Kawasaki H1 1971

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Skub
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Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Skub »

This has been a long term box awaiting to be ticked. I've lusted after one for many moons.

There are very few smoker triples that come up for sale locally and the Irish sea has been one of my main obstacles to ownership. (yes,I am a lazy twat) This one is coming from Wales,if I can ever get a bike courier who answers his phone.

Anyway,pending the vagaries of transport companies,this is the bike. An H1a with shitty brakes,shitty handling and shitty fuel consumption. If ever a motorcycle was entirely pointless,this is it.
H1 - Imgur.jpg
H1 - Imgur.jpg (273.51 KiB) Viewed 2074 times
H1 2.jpeg
H1 2.jpeg (372.54 KiB) Viewed 2074 times
Last edited by Skub on Thu Oct 02, 2025 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Supermofo
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Supermofo »

Before my time so doesn't mean much to me, but sure is shiny and nice looking. :thumbup:
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weeksy
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by weeksy »

Supermofo wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:36 pm Before my time so doesn't mean much to me, but sure is shiny and nice looking. :thumbup:
Same as that... :)
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ChrisW
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by ChrisW »

Congratulations - looks in lovely condition & not over-restored.
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Count Steer
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Count Steer »

That looks mint. Nice one Skubbles. :thumbup: Never mind all that brakes, fuel consumption, handling malarkey (I know, I know....just gan it up on t'back wheel :D ) that looks fun.

(Are those bars the original fitment? <----scrub that, I'd forgotten that they did have quite a big rise).
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Yorick
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Yorick »

What's the best reason to buy something?

Just because :obscene-birdiedoublered:
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KungFooBob
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by KungFooBob »

Big bulge on the right hand casing with the quite large diameter pipe coming out of it, what's that then, pipe looks a big big for feeding an oil pump?
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v8-powered
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by v8-powered »

Friend of mine has 3 of those - 2 nice ones and another in a box!
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Skub
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Skub »

KungFooBob wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 2:34 pm Big bulge on the right hand casing with the quite large diameter pipe coming out of it, what's that then, pipe looks a big big for feeding an oil pump?
It's a US import and it's a distributor. Remember them? Afaik UK models didn't use that part. It also disappeared on later models.
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Mr. Dazzle
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

What did UK models use instead then, out of curiosity? Or did they just have a smaller/different version?
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Taipan »

Fooking Aces. Get some spannies on there and a gopro so we can hear it sing and you scream in terror at the same time! :lol:

Seriously, top bombing! :thumbup:
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mangocrazy
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by mangocrazy »

UK models had CDI. It was a big thing for bikes at the time, and Kawasaki plugged it in their advertising. It did cause some interference with electrical items I recall... :D
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by mangocrazy »

Oh, and nice one Skub! Good on ya. Everyone needs a 70s/80s stinkwheel in their life and that one looks mint :D
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Count Steer
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Count Steer »

mangocrazy wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:14 pm UK models had CDI. It was a big thing for bikes at the time, and Kawasaki plugged it in their advertising. It did cause some interference with electrical items I recall... :D
Not surprising... :D

The engine was a three-cylinder two stroke with a displacement of 499 cc (30.5 cu in). It had Mikuni VM 28 mm carburetors, and thyristor-based capacitor discharge ignition (CDI) developing 25,000–30,000 volts.
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by ZRX61 »

It's all fun & games until the front down tubes crack... A problem that plagued Kaw's for years. Had a '75 H2 that suffered from it, friends '74 Z1 did it, as did another friends '83 750 Spectre.
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Skub »

ZRX61 wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:29 pm It's all fun & games until the front down tubes crack... A problem that plagued Kaw's for years. Had a '75 H2 that suffered from it, friends '74 Z1 did it, as did another friends '83 750 Spectre.
Get thee hence with thy naysaying ways. :P
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Noggin »

100% certain you'll have sorted transport by then, but I should be in Wales the second weekend in September for a wedding. Happy to bring bike stuff and ride it over for you!! :1 :1
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by ZRX61 »

Skub wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:48 pm Get thee hence with thy naysaying ways. :P
LOL! It's an easy fix, wouldn't stop me owning another '75 H2-C or a '75 Z1-B. The cracks look like they were cut with a frigging laser.
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Skub
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Skub »

Noggin wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:53 pm 100% certain you'll have sorted transport by then, but I should be in Wales the second weekend in September for a wedding. Happy to bring bike stuff and ride it over for you!! :1 :1
I bloody hope I have it before September,but it was very kind of you to attempt the blag,cheers. :thumbup:
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Skub »

ZRX61 wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:55 pm
Skub wrote: Fri Jul 14, 2023 3:48 pm Get thee hence with thy naysaying ways. :P
LOL! It's an easy fix, wouldn't stop me owning another '75 H2-C or a '75 Z1-B. The cracks look like they were cut with a frigging laser.
Maybe that's why I crashed my Z1A a lot,the frame was cracked and I didn't notice?

Nah,it was all down to me,I believe. :lol:
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