1972 Kawasaki H2 750

[Blue is Best]

I change my Avatar picture every now and again. I found this old picture of my 1972. The picture was taken in 1978 or 1979. The "old" guys will remember these. I hope. The right color, too!

I've had several conversations off line about my new picture. For some strange reason I can attach the picture to my Avatar but not "post" it.

Comments on these bikes?

[Sport-Touring]

[DosEquis00]

Comments on these bikes?

The stories I remember from back in the day was fast in a straight line but forget braking and cornering. Still a beauty after all these years.  

[Blue is Best]

I bought a new 1974 H1 500. The Kawasakis then had "phenolic" swing arm bushings. The swing arms were spindly back then. Then attach them with pogo stick shocks and bolt them into the frame with plastic bushings.        

I put bronze bushings in the swing arm and then shims between the bushing ends and frame. Very tight fit without any flop. Then weld a brace across the "H" shaped swing arm and attach with some good shocks. Now we're in the game.

I never liked the 500. But that H2 750 was a great bike. Putting Denco expansion chambers on the stock bike completely changed it. I still have time slips from the dragstrip that show bone stock [email protected] mph. Then I bolted on the Denco pipes three days later and didn't even jet it and went [email protected] mph spinning the tire all the way through first gear. That friends is a BIG change.

[rajflyboy]

Me like anything with H2 in its name

Including HTO

[garry]

I fixed a broken transmission in a 500 when I was in college for a neighbor. The post-fix test rides were scary fun. Up to that point, I had only ridden motocross bikes and dual sports. This was a whole new world.

[Blue is Best]

I fixed a broken transmission in a 500 when I was in college for a neighbor. The post-fix test rides were scary fun. Up to that point, I had only ridden motocross bikes and dual sports. This was a whole new world.

The "old" bikes you could actually work on! I pulled a motor went through the transmission and had it running again in the afternoon. I wouldn't even consider trying to work on my FJR.                   Well, I am going to check the valve clearance this year. If it needs adjusting I think it will be trailer time.  



I worked with a buddy competitor that raced motocross on a Honda CR250 Elsinore. He swore he could beat me bad for a length of three houses. His dirt bike against my H1 500. I beat him by one house length in three! Shut him up!!

[RBEmerson]

I had a short ride on an early H1. The front shocks were useless on a bumpy road. OTOH it was a rocket in a straight line on smooth road. Oh my yes!

Although we may agree, we may both be wrong.

[rajflyboy]

We need to meet up at Blues place and find a good road and drag race some Kawasaki's
 

[RBEmerson]

BTW, isn't the 500 cc version the H2 and 750 the H3? IIRC, there was a smaller (250???) version, presumably an H1. Or am I talking about Hummers?

[Blue is Best]

BTW, isn't the 500 cc version the H2 and 750 the H3? IIRC, there was a smaller (250???) version, presumably an H1. Or am I talking about Hummers?

No.  Kawasaki made a 250cc but I don't remember what the model # was. They made a 350cc and called it an S2. Then in 1974 they bumped the 350 to 400cc and called it an S3. The H1 was always a 500cc. The H2 was always a 750cc. They were all three cylinder two strokes.

That was all from memory as I didn't want to "cheat" and look up the info.

[Blue is Best]

We need to meet up at Blues place and find a good road and drag race some Kawasaki's
 

I'll use my FJR and clean house on you BMW people!!!!!

[Oilhed]

WANT

[rajflyboy]

WANT

I likey

[Blue is Best]

WANT

That is an incredible modernization of the old Suzuki "water buffalo". You do know that is a Suzuki? But great none the less.  

[Oilhed]

You do know that is a Suzuki? But great none the less.  

Yup.  The only 2 stroke competition of the Kawasaki H2 750.

[garry]

A guy in our dual sport group has a Water Buffalo that he brings out to bike night on occasion. His is in nice shape, but mostly stock I think.

[FJinMN]

There's a guy in our local Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club, that buys, restores, and sells those GT750s. He makes a pretty penny on them.

[Blue is Best]

The GT750s were heavier than the Kawasakis. Water cooled of course. There was something about the engine that prevented them from making as much horsepower as the Kawasakis. I can't remember what it was.

[DDFZ1]

My older Brother, Steve, bought the first 1969 Kawasaki H1 in Kansas.  He rode it for 19,000 miles then dragged race it for 5 yrs.  I bought a new H1 in 1972 when I came back from Vietnam, from my Brother who sold Kawasaki/Triumph.  My Dad had bought a used 69 H1 in 1972. 3 Kawasaki 500cc Mach III in one family.  I rode my 72 for 3 yrs and put 25,000 miles on it and traded for a 1974 Z1900.

[DDFZ1]

It is hard to attach any size photo file.