Hi guys, i'm looking at this mach 3, http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/moto...-323874047.htm What should i be looking out for? How can i tell if it has matching numbers etc?
Contact Eric Bone, who probably knows more about Kwakka triples than anyone. I met him when he raced them in the 70s and he's still racing them (750s). I've sent his number via pm. Edit: Your pm box is full so I can't send the message until you've got rid of some fan mail.
Thanks Bender, I've made some room there now
What should i be looking out for? new tyres, better shocks and a full brake overhaul..... probably steering head bearings too and if not fitted an electronic ignition to get rid of the 3 sets of points. Never owned one but my mate had several. I can give you his number if you want some advice/info. I think he even has a 500 in bits too.
I owned that model, for a while. It failed in its repeated attempts to kill me, I sold it off in time. Found the remains in the wreckers a year or so later, it killed the next guy. Main thing if buying one is to be sure you have a good prepaid funeral. There really was a reason they called them the Widowmaker. The 750 was a lot less lethal, and the later 500s had brakes that vaguely worked. The drum brake model has one, and one only full on stop from speed. The three point system wasn't really an issue, the GT750 zuki has the same. They're actually quite easy to set, trick is to use a dial gauge through the plug hole and set them by piston movement. I doubt that better shocks alone would make any significant improvement to the nasty nasty handling issues. It would need new forks and a new (or braced) frame. I may be a bit prejudiced against them. Only bike that I really don't look back on with any good feelings. But they're OK if you only ever ride in a straight line, on a good flat level road. Unless they seize, as two smokers will.
Thanks guys. I'm heading up to Auckland tomorrow to buy either that one or the unregistered lower miles one (same colour) the seller also has in his shed. Buying it mainly as a piece of art rather than a machine for actual riding. I will take it out from time to time but not far. It will live in the lounge next to my pop up katana. My Dad had to sell his in Mach 3 1979 when i was conceived... same colour as this one. That's the main reason I've always wanted one.
My Dad had to sell his in Mach 3 1979 when i was conceived... By all accounts your lucky to be here....
The 500 should have CDI ignition. The first run had a weird car distributor type setup. Make sure it is complete though. A lot of parts are very rare these days (and very expensive). gearbox parts (for the 750 at least) are non-existant. So much so that a company in the US makes gearboxes for them = $$$. That said; it look like a very nice one, and not badly priced either. That is the original Widowmaker as Ixion says. Never a dull moment with those things.
K triple engine & frame numbers here. http://www.kawtriple.com/mraxl/serialno.html
Another thought. Make sure it is not an import made up of parts from various years. That would greatly devalue it as a collecters piece. Making a desirable bike from a pile of parts is a time honoured dodge. Look how many BSA Gold Stars there are around these days.
Thanks Dadpole. From here: http://www.checka.co.nz/ShowReport.aspx?ref=8E6185&r=1 The bike is: Engine no: KAE 43357 Chassis: KAF-27970 First NZ registration: 1/01/1971. From your link to the model serials: H1A 1971 Engine no: KAE-21876~ Frame no: KAF-23626~ Candy Blue Does "~" mean onwards? All seems to look ok(?)
Cheap rego, even better!
My brother-in-law has just imported a couple of mint H1s a couple of mint H2s and some Z1s. He is having an H1 restored by Graeme Crosby who specialises in such things. Graeme is in the phone book at Matakana if you want to call him. I'm not sure my sister will let him actually ride them.....
GranDodgy: Cheap rego, even better! not long till you get your Gold Card.....
Great that is NZ new. No dodgy parts bin special then. I would have expected that the engine and frame numbers would have been closer though. The info for that sort of thing seems to be a bit scarce for Kwakas.
