My father was keen on the saying, “If you would like a job achieved proper, do it your self.” And that’s the primary thought that popped into my head once I noticed this chic Kawasaki W650 desert sled from England.
It comes from London-based Rick Hannah, who builds underneath the amusing moniker of Dirty Dick’s Motos.
Rick is the right instance of a self-taught man. He used to reside in Johannesburg, South Africa, and hang around with Marnitz Venter—whose beautiful vintage Triumph bobber we featured a 12 months in the past.
However Rick moved again to London in 2016, disillusioned after his restored BMW 635CSi was stolen. “I’ve at all times been restoring and modding automobiles and bikes, however determined to make the leap and begin doing full nut and bolt builds once I bought to London,” he tells us.
“I had two bikes constructed by a (now defunct) Joburg store, and was by no means pleased with the standard. So I made a decision to get some abilities and do it myself.”
Rick is clearly a quick learner, because the ending on this W650 proves. “I’ve at all times been mechanically savvy, however wanted some fabrication abilities,” he admits. “So I learnt the English Wheel from an Ex-Aston Martin bodywork wizard in darkest Cornwall, and enrolled in Richmond Faculty to be taught to weld. I nonetheless have loads to be taught although!”
It’s an fascinating counterpoint to Rick’s day job—he works remotely for a Californian tech start-up, and till not too long ago, traveled all around the world. “It is fairly completely different from constructing bikes, but in addition requires painstaking consideration to element and high quality challenge administration.”
Rick picked up a few Kawasaki W650s for a track; one was a runner, and the opposite one wasn’t. So whereas driving the runner all around the UK, he determined to resurrect the dud.
“I needed to stay as true as potential to the unique concept and soul of the W650. Step one was to deal with the failings of the bike, and I say this with love: there may be little or no incorrect with the W650 from inventory.”
The objective was to construct a dependable and quick desert sled with trendy dealing with, consolation and efficiency. “I needed to keep up the 60s fashion and have a clear and polished end to it,” says Rick. “It took me a 12 months and the whole lot was achieved slowly and meticulously. Each nut and bolt was agonized over and there have been a couple of adjustments in path however ultimately, I feel I achieved my objective.”
The 2 essential issues that want sorting on a manufacturing facility W650 are the brakes and the suspension. (“The usual suspension is appropriate at finest, however the brakes are dire.”) So Rick has developed a Massive Brake Package for the W650 and massive brother W800, with a {custom} offset, 300mm floating disc. Rick has even machined the fins on the caliper to match the grasp cylinder.
The caliper is a custom-built 6-piston billet piece from Harrison, and the grasp cylinder is a 14mm Okay-Tech unit. “The change in braking really feel and efficiency is phenomenal. I often use a 17mm Nissin radial grasp on kits I promote—they match the bikes and are plug and play—however the Okay-Tech suited this bike a lot better.”
W650 builders often repair the entrance suspension with progressive springs and a change in oil weight, however Rick needed to go additional. “I didn’t need to simply graft a GSX-R entrance finish on and name it a day,” he says. “So I shaved and polished the fork lowers and put in an Andreani cartridge package, adjustable for rebound and compression, and sprung accurately for the bike and rider’s weight.”
The forks have been dropped 25mm with a machined prime and backside triple set from Fastec, with a Motogadget speedo built-in into the highest yoke. The rear suspension was a a lot less complicated job—Hagon made {custom} shocks which can be 25mm longer than customary.
The bike needed to really feel ‘strong,’ so Rick has put in 25mm Western handlebars that he minimize two inches off. “I feel they had been meant for a Harley, so had been means too vast, however after being trimmed, they give the impression of being the half completely.
To maintain the slim appears to be like {that a} desert sled ought to have, all of the wiring is inside, with micro-switches to make issues neat and tidy. For the headlight, Rick’s chosen an egg-shaped Motodemic unit that enhances the strains of the tank and fenders.
Subsequent up was the tank. “Many of the retro bikes have these horrible tank seams: that needed to go.” The gasoline cap was minimize out and patched and changed with a flush becoming aero cap to maintain the strains clear. Once you have a look at the bike from above, the seat and tank slender right into a waspish waist within the center.
Traces are the whole lot, so the body was stripped, chopped and de-bracketed, and a baggage rack welded in. Then it was polished, copper-plated and eventually nickel-plated. “I’ve at all times liked the look of the Rickman Metisse scramblers with their nickel frames, so determined to do one thing related.”
The swingarm is machined billet, with a triangle sample that echoes the shapes created by the shock, swingarm and body. (“I may be barely obsessive about symmetry/asymmetry!”)
The wheel hubs have been blasted and polished and re-laced with aluminum Morad rims; 19×3.00 for the entrance and 18×4.25 for the rear. The tires are Continental TKC80, one measurement bigger than customary, with a 110/80R19 within the entrance and a 140/80R18 for the rear. “I may have gone wider on the tires, however choose the dealing with to be gentle. And with the over-sized rims the wheels look incredible.”
Rick has cleaned and polished the engine, and grafted on Keihin CR Particular carbs. Polished chrome steel shotgun pipes go well with the sled vibe. “The pipes are straight by and sure, it’s loud, however it sounds wonderful with the 360-degree cranked twin of the W650,” he says.
“There’s a loping, popping idle which turns right into a roar at full chat and a rasp on the over-run. With the CR Particular carbs the throttle response is instantaneous and the bike simply needs to go. I had thought-about punching the engine out to 854cc however these engines are simply so sensible as is…all you’ll want to do is allow them to breathe.”
Rick used stainless for the exhaust as a result of it turns gold with the warmth from the engine, which enhances the nice and cozy tone of the nickel body and the brass highlights on the bike.
He referred to as in assist for the paint and electrics, and his mates at P&D Customs constructed the exhaust and chopped the tank. “It has been difficult and I’ve burnt my fingers, however when you begin making contacts, you begin to discover all of the specialists that the massive title workshops use—and doing scratch builds turns into a bit of simpler. (I do not assume anybody is meant to speak about this!)”
The cherry on prime is a really neat ‘Eldorado’ tailight fender mount package from Motone, who additionally provided the billet flip indicators.
The result’s unimaginable, particularly for a man who works out of a small storage packed to the brim with bikes, instruments and components. “I shall be transferring into the countryside in some unspecified time in the future, and can get a correct workshop when the world calms down a bit!”
That’s a objective that in all probability appeals to fairly lots of people proper now. Particularly if there’s cool W650 within the storage too, prepared for a spot of sunshine off-roading on the weekend.
Dirty Dick’s Motos Instagram | Pictures by Mihail Jershov
This text first appeared on Bike EXIF on September 17, 2020.
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