I bought a H2 Kawasaki 750 new in 1975.. there was nothing on the streets or strip that could touch this motorcycle at that time! It was like riding a stick of dynamite 🧨.. I know the new bikes are much faster but it was a really cool motorcycle to ride!!!
Awesome, yeah obviously new bikes are better all round … but that does not mean they are always better to ride , you get a great feeling on these old 2 strokes and they feel because all the frame ,handling, vibrations , brakes etc , loved it :)
'72 and '73 H2s were smaller bikes than '74 and '75s. The later bikes were tamed down and better street bikes. But the first gen was noticeably quicker in a drag race.
My 72 H2 had pipes that looked like the ones on that bike, (I think they were called "J" pipes), battery delete, the oil injectors deleted too. I added the twin stainless discs on the front of mine but it still accelerated at about 3 to 4 times the rate that it would stop !!
Yes, that's right, H1 500 or H2 750 they were the most explosive bikes in the whole fuckin world ! ! ! , yes, it was like riding a fuckin goddamned stick of dynamite ! ! , you couldn't keep the throttle open all the way in first gear or the fuckin thing would blow right the fuck up ! ! . It was absolutely fuckin fantastic ! ! ! Most especially if you had your girl with you ! ! !
I bought one of these in 1972. It was an absolute beast! Nothing in the world was quicker off the line. Everybody and their mother tried to beat me. No bike or car came close to beating me.
Ha awesome .. it’s a great felling when your on a bike like that and you know just what it can do … it’s exciting pulling up at the traffic lights next to something nice … and then bye!!! :)
Just acquired my friends triple collection all 500's 74 , 73 , and 3 1972 's . My first triple was 1980 ,it won quite a few awards .Big job ahead .Canada loves Triple's
When I was a Jr./Sr. in H.S. in '74 I was working full time at the newly opened Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom) in Orlando and made Lead in Custodial after just three months was making $4.80 an hour which was a lot of money for a 17 year old in '74. I had grown up on two wheelers and had just hung up my motocross racing boots where I had earned an AMA Experts license in 125cc Motocross. i bought an almost new blue '72 H2 750 and had lowered handle bars, expansion chambers and a rejet done before I took delivery. I was a highly skilled rider but this was the first street bike I ever rode. It was so fun exploring the pavement on an H2 as a teen boy. Pretty quickly I ordered 3 34mm mikuni carbs with individual foam air cleaners and my Motocross engine builder/porter/tuner (My Dad the Rocket Engineer) did a port job and a proper jet tuning. The H2 was a seriously dangerous scooter then, she would pull wheelies at 100 mph in 3rd gear. I have a had a number of Superbikes since that were faster but none were more fun than a tuned H2 in the hands of an expert level 17/18 year old boy. Fyi, regarding the '73 - '74/'75 H2's...Kawi lengthened the swingarm after '72 and rejetted them to make them less wheelie prone and a little bit more docile to ride. If you get an H2 you definitely want the first year Blue '72.
Ha wow that’s great , so cool hearing peoples memories and feelings about the classic bikes that we do videos on, yeah newer bikes are better all round but you don’t get the same feeling that you get when riding these , they are definitely special , thanks for your story and information:)
My brother had one in '77. I rode it once, and I've never flown so fast again. It was just scary fast. Gotta add: it led me to bigger and faster for 40 years.
My brother had a '72 in '81. I had a '81 KZ 750. Actually still have the KZ but it hasn't run since '87. His H2 was down on power, it would go but not scary at all. My KZ was quicker but it wouldn't lift the front wheel in low gear.
Thats the actual sound I can remember echoing off the mountains. This attitude is why I ride Kawasakis after 50 years. My 2022 Z900 RS 50TH Anniversary has it in spades. Go Kawi.
Stewart from San Diego here... in '78, I briefly had a green '75 H1, and had a '75 S3 400 triple for a decade in the 90's... those bikes were so fun to ride, and listen to echoing off the buildings and hills. This Red/Maroon H2 is my favorite color too.
Hi Stewart , San Diego eh? Paul has connections out there one day we may even be over to see what it’s like there!! Awesome, yeah they are great , the sound is incredible.. it’s my favourite colour too :)
Oh jeez... San Diego. I was stationed at Miramar in the late 70s. I had an H2 500 back then. I almost ran head-on into an old blue station wagon while riding the twisty roads near Poway. Closest I've ever come to a disaster.😢
What a fantastic bike. Strokers always sound good but that thing is in another league! Dodgy shades and 70s bikes... I'm being transported back to my youth! Great vid as always. Cheers chaps!
