1974 KAWASAKI H1 Mach III Triple With 750cc 2-Stroke - Is It FAST? - NNKH
I bought a 1974 Kawasaki H1 Mach III that has an H2 750 engine in it. Lets find out if she's fast and holds together.
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I am 73 years old and you video ride takes me back 52 years and the day I purchased a new blue 72 H2, I really learned to ride that beast, and was the king of the street with the big Kaw. The closest races I had were with a 70 Norton combat commando and a 69 Dodge A12 Supet Bee 440 six pack. I beat them both but not by much. Those wheelies were just crazy, 3 gears shifting in the air, keeping the front off the groind the whole time! This was even easier with a passenger on the bsck. It is wonder I am aliver and able to tell this storu today!
"I don't plan on wheelie'n it" Then proceeds to wheelie it every pull. Love it.
2 strokes never die. This is main channel content.
Having been a factory trained Kawasaki mechanic in the 70s, and owned a 73 H2 that I bought new while working at the dealership, I feel I can make a few comments. I put chambers on mine and that weened from ever putting loud pipes on a motorcycle again, to this day. I own a modern H2 and stock mufflers for me. First the rattling when running is piston slap, as the pistons start to wear, they slap more and more. It is kinda normal and even new they slap a bit, and the fins amplify it as well. To make them less scary, put in some needle bearing swing arm bushings, takes a bit of the flex out. The stock bars on the H2 (the H1 didn't) had weights in them to dampen the vibrations and the length helped, your short unweighted bars amplify the vibes. When you kick the bike over, what you are probably hearing is the straight cut gears on the crank and clutch basket. It is pronounced when in neutral and you have the clutch out. Try some paintless dent repair on that dent in the tank. I have been experimenting with it and had pretty good results. Those pod filters suck, but you are kind of stuck. The stand shoulder bolt it probably worn, as well as the stand. Weld them back up and get a good fit. Possibly the stand bracket is bent, once you get all the slop out of the stand you can tell. Then properly dent the pipe. Torque the engine bolts properly and that might help the vibes. Also I can hear the carbs are out of sync. Use a mirror to look in the back of the carbs, turn the throttle until you can barely see the slide at the top and adjust all three carb cables to make them even. Then adjust the idle adjusts so that the slide break as close to the same time as possible. Make sure the air screws are about 1 1/2 turns out. Also these are kinda sensitive to float height, so make sure the floats are accurately set. Too bad you don't have stock H2 pipes. But maybe kind of work those and get some better silencers and at least get them pointing in the right direction. It is a very cool bike and let's face it, they are fun to ride. I just restored a 77 KZ1000 to near perfection and even though it was so much more civilized, it was not as fun as my 73 H2. And that is why I have the new H2, you think yours is radical? Gently roll on the throttle in 3rd at 100 and the front wheel want's to head for the moon. That is just plain fun. I like your bike and am jealous I don't have one.
Thanks for all the useful tips and info. Appreciate it
My pleasure. Been enjoying you videos for a while. IMHO you are probably the best and most practical mechanic on KZhead.
I mostly agree and really there is not much to be gained the only reason I might put aftermarket exhaust is if it was a large quiet can and reduced weight by 20 llbs ...whatever slight power gains would only be a bonus and not the motivation....But I mean if one was really doing a build it might be hard to stomach keeping something with 4 cats and is godawful ugly and heavy
Yes, there is One cylinder Missing on that engine, so the vibrations are tooo Big ... Pwy.
@@kopronko---- I agree. Three cylinder motors are inherently going to have balance issues due to the odd number compared to even numbers of cylinders.
I owned a Kawasaki 750 two stroke. It could be a scary ride. It would pull the front wheel in about the first three gears. Quickest bike I ever owned.
In 1979 i was 18 and had a 1974 Green H2 and i love that bike more than any other bike i ever rode, and i have had about 12 bikes in my life. I am a old man but would give my left or right nut to have her back :) Fun quick dangerous bike:))))))))))
Evidently, you've never ridden a 750cc 2-stroke. The H2 Kawasaki absolutely can lift the front wheel in third gear under hard acceleration and high RPM.. I've done it myself many times
The stock H2 has only 70 or so hp stock and 3rd gear wheelie generally is a not, first easy and second yes especially with a suspension bounce or two to get it elevated and on the move. Stock bike, the only way to do 3rd is if you shift while it's already in the wheelie position like a dirt bike or cresting a decent hill. The bike is simply not as powerful and evil like legend and BS suggests regardless of the short swing arm. Nice looking "Factory Brand " pipes on that H2 engine. The bike is worth more than you think, even with the miss matched engine and frame. It appears you have a very good handle on the maintenance and inspection of your beast. It might be worth cracking the engine open to inspect bearings etc if you plan to keep it. Triples are very simple and relaxing engines to work on, they all vibrate lol. There is a small oil screen in the outlet fitting attached to the oil tank. Thanks for the entertaining video!
