The H1 and H2 - why are they so awesome?

BenEberle

And...more importantly....why are they so damned expensive??!!
As far as I can tell they weren't that rare - but even a non-running H1 around here is over 2k. H2's are nutty expensive.

All I know is that I WANT ONE. So? Why so awesome and high priced?

KirkN · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:35 am Post subject:

IMO, it's because of the REPUTATION they had in the day (well-deserved...). They were the quickest stoplight racers, period. And they were from a relatively "upstart" motorcycle company - Kawasaki. A Cinderella story that only grows as the years go by. Throw in the fact that 2-strokes are all but gone in new applications, and you've got a recipe for collectibility!

Performance by TODAY'S standards? Lousy, thirsty, non-user-friendly in the extreme.

Good luck with your searching! Smile

Kirk

Rizingson · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:58 pm Post subject:

You answered your own question on high prices with your last statement "I WANT ONE", which isn't unlike most collectors and enthusiats of old bikes. As far as awesome, what's not to like about owning the "world's fastest production bike regardless of size", as their ads stated. However I know of people who have no history with the bike have jumped on the bandwagon purely for a profit motive which meant "part it for cash and damned the consequences", not necessarily a bad thing if it allows preserving a better one, but can lead to increased prices for someone looking for a complete project.

Steve Searles · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:29 pm Post subject: Kaw Triple Opinion

Ben, I just want to give you another perspective on the Kaw triples so you are not disullusioned. IMHO, they are noisy, smelly, stinky, rattle traps that don't handle worth a darn and can be unreliable and tempermental. Not to mention can burn a hole thru a piston or foul a plug when you least expect it. They vibrate, leak two stroke oil out the exhaust, crack mounts and welds because of vibration and more. The middle crank seal is prone to go bad which can lean out the middle cylinder and cause it to explode. If you don't point them in the right direction they can buck you off in a heart beat. To me it is not worth playing the game of expense with the Kaw triples when you cannot even ride them confortably. Give me a good old reliable in line 4 four stroke anyday and I can ride stress free all day. Just something to think about, I had a S350 with bad middle cylinder and an H2 which I sold. (just a little different perspective on Kaw Triples)

dorT500 · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:31 pm Post subject:

I want one anyway. Smile

fxray · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:05 pm Post subject:

Hey Steve, don't hold back -- tell us what you really think. I loved your post. Someday I would like to see something that detailed and honest written in a Cycle World Review. I don't want to offend any Kaw Triple lovers, but your answer sure made me chuckle!

Russell · Posted: Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:10 pm Post subject:

I saw H2 750's being proddie raced here in NZ before we had the big four stroke multi's that could go harder and faster as well as turn and stop better. What the best riders could do with an H2 on the predictable surface of a known race-track was IN THE CONTEXT OF THE TIME utterly stunning.We all knew that on the road they could 'bite' the unwary,hard! I believe they were so stunning because of what came before,and like virtually all of our 'classic' machines what came after has made their actual capabilities a bit of a joke.Yep...if you use the yardstick of what we have enjoyed since then the money being paid for the triples may seem farcical. But people are paying stunning money for good T500's as well and I can recall when they could be picked up for peanuts.

Steve Searles · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 6:01 am Post subject: Over Rated Kaw Triples

I hoped some one would enjoy the candid views of a seasoned veteran of the two stroke battles. Can you say "wet spark plug". Laughing

ductune · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:07 am Post subject:

They weren't that bad. I had an H1 I toured on for at least three years then raced for a season before rebuilding it. Lots of piston slap but very reliable. We used to endurance race H2s and I can't remember any major mechanical failures.

Most people that rode Kawasaki triples beat the crap out of them because they were a performance bike. Many were modified by people experimenting with different port timings so certainly there were failures but left stock or modified by someone with the right knowledge they were fine. I would get some at the shop that vibrated badly and would discover they had untrue cranks because of a crash or someone using a hammer in place of the proper puller to remove a flywheel or rotor. Never understood the 2 stroke VS 4 stroke biases. At the time it was different tools for different jobs.

H2Lou · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 8:16 am Post subject:

H2Lou · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 2:31 pm Post subject:

this is my buddies street (barely) legal H2...I think it goes just fine yah old whiny baby jammy tarts. Shocked

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roOUFN6U4qw

Steve Searles · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 2:46 pm Post subject:

I knew H2Lou would chime in on this one. I like the wheelie the drag bike did and did you notice you didn't see the bike in the other lane until the race was over. Cool video. Good thread. The H1 & H2 Kaw triples may be the most controversial bikes on the planet. I hate riding behind a smokin' two stroke. Sounds like a pack of bees slicing thru the countryside. EPA would have a fit. We need clean air dammit. Rolling Eyes

tbpmusic · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 3:41 pm Post subject:

My experience with them was a mixed bag - most of Steve's comments are on target.
Incredible acceleration once they came "on the pipe" - the 500 was particularly "pipey", about 15 hp till you hit the rpm curve, then kicked in the back with 50 hp or better.
Ill-handling brutes to be sure, and offensive to my 4-stroke sensibilities in nearly all aspects, noisy, smelly, smoky, impossible to get the carbs right.
But you never challenged one to a showdown unless there were lots of twisties and hopefully big altitude changes involved.

Now a fella that worked in the shop with me in those days built twin-engine dragsters with H1 and H2 variations - he held the high-altitude records for a while (this was in Denver). Perfect for what he did with them, and he didn't care if it only ran well for a few minutes at a time.

Swedemoto · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:26 pm Post subject:

Like any bike, set up properly it handles fine. If you want one, get one, you won't regret it. You should at least be able to get back your investment. For an un-Honda biased opinion, check out [url=http://www.kawasakitriplesworldwide.com]/url]

BenEberle · Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:26 pm Post subject:

Ha! This has sparked a TREMENDOUS discussion, fellas!
I watched that drag video, like....4 times. If I counted right, it looks like he does the 1/4 mile in about 10 seconds, roughly. That's pretty good, right?

I hear both sides of the story for sure, and I appreciate the open, no harm, no foul, frankness all have brought. I don't know why I like 2 strokes as much as I do...it's just unexplainable.

My guess is that if I ran into an 'affordable' H1 or H2 I'd take it over to the motorsports shop where there's a 2-stroke buff who loves these machines. I was always a skeptic of the middle cylinder - one of the reasons I went with the purchase of my T500.

BUT I STILL WANT A KAWI TRIPLE!