Kawaski H1D restoration

johnnyc14 · 11-05-2010, 08:26 AM

After finishing my DT250A and the Honda CL450 projects I'm now working on a 73 Kawasaki Mach III. I'll update the pictures as I go but here's what I'm starting with. A rough but complete bike that I paid way too much money for because I always loved the sound of these things when I was a kid. Engine is seized but there's lot of parts available.

The bike only has 5100 original miles on it but they must have been hard miles.

It's got a Harley style 16" rear wheel but I got the original wheel with the bike

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 08:38 AM

why would anyone put that rear wheel on n H1!?

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 08:39 AM

TW fully restored those go for silly money....like 20 grand.

Uncle Pollo · 11-05-2010, 08:42 AM

Build a trail bike out of that.

Leave it to me on your will.

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PolloAsado

Build a trail bike out of that.

Leave it to me on your will.

I rode a H2 on the dirt once.......ONCE. I was 17 and it scared me.

killfile · 11-05-2010, 09:15 AM

JEALOUS!
Now that I've sold one of my T500s and a T250, I really really want a Kawi Triple. I've never owned a Kawasaki, and that's the only one I've every REALLY wanted...

BTW, have you seen this?

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/20...lytank-triple/

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=412698

nachtflug · 11-05-2010, 09:21 AM

nobody ever T boned a Buick as hard as I did and walked away from it. My H1 didn't make it.

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 09:33 AM

the H2 first came out, I knew the owner of Mikes Kawasaki here in Albuquerque. He lived right up the street from me. I will never forget one of the coolest things I ever saw that he did one day. He had a brand new demo H2 at home for lunch on a hot summer day. I was out in the front yard of our house when he came by on his way back to work. We lived on a residential street about a quarter mile long from my house to the stop sign at the ned of our street. He came round the corner on the mighty H2 and looked at me and popped a wheelie all the way to the end of the street! I almost peed myself. I never figured within a month I would be able to do that on an H2.

caponerd · 11-05-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniper X

TW fully restored those go for silly money....like 20 grand.

You're joking.

If they're worth that much, I better drag all the bits out of the garage and get to work. Been sitting on an H1 project for 15 years. Haven't had enough incentive to spend any time on it.
I have a complete bike in peices, a spare rolling chassis, a spare exhaust system, two gas tanks (one dented) a couple of core early model engines, a set of .5mm over pistons, a random collection of NOS parts that I bought from a Kawasaki dealer once....

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caponerd

You're joking.

If they're worth that much, I better drag all the bits out of the garage and get to work. Been sitting on an H1 project for 15 years. Haven't had enough incentive to spend any time on it.
I have a complete bike in peices, a spare rolling chassis, a spare exhaust system, two gas tanks (one dented) a couple of core early model engines, a set of .5mm over pistons, a random collection of NOS parts that I bought from a Kawasaki dealer once....

start looking at the ones that sell on EBAy that have been fully restored....H2s and H1s.

caponerd · 11-05-2010, 09:51 AM

I think that's on a you-tube video.
I admire it for the skill and ingenuity that went into it, but I don't really like it all that much.
If someone wanted to build a motorcycle from scratch with modern cycle parts, why not just use a modern engine. Those Kawasaki triple engines are cool in their own way, but there so many engines available that are so much better in every way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by killfile

JEALOUS!
Now that I've sold one of my T500s and a T250, I really really want a Kawi Triple. I've never owned a Kawasaki, and that's the only one I've every REALLY wanted...

BTW, have you seen this?

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/20...lytank-triple/

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=412698

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 09:52 AM

Plus it is ugly as ass.

caponerd · 11-05-2010, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sniper X

start looking at the ones that sell on EBAy that have been fully restored....H2s and H1s.

The thing is, if they're really going for that kind of money, I could do a full restoration and easily break even, or even come out ahead. I don't need any parts, just a crankshaft rebuild (needs new seals), rebore, painting, polishing and plating.

Not that it would matter, I bought this bike new in 1975, and it would be fun to just have it back on the road.

Sniper X · 11-05-2010, 09:56 AM

If you do the majority of work yourself and the bike iis all there now you would be way ahead.

Danamr · 11-05-2010, 09:57 AM

That exact model was my first big bike. I had chrome stingers on it not black. Koni shocks.
Fun bike. Don't forget the swing arm bearing. The OEM was PLASTIC. I don't what they were thinking. There were several conversion kits to metal out at the time.
It was actually not too insane a bike. The extra weight help keep the nose down. It was a great LA freeway bike. Narrow, and you did not need to make it do much turning.
Have fun.

