Deus Sacred Cow bobber bound for Brooklyn
Hardtails typically aren't our thing, especially when they're converted from a bike with rear suspension. Sacrificing functionality for questionable style usually doesn't work, but somehow, Deus Ex Machina has pulled it off with the incredibly clean Sacred Cow. Like a lot of the Australian company's bikes, this one started life as a humble Kawasaki W650, but thank to the hardtail frame kit, 21" front wheel, spring-mounted saddle, handmade tank and cleaned up looks it's become an understated cruiser.
This example is in a shipping crate on its way to an unnamed customer in Brooklyn. In addition to the visual enhancements, he's spec'd a 720cc big bore kit to give the parallel-twin some much-needed oomph.
Deus
Wes Siler. January 20, 2010 — Permalink
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Very nice effort (I ran a hardtail Bonneville in the 70s). My version would incorporate these changes: Less ground clearance. Shorter hardtail, thus less air under saddle. Change to either no front fender or more front fender. Flat(ter) bars. Black (pr perhaps dark maroon?) saddle & grips. Optional Craven-style luggage. I'll stop now. I want one!
I hear the unnamed owner is Billy Joel.
I wish kawasaki imported more W650's to the US. They're harder to come by then 60's triumphs.
form over function... how is this any different than Harley??
I know Brooklyn is the center of moto-hipsterdom but man a hardtail on NYC's blasted roads? Whaddyathinkin?
Seems to me they ruined a perfectly good Kawasaki.
I'm thinking they've recreated the Enfield pretty well for 4 times the price. What's the news value of this? Australia's hardly the only place they build custom Britbikes.
It's a street bike, and that means it's a compromise. It's not all form, and it's not all function. Yeah, they sacrificed some functionality for coolness, but that coolness is really really cool.
The form/function argument doesn't really work for street bikes. For example: A harley with a DVD player and 15" subs is pretty stupid, but that's an extreme. At the other end of the spectrum, you would have a full blown race bike that overheats in traffic, is torture just to sit on, makes no power until 9 zillion rpm, at which point is comes on violently, and gives you about 15 degrees of steering lock to lock. Think Desmo, but with no lights.
This bike is much better looking, much more functional than either of those, and probably shouldn't be compared to harley.
This also isn't a Britbike, the engine's from Kawasaki's Bonneville look-a-like.
HD builds fat, slow bikes to conform to a pack of douche bags image of cool. These guys build a middle weight, slow bike that they strip of important function to conform to a different pack of douche bags idea of cool.
The Harley is going to be faster, especially around corners. How often do you read that?
Hey Glenn - So, what kind of douche bag are you?
Questionable style my ass. I'm a mechanical engineer and appreciate function more than most people, but sometimes aesthetics can be just as fun.
Furthermore, everybody is a douche and coolness is relative.
Also I think granddad Y-fronts are cool.