Topic: Yes, a Z1 & H1- unofficial Kawasaki thread - H2 is now a rider!!!

[Stev-o]

Thanks for the compliments😀 I found the bike in an old chicken coop along with 2 H1D'S and parts and pieces of 3 early H1/H1A's. $1200 Canadian and I was on my way.
The bike was rough and missing a lot of parts. I sourced a lot of parts by trading my stash of early H1 parts. Took a couple of years to collect everything, including a fair amount of reproduction parts. Most of the chrome parts are original and rechromed.

The bike had been dropped numerous time so I had to straighten the brake pedal mount, the exhaust mounts and the brake pedal itself. The PO welded the kick start to the shaft!  Since the kick starters are unobtainium for these bikes I had to carefully grind the weld off to save the assembly.
Sorry, don't want to highjack your thread Steve. You are going to find this bike very different from your H1! Torque everywhere. I couldn't stand the stock carbs and replaced them with Mikuni TM34's. Still tuning but way more power and drivability.

Thats quite a story, my respect for you has quadrupled!  PO's can make restorations difficult, the worst I can say for mine is he didnt put it back together!

The carbs are up next, pretty sure they are VM30's.

[Stev-o]

Update:

Here are the carbs that came with the bike, pretty grungy looking. 




I disassembled them and sent them to RestoCycle [Nils] for vapor blasting.  The results are fantastic!  If you are not having your parts "vaped", you are missing out!  Here is how they are now....









One of the pilot jets was blocked so I bought all new jets, genuine Mikuni of course, and NOS check valves for the float bowls.  For you "non-smokers" this bike pumps two stroke oil into the crankcase and also into the carb bowls for lubrication.
I also ordered new plungers and am awaiting on those to get the carbs back together. The plungers are for cold start "enrichening", [Kawasaki doesnt call it choking] there are no butterflies on these carbs. The choke lever is on the left control and a 1 to 3 cable runs to each carb.
I'd choose Mikuni over Keihin any day to service! [sorry Honda guys]



Heres the oil pump, luckily all the oil lines are usable as these can be difficult [and expensive] to replace...




...and now installed with new banjo bolt washers....






Bought a Delkevic exhaust a few months ago, birthday present to myself!  Very well packed and chrome quality appears to be excellent...




Came with no instructions and none on their website for the H2, a call to them answered my question on the mounting bracket for the R side.  Fairly easy to install and the fit is perfect. Not cheap but if you want stock appearance no other options that I know of other than used forty year old damaged pipes.
They are long.........





Ok, a question for you H2 experts:  I have three of these clamps leftover from the exhaust install and dont know where they go! An email to Delkavic has gone unanswered.

[ekpent]

 Does the H2 have that important check valve system for the injection oil so it does not flood your case. Sure your up on all that stuff. Nice pipes,no clue on your clamps. Bike is coming along beautifully Steve.

[Stev-o]

Does the H2 have that important check valve system for the injection oil so it does not flood your case. Sure your up on all that stuff. Nice pipes,no clue on your clamps. Bike is coming along beautifully Steve.

Yes, it does.  Hydrolock is the issue you have in mind and can bend rods...ouch.   

I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel on this project.

[02z06dave]

Have you seen an ad for that bike auction coming up in WI? They've got a couple H1s, an H2, and an S3. One of the H1s is a 69. It looks a little rough, but I'm going to try for it. It looks like a good resto-mod candidate.

[ekpent]

 Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

[Stev-o]

Have you seen an ad for that bike auction coming up in WI?

Have not, Dave.  Trying not to buy, I still have another H1 & an S2 waiting in the Batcave for a resto one day.
However, like you, I would like an early one.

Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Yes, "Midnight White"

[ekpent]

 Steve I am sure you have seen or followed this 500 that Rick Brett bought at mid Ohio for $5,000 in 2015. He really loves that bike. Couple of different videos and I think he had a whole link dedicated to it when his forum was up and running. Remember another vid where he was riding it in a group ride around the Traverse City area and another I think when they actually got it running at Mid Ohio after buying and he was riding it around there.  That guy is a real hoot ! 

[Stev-o]

Steve I am sure you have seen or followed this 500 that Rick Brett bought at mid Ohio for $5,000 in 2015. He really loves that bike. Couple of different videos and I think he had a whole link dedicated to it when his forum was up and running. Remember another vid where he was riding it in a group ride around the Traverse City area and another I think when they actually got it running at Mid Ohio after buying and he was riding it around there.  That guy is a real hoot ! 

Oh yeah, he had a thread on it on the Triples forum.  Unbelievable really! 

On a side note, I never did hear about his annual birthday bash in MI this year?

[KayOne]

The bike is coming along nicely. The carb finish is awesome!
The clamps fit at the end of the header pipe and butt up against the muffler clamps. I have never understood what they are for, possibly to stop the header flange from falling off the header when it is removed from the engine?