Two-strokes - a by-gone era to be sure. I have fond memories of the original Yamaha RD400 and the RZ500 V4 (in Canada). And the Kawasaki Triples were legendary. Thank-you for sharing this ride on such a beautiful classic Kawasaki.
Everyone has great memories of their 2 stroke days , the RD400 and RD500 V4 (RZ over there) are such cool bikes.. I was and still am a fan of the RG500.. so many such great bikes from that era .. thanks, glad you enjoyed the video
You damn lucky Canadians! There was no good way to register those in California at least ....I wanted that or and RG so bad! I bet a lot of em did get sold to Americans though ....certain states have always been lax and actually early on even in California you could sneak stuff by the DMV even if you had to claim it was "new construction"
I remember someone winning one of these ,I think it was in a MCN competition of sorts . It was in the window of a Lambretta scooter shop in Liverpool ,the bloke wanted to flog it . We were all youngsters about 18 years ,gasping in delight when the bloke wheeled it out to give us a better look . We could only dream of owning such a wonderful machine at the time .
I bought on in 1974. It was to much fun. The one I bought was called the “Lime Rocket”. It had chambers, bigger carbs,and the porters were raised .010. It was dynoed at 92hp. I loved it.
This takes me back. I never owned an H 2, but I did have an S2 (350) And a pair of KH 250s, one of which I bumped up to a 400, amd did the old Stan Stephans on the ports, spannies, electronic ignition. (uses less plugs) Great fun. 2 strokes rule!
Once you ridden one of these triples you will remember the feeling, the noise, the angry engine... I love them! Fun facts: In the brochures back then Kawasaki claimed the H2 to be the perfect long journey cruiser... 😁
Rode one from Bergen to Malmo and back once in 3 days, with clip ons. Got just one ticket by a stupid cop outside Goteborg, in a Volvo with one headlight, thought he was racing me lol
It was an excellent long distance cruiser. Her on the back, bag on the tank 1000 km in 5th gear just a dream. Umm, yes, vibration - got to check the exhaust mount bolts frequently.
I started racing MX as a young kid, probably around seven or eight. Started on an awesome Hodaka Super Rat and eventually was racing 250 expert class in a KX250. Was raised on a large ranch/farm in S. Idaho and we and so much land that my stepdad would make me a track every spring and in the fall we would get the tractors and make me an indoor track inside the huge potato storage buildings we had. Was able to ride year round. I have always owned 2-stroke bikes, except for in 2001 when I bought a Honda VTX1800. I love 2-strokes… the loudness, the exhaust smell is intoxicating. Have never ridden a 2-stroke road bike. Great video! 🤙🤙🤙
That’s awesome , man I would love to have had that when I was young , well and now, over here in the UK it’s a nightmare trying to ride off-road , if you even start a something like a 2 stroke dirt bike up over her all the busybodies are up looking around like meerkat’s and straight on the phone to the police , must of been really fun mate , thanks :)
Fantastic video! Great audio! Wonderful rider who really appreciates this bike. I had a 74 H1 and never lost a street race ever. I've ridden so many bikes, and nothing compares to a kaw-triple, the sound, the look, the everything. This video perfectly captures my daily commute to high school. Thanks so much from the usa.
I'm from the states, in 1975 my dad said if you graduate high school next year (1976) I'll buy you this 1975 Purple H2 in the Kawasaki dealership as we passed by it. I said Dad you might as well buy it now I will definetly graduate next year. ( I was terrible in school didn't try) Well sure enough he surprised me when he saw I got into it and a month before graduating I came back from school and there was this bike you have here, same color, year, everything and a few months later after getting my own job he even helped me buy Brand New Denco expansion chambers for it.....THANK YOU THANK YOU for my memories (liked-subscribed) 💪
Mate that’s great , good old dads helping out , mine helped me to get my first road bike.. it was all I ever wanted , glad it brought back those memories and you enjoyed the video, thanks for the comment:)
What never gets mentioned is these bikes had more low end torque than given credit for. I drove my buddy's H2 ,& he took my new 1976 900 KZ ,when he returned he said one major difference was the 750 H2 seemed to have more torque ! I had to agree I was surprised after I drove it ,feeling as strong or stronger than my KZ at low end. Still have my KZ 900 & still drive it on occasion. The other thing not mentioned is the lightness compared to anything at the time.The gear dogs can be machined to stay in gear, the linkage can easily get tweaked in a crash & should be replaced or checked.You're the only one I've seen who seems to know how to drive the thing to it's potential ! Good video keep it up..
