Kawi2strokes.com Forum

My Dad got me into motorcycles when I was 8. He had a crappy dual sport Suzuki that he rode to work during the gas crunch. He would take me to a dirt field and let me ride it around even though I couldn't touch the ground. When I was 9 he came home one day with a sl70 in the trunk of the car. Was always into dirt bikes since then. Bought a really nice 77 RD400 for the street. Jumped into triples about 2010. My good friend back in high school was big into them. He rode a custom black 750 and I had the RD400. I always liked the power of the triple but wasn't a big Kawasaki fan at the time. He ended up buying a shipping container full of triples back in the mid 80's. I remember at least 14 bikes. Several were really rare. Eddie Lawson track bike, and a H1R. My son wanted a two stroke street bike and really wanted a triple for some reason. I tried to talk him into an RD but he called my buddy in 2010 and was told there was one 750 left and a bunch of parts to complete the project. We picked it up and am still trying to get it going. It will be done this summer. There are enough parts to build another 750 which is going to be my bike now and I can't wait to ride an H2 since I never have. My friend said "Too bad I didn't know you were so into triples cause I sold the H1R the month before." Arg!!! This bike we are working on is a total basket case bike that has been track prepped back in the day. De tabbed, braced and the back cut off. It will be cool when done. Came with a nice track seat and denco stingers. Even though it will be a patchwork bike, I can't wait to get it back on the street.

Great story

Remember to post some pics of the H2 when ready. Would love to have a H2 one day, but they are pretty rare here in Denmark, and expensive too.

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Peter says:
Keep the revs up !

Bikes:
H1 Candy Red, 1970
Moto Guzzi Daytona 1000, 1992

The year was 1988. I was 20.

I was hanging out, skateboarding in the street in front of my suburban house when a friend of a friend rolled up on a Green KH400. I can't remember if it was Candy Emerald or repainted Lime Green, but I remember it had GP shift rearsets, chambers, clubman 'bars, no license plate, and was allegedly stolen.

I had had a few "bikes" by this time ... a 3hp Bonanza minibike, a Honda Hobbit moped, and a POS KE175 Enduro (that never ran right coz the exhaust was so clogged up). Basically nothing that would do over 40mph.

Well, that friend of a friend let me take that KH400 for a rip around my neighborhood and that's when it all changed. I was probably wearing shorts, and no helmet, but I distinctly remember looking down and seeing 80mph on the speedo and knowing right then and there I had to have one.

It took me a few years until I had an apartment (in San Francisco) with a garage, and the search was on. I couldn't find a triple, but around 1992, I did find a very nice stock 75 RD350, then a TDR250, and finally a 69 H1 with a 72 H2 engine and front end.

I never got that H1/2 running very well and it needed a engine rebuild I couldn't afford at the time, so I sold it (for $1750 )and spent the cash on a 01 CR250.

Fast forward to March of 2018 and I found this. Just like that one that blew my mind 30 years ago:


Now it looks like this:

very nice! Did you make the rear sets?

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1975 S3 project bike
1974 H1 project bike
1972 Yamaha R5
1974 Yamaha RD350

I made the linkages. Pedals and pegs are cheapo Chinese items off ebay.

Lovin this post.

My first Kaw, was in 1971, when, I finally got a bike, G4TR 10speed. POS with transfer box and long stingy shafts.
13x rebuilds and I can swap a gear in an hour after ten or so.

Suzi 185 crap
Hon Elsinore 125 great!
Yam SC500 fun but pistons last 50 hrs!


Honda '78CB750F "RED OCTOPUS", '73Trump 500 Daytona(LOUISIANA LADY), '72 650(BULLY) and finally the '73Kaw 500(ALTERED IMAGE) I still have.

Really wanted the Trident 750 diamond edition, but limited and way too much for some punk kid to afford.

I Stuck with the triple 500 and finished to ride in '84. Not lookin back.

Snarls at cha!
Barks when provoked.
Scares ya when thrashed.

cliff

Just testing the site. Seems dead. The others do also.

anybody awake?

cliff

No we are still here.

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I Love the Smell of Blue Marble in the Morning!!!
Tim Steele in Front Royal, VA
Home of the Phoenix Project
Stay in it when it comes on the pipe, no need to be scared...

I'm here too.

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If it surges, that's normal, upshift.

A lot of people use "other forms of Social media", to keep in the loop with all things Triple, A lot of the European guys for example, and there is a lot of stuff going on. It's easy to use, and more immediate I guess....even I can use it! I mean, kids and young people don't really use "other forms of Social Media", anymore, it is a constantly evolving thing. And a few crusty old goats won't use it anyway. There is still a place for forums like this, this is a good one, but time moves on. I bet the pitchforks were out for William Caxton when he invented the printing-press back in the olden days, don't worry!!

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