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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2024 9:18 pm
by ChrisW
I always expect these bikes (excuse the generalisation) to be smaller, and then you see them with the rider on for perspective.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Mon Jul 22, 2024 9:40 pm
by Skub
ChrisW wrote: Mon Jul 22, 2024 9:18 pm I always expect these bikes (excuse the generalisation) to be smaller, and then you see them with the rider on for perspective.
They are quite a bit scaled down from modern stuff in some respects. Things such as the fuel tank are more dinky because they're not half airbox!

Not the best comparison,but you can see the fuel tank sitting much higher on the Zed. The seat height is similar on them both,an easy both feet flat on the ground.
Double Triple - Imgur.jpg
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:37 pm
by Mr. Dazzle
Pretty sure I saw one of these out and about in Kent today.

Two stroke triple (based on the number of exhausts and the sound) with Kawasaki on the tank. Didn't get a proper look cause I was driving and it was overtaking. Had the same purple colour scheme as some of the bikes posted above.

Have to say, it sounded bloody awful to these ears :obscene-birdiedoublered:

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2024 8:58 pm
by Skub
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:37 pm Pretty sure I saw one of these out and about in Kent today.

Two stroke triple (based on the number of exhausts and the sound) with Kawasaki on the tank. Didn't get a proper look cause I was driving and it was overtaking. Had the same purple colour scheme as some of the bikes posted above.

Have to say, it sounded bloody awful to these ears :obscene-birdiedoublered:
The cacophony is an acquired taste. :lol:

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2024 9:08 pm
by cheb
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:37 pm Pretty sure I saw one of these out and about in Kent today.

Two stroke triple (based on the number of exhausts and the sound) with Kawasaki on the tank. Didn't get a proper look cause I was driving and it was overtaking. Had the same purple colour scheme as some of the bikes posted above.

Have to say, it sounded bloody awful to these ears :obscene-birdiedoublered:
We'll hunt you down for that comment. Once the smoke's cleared a bit.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2024 2:04 pm
by Druid
Skub wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2024 8:58 pm
Mr. Dazzle wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2024 6:37 pm Pretty sure I saw one of these out and about in Kent today.

Two stroke triple (based on the number of exhausts and the sound) with Kawasaki on the tank. Didn't get a proper look cause I was driving and it was overtaking. Had the same purple colour scheme as some of the bikes posted above.

Have to say, it sounded bloody awful to these ears :obscene-birdiedoublered:
The cacophony is an acquired taste. :lol:
In the same way as sprouts are?

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:47 pm
by Skub
Three out of four indicators stopped working when I was out today,investigation showed a broken earth wire in all three non functional blinkers.
What's the odds of that happening? Certainly a new one on me to have three fail simultaneously.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:48 pm
by Yorick
I've lost track of which is your favourite??

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:58 pm
by Skub
Yorick wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:48 pm I've lost track of which is your favourite??
I daren't say,one might fall out with me. :silent:


Probably still Mr.Blue......

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:59 pm
by Yorick
Skub wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:58 pm
Yorick wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 5:48 pm I've lost track of which is your favourite??
I daren't say,one might fall out with me. :silent:
:obscene-birdiedoublered:

Any big differences?

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 6:13 pm
by Skub
It's an odd thing that two bikes essentially the same aside from cosmetics should be much different.

Blue has a slightly more manic 6k-8.5k rush,probably because they put an airbox snorkel on Mr.Orange to quieten the induction noise. They also dropped the main jets down a size.

Handling wise Orange feels like a bigger bike,a bit more vague at speed and the front disc is better than the shoes on Blue.

I think I'm also more 'careful' with Orange because it's in such good nick,whereas Blue gets ragged more because it's not as perfect,so I'm more relaxed on it because of me more than the bikes.

I'd be hard pushed to choose if I had to sell one.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Wed Nov 13, 2024 9:04 pm
by Yorick
Skub wrote: Wed Nov 13, 2024 6:13 pm It's an odd thing that two bikes essentially the same aside from cosmetics should be much different.

Blue has a slightly more manic 6k-8.5k rush,probably because they put an airbox snorkel on Mr.Orange to quieten the induction noise. They also dropped the main jets down a size.

Handling wise Orange feels like a bigger bike,a bit more vague at speed and the front disc is better than the shoes on Blue.

I think I'm also more 'careful' with Orange because it's in such good nick,whereas Blue gets ragged more because it's not as perfect,so I'm more relaxed on it because of me more than the bikes.

I'd be hard pushed to choose if I had to sell one.
Lucky bugger to have this situation :)

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2024 11:23 am
by Skub
It took 10 months of waiting,but I finally got my refurbed stator back from a triple specialist. Some before and after pics.
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H1a part 2 - Imgur (1).jpg
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2024 11:46 am
by mangocrazy
Cracking job - he's had the base plated blasted and zinc passivated and done a lovely job on the rewind and the wiring. Better than new, I'd say.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2024 3:46 pm
by ZRX61
One thing I remember from my triples was the rainbows from Two-Squeak oil deposits behind the bike on a wet road as you sat at a red light with the bike idling :)

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sat Dec 14, 2024 7:22 pm
by ChrisW
Looks to be a properly well done job.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2025 9:30 pm
by Skub
I've had an original plated airbox to put on for about a year now,but two carbs have to come off to get the box in and out,so since the bike has been consistently running sweet,up to now I haven't bothered to fix what isn't broken.

Lately the centre pot has been slower than the other two on cold starting,it chimes in after about 10 seconds or so. The bike runs perfectly when warm,no low speed bother,so I suspected the cold running/choke system. There's a very fine hole in the float bowl which allows extra fuel when the choke plunger is raised. I didn't see anything obvious,but poked a 10 thou E string down the hole and gave it a good blowing out with compressed air just to be sure. Hopefully sorted,or I'm looking elsewhere for the problem. Too late and too wet to drag it out for a start. Maybe tomorrow.

I checked the carb sync while I was in there and happily it was spot on.

On the early 69-71 H1s the airbox rubbers come in 3 sections with metal inserts and clamps. This is a job best tackled if you aren't in a hurry anywhere,or if you very much enjoy a challenge. Twat of a job. It's a bit easier on later H1s as the rubbers are one piece.

72 on airbox - black and 69-71 airbox - plated.
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Job jobbed.
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Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2025 11:22 pm
by Dixiethedog
The triple is beautiful. I have to admit to have never been a 2 stroke fan, back in my day when a lot of lads (friends)had 250LC's I always wanted big 4 cylinder bike(zed, GS,GSX) but I can appreciate 2 strokes now.
A neighbour of mine recently had the chance of a smaller KH250 from a decesased estate which sadly did not work out. Otherwise that would have ended up in my shed. I am gutted in a way as I would have loved to have been involved and learnt new things from it. But your bike is stunning.

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 9:59 am
by Skub
Dixiethedog wrote: Fri Mar 07, 2025 11:22 pm The triple is beautiful. I have to admit to have never been a 2 stroke fan, back in my day when a lot of lads (friends)had 250LC's I always wanted big 4 cylinder bike(zed, GS,GSX) but I can appreciate 2 strokes now.
A neighbour of mine recently had the chance of a smaller KH250 from a decesased estate which sadly did not work out. Otherwise that would have ended up in my shed. I am gutted in a way as I would have loved to have been involved and learnt new things from it. But your bike is stunning.
Cheers,the camera flatters it a little,it's a rider and shows definite signs of that. After my early years and a rash of strokers,I also went the big 4 stroke route. Z1 and GS thou were the start of it. I missed out on the triples,so I suppose buying this one was ticking a box,but I'd no idea how addictive that would turn out to be! There's two in the garage now and I'm still looking at others for sale,even though I don't have the room ffs. :lol:

Re: Kawasaki H1 1971

Posted: Sat Mar 08, 2025 10:04 am
by Dixiethedog
[ There's two in the garage now and I'm still looking at others for sale,even though I don't have the room ffs. :lol:
[/quote]

I have several bikes in the "shed" and no space and I am constantly looking for the next bike. I would love to shift 3 or 4 bikes so that I could replace them with erm... 3 or 4 bikes. :D I think that we must be cut from the same cloth.