Yeah and I agree with you, they do have a lot of low down torque , especially for a 2 stroke , and also some of the bigger 4 strokes of the time were heavy for sure , thanks for the info and glad you enjoyed the video , appreciate it :)
Yeah it’s all the ‘problems and imperfections ’ with these bikes that make them such a great machine to ride.. you really have to be focused all the time , awesome 😎
I was 16, I traded a MG Midget for a 69 AMC Javelin, a Suzuki TS 100, a house stereo, a car stereo, $150 and a 72 - 750 TRIPLE with chambers and a great tune (the guy was terrified of bike). I never lost a race for about 2 yrs. It was hard to control in first gear so I usually let them get in front of me, hit 2nd gear get close and then wheelie past them. I loved that bike. - I was in a hard right turn leaving work, front end hit a pebble, I remember seeing the pebble, the front end washed out, I rag dolled and rashed, the bike hit the curb so hard on the far side the motor broke from the frame. The end. Big vagina as I never felt comfortable on the street since that day. I am 61 now and have had a 57 Pan, 48 Flat, KZ 650, 52 Pan, XT 500, KTM 640. I still ride my KTM 520 in the desert.
Ha was great when people swapped whatever they had for something they wanted , don’t happen that much nowadays , yeah they were fast for sure , shame you felt that after the crash , had many myself but I just love bikes to much ! Must be nice just riding around the desert , would love to do that !
I had a decent paying job back when I was 15 so when I turned 16 I bought myself a brand new H2 750. It was a 75' in purple but that had that red too. I put on some Bassani expansion chambers and tuned the carbs to the pipes. I think Bassani only makes pipes for Harleys now days. What a change from my F7 175...... never heard the stories about being a widow maker until i was older and no longer had it! I just rode the snot out of it and had fun.
Bought back some memories that sound, they were a widow maker tho when they came out a fella diwn the road got hold of one proud as punch he was 2mths later we were going to his funeral.
Jesus that’s unlucky , but Always does bring back men hearing a two stroke , unfortunately they was called that for a reason.. I can see why a lot of people got into trouble on them, the brakes and handling wasn’t really up to that engine , but they are awesome if not interesting to ride
The exact motorcycle that I rode on the back of everyday when I was a kid. Never realized it was so dangerous. I would never put my kids on the back of one now . But still love it
So pleased I came across your channel, great characters, loving the classic bikes - bringing back excellent memories from my youth :-) Plus, bonus footage at the end - great stuff guys 🙌
I went to Bonneville for 10 years with a friend who raced a turbo HD shovel (201). I never saw a two stroke Kaw, but I saw lots of trick Kz1000s. A guy named Toy had a turbo Kaw 1000 that was street legal and ran over 200. But they were on a knife edge between running and blowing. They couldn't handle 10lbs of boost. The HD would live fine with 18lbs of boost.
I remember these Kawasaki machines from back in '75. The paint-scheme in particular I liked, the entire line had the same decals that year. There was a Kawasaki dealership close to my home which was a magnate for me. While they were popular upon their initial release, these bikes mysteriously disappeared from Canadian roads by the dawn of the 80s.
Yeah the lines , the paint all just work, ha when I was young there was a Kawasaki dealer near me I used to go to all the time in the late eighties , different machines but the same feeling, I guess a lot may of been crashed ??
They are very interesting to ride , they are out there for sale, just not really everyday bikes, unless your like Paul, he’s hardcore riding these all the time
These were fearsome superbikes of 1975...only overshadowed by the ZI/Z900...they've benefitted by modern aftermarket parts which civilizes them a little...this one looks like a hybrid mix of the H2 and KH750 which was similar styling to the KH500B of 1977/78...rather like my unfinished KH250B which is partly S1...sort of 1975/76/77 ish...i haven't ridden mine since 1990 when it got damaged...if i ever complete the rebuild it will have a new identity...and different number plate...it's 17 years since i had the frame painted...you'd think id've finished it a decade ago...fork tubes ground and rechroming next...chrome plate costs a small fortune...forks alone are £220 plus shipping per pair...you need to be a jackpot Lotto winner to afford these 70's restorations...or have had damn good salaries...not a poverty stricken peasant like me...i still hope to finish my lifes work...take some photos of it and let my family sell it...Mark..Honda 125 Innova fi
Mate these things take time , you can’t rush them and yeah if you need new parts they can be costly .. but just think how awesome it will be when it’s done, hope you get it done soon :)
I tried to save watching this vid until Friday as a treat Could not wait that long! H2 is awesome The sound gives you goose bumps 50 shades of gold at tea time really made me laugh Well done everyone Roll on the Elsie vid
Wow!! What a special machine. Sounds incredible. Rob’s here at the moment, and we watched it together and both were saying the 2 strokes sound so good. Miss them.
