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Kawasaki Triples, any fans here?

epifanatic

epifanatic

acoustically suspended
Picking up a 1973 H1 MachIII next sunday,:banana::banana: plan on doing a frame-up resto this summer. I'll post pics when I get it home. Any other fans of these legends here??
 
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Sweeeet! I would love to have an H2 Mach IV. I rode one once when I was in high school that was fitted with expansion chambers and low slung handle bars. I nearly crapped my pants before I got to third gear. What an adrenalin rush. My older brother had two Mach III's. I believe a 1974 model and 1975 model. Root beer version and Green version as I recall.
 
I had a 1973 350 two-stroke 3 cylinder. Don't know if it had a "H" designation. It would power wheelie in 3rd gear easily. 1st gear wheelies with a person on back happened unintentionally. Didn't want to turn in a curve worth a damn though.
 
Those bikes were frickin awesome. Widow Maker is right. Those green bastards would scare the crap out of ya. So damn light. Those skinny ass shocks never gave me confidence in high speed curves, but than again they were made for one direction and that was straight ahead. I almost died myself on the 500, but always wanted a Water Buffalo myself. Have fun with the project. I suppose they can still hold their own in the 1/8th, but I have no clue. Theres no mistaking hearing one of those things, a puff of smoke and a vanishing act.
 
Had a 74' 500 in high school (early 80's).
Post some pics so I can remember my youth!
I used to think it was the fastest bike on the road. Can't hold a candle to any 600 today but I'd still like to find another.
 
Well, it doesn't take much for that to happen. I learned from it the hard way myself and it can and does happen to the best of members.
 
My first bike was an "S-2"--the 350 triple. Mine was one of a matched pair my neighbor owned--red with orange and white stripes. Had a matching helmet. They were heavy gashogs but what a great bike! I commuted over 12,000 miles in LA traffic in a year and a half on it. Easy to tune and repair, but the carbs were a nightmare to stage without dial gauges. Every couple of months you had to pull the exhaust baffles and bang them on the curb to knock the ash out.
 
Used to love ogling the III's in the magazines when i was about 12 or 13. (i.e. when they were new) Very rare to see one on the road around here - or even parked. Great looking bikes - very distinctive. Didn't they have kind of an almost dayglo orange version, also?
 
A buddy of mine had a 1976 KH500. Man, was that fun. It was bone stock, but was still pretty quick. But my 1982 GPz750 would take it. Still, would be nice to have one. Look forward to the pictures :)
 
About 1 year ago I was on my way to work for our monthly meeting at around 5:30 AM. I stopped for gas and saw a PERFECT H2 750 on a trailer. As I staired at it feeling about 30 YRS. younger, the owner approached me...an older dude about 60 I'd say. I told him how I loved these stupid things and that I couldn't remember the last time I saw a "Widow Maker". He went to his truck and pulled out a photo album containing everything from the rusty beginning to the pristine end. He also told me the crank was shot and he bought a billet repro for $1,200.00 if I remember right. The crank stroked it out to 810 CC's and the beast dynoed out at 96 HP at the rear wheel. I thought it was one of the coolest things because the owner was THRILLED to show it to someone who knew "what the hell it is"...LOL!
 
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One of the used motorcycle shops in Glen Burnie has a collection of Kawa triples--must be ten or twelve of them--all 500's and 750's. Almost all are in running order. The owner's wife is a fan, and the collection is hers. Includes a dual engine 500 drag bike; very cool. Last 500 I saw was a barn find at a flea market. Very rough shape, but most of the parts were there--seller didn't really know what it was or what it's value was!
 
Pics!!!!!

A day late but, I finally got it home.......now the fun begins!!!!
 

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