Stop lying mate
@@TheGazza636 I bought my H2 used in the spring of 1973. It came complete with a helmet that had a big black asphalt road rash scrape. I was never a wheelie guy, but the hard part was keeping the front wheel down, not getting it to come up. While you may be an expert on manipulating foreskin, you have clearly never ridden an H2. By modern standards the handling was atrocious.
Nice to see Jen and Gus again 😊
'Overpriced, death trap, Two stroke street bike'! Love it and now want one. More bike content!
In Europe these were called the Hedge Trimmer...at curves the hedges had holes in them because these things went so fast but coudnt stop...many riders took flight while attempting turns.
Nice bike! Your neighbours must be thrilled 😂
Love when you do maintenance on this kind of stuff. I’m not a motorcycle person so it’s super cool to learn more about them. I’ve always enjoyed you servicing things and making them run and function better. Was hoping you were gonna fix all the problems with this one. Also I’ve never been bothered by the sound of the compressor coming on. People are idiots about that stuff.
Personally I dig the motorcycle videos of yours being a multi-bike owner myself, keep ‘em coming!
I had a buddy that fixed up a 500 H1 to drag race back in the early 80s. 13.5:1 wiseco pistons, 34mm Mikuni smoothbore carbs w/ velocity stacks, and 5' wheelie bars. He shifted it at 11500 RPM. It ran mid 5's in the 1/8th. I'd love to find another one!
Early H1s were very fast, and could be made faster.... but 13.5:1 compression ratio on an H1 or any other 1970s two stroke is a longggggg way off the mark. These came stock at 6.8:1.... the wiseco pistons in my T500 twin were not much higher than the stock 6.6:1. 20 thou off the heads raised it a bit, but not significantly. With 2 strokes relying on transfer ports to charge the cylinders, super high compression ratios are an ineffective fantasy.
@@annpeerkat2020 13.5 to 1 on a 4T is fine, but on a tuned 2T where you raise the exsurst port hight you will infact lose compression to gain RPM and power.
Kawasaki and Suzuki 2 strokes ruled the drag strips back in the day
I use to have 2 Honda 550 four k's, orange and black, one I had a dirt bike tire on the back, but I love the bike, I hope one day you can actually get a piece of land, and a big shop, so you can keep everything, with you and jenn married with a couple sons running around to keep your lineage going and your knowledge, maybe have a set up like sleeperdude, god I love that family, and their new shop is cook af, even their pets are more entertaining than most KZhead channels humans lol!
In 1982, a year out of high school, a guy that I worked with gave me a non-running '76 KZ400 street bike. A buddy of mine had a gorgeous 400 triple, in all black. He was 5 or 6 years older than me, and had a lot of stories about him and all his buddies riding the different models of these, when they first came out (400, 500, 750) and how dangerous they were. One of his group was killed on a 750. So I learned how to ride street, "the right way" and he and I rode all over coastal NorCal on the bikes, year round. It was an absolute blast, and riding with that 400 was a treat. He'd let me ride it occasionally, and as a novice rider, who was riding something so tame as a KZ400, that triple was frightening. It was a former drag race bike, so as fast as a 400 triple was, this one was even faster. When we were somewhere with people around, we'd show off and start them both by hand, using the kick starters (instead of with our legs). Great memories. I still ride an all original '86 Ninja 600R in pearl white, metallic polaris blue, with the red stripe. I replaced the KZ with it, in '92. I hope you're able to dial in yours, and wind up keeping it. Thanks for the video, and for getting on it during the ride. Nothing sounds like these triples!
Nice H1! You will have a lot of fun with it. I bought mine in 1986. It's the 1976 version, a KH500. Mine also has that crazy lean to it on the side stand. A good friend of mine works for Kawasaki in Japan. We were talking about these bikes and he told me how they road tested them at the factory in the early days. Kawasaki built airplanes in WW 2, so the factory had a 10,000 foot runway right out the back door. The road test was a blast down and back on the runway. No wonder the handling is always exciting. Keep up the good work on the vidoes!
