Kawasaki H1 1971

[Skub]

It's definitely heading towards concours condition...

Nah,it'll never be that man. The photos flatter it! I want it as a rider,it's just idle hands over the Winter.......I hope.

[Druid]

Buttoned up again and ready to roll,it's bloody freezing in the garage tonight,so I'm done. Looks well though.

That looks very tidy.

It's going to take a lot of work and an awful lot of Solvol to keep it looking like that

[Bustaspoke]

I decided to replace the sprockets after all,for all they cost it's daft not to really.

It gives me a chance to clean all the hidden parts while the rear wheel is out too.

Is that a split-link chain?

[Skub]

Is that a split-link chain?

Yep. Duz it make you twitchy?

[Skub]

It's going to take a lot of work and an awful lot of Solvol to keep it looking like that

I bulk buy the stuff.

[Bustaspoke]

Is that a split-link chain?

Yep. Duz it make you twitchy?

I suppose it adds to the adrenaline rush when you get you 'enthusiastic' with the throttle

[Skub]

I suppose it adds to the adrenaline rush when you get you 'enthusiastic' with the throttle

I'm aiming for the genuine 70s experience.

[Taipan]

It's definitely heading towards concours condition...

Nah,it'll never be that man. The photos flatter it! I want it as a rider,it's just idle hands over the Winter.......I hope.

I just looked in a Gaelic dictionary and found Skub means garage queen!

[Skub]

I just looked in a Gaelic dictionary and found Skub means garage queen!

You old silver tongue you.

[JackyJoll]

Yeah,Jap frames of the era were a token gesture,closer to bicycle than motorbicycle.

A lot of 1960s-70s frames looked like a copy of the wrong bits of the Norton Featherbed. The Kawa frame looks like they’ve copied the Norton steering head, then added neck bracing plates, but not improved the rigidity of the relationship between the swing arm pivot and the steering head.

[Skub]

One of the joys of one make clubs is,there are folk with mountains of accumulated spares. Lots of stuff unobainium even repro. I got these new old stock genuine cush drive rubbers today. The shimmed ones will do for now and these will do for back up.


Small wins rock.

[Taipan]

Keeping a bike long enough to need a Cush rubber change??

[Skub]

Keeping a bike long enough to need a Cush rubber change??

Right on past a full tank of juice,eh? Unheard of in Tinpan world.

Incidentally,a mate had a BMW S1000RR Wull type demo bike on loan with 600 miles and the cush rubbers were shot. Probably from the running in process.

[Yorick]

Keeping a bike long enough to need a Cush rubber change??

Right on past a full tank of juice,eh? Unheard of in Tinpan world.

Incidentally,a mate had a BMW S1000RR Wull type demo bike on loan with 600 miles and the cush rubbers were shot. Probably from the running in process.

Mr Honda said an electrical fault.

[Skub]

I came across a pic of an H1 the same as mine,mounted on an Abba Skylift. It was difficult to be sure,but it looked like the lift was attached to the swingarm pivot. All the mounting kits I've seen rely on a hollow pivot,which the H1 doesn't have. Being intrigued,I contacted Abba and asked if there was any way we could make it work on the old bike.

I gave them the sizes of the head and nut,they checked other fitting kits and have come up with what sounds like a workable solution. I'll know for certain when I get the parts. Full marks to the Abba folk,many another outfit would just have told me they don't do a kit for the H1.

[mangocrazy]

I came across a pic of an H1 the same as mine,mounted on an Abba Skylift. It was difficult to be sure,but it looked like the lift was attached to the swingarm pivot. All the mounting kits I've seen rely on a hollow pivot,which the H1 doesn't have. Being intrigued,I contacted Abba and asked if there was any way we could make it work on the old bike.

I gave them the sizes of the head and nut,they checked other fitting kits and have come up with what sounds like a workable solution. I'll know for certain when I get the parts. Full marks to the Abba folk,many another outfit would just have told me they don't do a kit for the H1.

If it's anything like the fitting kit for the 350LC it attaches to the bolt head and nut of the swingarm spindle.

[Skub]

If it's anything like the fitting kit for the 350LC it attaches to the bolt head and nut of the swingarm spindle.

Yeah,it'll be the same. It was a bit daft having a bike which will need more frequent fettling and only being able to use the lift on the bike which doesn't. The last floor crawling episode had me wincing for days after.

I'll need to disconnect the rea brake cable,as part of the pedal sits in front of the right side head,but I can live with that.

[Taipan]

I came across a pic of an H1 the same as mine,mounted on an Abba Skylift. It was difficult to be sure,but it looked like the lift was attached to the swingarm pivot. All the mounting kits I've seen rely on a hollow pivot,which the H1 doesn't have. Being intrigued,I contacted Abba and asked if there was any way we could make it work on the old bike.

I gave them the sizes of the head and nut,they checked other fitting kits and have come up with what sounds like a workable solution. I'll know for certain when I get the parts. Full marks to the Abba folk,many another outfit would just have told me they don't do a kit for the H1.

Yup. Renowned for the excellent customer service and deserve success.

[Skub]

During the colder weather I've been getting a bit of clutch drag. When I put the bike in first it starts to creep,to the extent it would easily stall if the revs weren't up a bit.

The triple hive knowledge recommended using Motul mineral Transoil 10/30,so I punched in about 50 miles and got the old oil good and warm before dumping it out. I'm happy to report the drag is gone and I can even select neutral from a standstill,which was never possible,I needed to get that done while still rolling.

It's nice when a plan works.

Have another pic,since I'm here.

[Yorick]

Farking attention seeker