The new VN900 Custom is a factory built custom bike that really stands out from the crowd.
A study in contrasts, its low-set rear, massive rear tyre and solid disc wheel are juxtaposed against a clean and lightweight front end. This dichotomy adds to the dynamism of the svelte bodywork whose seductive curves trace voluptuous lines that machines alone are incapable of forming.
To achieve the front end’s lightweight image, a thin, 21in wheel was chosen. But for a true custom machine, a simple wire-spoke wheel just wouldn’t do. Instead, a spoke-style cast wheel with spokes whose shape was handcrafted to form an elegant 3D double-flanged design was created.
This unique 21in cast wheel would be an eyecatcher even on a one-off custom bike. Then, to complete the clean, simple front end, a minimalist headlamp and straight ’bar (both chromed of course) were added.
The fuel tank, the centrepiece of the VN900 Custom’s design, received equally meticulous attention. Its carefully sculpted contours create an intricate play of light and shadows that attracts both the eye and the hand.
And it is as the hand flows along the tank’s delicate curvature that its subtle shape, specially crafted to be pleasing to both the eye and to the touch, can be fully appreciated.
But this kind of thinking is what Kawasaki riders have come to expect from the company that brought big-bike looks and feel to the middleweight cruiser class with the VN900 Classic.
The VN900 Series models all feature beautifully chromed V-Twin engines, painstakingly sculpted bodywork, reliable belt-drive and massive rear tyres. Specially tuned for feel-good acceleration, their engines deliver fistfuls of gutsy, big-twin torque. Add to this their light, sporty handling qualities and you have bikes that are seriously fun to ride.
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