I bought one when I was 15 from a friend of my older brother. Man talking about letting it rip ! I tore up and down every street looking for victims to race. It was so much fun in a straight line race but handled like a trash truck in the turns ! LOL !
Mate of mine had a 750 "kettle" before getting a Yoshimura Kawasaki ZX11. I stupidly asked him how fast it was... he handed me a lid... next thing we're on the freeway doing something approaching 170mph, by which point I could scarcely hear the engine over the noise of the wind and tbh I shut my eyes and prayed. So this brought back memories of both those bikes, cheers.
Ha awesome 😂😂 I loved doing things like that to my mates when I was younger , always used to take a pillion around .. I only get to do it and then now , great days , thanks , glad you enjoyed it :)
@@ProjectMoto 🤣🤣 I became a "car guy" shortly after the Yoshimura incident lol. Probably not your cup of tea but an interesting build imo was the Fiat X1/9 by Polini Racing for Davide Cironi. There are 2 documentaries on TH-cam about it... uses a Yamaha R1 motor I think.
@@ProjectMoto there are a couple of really quick X1/9's competing in the European Hillclimb Championship this year that use Alfa Romeo D2 engines, make around 390bhp, weight is 650kg : blue one driven by Manuel Dondi grey one driven by Gianluca Ticci.
The Kwaka 250cc triple was a bit of a beast and could be lethal in the hands of a 17 year old learner back in the day but this machine well man, what can one say. I could almost smell that unmistakable 2 stroke exhaust. Nice ride and bike
Ha awesome mate … yeah they sure are fast and like a wheelie .. nowadays there’s just cars everywhere around here , be nice to have an open road for a mile !!
I had a 72 500, what a fantastic bike! If I knew then what I know now I never would have sold it. I know most people would say that on one thing or another.
Lovely '75 bike, doing the business on 21st century roads. You need to sort your lines out though, you’re on or over the line a lot. If I was fortunate enough to own a H2 I wouldn't let you borrow it.
Yeah what an awesome bike, still brilliant all these years later … sort my lines out??? You know the camera is on the chin of my helmet right? I move around on the bike a lot, ok I won’t ask then 😂
I was a owner of a 2-stroke Suzuki 380 GT in the early 70s. The engine made a special noise when the speed was increased. Then you felt like a king on the road. It had 3 cylinders but 4 exhaust pipes and a special cylinder head, which helped to cool the cylinder in the middle. Because it was a known problem that Kawasaki engines overheated and often got damaged. Now in this days I´m a owner to a Kawasaki VN 750
Ha I was just trying to keep the plugs clean … didn’t want Paul to have to changed them again… thanks to you and Paul for letting me ride it , it’s such an awesome bike , it sounds incredible 😎
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, that’s really good to know that even that you haven’t ridden a bike you still enjoy them… maybe one day you will get to have a go on a bike :)
Owned one. Raced one (after much frame strengthening). Easy to get 150hp out of one with a tuned exhaust and some porting. Frighteningly narrow power band. Kenny Roberts said the same of the TZ750. The limits were the available tyres at the time.
I had a 1974 H1 500cc. I friend of mine wrecked his 1971 H2 750cc. I bolted in 750cc engine to my H1 frame. It was a perfect match except for the expansion chambers. Another metal worker friend helped me bolt on the expansion chambers. I loved both engines equally. They were so different. The 500cc was a high rpm no torque screamer. The 750cc was just the opposite.
Nice , I guess one man’s loss was another man’s gain , people just don’t do things like that much nowadays swapping engines , yeah they are very different in that way for sure :)
Fackin ell mate - that totally reminds me of me RD350LC brand new in June '82. Love how you kept the running gear mostly original and those tyres look good enough to eat ! What a bike man .
