Kawasaki H1 1971

Discussions and updates on your new bike, your new build, your wishes, wants and desires
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12166
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9819 times
Been thanked: 10144 times

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.

Image

Image
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
Supermofo
Posts: 4999
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:39 pm
Has thanked: 4359 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

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:
User avatar
weeksy
Site Admin
Posts: 23415
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 12:08 pm
Has thanked: 5449 times
Been thanked: 13085 times

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... :)
User avatar
ChrisW
Posts: 2720
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2022 8:46 pm
Has thanked: 2903 times
Been thanked: 2052 times

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by ChrisW »

Congratulations - looks in lovely condition & not over-restored.
User avatar
Count Steer
Posts: 11803
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 6375 times
Been thanked: 4746 times

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).
Doubt is not a pleasant condition.
But certainty is an absurd one
.
Voltaire
User avatar
Yorick
Posts: 16735
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 8:20 pm
Location: Paradise
Has thanked: 10261 times
Been thanked: 6885 times

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by Yorick »

What's the best reason to buy something?

Just because :obscene-birdiedoublered:
User avatar
KungFooBob
Posts: 14196
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:04 pm
Location: The content of this post is not AI generated.
Has thanked: 539 times
Been thanked: 7526 times

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?
v8-powered
Posts: 2527
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:37 pm
Location: Layer-de-la-Haye
Has thanked: 2248 times
Been thanked: 1242 times

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Post by v8-powered »

Friend of mine has 3 of those - 2 nice ones and another in a box!
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12166
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9819 times
Been thanked: 10144 times

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.
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
Mr. Dazzle
Posts: 13936
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:57 pm
Location: Milton Keynes
Has thanked: 2550 times
Been thanked: 6241 times

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?
User avatar
Taipan
Posts: 13944
Joined: Sat Mar 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Location: Essex Riviera!
Has thanked: 15947 times
Been thanked: 10243 times

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:
User avatar
mangocrazy
Posts: 6892
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 9:58 pm
Has thanked: 2402 times
Been thanked: 3625 times

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
There is no cloud, just somebody else's computer.
User avatar
mangocrazy
Posts: 6892
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 9:58 pm
Has thanked: 2402 times
Been thanked: 3625 times

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
There is no cloud, just somebody else's computer.
User avatar
Count Steer
Posts: 11803
Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:59 pm
Has thanked: 6375 times
Been thanked: 4746 times

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.
Doubt is not a pleasant condition.
But certainty is an absurd one
.
Voltaire
User avatar
ZRX61
Posts: 5157
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:05 pm
Location: Solar Blight Valley
Has thanked: 1507 times
Been thanked: 1410 times

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.
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12166
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9819 times
Been thanked: 10144 times

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
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
User avatar
Noggin
Posts: 8016
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:46 pm
Location: Ski Resort
Has thanked: 16203 times
Been thanked: 3921 times

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
Life is for living. Buy the shoes. Eat the cake. Ride the bikes. Just, ride the bikes!! :bblonde:
User avatar
ZRX61
Posts: 5157
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2020 4:05 pm
Location: Solar Blight Valley
Has thanked: 1507 times
Been thanked: 1410 times

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.
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12166
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9819 times
Been thanked: 10144 times

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:
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955
User avatar
Skub
Posts: 12166
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:32 pm
Location: Norn Iron
Has thanked: 9819 times
Been thanked: 10144 times

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:
"Be kind to past versions of yourself that didn't know what you know now."
Walt Whitman
https://soundcloud.com/skub1955