Also on these older bike the side stand doesn't lock once it's out it folds automatically back up and that's how I dropped one of these bikes when I first worked on one. Lucky me, it was already dinged up so no damage done.. lol
I must admit I'm really loving these motorcycle videos, sound and visual experience is awesome, great drone footage and color of the trees mixed with the sound of the engine is top notch . 💯👍
I’ve been a rider for over 56 years. Many brands across the board and engine sizes. Love em all. I enjoy your segments. Thanks and keep the shiny side up.
Awesome video, Chris, Jen and the GusMan! I remember when I was in high school these things came out and the school tough had one - he'd do wheelies for 1/4 mile when all us kids were waiting for the bus ride home. Those of us who were graduating from minibikes and Honda 90s were green with envy and these were all the rage back when they came out. Widowmaker for sure. You have the right amount of what it takes to make any project a fun video, so please... keep 'em coming! Thank you!
great video! I have told my riding buddies about the old 750 H2 i had and they don't fully understand the death trappiness... so I've decided to take an old CBR600RR that I have and put skinny bias ply tires and drum brakes on it and let them borrow it for an afternoon..... perhaps then they will understand. ;) Keep up the great work!
Had one in high school. Total pantie dropper...my oh my...the memories
in 1978 i bought a new Suzuki GS750 4cyl would run 11.80 in the quarter i had a friend that had a H2 750 he could spot me 3 and out run me 3 in the quarter mile. you could be running 60 mph and hit the gas and the gas tank would hit you in the chest. they were fast beyond belief and then when modified were crazy fast
What a beautiful 2 wheeled coffin!
I used to ride a Yamaha RD350LC, I miss that bike, what a weapon it was. Great daily rider and blew away most larger four strokes 750s.
I had a KH400 the RD350 was a beast in its day.
M too! I started riding on 250LC then quickly went 350 , would love me in a modified suspension frame but same upright and comfortable riding position , id ride 3 hours home and back every weekend when doing my indenture trade. Ended up with a Suzuki RG500 x2 after s stupid BMW K100RS junk heap took me away from 2STRK for a minute.
@@ovlov245 My neighbour had a RG250 that sounded like a really big moped, he swapped it for a Hayabusa, never understood his move... 🤤
@@horstszibulski19 Guy I saw on one other day confirmed to me, it’s the morbidly obese chaps who need the power to weight ratio of one compared to body mass…
@@ovlov245 😂 that could it be for real, he was a massive butcher guy...
I had a '72 H2 way back in the day. I destroyed it (and nearly destroyed myself) when I hit a deer with it. And yeah, the excessive vibration is normal. After about an hour or so of riding one you'll notice your feet vibrating for about 15 minutes or so after you shut it off.
What great filmography, editing and explanations. I've never ridden a bike but was intrigued.
Sick bike!...had a 76 KH400 as my first bike. Nothing sounds like a kawasaki triple
I had The 1974 H2 and yes it is normal to vibrate that much, The bike never smoothed out in the lower gears once you hit about 55mph it smooths out a little.
I love this channel as well Chris and it's always nice to see Jen and the Guss man make an appearance. I had a KX 80 when I was 13 and man did that sucker would fly when the power band kicked in, sad I had to sell it when I got in a bike crash(didn't walk for a month) Keep the bike videos coming my dude, love it.
The vintage Asian motorcycle videos are awesome, keep doing them. Not sure why anyone would have negative comments.
These engines with modern three angle diffuser cone expansion chambers are freakin scary. Those old mild pipes on this engine really hold these engines back.
I’m a retired Atv mechanic and built Yamaha Banshee Hill shooter drag motors and when you fired that bike up it was music to my ears. Nothing better than the smell of Castor 927 two stroke oil (ONLY OIL I WOULD USE) and high octane gas. The power and throttle response that thing would have with one of my port and polish jobs would be amazing! Let me know if you ever have any issues or questions. Oh and those header pipes should have oil in them if the oil mixture is right. Enjoy and ride safe brother 🏍️
Love the sound of a 2 stroke! like driving a big chain saw
You need to hook up with 2vintage. That guy knows his stuff. He is a no-BS rebuilder.
My Dads friend owned the 750, I remember taking a pillion ride with him when I was about ten, I was still shaking the following morning.