11-05-2010, 08:26 AM	#1
johnnyc14 ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Mar 2008 Location: St. Albert, Alberta Oddometer: 199	Kawaski H1D restoration After finishing my DT250A and the Honda CL450 projects I'm now working on a 73 Kawasaki Mach III. I'll update the pictures as I go but here's what I'm starting with. A rough but complete bike that I paid way too much money for because I always loved the sound of these things when I was a kid. Engine is seized but there's lot of parts available. The bike only has 5100 original miles on it but they must have been hard miles. It's got a Harley style 16" rear wheel but I got the original wheel with the bike __________________ John 1971 Honda CL450 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ight=johnnyc14 1972 Kawasaki F9 Bighorn 1973 Kawasaki H1D Mach III http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=634816 1974 Yamaha DT250 http://advrider.com/forums/showthrea...ighlight=dt250 2003 Suzuki DRZ400S 2008 Kawasaki ZG1400

11-05-2010, 08:38 AM	#2
Sniper X De Oppresso Liber Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Central New Mexico, 7420ft above sea level Oddometer: 30,297	why would anyone put that rear wheel on n H1!? __________________ "I claim to be frightened of horses but do so only to get out of attending parades. It's peculiar but ...it works. The Horses get it. RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE. IT'S VOLTAGE DIVIDED BY CURRENT

11-05-2010, 08:39 AM	#3
Sniper X De Oppresso Liber Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Central New Mexico, 7420ft above sea level Oddometer: 30,297	TW fully restored those go for silly money....like 20 grand. __________________ "I claim to be frightened of horses but do so only to get out of attending parades. It's peculiar but ...it works. The Horses get it. RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE. IT'S VOLTAGE DIVIDED BY CURRENT

11-05-2010, 08:42 AM	#4
Uncle Pollo Von Hochstaden's son Joined: Jun 2006 Location: Albuquerque, Neue Messico Oddometer: 44,962	Build a trail bike out of that. Leave it to me on your will. __________________ mikuni vm32-33 both sides :\ 5000 feet altitude/ 140 main \ 159 02 needle jet\ 6F4 needle in the middle setting\ 0.5 air jet\ pilot 25/3.0 slide 35 mpg around town riding like a asno

11-05-2010, 09:33 AM	#8
Sniper X De Oppresso Liber Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Central New Mexico, 7420ft above sea level Oddometer: 30,297	the H2 first came out, I knew the owner of Mikes Kawasaki here in Albuquerque. He lived right up the street from me. I will never forget one of the coolest things I ever saw that he did one day. He had a brand new demo H2 at home for lunch on a hot summer day. I was out in the front yard of our house when he came by on his way back to work. We lived on a residential street about a quarter mile long from my house to the stop sign at the ned of our street. He came round the corner on the mighty H2 and looked at me and popped a wheelie all the way to the end of the street! I almost peed myself. I never figured within a month I would be able to do that on an H2. __________________ "I claim to be frightened of horses but do so only to get out of attending parades. It's peculiar but ...it works. The Horses get it. RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE. IT'S VOLTAGE DIVIDED BY CURRENT

11-05-2010, 09:15 AM	#6
killfile 49/50 Joined: May 2010 Location: SF, CA Oddometer: 351	JEALOUS! Now that I've sold one of my T500s and a T250, I really really want a Kawi Triple. I've never owned a Kawasaki, and that's the only one I've every REALLY wanted... BTW, have you seen this? http://thekneeslider.com/archives/20...lytank-triple/ http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=412698

11-05-2010, 09:21 AM	#7
nachtflug infidel Joined: Jan 2002 Location: New York Oddometer: 42,851	nobody ever T boned a Buick as hard as I did and walked away from it. My H1 didn't make it.

11-05-2010, 09:52 AM	#12
Sniper X De Oppresso Liber Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Central New Mexico, 7420ft above sea level Oddometer: 30,297	Plus it is ugly as ass. __________________ "I claim to be frightened of horses but do so only to get out of attending parades. It's peculiar but ...it works. The Horses get it. RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE. IT'S VOLTAGE DIVIDED BY CURRENT

11-05-2010, 09:56 AM	#14
Sniper X De Oppresso Liber Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Central New Mexico, 7420ft above sea level Oddometer: 30,297	If you do the majority of work yourself and the bike iis all there now you would be way ahead. __________________ "I claim to be frightened of horses but do so only to get out of attending parades. It's peculiar but ...it works. The Horses get it. RESISTANCE IS NOT FUTILE. IT'S VOLTAGE DIVIDED BY CURRENT

11-05-2010, 09:57 AM	#15
Danamr Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2003 Location: Seattle, WA Oddometer: 282	That exact model was my first big bike. I had chrome stingers on it not black. Koni shocks. Fun bike. Don't forget the swing arm bearing. The OEM was PLASTIC. I don't what they were thinking. There were several conversion kits to metal out at the time. It was actually not too insane a bike. The extra weight help keep the nose down. It was a great LA freeway bike. Narrow, and you did not need to make it do much turning. Have fun.

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