of metallic-blue was laid onto the fuel tank and side covers, perfectly complementing the tan leather seat and grips. On the other hand, items like the frame, swingarm, and engine cases were all finished in a blueish grey hue. The same color can be seen on the rims, but the fenders were left unpainted to retain a little extra pinch of bare metal.