I love how the front comes up every time you hi high RPMs. Like a dragster that really hooks.
Your complaints are so funny! I have 2 RD350 and I say the same things, but I love them!
One of the best 2Stroke road bikes ever built.
Background noise never bothers me. Not like you’re on a sound stage. Thanks for all the content
I've always wanted to ride an H1 and/or an H2. I was a kid when they first came out and they were absolutely the fastest street bike you could buy new from a factory. I am a member of the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) and they have a monthly magazine they send out to members. There was a recent article on the history of the H1 and H2. In the end, they totally agreed with you on the vibrations and unrefined characteristics of the bike. Shortly after the H2 was rolled out, behind the scenes Kawasaki was already working on something that would compete with Honda's CB750, which while it wasn't as fast as an H2, it's handling, brakes, refinement, etc...made it a ton nicer than an H2. Then voila, a year or two later Kawasaki came out with the venerable Z1 900 (like the CB 750 it was a 4 stroke) and the rest is history!!!!! The Z1 was obviously a CB 750 eater so Kawasaki again had the fastest bike on the market. And it was much easier to ride and a lot safer than the H2. PS: I can no longer ride motorcycles due to health reasons, but I used to race dirt bikes. I have owned and ridden both types, but I prefer smokers when I ride in the dirt. Much lighter and easier to manage in the woods where I prefer to ride. I used to race in hare scrambles and had an awesome time doing it!!!!
At first glance when I saw the color of the bike, it reminded me of the Kawaski Bighorn 350. Quickly realized you have a widowmaker. Nice bike. I ride a BMW F800GT, but love all interesting bikes!
Worked on them back in the day. Everything you talked about were normal for those bikes. The noise is because the crank rides in roller bearings bolted directly to the engine cases. One of the main reasons that the high speed vibrations made them handle so horribly at high speeds. They were junk then and they're still junk......and we sold them at our So. CA Kawasaki dealership.
They are not junk their sons of bitches
Wow! I know nothing other that a 2 stroke but that Cowie 500 was the fastest bike of the day back in high school. They put in a new road(er, drag strip) about a half mile long out to the High School in the middle of the woods, I think the Cowie guy beat the Hemi Cuda girl as I remember!
Some of the noise is piston slap too most likely.
Hi, nice video. Back in time you could buy a Suzuki 750 2 stroke 3 cillinder water cooled. Whe, here in the Netherlands called them the Water Buffalow. Try to get one of those. They are a cannonball to ride.... Ps. Your videos are awsem. You have a lot of knowlige. Keep going. Give Gus a big bone from me....👍💪
@@kentuckyyankee Top end sounds good for a big old air cooled two stroke to me. Mains, can't tell, but they are quite noisy things. Our man knows what he's doing though!
My brother sold me a Kawasaki 400cc triple in 1980 that had expansion chambers. The sound of yours reminds me of it. What I really remember is the power band, idle to 2000rpm it was very doggie then from there to around 4000rpm it ran ok and from 4000rpm to the redline it would be on the chambers making like a two wheel rocket!😯🏍🚀🚀
Hey Bubba, that's a bitchin' bike. Love it. I've had a couple of them. I had a 400 S3, that was built by Jack McCornack, it had AMA Tech inspection stickers all over it,and was faster than my old 500 triple, and he told me that it had gotten 3rd in 400 production at Daytona that year before I got ahold of it, he was a mechanic for Team Kawasaki and he Aldo taught ROP motorcycle mechanics at the high school I went to. It sounded real nasty, just Pop, Pop, Pop at idle and really crisp throttle response. It would wheelie in 3rd pretty effortlessly. Great bike you've got there.
Kawasaki bring back the memories when I was in early 20’s I had a KZ 1000 and riding at night at well over 100 miles an hour those were the days
Hey Chris that older bike surely brings back some memories I had a 74 Honda back in the day, although it wasn’t 2 stroke. Just remember it’s almost 50 years old.
It looks like Mikuni carbs which of course Japanese manufactured. Do you think that they originally came on the Kawasaki ?
That Kwaka would a museum piece in Australia, amazing condition! If you ever see a similar era Suzuki 750 2 stroke in your travels - The Bottle Rocket - water cooled with a big rad u gotta buy it dude ... there's probably only three left in Oz🤘
In 74, I was at Kawasaki City in Irving, Texas, looking for my first motorcycle. I sat on the 5oo and the 750. They were both that dark, shiny green color. I bought the G3ssd 90cc street bike with chrome fenders. It got 80 mpg. Would go all day at 90 mph. It didn't have a tach. I later put Tomaselli clipons on it. I was a cafe nut.
