Kawasaki H1 - 500cc triple

[GaZBur]

I've had Kwaka triples for 36 years and still have 23 of them, plus tons of spares. I still ride them although not as much as I should. The H2 was the 'Widowmaker', not the H1 (14 japanese testriders died in the first two weeks of testing). I find them as exciting as ever. I could relate a few tales but the men in white coats would probably drag me away. (one particular tale would be a definite)

Don't suppose you want someone to help you ride some of them in the Post Classics do ya? Huh, do yah??
Maybe a team of old bastards on bastard bikes! They were quick though werent they!

[MVnut]

Don't suppose you want someone to help you ride some of them in the Post Classics do ya? Huh, do yah??
Maybe a team of old bastards on bastard bikes! They were quick though werent they!

The thought had crossed my mind, it would be quite a sight. I have 3 very early Z1s as well.

[Kickaha]

The collectable for me would be a nice S2 (350)

Had a S1,S2,S3 rode them unitl they were rooted then threw them away, they were $350-400 bikes at the time and not really worth anything

[98tls]

The thought had crossed my mind, it would be quite a sight. I have 3 very early Z1s as well.

Nice,any chance of a pic or 2?

[slofox]

The H2 was the 'Widowmaker', not the H1 (14 japanese testriders died in the first two weeks of testing).

Hats off for the correction, MV........

[SPman]

The "Truth", used to have regular headline articles, everytime some young guy on a second hand H1 killed himself - I think it was they, who named it the Widowmaker in NZ!

Eric Bone still has all his original triples and trots them out at regular intervals on road and track. He still wears his original leathers, although, it must be a tight fit these days....

[toycollector10]

Is in Christchurch. We have all (or most) of the Kawa triples in the group. From the 250cc up to the 750cc H2. From the first year to the last year.

In early April 2009 we are hoping to hold a Japanese Motorcycle Show. Will maybe have some of those MACH III's out in the carpark. Burning it up. So you can hear and smell them again. Be there!

[Motoworld Powersports]

Ive got a 500 coming from Japan. Been looking at getting the 750s but man are they big money.

[TLDV8]

I say never let a good story get in the way of the truth.

The 1969 H1 simply made some hp very quickly around 6000rpm.
The very first (late 1971) H2's were fairly quick but all H2's including the A,B and C models only rev to 7800rpm in stock trim.
They have good torque and made good enough tourers with mileage being a bit of a pain if pushed. (imho)
Put a set of VM34's on,some good pipes and mild porting and that was something else.
As far as handling it was not that bad but by modern standards they are in dire need of geometry changes,longer rear shocks help and the fork internals can be modified.
My pick for best all rounder would be the S3 400.













The big triples were still cheap well into the 1990's with basket cases becoming available.
Even Mount Eden Motorcycles revealed a few bits tucked away.
Those days are gone but there are still a few stories of major lots of parts out there.

[GrayWolf]

20+ of them, all ridable??
Hmmmmmmm, now if I ever get the urge for a nice wee 350/400 pre KH version??

[Ixion]

I had one, back in the day, Mach III, the early TLS model.

I didn't keep it long, I realised that it was a psychpathic homicidal manaic, that spent all night plotting ways to kill me the next day.

It didn't get me, but a couple of years later I found the remains in a wreckers. Guy I sold it to also passed it on quickly. Next owner wasn't so lucky. It killed him dead.

In retrospect, having since had more experience with brutal two strokes and hinged frames, it wasn't really that bad. But to riders coming from steady solid predictable Briddish iron, the handling left a lot to be desired.

The worst trick was a tendency to lose a cylinder (or even two) in a corner, then suddenly regain it. That, combined with the sudden surge of power taking it into the power band , could be very challenging. Mine was the points version, the CDI maybe didn't have that little foible. Softer plugs might have helped also, but then of course it would have seized mid corner (they did that, too) .

Put me off Kockasuckies for life, I've never owned another one.

[nudemetalz]

My old man raced them back in '69 and '70. He told me lots of stories of how scary they were to ride but he still won lots of races of them at Ruapuna


Here's some pics -
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=17914
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=17945

And look below for my signature

[GrayWolf]

The original HII's had more power, they detuned it (about 1972? correct me if I am wrong) and shifted the motor forward an inch and a half to reduce the death toll! EDIT: They were originally known as the Mach III.

unfortunately the engine and frame numbers still read H1/2, S1/2/3 even on the later KH models (by KH version they really had been 'tamed') I can remember KH's being sold as H1 Mach 3 etc. Correct me if I'm wrong but sadly the quick models were the TLS brake bikes....... although I seem to remember it was just a few 'changes' to the porting that could soon be 'undone' to regain full power spec on KH's.

[MVnut]

The '72 H1B was still quick, back to points ignition but the first of the discbrake 500s. Will dig out some power graphs over the weekend if I remember. The later H1s were still real nice to ride, unlike (imho) the H2B onwards, just a bit tame. H2s and H2As were HOT, and still are. A guy I know has a shed of engines (meth) that run 13000rpm

[Conquiztador]

I had a Royal Enfield Meteor Minior Sport 500. My mate had a Kawa 500. This was in the early 70's.

We were going to a town 30 K south. I was doing 120K (thats about what the RE could do 2 up) and he was disappering up front.

I got to where we were supposed to go and he was not there. So I left my pillon and started to go back to serarch for him.

Found him 5K from where we had started. It was (from where we were coming) a r/h turn (remember that this was in a country where we rode on r/h side). He had gone straight in to the forest at about 170K. He had tried to brake but there was none...(as the ones who have been on the Kawas will tell U). I organised an ambulance and got him sorted. He had mainly bruises.

After that day I have always wondered what one of those could do with good brakes...