Ken Meese....What is it??

[Gene_Chapman]

While kicking tires at South Sound BMW this weekend, I noticed a very interesting rat bike! It was painted flat black, had a lot of owner manufactured farkles and even had a little rat between the bike and the side cooler. The engine appears to be a madura v-4 from Suzuki. Looking at the pipes, it appears to be a stripped down suzuki cavalcade. Anyone have any other insight into just what this bike once was?

[Gene_Chapman]

Left side view shows the cavalcade pipe and instrument cluster. Still not sure. Fairly certain one could carry quiet a load of beer and ice in that side cooler!

[meese]

I think those are spy photos for the all-new '08 LT. :D

I wonder if I can fit those headlights on my '02?

[Ted Shred]

The plastic truck box side car is a nice touch...
What a POS:)

[dronning]

Looks like a great winter bike! Flat black to protect from corrosion - hey what's that shiny part on the left side doing there?

With all the lights and the size of the sidecar/cooler makes me wonder mmmmm - I know, deer shiner!!

Dave

[ronlray]

A name appears on the silver cover on the left side of the engine. Am I blind or does it say HONDA?? Ron

[Tat_n_Telle]

Anyone have any other insight into just what this bike once was?


A lot nicer than it is now????

[Dieselweasel]

Looks like a V-4 Yamaha Venture with the rare and highly undesirable Fuggly package.

[slowflyn]

Looks like the service dept got a new loaner bike.

[AlaskaFish]

Is what it was in it's previous life Gene. I'm pretty sure if you look not only at the engine, but the frame just forward of the tank in the E-Bay pics, it looks very much like the Rat Bike we saw there.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Suzuki-MADURA_W0QQitemZ300063567155QQcmdZViewItem

John

[Gene_Chapman]

Since your comment over the weekend, I started researching. The Madura was built in two displacements. One designated the V700, the other V 1200 manufactured in 85,86. The Cavalcade was released in 86 with a 1200 V-4 motor. It was later increased to 1400 cc V-4. The under seat gas tank makes me think it is the cavalcade. The Cavalcade had the same motor as the Madura, V-4. The instruments look very much like those of a cavalcade as do the exhaust pipes. Oh...and the shiny silver side covers, the shiny parts amongst all the flat black, say SUZUKI.

[AlaskaFish]

No doubt it was a Suzuki V-4. We agree 100% there. And, bowing to your excellent observation that the underseat tank would have been a Cavalcade, I must agree with you there as well. Mystery solved. And without any Meese advise!

John