Topic: 1974 kawasaki h2 fairinged widow maker build

[innovativems]

So havnt really named this one but wanted to start my build thread.  Plan is to have it done around March 2019.

So there was a salvage yard in rye arizona.  The guy had some great stuff but was the not friendly old timer that wanted $100 for a bolt on the ground and wouldn't sell hardly anything at all.  Couple years back there was a fire and he lost some stuff but alot remained unhurt from it. 

The EPA told him he could not have all of the bikes and cars there and was given two years to clean it out.  After the deadline they would fine the landlord everyday until it was cleared out.  He didn't do anything to clean it up and was evicted by the landlord.  A local salvage in phoenix , Bob's swooped in and hauled it all away.  I was the first person to find out they had an h2 and told them I'd take it.  Hooked up my trailer and made the 1.5 hour drive up the mountains to see this place and bring home my first triple.


When I got up there, they had already hauled two hundred bikes out.  There was about 1200 total and it was amazing.  My h2 was three rows in and surrounded by other kawi's.  There was a great avenger and two h1's.  I brought some extra money and brought home the 75 h1 also.  Later I also got a rd350 and cl175. 



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[innovativems]

So put the bike off to the side because I was already project heavy.  Moved back to Iowa and brought the h2 and h1 with.  Ended up selling the h1 and now have a game plan for the h2. 


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[innovativems]

So here's the plan so far, Framecrafters will brace the frame and change the neck angle to make it handle.  Paul Gast will do the top end and undercut the trans gears.  He said the motor will make around 120hp with his setup. Framecrafters will do a alloy swingarm for it and I'll upgrade the wheels and suspension. 

It's going to have fairings and some green metal flake. 


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[MikeSimon]

Sounds like a sound plan. Although it is totally beyond me why somebody would throw that much money at a 70s bike and NOT make it original. No matter how much "Framecrafters" fiddle with it, it will never handle as good as a modern 600 or 750. No matter how much hp it will put out, it will not outrun a modern Superbike. All that money used toward returning it to its original glory and you may have something that has a value representing the investment.

[slikwilli420]

Different strokes I guess. I'm excited to see the resto mod. Making these things handle like something other than a tractor is very appealing to a lot of people. I like the sound of a bike that looks and handles as well as anything from the era. Also the argument about a stock modern bike blowing it away so why do it is pretty haggard and used up. I do it because it brings me joy and because I can.

[innovativems]

It's no different then any bike i build for myself.  Just like when i built my rc51 track bike, any newer 600 walks on it in the straight but there is something about that bike that is unlike any other bike.  The handling and just sound it makes is something I wouldn't change.  On any bike that I want to build for myself, i usually find something that's in really bad shape and have some fun.  If this was a 72 or a decent shape h2, i would restore it.  but from sitting in the arizona sun for about 20 years in a salvage yard, i can either, restore it or for about the same money build a h2r-ish monster that actually handles, stops, and moves. 

I'll take a bike that's got personality and is built how i want vs an out of the box bike anyday (within reason).  I would take a hp4 beamer and any of the new liter bikes with 200ish hp. 

[innovativems]

Different strokes I guess. I'm excited to see the resto mod. Making these things handle like something other than a tractor is very appealing to a lot of people. I like the sound of a bike that looks and handles as well as anything from the era. Also the argument about a stock modern bike blowing it away so why do it is pretty haggard and used up. I do it because it brings me joy and because I can.

Thanks!  I'm excited to see it too!  I completely agree, it's just like when i bought my rz350.  I could have bought alot of other bikes for that price that handle better, stop better, ride better and are faster.  But, nothing compares to that smile you can't wipe off, after riding that bike. 

[innovativems]

So if anyone is bored and want's some light reading, here are some stories on the place I rescued the h2 from.  It was call All Bikes AZ.

https://jalopnik.com/arizona-fire-destroys-9-000-motorcycles-in-one-night-633898744

https://selvedgeyard.com/2009/02/23/all-bikes-a-rye-sense-of-humor/

http://minibikehacks.blogspot.com/2012/05/all-bikes-rye-az-possibly-largest.html

[Stev-o]

Great story on saving it and dont think twice about any negative remarks about your plan, I like it.  Anyone can restore one back to original!! [although not super easy, trust me on that!]

Gast has a great reputation and the thought of 120 hp blows my mind!

[innovativems]

Thanks stev-o!  When I was talking to Paul he has a road race setup good for 150hp!!!   


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[ken65]

Good luck with your build. Just a picture of my mates old kwaka.    USD forks , monoshock,  upgraded brakes etc.  They're beasts.

[Powderman]

At first I questioned the number of 9k bikes, till I realized most of them were POS bicycles. The comments on the one story got closed because everyone said what an #$%* the guy was. More fake news in the story that said he lost ALL of his bikes, except the ones you bought and the rest that are left.

