Kawi2strokes.com Forum

Ive had my S2 for almost 20 years now, actually had it on the road for about 5 years but never did actually tear it down all the way. I had a house fire 3 years ago, bought a house, and most recently changed jobs after 24 years at the same place....Point is, the old S2 had been sitting there untouched....I was too stressed out to feel like doing anything to it.....Life is finally starting to settle down again, I can see some good things on the horizon...and my Brother was over for the holidays, it was the first time he saw my new "shop"...He totally busted my balls over letting the S2 sit...sometimes you need that! Finally started taking it apart!!

Ive had it looking somewhat presentable over the years, but Ive never had this one stripped all the way down. So Im gonna do it! Take it all the way down and go from there. I dont have the $$ to put into it for things like powder coating and such but I think I will spring for a real professional paint job when it comes time. Just going to go a little at a time, redo the top end, split the cases, go thru every single piece....At this point in my life I actually can keep it indoors...previously, it had to sit out in the weather, and it seemed whatever I did cosmetically sort of went south quick.


Heres a pic from about 7 years ago, this was about the best Id ever had it, but still it wasnt running quite right....but it was my best rattle can paint job!

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

Subscribed. I also have an S2 I will be restoring later this year

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H2B..... H1E..... Z1B ..... RD350...... X6 Hustler..... TS250.... CB750 ..... CB550...... and a Bomber!!

Neat little bike! Good luck with the build.

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Crankshaft Testimonials viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7593

"Let's keep your crankshaft great!"

Well Ive got the engine on the bench and the cases split. The rods look good...I cant afford to have the crank rebuilt, but I really dont think it needs it anyway. I will do the outer seals while Im in there.

The only reason I really wanted to split the cases was the fact that this bike liked to jump out of gear between 1st and 2nd. For whatever reason it was at its worst when I would ride it hard for a bit through the gears, then come to a stop at a light....taking off from that light after having gotten on it a bit, that was when it liked to jump the most, even if my take off was nice and easy. I havent given it a proper look yet, but what should I be looking for as far as jumping out 1st to 2nd?

Previously I had gone through the shift linkage and reamed it all out with new bushings, etc and that seemed to help somewhat.

I also noticed some wobble in the shifter shaft itself before I removed it...it sticks out pretty far and although it has that long plastic collar around it normally, I think it would benefit from a better/tighter/longer support bushing all the way out when I put it together.


I also found a wire from the generator that was broken....it sits near a pigtail where a couple of wires come together, it probably goes there since I cant find another end hanging anywhere....this is just the sort of thing I figured Id find going through it all....never noticed any electrical issues though.


Anyway, everyone have a good evening!

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

Pulled it into the "front burner" spot in my shop. The engine is done, on the inside anyway, new pistons and rings, repaired the stator, addressed some transmission issues, etc. I will work on the appearance before I put it back in.
I started to strip the frame down. I scored a cheap sand blaster on marketplace, and I plan to take the paint all the way off and do the best back yard job I can. If money were no object Id have it powder coated or at least professionally shot somewhere. I think I at least want to have the bodywork professionally done somewhere.
This bike has never been a really stock, pristine collectors piece and with the frame coming down I can sort of envision a cafe racer. My seat pan for instance, was riveted together with straps of metal 20 some years ago when I got it, it is now literally crumbling down into a rusty mess. Seats for these things cost alot. I cant really part with 200-300 for a nice seat. I can do fiberglass work however.......
The chasis wiring was not there when I got the thing, I custom wired everything and I will do it again, only better this time.
The lighting is not stock or proper, nor are the instruments--they are from an old kawasaki enduro. Its things like these and financial resources being what they are, that for me anyway, mean that this will never be a museum piece.
So given that I would not be committing complete blasphemy by ruining a pristine survivor, that makes it somewhat liberating....
Could make it mostly stock looking like before or get a little creative.

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

Well screw photobucket. My images are all gone. Imgur here I come.

I painted the frame with many coats of rustoleum epoxy paint. It is what it is. Cant afford powder coating or a professional job but its easily the best bakyard job Ive ever done...stripped the frame completely. The bonus is that this bike will now live in a climate controlled garage previously converted into living space, which I turned into a shop. Before all my stuff had to sit outside and anything I did to my bikes appearance wise went to crap.
Again, Im not going for a "restoration". Just a build so to speak. I plan on thrashing this thing, and having "correct parts" or whatever is just not important to me.
Here is the S2 frame in my shed along with my KX400 frame. I used VHT epoxy on the KX. I guess it will be a comparison of sorts. The Rustoleum "handled" better during application. The VHT has a miniscule orange peel effect, but it serves to tone down the glossiness I think, which I sort of like. Only one coat on the KX now, Ill sand out the imperfections and hit it with many more.




I stripped down the swing arm and I have to say, the welding on it is kind of crappy and inconsistent. Not that Im gonna do anything about it, just sayin.
Ive only been welding with any regularity for the last 2 years at my new job, and I could do better by far.


One if the welds on the lower shock mounts looks okish, the other side looks sloppy as all hell, like they missed the joint a little. I might actually beef that one up.



If I get some time, I will try and restore the pics from this thread at least if I can still edit the old messages which Im not sure about, or maybe Ill just make a post full of pics from earler stages. Yeah thats what Ill do.
I actually have 3 winter projects, we'll see how far I get!!!!!!!! (KX400, S2, and XT500)

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

I haven't actually seen too many broken welds on old Triples frames, regardless of how they look!

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"One day, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it's worth watching." : anon.

PICTURES from earlier in the process
we'll call this before


A broken wire I found in the stator and fixed.

The engine down some of the way. Mostly did this to inspect it. Had trouble missing 2nd gear sometimes. I actuall took the find neutral helper detent balls out of the shaft which sounds nuts, but we'll see how that goes.

Heres the engine put back together. I put new pistons and rings in. I will work on the appearance before I put it back in.


Cheers all!

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

Yeah appearance isnt really important.
We have a guy at work and he does "cinemax" welds....they look good, but theres no penetration.

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug

Starting to put it together.
I am doing the best, most thorough job on a bike Ive done....I dont want to get lost in trying to make it perfect. It will be far from it. I dont have the resources for NOS parts, "correct" parts, or whatever else.
Mostly this is an elbow grease effort. At the same time, I dont want to slap it together.

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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug