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1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 5:25 pm
by Skub
Arrived today about 1.30pm. Early opinion appears to be that's it's more or less what the photos showed. It feels a little smoother and better suspended than the H1a,but the front disc is little better than the A's drum front. :lol:
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Miles shown since the bike was rebuilt. I've put on about 50 of that today!
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Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 5:28 pm
by Yorick
Gizza go mister?

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 5:47 pm
by ChrisW
Congratulations! Looks immaculate, lovely colour, too.

Is that the actual mileage…?!

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 6:20 pm
by Skub
ChrisW wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 5:47 pm Congratulations! Looks immaculate, lovely colour, too.

Is that the actual mileage…?!
That's the miles since it was rebuilt. The clocks were rebuilt at the time too,so they were zeroed.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 6:45 pm
by ChrisW
Skub wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 6:20 pm
That's the miles since it was rebuilt. The clocks were rebuilt at the time too,so they were zeroed.
I should have read your original post properly. Enjoy.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:00 pm
by KungFooBob
Lovely.

Did they ever do a C model, if they did you need a green one :)

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:33 pm
by Skub
KungFooBob wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:00 pm Lovely.

Did they ever do a C model, if they did you need a green one :)
There was an H1C which is pretty rare. It was a mongrel cross between the A and the B to use up old stock of the H1A. The bike looks like a B,but with the stainless front and rear guards of the A. Not many were made and I don't think any officially made it to the UK. Mostly Japan market.

You need to go a year later to 73 to get a green one,the H1D,the first with the tail unit.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:36 pm
by KungFooBob
Skip the C then and go straight for the Green D :)

I just googled, there's a E and an F too, you need one of each!

Just not a brown one.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:45 pm
by Skub
KungFooBob wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:36 pm Just not a brown one.
Tch.

Candy Gold for those in the know. :lol:

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:46 pm
by KungFooBob
Blurrgh!

Image

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:48 pm
by Yorick
KungFooBob wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:46 pm Blurrgh!

Image
It's nearly beige.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 7:51 pm
by Skub
One of our apprentices had that colour in 75. We were all sat at the light and when they changed he stood it vertical. I still remember his out of control trailing legs and the smoke over the Queens Bridge in Belfast.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 8:59 pm
by weeksy
That looks a proper lovely build job.

Sweet 👍

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:00 pm
by Ian
That's gorgeous! Yours not the brown one obvs.
Yeah the brakes aren't great... Even with 2 disks :lol:

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:29 pm
by MyLittleStudPony
Have you ganned it up on t'back wheel yet?

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 10:12 pm
by Skub
MyLittleStudPony wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2024 9:29 pm Have you ganned it up on t'back wheel yet?
It even does that on the mainstand. :thumbup:

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2024 11:05 pm
by mangocrazy
Lovely job. It looks absolutely immaculate. Is it going to bena either/or, or will you be keeping both? If it was me I'd keep them both.

Here's a triple themed pic from the Crich Classic Bike day in early July:


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Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2024 2:38 pm
by Skub
I was looking the bike over this morning and I noticed the air adjuster screw and spring were AWOL on the r/h carb. I can't see that working it's way loose,so I'd imagine it's never been there. :shock:

I stole one off the H1A to get a run out today. I imagine it's a bit less fluffy really low down,but I want to sync the carbs and get it set up right anyway.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2024 8:16 pm
by Skub
The offending item. 10p piece for scale.
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I'd recommend Motocarb for genuine Mikuni parts. Steve is very knowledgeable and posts out really fast. I ordered yesterday and received them today.

Re: 1972 Kawasaki 500 H1B

Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2024 6:00 pm
by Skub
It's crap weather today,so I pulled off the carbs to set the fuel levels. Got the three pretty much bang on,but I'll have to start again,because when I let them sit for 10 minutes or so,two of the three needle valves are leaking,so game over until I those arrive. No point putting the carbs back on to take them off again in a few days.
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