First bike was a Yamaha RD250LC , the first foray into powerband was scarey with the vibration having me back off and then thinking this is OK , a blast through the gears had me addicted! 2T FOREVER!!!!
I really appreciate your video's and usually learn something new from each one. My brother and one of his bro-in-laws each had the 500 back when they first came out. I was too young at the time to score driving my brothers but rode on the back of the other doing 125mph. Have always considered these bikes as legendary. PLEASE SHOW MORE street bikes like this. Gear heads will always watch because of the hands on nature of your videos.
Yeah, no one ‘planed’ on doing wheelies. It just happened!🤣 I had a 71 H1 500 with some work done to make it even more of a challenge to ride. Crazy fast, handled like a U-haul truck in the corners. Wish I still had it.
That's a shame. I had the same bike and rode it from Lemore NAS in Cali to Satellite Beach Florida, two weeks later I rode it back to Lemoore, no problem. I never had any problem keeping up with any other bike on twisty roads. Your bike was not the problem.
I love the moto content personally, and nice to see You scoop an H1!
My first bike was a 72 Suzuki 400 TS dual-sport; the torque was crazy and the bike owned me. That was a while ago and I've often wished I had gotten a 250 Suzuki dual-sport instead to learn on.
I bought a new KH 400 Kawasaki in 1975. Amazingly fast! Great looking bike. I lived in Colorado and taking high in mountains would always foul plugs since thin air would affect mixture. Didn't keep it long. Could easily smoke the rear tire standing still. Great video
When bikes were real bikes Hell yeah you have to be a biker to injoy this content took me back to my 20s I'm in UK we got smaller roads here and more traffic its not as fun as it is in the States.
My uncle Ricky owned one of these, if I close my eyes I can still hear the sound of it roaring up our street after he'd visited. An insane machine that undoubtedly led me into racing 2 stroke motocross bikes a couple of years later.
Really not fussy on what content you release. Just really enjoy watchimg you tinker and talk through things. Keep em coming
Great video Chris, I rode a 350 2 cylinder Kawasaki, my first bike, it very was fast . I remember waiting at a red light. A 750 Honda stopped next to me, the light turned green, there we went, next thing I know, he turned off, going into police station ( oops, was he a cop? ). Great bike.
You almost got lit the way you didn't want to get lit 😮😮😂😂😂😂
Love that bike. Yes, they're dangerous. Had 3 friends that rode them. 2 got totaled and the last was sold. It's a wheelie and burnout monster. Stand up, lean forward and crank the throttle. Fun times for when i was young and invincible. It's almost a shame it's not the 500. Rode the H2 750 and also Suzuki's answer, the GS550. Fast, light and pulled the front wheel up in any gear... You're going to enjoy this one...
My guess is you mean GT not GS.
In the late 70's I use to ride my friends H1 500 while he used my 67 GTO. My recollection was a fast, smooth runner, fun.
I bought an H2 750 new in 74 and took it home and ripped it apart first thing. I took the Jugs and heads to Denko Performance of Indy "Bill Burdett." He did a complete porting job on the jugs, fitted Wesco pistons and shaved the heads a bunch, along with chrome Denko chambers. I don't remember what the compression was but I was 6'4" and 220 and had a very hard time kick starting it afterword. I shaved and drilled the front disk, lowered the front 1.5 inches and added struts in the rear plus a road race tire. I also used a 14 tooth front and 52 rear and had to add wheely bars after the first trip to the track. Over the next six years and used several motors and three transmissions. I had new and much better gear sets made for the trans with better gear ratios, this was a big help. I treated the bike like a huge chainsaw and run the living crap out of it, I was hitting max RPM at the 1000 ft mark and just held it wide open until I hit a MPH lights. !974 to 80 it was running mid 10s and down in the low tens at 1000 ft tracks. Love your video and your new bike.
Awesome video Chris. I like how you break down and describe everything you're doing. Whether it's a car or motorcycle engine. You have a talent, my friend keep them coming.
My experience is that these two stroke bikes runs best with the original airbox. Very nice bike though!