Ha , yeah RD350’s are awesome to ride, we did a video on one a while ago.. will have one on a 350ypvs soon too.. yeah and this H2 is awesome . Always a treat to ride an old 2 stoke :)
Awesome bike and your right mate , if you’ve only ever ridden new bikes I don’t think you would get on very well.. they would think wtf is this.. just before crashing ..
I Had A 76 RD 400 For Year's,& Love The Sound of Multi Cylinder Two-Stroke,Motorcycles They Sound Wicked & This Bike Looks & Sound Fantastic & ,3 Sticks of Dynamite For Each Cylinder 🧨🧨🧨🌪☠🏆☠🌪☠🌪🤜🏼🤯🤛🏼
Thinking about it, these H2's make 69 rear wheel hp and weigh over 200 kg, my tuned 2001 CCM 604 makes 66 rear wheel hp and weighs 144kg, how things have changed since1975 when a 680cc 4 banger single would kill the famous and much vaunted 'Widowmaker' H2 out on the road! Great vid, keep them coming please
I don’t know if it would kill it.. certainly not this one , it’s fast , some times it’s how an engine delivers the power .. and these 2 strokes certainly deliver it :)
As a rider starting in 1969 on Kawasaki two strokes I'd agree many of today's would blast a stock H2 in the quarter mile. My 1200 Thruxton R will run a 11.7 ET quarter mile and my Zx1400R would definitely smash a stock H2, HOWEVER nothing I've ridden scares or thrills me as much as that two H2 especially the early ones. The sound from the intake and pipes, the vibration through the pegs and handlebars when it comes on the pipe will have the best riders scrambling to stay on. A great scary feeling.
as stated in other posts there was no other bikes faster in 250,350,500 or 750 in acceleration or top speed which of course is why we bought them.there was just nothing out there that could compare and the sound of a well screwed bike was awesome,most Kawa stroker riders had these bikes screwed against the stop.Im nearing 70 now but have a couple of 350,s and a 500. which i still enjoy,just dont go compare them with modern bikes you have to either have ridden them against their contemporaries for a true comparison. or accept them for what they are.
I could have got a new 1975 H2 or a new 76 Kh 500 I bought the 500. It was fast and amazing, but the purple 750 would have been even more amazing. They both sounded so bad ass with expansion chambers. Part of my life I will never forget. 2 strokes are gone forever, at least brand new.
What an awesome choice you had back then , they are both great bikes and yes both sounded bad ass with expansion chambers , it’s a shame for sure that they don’t still make 2 strokes like this or any really anymore
maybe i’m still alive because i never owned one great video had a suzuki 550 triple. cool bike. just quieter and we’ll off the pace of a Kaw but two strokes get in your bloodstream
Thanks , yeah Kawasaki was a bit more of an animal for sure but the Suzuki was still a cool bike, once you’ve had a 2 stroke it’s definitely in your blood
Enjoyable video, BEAUTIFUL H2. I had both the H1 and the H2. The 500 had a jekyll and hyde personality, not much before 5500, after that hold on. The H2 power band was flat in comparison, just loads of torque. My 72 H2 also vibrated badly, I always felt like I was holding onto the engine cases. To be fair I bought it with high mileage so that didn't help. Miss both of the bikes.
Thanks, appreciate it , yeah the bike still looks so beautiful, exactly that with the 500 & 750 engines, a lot of people miss their old bikes but at the time you just move on to the next bike and don’t think about it I guess
I was born and lived in a communist country until I was 18 and we only had MZ, Jawa and Tomos engines and they all had a similar sound. That sound takes me back to my youth and the moment the Lada hit me while I was on the motorcycle, luckily I didn't have any fractures other than bruises. It was Yugoslavia.
And that’s what 2 stokes do, the sound and the smell takes you back every time , they are still so good to ride now, interesting compared to todays bikes but awesome 😎
My best friend picked me up at school,same year,same color, and a Honda SuperSport a competitor lol pulled up to also get a classmate. We raced and left ' them ' in the literal smoke. Took them at the end at a little over 110 mph. And it still had more to go. If you could even read the speedometer at any higher speeds from the intense vibration!? And you're 110% correct! They didn't stop and that was nearly as scary as being a passenger! And turning, like Muscle Cars NOT!!
😂😂 ha so many great memories for everyone with these old classics .. was so good when you was younger racing around .. everyone always took their mates out on the back of their bikes .. don’t seem to happen as much nowadays, great times , thanks :)
This is my exact H2c same color and look. I had Denco expansion chambers and Denco ported cylinders. 38mm mikuni's. 144 rear wheel H.P . I had the single disc, single piston front caliper, however. Good only for drag racing. 9.03 best quarter mile with a wheely bar. Sold it in 1982 for $700. Worth $25K today! Ouch.
