In today's episode we have the most iconic Kawasaki motorcycle. This is the historical father of X2. It has a unique 750cc two-stroke triple engine - a real widowmaker! Enjoy watching.
Okay, I am one of the people who actually owned these bikes, two of them a 1972 750 blue and a 1974 green with Denco heads and chambers. I was 18 in 1978 when I got the first one the 72 and in the 82d Abn Div at Ft Bragg. I just want to say that the H1 500 was the actual widowmaker due to the slightly less robust forks and frame setup in those days. My 750's were pretty bad ass and would do the high speed wobble up around 100 which was not really a problem because not many people cruised around at 100 mph even in those days. I hear so many bikes being called widowmaker on youtube that it really has kind of watered down the actual dangerousness of the H1 500. Just my 2 cents for what it is worth from one of the few on youtube who actually put many many miles on these bikes. The 750's were reliable with basic care and just so much fun to tear around on at Bragg on the back roads, I hate myself every day for selling them years later, what a huge mistake that was.
You are correct sir, the H1 500 was the true death machine, but the 750 was as bad with an inexperienced rider, these bikes were made for someone who grew up riding bikes as a young kid and could handle that type of power. Unleashing these on a newbie rider was almost a crime.
I had the 500 and the 750. They were quite scary to ride on, you never knew when it wouldn't wobble but usually in a bend. The sound was addictive I couldn't get enough of it. On the highway the handles became twice as thick and your hands quickly became numb. I have never had any problems with the middle cylinder, but I have had problems with worn crankshaft bearings and blown ignition. I have never ridden a motorcycle that had such a nice looking engine. 2-stroke is fun to ride and the violence that is released in the power band is a thrill you never get used to :-) To go short; 100% awesomeness
$1560.00 bucks Canadian with a bell helmet, dag bars out the door, rode 17,000 miles April thru October 1974. # yes one season. Toronto to Vancouver and back 11 days in the saddle. logged 7,200 miles on that trip alone. Could not get enough loved that machine, Ride A 1100 zrx now.
The engine was indeed too powerful for that era's suspension and brakes . The single disc front brake with the caliper 'ahead' of the fork tube really makes me nervous .
I bet it was absolutely scary, I’ve ridden many bikes from that era and they were all garbage except for the motors. They liked to go straight on smooth roads and that’s about it.
I had a KH250 and upon passing my test looked at getting an H2,however,after looking it over,I was alarmed to see that the frame was virtually the same as the KH250's.Needless to say I said no thank you and bought a Z1 1000 instead.But,the Kawasaki 2 stroke triple induction howl makes it,imo,the best sounding motorcycle engine yet produced.
You must be joking 10 liters in 100 kilometers?? so 60 miles on one tank is not right, I had a Suzuki GT 750 and I could easily get 30 kilometers on one liter, and that's using all the throttle it wanted 🤗
