Thread: My 750 Triple Project re-ignites

Originally Posted by Geedublya

Collideascope do all repairs, painting etc.

They repainted my Ossa to original.

Wow I had an Ossa, 250, terrible bike, even worse than my Bultaco.

They didn't come up in my search, thanks I'll shoot them an email.

Originally Posted by Redback

Thanks I think, sorry I don't understand the plasticine bit ...

Back when I was riding the Kwak triples had a fearsome reputation for performance but handling was *ahem* a bit suspect. The joke at the time was they had a plasticine hinge in the frame that would allow flex when you least expected it.

The late 70s/ early 80s was a great time for Japanese bikes. I remember the Katana setting the world on its ear, the CBR1000R (I loved the C and D models), and finally the GPZ900R. It was when the Japenese finally managed to make frames that matched the performance (and each release had more horses than the last).

And I think the bikes looked so much better than today's

Originally Posted by theresanothersteve

Back when I was riding the Kwak triples had a fearsome reputation for performance but handling was *ahem* a bit suspect. The joke at the time was they had a plasticine hinge in the frame that would allow flex when you least expected it.

The late 70s/ early 80s was a great time for Japanese bikes. I remember the Katana setting the world on its ear, the CBR1000R (I loved the C and D models), and finally the GPZ900R. It was when the Japenese finally managed to make frames that matched the performance (and each release had more horses than the last).

And I think the bikes looked so much better than today's

It's funny how they had this reputation, I road a few after my first experience, even raced them(and a H1 500)and I found them to be quite a good handling bike compared to others of that era, there is a road test comparing the H2 to 3 or 4 other bikes, including the Z900 and apart from coming second in the 1/4mile test(Z900 came out on top) the H2 won all the other tests, including stopping and handling

I'll see if I can find the artical.

Here ya go

The H2 was comparison tested by Cycle magazine in 1973 against the Ducati 750, the Honda CB750, the Harley-Davidson Sportster 1000, the Kawasaki Z1, the Triumph Trident 750, and the Norton Commando 750. The competition consisted of acceleration, braking distance, and road race course lap-times. Each test was run several times including 10 attempts at a fastest road course time. The H2 was the fastest accelerating machine, posting the fastest 1/4 mile run on a drag strip. Experts were surprised at the other results. Despite an uncomfortable feel and slight front wheel hop under hard braking and not giving the sensation of stopping particularly fast it had the shortest stopping distance and highest braking G load of all the bikes. On the road course, despite what had been heard and written about its ill handling, frame flexing and the supposed tendency to speed wobble exiting high speed turns, it was tied for the fastest lap time with the Kawasaki Z-1 to the tenth of a second. Overall the Kawasaki H2 750 had the lowest ET, second-highest quarter-mile speed, the fastest lap time, the strongest braking force, the highest torque and horsepower readings on the dynamometer, the highest power-to-weight ratio, the lowest price and scored by points for performance was by far the least expensive per unit displacement.
Kawasaki's reputation for building what motorcycle writer Alastair Walker called, "scarily fast, good-looking, no holds barred motorcycles" began with the H1.
The H2 was part of the rise of the Japanese superbikes, contributing to the decline of Harley Davidson, and nearly extinguished the British motorcycle industry in the US for a long period.


Kawasaki H2 (Mach IV): Fast facts

• A H2 ridden by Mike Steele and Dave Burgess won the Australian 1972 Castrol Six-Hour production race. In New Zealand, H2s ridden by Alan Collison and Owen Galbraith were almost unbeatable until 1975, particularly on short, street circuits where their combination of moderate weight and excellent acceleration was ideal.
• The first racing H2-R came to Australia in February 1973 and was raced by Ron Toombs. On it he won 12 races from 14 starts that year. Toombs died after crashing a Yamaha TZ350 at Bathurst in 1979.
• At Daytona in 1973, Masahiro Wada on a factory H2-R clocked a speed of 264km/h.
• During 1975, Team Kawasaki Australia's riders, Gregg Hansford and Murray Sayle, won 29 races from 31 starts on their H2-Rs and took first and second places in the Australian Unlimited Championship.
• Even as late as 1976, Gregg Hansford was having considerable success with the H2-R. At Bathurst he was faster than the new, factory water-cooled KR 750 and TKA was instructed not to race the older bike any more.

It had an unwarranted reputation.

Great memories
I had a H1 (500cc) triple in 1972. Mine was the front drum brake model, a truly frightening bike with horrible handling but great fun for a 17 year old L plater. Pulled great monos when you hit 5000 rpm especially with my girlfriend on the back. A bit later I put some expansion chambers on it and changed the porting and it became even more insane!! You sit back these days and wonder how you actually survived.
Nick

Originally Posted by Redback

Just got off the phone for a quote on painting the body work, not that much more than when I got a quote about 10yrs ago, $1500 from Ace of Sprays n the Capalaba in Brisbane, can't find anyone to do it here or anywhere in NSW.

Zion Moto in St Marys unable to do it? I was going to ask them to do the XJR fairing to match the bike.

Originally Posted by Nick S

Great memories
I had a H1 (500cc) triple in 1972. Mine was the front drum brake model, a truly frightening bike with horrible handling but great fun for a 17 year old L plater. Pulled great monos when you hit 5000 rpm especially with my girlfriend on the back. A bit later I put some expansion chambers on it and changed the porting and it became even more insane!! You sit back these days and wonder how you actually survived.
Nick

I loved my H1, I had the first of the disc brake models 71/72, road it for a while on the road, and in standard form did a couple of hill climbs at Amaroo Park Hill climb circuit, then stripped it down and started doing outright club days and Post Classic racing, raced it for around 5yrs.

Here she is, I change the colour, same design but in the S2 colour scheme

Originally Posted by p38arover

Zion Moto in St Marys unable to do it? I was going to ask them to do the XJR fairing to match the bike.

Hi Ron, didn't know about them either, didn't come up in any of my searches, I'll give them a call.

Originally Posted by Redback

Hi Ron, didn't know about them either, didn't come up in any of my searches, I'll give them a call.

Naughty Ness! I sent her two text messages for you on 29th Oct with their details and website Zion Motorbike Repairs Re sprays & free DIY Info

Originally Posted by p38arover

Naughty Ness! I sent her two text messages for you on 29th Oct with their details and website Zion Motorbike Repairs Re sprays & free DIY Info

No texts recieved Ron, she went back through her phone and couldn't find anything.