You don’t ring a two stroke from cold, let alone a 70s air cooled one. You take it easy for at least 5 minutes riding before opening it up. That’s after initial warm up idling.
Yes sooooo true! Not having a liquid cooled motor was detrimental during the summer damn nearly impossible to ride one in Florida half the year. But when the weather cooled down it was on.
Awesome , yeah there’s lots of bikes I regret selling myself , at the time you don’t really think about it too much as your looking at your new bike I guess
I remember getting behind a pack of those back in the 70's and having to wait for all the smoke to clear to drive my car again. The one in this video didn't seem to smoke as much though. The other popular bike back then was the Yamaha RD350.
Yeah when we go out on a few of these if you get caught at the back not only you can’t see too much with the smoke you get covered in spots of 2 stroke oil 😂
@@ProjectMoto, all that smoke is what caused them to be banned here in the US back in the 80's. I remember that not only did they put out lots of smoke, they actually shot smoke balls out of the exhaust. Like someone smoking a cigarette puffing out balls of smoke.
What's crazy is the side of the road you ride on. Lol. A friend of mine had an old yellow RZ350 back in the day and that was a crazy ride. Then I had that twin 350 in my Banshee which I turned into a 510cc stroker. What I like about 2 strokes is the tuner pipes, we took Toomey T5's, cut them and put bigger spark arresters on them. Thanks for the video.
Ha yeah alway weird looking at people riding on the other side of the road , a few of my friend had , and still have RD350’s (RZ350 over there) , they are still great to ride now, we have a video on a RD350, my friend also had a Banshee as well, thanks for the comment , glad you enjoyed the video :)
I bought a H2 Kawasaki 750 new in 1975.. there was nothing on the streets or strip that could touch this motorcycle at that time! It was like riding a stick of dynamite 🧨.. I know the new bikes are much faster but it was a really cool motorcycle to ride!!!
Awesome, yeah obviously new bikes are better all round … but that does not mean they are always better to ride , you get a great feeling on these old 2 strokes and they feel because all the frame ,handling, vibrations , brakes etc , loved it :)
'72 and '73 H2s were smaller bikes than '74 and '75s. The later bikes were tamed down and better street bikes. But the first gen was noticeably quicker in a drag race.
My 72 H2 had pipes that looked like the ones on that bike, (I think they were called "J" pipes), battery delete, the oil injectors deleted too. I added the twin stainless discs on the front of mine but it still accelerated at about 3 to 4 times the rate that it would stop !!
Yes, that's right, H1 500 or H2 750 they were the most explosive bikes in the whole fuckin world ! ! ! , yes, it was like riding a fuckin goddamned stick of dynamite ! ! , you couldn't keep the throttle open all the way in first gear or the fuckin thing would blow right the fuck up ! ! . It was absolutely fuckin fantastic ! ! ! Most especially if you had your girl with you ! ! !
yes but 32 mpg sucked
This H2 is absolutely mint. Just enough modifications to make it better without going too far from stock. Gorgeous bike.
Yeah it’s awesome , the look and sound , your right , it’s just enough done to it :)
I bought one of these in 1972. It was an absolute beast! Nothing in the world was quicker off the line. Everybody and their mother tried to beat me. No bike or car came close to beating me.
Ha awesome .. it’s a great felling when your on a bike like that and you know just what it can do … it’s exciting pulling up at the traffic lights next to something nice … and then bye!!! :)
2 stroke holeshot like a kx 500. Lol
Just acquired my friends triple collection all 500's 74 , 73 , and 3 1972 's . My first triple was 1980 ,it won quite a few awards .Big job ahead .Canada loves Triple's
Mate that a nice collection to acquire , very nice indeed :) you got a big job restoring them all??