Hope they rejetted it for the pods
Keep making motorcycle videos, being a bike owner I love them
Diggin that Yami stand-up. Rode a 650 SX for a few years. Great alternative to summer time dirt bike riding when its 95 degrees and 95% humidity in GA.
Another cool vintage bike...but not sure if I would want one that's nicknamed the "Widowmaker" but cool to see nonetheless. Ride with care my friend 😎🇺🇸🏍️
Great bike and yes to more bike content Chris, Awesome.
The triple 500 I rode Had drum brakes. It was spooky. Years later I had a Z1 900 white smoke the tire for days smoothbores etc. I don't have words it was too fun both bikes don't get rid of it just be careful I sold my Z 1 when I had kids. 🤣👍🍺🍺👌💯
Haha! Raising the front wheel! That's why they called them widowmakers...
That's also why we loved them!
a good 2 stroke is an amazing machine nothing quite like the sound of a 2 stroke bike while you rev the nutz out of it !!!!
27:34 your voice is already like ASMR.....it would be nice if you did dedicated ASMR vids though😊
A friend of mine back in the 70's had an H2 750. Even with 2 people on it was scary fast. You could still do a wheelie easier than you would think. He had Cafe style bars so the person on the back was basically leaning over the driver. Wish I could find one now.
I don't know much about that old H1 triple, but I like that old Honda XR sitting over there!
Why are 2 strokes so much fun? That thing power wheelies like nothing.
Geez Chris… welcome to the world of H1’s, I’ve got an H1a and it’s totally original, except for a new LAKELAND CDI igniter. What does Jen think of it? 😍👍😍
Woe! Can't wait to watch! These things almost impossible to find anymore, even the smaller Kowie triples! The 750 is a rare bird now. Had one in the 1980s in California, these things are scary fast!
I just checked my shed. Its still sitting there with the heads off and siezed engine. Its even rarer to see them running.
Probably a stuck center piston Throw a cylinder and a set of rings in it on a Saturday. @@GrimReaper-ly8zk
Digging the vintage scoots! Reminds me of my teenage '80's, thank you. Me and my buddies were totally reckless on these things, and lived to tell the stories in bars till closing time with complete strangers who are now friends.
Awsome motorcycle. I was born in the late 60s and I remember as a kid into my teenage years seeing many two stroke road and dual sport motorcycles but now I’m not seeing any on the roads at all. The factory air cleaner assembly will be most likely unattainable or way overpriced if you can find one.
My advise get another damper and mount it on side that butch will teach you respect:-) . I had the suszki triple water cooled 750 it was insane . You got to get good at wheeles too. Lol I approve what's Jen say :-) I bet the guss just barks like crazy .
Enjoying the bike vids. It's rainy season here so mine are tucked up warm in the garage until next spring.
So great to see someone actually FIX things instead of just buy/replace. I just stumbled onto your channel, and immediately subscribed. Thanks for the content. As for the "pump", if that is similar to those found on Yamaha 2 strokes, it will have a slight pumping action that you can see if you look closely. Anyway, again, EXCELLENT CONTENT!
Awsome vid. That’s a wicked 2 stroke. Ever looked at the Kawasaki GPZ 750 turbos? Aka Mavericks Top Gun bike? In the movie he rode a GPZ 900 that was painted to resemble the 750.
Thanks and yeah I've always wanted to get one of those. Maybe one day. I used to have a pretty sweet 1984 GPZ 900.
Nothing too much wrong with that Chris typical rattly 70s two stroke you could do a full rebuild and it still sound the same, glad you checked the plugs its the mixture that kills them as you well know . great content 😀
My dad had the blue 72 750. He LOVED that bike. He even talked about it with much nostalgia on his deathbed. Thanks for the video!
my best friend had a 72 and I use to ride it a lot. Scary bike, but omg was it fun. Downhill with a girl on the back, second gear wheelie, I kid you not. With him on the front and my on the back , he would get up on the tank and me on the seat and we still could not hold it down in 2nd. And it really did not smoke much. Those engines were very well designed for what they were.Also, that's a 2 tone paint job. The greens are different. Came from the factory that way if I remember correctly.
