Kawasaki W650 vs. Triumph Bonneville

[SamBlob]

The Kawasaki W650 looks like just the bike I want, and not just because its picture looks like the mental image I have when I think about motorcycles, but because it has two details my bike has and most new bikes don't: a centre stand and a kick starter. It looks right, it's fairly simple and it seems to be adequate-to-good at just about any kind of riding, although it would probably be best at commuting.

The Triumph Bonneville does not seem as impressive IMO. More style and less function. Yet the Triumph thrives while the Kawasaki dives. Are the tank badge and the bigger engine really more important than the centre stand and the kick starter?

What is your opinion of the Kawasaki W650 and the new Triumph Bonneville? How do they compare against the Sportster? I ask the last question because they are patterned against the old British bikes that used to compete against Sportsters in the showrooms and on the racetracks...

[Ron B]

Sam I tried them both and bought the W650, more accessories better fit and finish, and a rugged engine that pulls like a freight train, I think Kawi out triumphed the triumph. Ron