When I was a Jr./Sr. in H.S. in '74 I was working full time at the newly opened Walt Disney World (Magic Kingdom) in Orlando and made Lead in Custodial after just three months was making $4.80 an hour which was a lot of money for a 17 year old in '74. I had grown up on two wheelers and had just hung up my motocross racing boots where I had earned an AMA Experts license in 125cc Motocross. i bought an almost new blue '72 H2 750 and had lowered handle bars, expansion chambers and a rejet done before I took delivery. I was a highly skilled rider but this was the first street bike I ever rode. It was so fun exploring the pavement on an H2 as a teen boy. Pretty quickly I ordered 3 34mm mikuni carbs with individual foam air cleaners and my Motocross engine builder/porter/tuner (My Dad the Rocket Engineer) did a port job and a proper jet tuning. The H2 was a seriously dangerous scooter then, she would pull wheelies at 100 mph in 3rd gear. I have a had a number of Superbikes since that were faster but none were more fun than a tuned H2 in the hands of an expert level 17/18 year old boy. Fyi, regarding the '73 - '74/'75 H2's...Kawi lengthened the swingarm after '72 and rejetted them to make them less wheelie prone and a little bit more docile to ride. If you get an H2 you definitely want the first year Blue '72.
Ha wow that’s great , so cool hearing peoples memories and feelings about the classic bikes that we do videos on, yeah newer bikes are better all round but you don’t get the same feeling that you get when riding these , they are definitely special , thanks for your story and information:)
I had. 1974 S2 Mach 2 350cc triple, in 1979, I was 18….. those 2 stroke days were awesome….still riding 😎😎🏍🏍🇮🇲🇬🇧
I love 2 strokes so much , can’t wait to get out on my 250’s I’ve got, you never forget your 2 stoke days … awesome 😎
My brother had one in '77. I rode it once, and I've never flown so fast again. It was just scary fast. Gotta add: it led me to bigger and faster for 40 years.
Ha for many ridding them once is enough !! Back then and now .. they are awesome though 😎
My brother had a '72 in '81. I had a '81 KZ 750. Actually still have the KZ but it hasn't run since '87. His H2 was down on power, it would go but not scary at all. My KZ was quicker but it wouldn't lift the front wheel in low gear.
Thats the actual sound I can remember echoing off the mountains. This attitude is why I ride Kawasakis after 50 years. My 2022 Z900 RS 50TH Anniversary has it in spades. Go Kawi.
Such a great bike and sound .. I do like a Kawasaki myself :)
Stewart from San Diego here... in '78, I briefly had a green '75 H1, and had a '75 S3 400 triple for a decade in the 90's... those bikes were so fun to ride, and listen to echoing off the buildings and hills. This Red/Maroon H2 is my favorite color too.
Hi Stewart , San Diego eh? Paul has connections out there one day we may even be over to see what it’s like there!! Awesome, yeah they are great , the sound is incredible.. it’s my favourite colour too :)
Oh jeez... San Diego. I was stationed at Miramar in the late 70s. I had an H2 500 back then. I almost ran head-on into an old blue station wagon while riding the twisty roads near Poway. Closest I've ever come to a disaster.😢
What a weapon, love it, I had a H2 back in the early 80’s riding it was always an experience, lots of memories. 👍
It’s a weapon for sure , but at least the brakes work on this one too , they are definitely an experience to ride :)
Who rides an H2 without doing throttle wheelies?
How many things in life can a bloke in his 50s plus. Buy that makes him feel in his 20 again.
Absolutely superb. Well done , a lovely resto mod.
Yeah for sure.. we’ll for Paul 69s plus 😂 same for me whenever I’m on a 90’s 250 2 stroke , makes me feel like a teenager again :)
Triumph trident t160?
What a fantastic bike. Strokers always sound good but that thing is in another league! Dodgy shades and 70s bikes... I'm being transported back to my youth! Great vid as always. Cheers chaps!
Yeah it’s Awesome to look,ride and listen to, ha was going to give the shades away but I can’t get them off Paul now, they go with his gold H2
Two-strokes - a by-gone era to be sure. I have fond memories of the original Yamaha RD400 and the RZ500 V4 (in Canada). And the Kawasaki Triples were legendary. Thank-you for sharing this ride on such a beautiful classic Kawasaki.
Everyone has great memories of their 2 stroke days , the RD400 and RD500 V4 (RZ over there) are such cool bikes.. I was and still am a fan of the RG500.. so many such great bikes from that era .. thanks, glad you enjoyed the video
You damn lucky Canadians! There was no good way to register those in California at least ....I wanted that or and RG so bad! I bet a lot of em did get sold to Americans though ....certain states have always been lax and actually early on even in California you could sneak stuff by the DMV even if you had to claim it was "new construction"
Wow this certainly brings back great memories the sound is awesome. I loved my two strokes back in the day. Thank you for making my day 👍
Love that these classic bikes and the other 2 stroke videos always have this effect on people , thanks, appreciate the comment :)
I really miss my RD350!