[754]

Sounds like a sound plan. Although it is totally beyond me why somebody would throw that much money at a 70s bike and NOT make it original. No matter how much "Framecrafters" fiddle with it, it will never handle as good as a modern 600 or 750. No matter how much hp it will put out, it will not outrun a modern Superbike. All that money used toward returning it to its original glory and you may have something that has a value representing the investment.

A lot of us would maybe have stock bikes if we wanted to , but we dont..
 Which is a good thing, because it would be a boring world.
 I would rather have a bike uniquely mine, than the same as most of the others.

 That said it can be expensive to put a tired bike back to original.. if that does not make you happy, or is not what you want...why even bother.
 If I get a chance to build a KO 750 , it will be a hotrod street racer, no sense ( to me), in spending 7 k or more to have something that won't put a wicked smile on my face..

[innovativems]

I really dig that bike!  amazing how well they do with some better suspension on them.  especially better brakes.

[innovativems]

Haha agreed, gotta have some excitement. 

A hotrod K0 would make some people cry!  but i completely agree with you.  If i find a bike in good shape and complete, i would keep it original but i'm starting with a roached out bike, then she's getting built how i want it to be. 

[innovativems]

Yeah, some of the things in there aren't completely accurate.  But before the fire, i had heard he had a jaw dropping amount of motorcycles and random stuff.  He did have alot of bicycles too. 

I personally never got the chance to meet Ron.  I had heard stories both ways.  Many were that the guy would yell at you if you touched anything and would want $100 for a bolt laying in the dirt.  I knew a couple guys that had some luck with him.  But you had to approach him a certain way and much of the stuff he was attached to and didn't even want to sell it.  Yeah I don't know why the news all said he lost all of it, because there was alot there when i went.  There was about 1200 bicycles, and over 1000 motorcycles and a bunch of random stuff such as gold carts, 3 wheelers, snowmobiles, go carts and cars.  There was a z1, a sandcast, some british bikes, a ton of 2 stroke triple suzukis, quite a few rd's, 2 h1's, 1 h2, some s model triples and a whole bunch of other bikes.

The part that i can't figure out, after moving your stuff from washington and losing a bunch of it in the fire, why wouldn't you move it when you're given two years to clean up that lot.  He literally lost all of it. 

[754]

Here is part of what I have to build a K0 hotrod.
10,×××  engine cases, were 1080 so already bored out, blew a rodslight damage. 69 cases.
Early top end, ported, 970cc but worn. May go 1000. Cylinder and head hexed, chopper junk to some, perfect for me.
Set of Webers or Dellortos, probably a magneto..  a 69 frame that has been modded  would be nice to find.
Have a let K0 frame and more motors.
 I think a hot rod 69 would be cool..

[innovativems]

Oh heck ya!  Now that i want to see!

[innovativems]

Been slow on the updates.  So I finally pulled the heads off, as i never have on this bike.  and found a surprise.  one piston is missing! and a bunch of dirt in the cylinder!

[palepainter]

Did you get those at that place off the 87 on way to Payson?

[Stev-o]

Been slow on the updates.  So I finally pulled the heads off, as i never have on this bike.  and found a surprise.  one piston is missing! and a bunch of dirt in the cylinder!

Not a good surprise!   What brand of pistons do you plan to use? I've used Wiseco's but a lot of guys on the Triples forum recommend Wossners.
Do you plan to rebuild the crank?

[innovativems]

Did you get those at that place off the 87 on way to Payson?

haha i did!

[innovativems]

Been slow on the updates.  So I finally pulled the heads off, as i never have on this bike.  and found a surprise.  one piston is missing! and a bunch of dirt in the cylinder!

Not a good surprise!   What brand of pistons do you plan to use? I've used Wiseco's but a lot of guys on the Triples forum recommend Wossners.
Do you plan to rebuild the crank?

Paul Gast is gonna do the crank, undercut the trans, and do the entire top end for me with his 120hp setup.  Not sure which pistons he is running.

[innovativems]

Here's is the beast opened up.  Got me some of that good Arizona dirt scraped off of it. 


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[innovativems]

So after alot of thinking and back and forth with Framecrafters, i came to a conclusion.  I wanted this motor in something that would perform like my track bike/sport bikes.  and to modify the existing or getting a custom chassis from framecrafters or cmr, would be very $$ and still not get me exactly what i wanted.  So after a few beers one night and starring at the motor, i came to my conclusion. 

I'm going to put this motor in a 89-90 zx7!  I always loved the loves of them, it's also a 750, the early suzuka zxr750's are some of my favorites, and it has the lower motor cradle to make it not to bad to mount it.

So I got a titled frame and a gas tank in route and will build her up piece by piece.  Paul Gast will do the motor, Nils will vapor blast the motor, and i found a guy in canada that does chamber pipe kits so i can get it to hug the frame and clear fairings.