Glad to see somebody who knows how to rev a 2 stroke. NEVER use the oiling system. Go premix.. Sounds you might want to go up a size or 2 on jets
You have to pull the engine apart and remove some plastic plates from the crank or something like that from what I understand if you want to run pre-mix on these. But the oiling systems are pretty reliable for the most part on these
We wouldn't delete it back then, but still use a premix and it would smoke a little more but gave you insurance it wasn't going to sieze@@NNKH2
If you disconnect the oil feed to the crankshaft bearings, you need to drill oil drip passages in the transfer scallops in the upper case half through to the main bearings. It is a full engine disassembly and horizontal case split to access, and you’ve then relegated the bearings to a drip only, thinned oil film via pre-mix. The crankshaft bearings will then live, but have a notably shorter life than if you just retain the direct feed, pure oil supply system the OEM pump provides. The original oil injection system is very reliable and allows you to skip carrying/volume mixing two stroke oil at each fuel stop and fill up. Ran it on most hot rod street builds and many race engines without incidence. BTW…. Your suspected crankshaft bearing noise is likely the engaged clutch assembly when in neutral with clutch lever released. Pull the clutch lever in while it is idling and you will hear the noise reduce noticeably once the pressure plate is lifted from the clutch plate assembly. It is normal clatter, Sir. I’m building a modified, crankcase reed fed, 880 cc big bore (77mm pistons with stock 63mm stroke) using latest externally adjusted 38mm Lectron carbs currently for daily street use. My own custom designed, hand built expansion chambers to suit. It will still utilize the original oil injection system. Good luck with your H2 engined H1 chassis, Chris! The frames were essentially the same.
More likely to seize if you do that, extra oil will lean it out. Very bad for two strokes.@@erikwilson9498
My younger brother had the identical bike back in the early 80s. His had the original 500 engine in it. That thing was an absolutely crazy bike to ride and I can attest to the explosive power band. The sticker showing the bike came from Alexandria MN makes me wonder if there is a possibility that this is the bike he once owned because we lived in MN about 90 minutes from there at the time.
I had one in back in 75... Once it got on the pipe, it was a handful....
luv the way you get these cars and bikes back on the road without going to far with the shiny paint straight panels and just get them back in use,keep up the great vids
I love the old two stroke motorcycles, especially the "insane" Japanese ones, as they were crazy fast in their time, but it was not the power that was the main problem, it was the steering wobbling caused by bad steering geometry, hence the steering stabilizer, and that was the real widowmaker, not the HP.
In 1971 I had no problem out running guys on any four stroke bike. Handling was not bad if the rider had any skill. The ends of my foot pegs had the rubber ground off from dragging the pegs going around corners. The bad handling is over stated by people who can't ride, or are simply saying what is popular.
Mine would wind up and unwind (left to right and back) over and over as you went through a hard turn. Only bike I’ve ever felt that, and it was weird as hell.
I believe that was frame flex, the triple race bikes had gussets where frame tubes came together. @@SchoolforHackers
@@edarmstrong9389 That sounds right.
“Listen my man back in the 70’s if you rode a two stroke Kal you were the Shazinskie .. Now when the 80’s rolled around it was the California custom KZ -1000 . Rode them both but GS 1100 Suzuki was king of them all in the quarter mile . Bad to the bone !
I had bought three H 1. Back in 1973,1974,1975....Had a H2 in 1974. All great fun. Even took a 400 and made a Cafe racer for a Honda 750 killer . Finally threw in the towel on two stroke fun for a 1973 Z1. I picked up in 1976. That Z1 believe me was a great bike. A king of motorcycles . But the two strokes just were way more fun to ride. Am 66 and I just enjoyed the video..that sound and wheelies made me feel seventeen again... LoL 😂
This bike had a fearsome reputation. I heard stories of guys pulling out of the dealer where they'd just bought a 750 triple, opening the throttle and crashing.
I grew up in the 70s and I love seeing the old bikes. The KZ1000 has always been my favorite from that time period. Thanks for trying to preserve some of them.
Got to love the classic kawasaki triples
Def want to see more videos on this bike! My shop mate is currently resurrecting an H2 that sadly spent a few years outside.
That thing is wild.
"You know, I won't be wheelying or anything" 😂
Went to the bike drags in the 1970's in Fremont, Ca. Joe Smith was there with his double Harley, but the bike that won that particular day was a bike with 3 Kawa 750 triples! 9 expansion chambers! Sounded way cool and beat every bike there.
Well Chris, you were correct....it's definitely loud 😂😂
Hey Chris! Loved the video. I always like seeing real simple stuff that helps me learn the basics. I’m no pro. Thanks to your videos, I got the confidence to diagnose my lawnmower and drain out the water that made it into the gas. Fired right up.