Written by Martin Hodgson
The last time we caught up with Kiwi Mike Andrews he’d finished building his epic Honda Muscle Racer and after its Pipeburn feature he was looking forward to clocking up the miles before retiring the bike to his living room. But life has a way of turning the rudder for us and sending us on a path totally planned. For Mike that meant the sale of his beloved creation and major surgery, but always setting an example for his boys he’s back with another blacked out custom creation. Now working under the name Bonnievill he’s turned out a sleek and slick 2011 Kawasaki W800 to get him back on the road in style.

Just like the late great legend of motorsport Bruce McLaren, a fellow Kiwi genius, Mike had been diagnosed with Perthes disease as a child. Now four decades on, the Honda had to be sold as Mike prepared himself for a full hip replacement. But as he recovered his body, the creative mind of a man who always has an idea on the boil got the better of him. Onto the internet and he found the W800, ?it was a fresh Japanese import into New Zealand and was a bit of a basket case, dings in the tank, one fork leg punctured, the engine cases were shabby,? Mike Recalls.
But in addition to that brilliant creative mind, Mike is damn good with his hands and his other venture The Tot Rod Shop had him hand-delivering to the USA one of his builds to Bryce Green and his kids at Kindig-it Design. ?I was fortunate to meet and visit workshops like Tro...