October 4, 2020, first amzing ride after the restoration on my 1969 Kawasaki H1 Mach III, european version.The VIN number suggests that it is probaly one of the last '69 H1s with white bodywork arrived in Italy.
I purchased a brand new 1971 H1 Mach III when I was 18 years old. The sound of that engine is still highly intoxicating to me. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT !!! Nothing at the time sounded as good as that engine, especially when it was in the power band.........It literally sounded as if it was roaring........SUWEEET !!! My favorite color and year was the 1970 red one, which a couple of friends owned that one, but even though blue is not my color, the 1971 ' Laser Blue ' color did grow on and excite me. I remember well sitting in my senior high school class with only a month or two till graduation anticipating graduation and summer and buying my ' Cow ' in June with the whole summer ahead of me..........Ah, life is good !!!!!
Rode a '69 H1 when I was in high school. My buddy rode it first. Belonged to a doctor we knew. Buddy came back and said watch it. It is a beast. I rode it, dogged it and was disappointed and thought Bull, it's slow. NO, no no. Pin it, watch the tach and when it hits 5000 RPM's get ready. So, I did. I was dragging my toes and the bike was vertical. You climbed forward on the tank and it still lifted up a couple of feet on the front. It was a wild ass rocket ship. Only bad was it had to be herded through corners. Not very good handling. The scream, oh the scream. Intoxicating.
Nice! Reminds me of my own 1969 which I bought new. I had the optional gearing, which I advise not to install unless you're an adrenaline junkie! I was. If you ever full throttle this bike in first gear watch the tach, when it's approaching 4k begin the shift! You'll be at redline (8700rpms) by the time you can react to the clutch pull and toe shift! It's that fast!
Complimenti per il tuo Kawasaki Mach 500 H1, è stato il primo modello, ma ancora adesso è il più ricercato. Io ho il 500 Mach III H1 - D del 73...la verdona ". Abito a Saletto di Piave, quindi vicino a te. Spero di incontrarci .
I saw you use indicator at a roundabout. What about corners whether or not there's another car. It actually frees-up ones attention to just put it on . Intersection-corner equals indicator. I suggest just do it every intersection. We also owe it to these bikes; as we're custodians of them .
Yup, had one back then. Powerful with a very narrow powerband, but then again...to get 60 HP out of a piston-ported 500cc engine, they had to sacrifice somewhere. The only stock bike that could beat me was a neighbor's cousin on a also new '69 HD Sportster XLCH 900...but, he didn't beat me by much...
Had three H1. 69 72 75. All good. Ended up with a 73 Z1 as my Kawasaki daily ride. But my H1 was the best for the bike was a blast to ride. Had a 74 H2 750 wasn't a great ride like the H1 to much buzz in the bars and it had way to much power ... would have been better if it handled. The 400 triple was a screaming bike i had one set up as cafe racers. Beat 750 Honda's all day and night. Let the good times roll...!
