The Bondi Sentinel W800
ENGLISH VERSION BELOW
Ambisi dibalik Kawasaki W800 ini sebenarnya sederhana: meredam suara bawaan pabrik, menghadirkan sentuhan custom yang halus dan berkelas, mesin yang tetap bersih, serta tampilan yang tidak terasa berlebihan, bahkan saat dipakai untuk ritual sakral meluncur santai ke Bondi demi segelas long black yang harganya kadang bikin mikir dua kali.
W800 Black Edition dipilih sebagai kanvas yang disiplin. Velg gelap dan casing mesin berwarna stealth sudah memberi fondasi yang tenang, memberi ruang bagi aksen-aksen klasik baru untuk tampil dengan presisi. Sistem knalpot didesain ulang menggunakan straight stainless steel yang mengikuti garis rangka asli motor. Di ujungnya, terpasang muffler model pee-shooter klasik, menghasilkan suara yang bersih dan nendang. Jauh lebih berkarakter dibanding versi standar, namun tetap sopan untuk menemani pagi hari di tepi pantai tanpa bikin alis orang naik sebelah.
Fender pendek stainless steel gaya Jepang memberikan perlindungan secukupnya, sambil tetap memamerkan pola tapak ban klasik dengan bangga. Di bagian belakang, kesederhanaan jadi juara: lampu belakang Lucas dan sein dari Purpose Built Moto memberi penghormatan halus pada dunia custom klasik. Bukti bahwa detail kecil, jika tepat, bisa bikin perbedaan besar, dalam arti yang sangat baik.
Area kokpit diracik dengan fokus pada gaya dan kenyamanan. Speedometer dan tachometer bawaan pabrik dipertahankan sebagai penghormatan pada sejarah motor ini. Stang krom yang sedikit lebih tinggi dan lebar memberi posisi berkendara yang lebih mantap, sekaligus sentuhan tradisional yang kuat. Jok dire-trim dengan vinyl hitam klasik bermotif tuck-and-roll, menyatukan kenyamanan dan estetika abadi.
Tangki berwarna Kawasaki Racing Green dari Colour Fuel, dipadukan dengan side panel Pearl White, menciptakan kontras klasik yang elegan di atas basis Black Edition yang dibiarkan utuh. Setiap elemen diukur dan dipilih dengan sengaja, membiarkan motor ini berbicara tanpa perlu berteriak.
Hasil akhirnya? Sebuah pelajaran tentang seni mengurangi dan ketepatan. Dengan menyingkirkan yang tidak perlu dan meninggikan yang esensial, W800 ini berevolusi menjadi The Bondi Sentinel: custom klasik yang bersih, terlihat lebih kencang dari kenyataannya, terdengar jauh lebih menggugah dari yang dibayangkan, dan meluncur di jalanan pinggir pantai dengan percaya diri yang tenang, jenis kepercayaan diri yang biasanya hanya dimiliki warga lokal yang entah bagaimana selalu dapat tempat parkir.
Foto oleh Cameron Rogers
The ambition for this Kawasaki W800 was simple: dial down the stock noise, while creating something that was subtly custom, runs clean, while building something that wouldn’t look wildly out of place doing the sacred scoot down to Bondi for an overpriced long black.
The W800 Black Edition provided a disciplined canvas. Its factory-stealth wheels and engine casings offered a restrained foundation, allowing new, classic accents to assert themselves with a certain precision. The exhaust system was reimagined in straight stainless steel, meticulously tracing the frame’s original lines. Topped with a timeless pee-shooter muffler, it produces a note that is clean and throaty, and in our opinion, far more assertive than stock, while remaining courteous to the beachfront dawn patrols.
Japanese short stainless fenders provide measured coverage while proudly displaying the classic tyre tread. Out back, simplicity wins: a Lucas taillight and Purpose Built Moto blinkers give a subtle nod to custom lore, proving yet again that small things can make a disproportionate fuss (in the best way possible).
The cockpit was honed for style and comfort. The OEM clocks were preserved, a quiet nod to the bike’s heritage, while slightly taller, wider chromed handlebars offer a commanding ride position and a touch of tradition. The seat, retrimmed in classic black vinyl with a tuck-and-roll finish, unites said comfort and timeless design.
Colour Fuel’s Kawasaki Racing Green tank, set against Pearl White side panels, creates a refined, classical contrast with the Black Edition’s untouched foundation. Each element, measured and intentional, allows the bike to speak without shouting. The outcome? A masterclass in subtraction and precision. By stripping away the unnecessary and elevating the essential, the W800 has been transformed into the Bondi Sentinel: a clean, classic custom that looks faster than it is, sounds more compelling than one might expect, and glides through beachside streets with a kind of quiet confidence usually reserved for locals who somehow always find parking.
Photos by Cameron Rogers.
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