[Stev-o]

The bike is coming along nicely. The carb finish is awesome!
The clamps fit at the end of the header pipe and butt up against the muffler clamps. I have never understood what they are for, possibly to stop the header flange from falling off the header when it is removed from the engine?

Thanks.   A member on the Triple's forum also replied that the clamp goes there, I dont get it either. Both the header and the muffler are securely fastened, I'm not going to install it unless I see the need once running or someone gives me info why it is necessary.

[02z06dave]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

[ken65]

Seen a set of those exact pipes at a swap meet a while ago. They looked great.
Those carbies look good too. I got mine done on the RD and look brand new.

[ekpent]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

Couldn't dig the auction out of his website yet for more pictures but looks like some descent stuff. See a "1969 CB750" also.  The online bidding may make for some higher prices if word gets out.  I have not had good luck the last few auctions I have gone to trying to buy a descent bike. Seems the cream rises to the top.

[Stev-o]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

Dave - that blue '72 H2 would be a good bike to pick up as well.   

[02z06dave]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

Dave - that blue '72 H2 would be a good bike to pick up as well.

That looks like a better bike to pick up, too, but I can only afford one. The h1 is calling out to me

[Stev-o]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

Dave - that blue '72 H2 would be a good bike to pick up as well.

That looks like a better bike to pick up, too, but I can only afford one. The h1 is calling out to me

Gotta go with what you feel!  Beware, they are expensive to restore correctly.   

[02z06dave]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

Dave - that blue '72 H2 would be a good bike to pick up as well.

That looks like a better bike to pick up, too, but I can only afford one. The h1 is calling out to me

Gotta go with what you feel!  Beware, they are expensive to restore correctly.

Aren't they all?

[Stev-o]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

Dave - that blue '72 H2 would be a good bike to pick up as well.

That looks like a better bike to pick up, too, but I can only afford one. The h1 is calling out to me

Gotta go with what you feel!  Beware, they are expensive to restore correctly.

Aren't they all?

Ha....yeah, they can be.  The H series parts can be very pricey compared to the Honda parts.

Here's an H1 tank if you need one for that '69.....

https://austin.craigslist.org/mpo/d/1970-kawasaki-h1-mach-3-gas/6285288659.html

[ekpent]

 Root beer may be back in style soon     https://gearheads.org/coming-soon-kawasakis-retro-z900rs-with-supercharged-models-to-follow/

[Stev-o]

Root beer may be back in style soon     https://gearheads.org/coming-soon-kawasakis-retro-z900rs-with-supercharged-models-to-follow/

Yeah, saw that. Will be unveiled next month in Tokyo, rumored price for the basic model will be $13K, cheaper than I thought.
Cant imagine it with a super charger, Kaw may be back on top?

[ekpent]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

  I see the auction catalog is now out for the 200+ bikes with the Kaws etc.  https://www.proxibid.com/aspr/ABSOLUTE-AUCTION-OF-205-MOTORCYLCES/133274/Catalog.asp?aid=133274&rts=/asp/searchadvanced_i.asp%23searchid%3D0%26type%3Dauction%26search%3Dmotorcycle%26sort%3Drelevance%26view%3Dgallery%26length%3D25%26start%3D1%26refine%3D%26category%3Dall%2Bcategories

[Stev-o]

Do you have a link for that Dave or are you keeping that close to your vest. Was the 1969 500 the white painted one ?

Here's a link. I call dibs on the 69 h1

https://columbus.craigslist.org/mcd/d/absolute-auction-live-online/6296578741.html

  I see the auction catalog is now out for the 200+ bikes with the Kaws etc.  https://www.proxibid.com/aspr/ABSOLUTE-AUCTION-OF-205-MOTORCYLCES/133274/Catalog.asp?aid=133274&rts=/asp/searchadvanced_i.asp%23searchid%3D0%26type%3Dauction%26search%3Dmotorcycle%26sort%3Drelevance%26view%3Dgallery%26length%3D25%26start%3D1%26refine%3D%26category%3Dall%2Bcategories

I wont be bidding but good luck to Dave.

I see someone bid 35 CENTS on the '79 CBX, good luck with that!

[ekpent]

 It will be fun to see how it all shakes out. See there is a 1975 Z1B that looks fairly original that was up to a whopping 50 bucks and a few triples that may have a title and some other stuff 2 stroke and 4 that I will be curious to see. Lot of pain there also as a lot of those crotch rockets had some serious front end damage-OUCH 

[MikeSimon]

So, this is inventory from MachIVMotors, a guy who sells parted out bikes on ebay all the time. If I am not mistaken, it is the same guy as mistermonkeyclaw. Anybody knows if he is bankrupt?