Get off , shit you can't ride for shit tbh 😊
Yes, I had a 1970 Kawa 500 in 1973 when I was 17. I loved that bike.
I remember someone winning one of these ,I think it was in a MCN competition of sorts . It was in the window of a Lambretta scooter shop in Liverpool ,the bloke wanted to flog it . We were all youngsters about 18 years ,gasping in delight when the bloke wheeled it out to give us a better look . We could only dream of owning such a wonderful machine at the time .
Awesome , yeah I remember the bikes I stared at and wanted as a kid.. many a time I just stood there in awe at bikes…
I bought on in 1974. It was to much fun. The one I bought was called the “Lime Rocket”. It had chambers, bigger carbs,and the porters were raised .010. It was dynoed at 92hp. I loved it.
They certainly are fun , that’s awesome bet it went well ,awesome machines 😎
Had a 75 s3 400 triple , 40 years ago ............. that little bike was insane !!!
Yeah the 400’s are a great bike , you don’t see many of them
This takes me back. I never owned an H 2, but I did have an S2 (350) And a pair of KH 250s, one of which I bumped up to a 400, amd did the old Stan Stephans on the ports, spannies, electronic ignition. (uses less plugs)
Great fun. 2 strokes rule!
Ha the old Stan Stephens tune .. so many had that , he was a very busy man , yeah 2 strokes rule for sure :)
Once you ridden one of these triples you will remember the feeling, the noise, the angry engine... I love them!
Fun facts: In the brochures back then Kawasaki claimed the H2 to be the perfect long journey cruiser... 😁
Yeah very true , those things still make them great now , ha did they .. long journey cruiser eh??
@@ProjectMoto "supreme touring machine".... 😁2.bp.blogspot.com/-EyAsu5qRn6M/URVDyzd9NgI/AAAAAAAAG6w/DdocPTZ0FJY/s1600/kawa-h2-3a.jpg
Rode one from Bergen to Malmo and back once in 3 days, with clip ons. Got just one ticket by a stupid cop outside Goteborg, in a Volvo with one headlight, thought he was racing me lol
Sweet memories! @@einarendregaard1891 😁
It was an excellent long distance cruiser. Her on the back, bag on the tank 1000 km in 5th gear just a dream. Umm, yes, vibration - got to check the exhaust mount bolts frequently.
That was so good, from all of you arriving wheeling up the car park, pauls bike and then the sun glasses so funny 😂😂😂😂
Ha thanks, glad you enjoyed it .. I had to get up early to make sure I got everyone arriving 😂
I started racing MX as a young kid, probably around seven or eight. Started on an awesome Hodaka Super Rat and eventually was racing 250 expert class in a KX250. Was raised on a large ranch/farm in S. Idaho and we and so much land that my stepdad would make me a track every spring and in the fall we would get the tractors and make me an indoor track inside the huge potato storage buildings we had. Was able to ride year round. I have always owned 2-stroke bikes, except for in 2001 when I bought a Honda VTX1800. I love 2-strokes… the loudness, the exhaust smell is intoxicating. Have never ridden a 2-stroke road bike. Great video! 🤙🤙🤙
That’s awesome , man I would love to have had that when I was young , well and now, over here in the UK it’s a nightmare trying to ride off-road , if you even start a something like a 2 stroke dirt bike up over her all the busybodies are up looking around like meerkat’s and straight on the phone to the police , must of been really fun mate , thanks :)
Fantastic video! Great audio! Wonderful rider who really appreciates this bike. I had a 74 H1 and never lost a street race ever. I've ridden so many bikes, and nothing compares to a kaw-triple, the sound, the look, the everything. This video perfectly captures my daily commute to high school. Thanks so much from the usa.
Awesome , yeah they are something else!! Thanks ,really appreciate your comments and glad you enjoyed it
I'm from the states, in 1975 my dad said if you graduate high school next year (1976) I'll buy you this 1975 Purple H2 in the Kawasaki dealership as we passed by it. I said Dad you might as well buy it now I will definetly graduate next year. ( I was terrible in school didn't try) Well sure enough he surprised me when he saw I got into it and a month before graduating I came back from school and there was this bike you have here, same color, year, everything and a few months later after getting my own job he even helped me buy Brand New Denco expansion chambers for it.....THANK YOU THANK YOU for my memories (liked-subscribed) 💪
Mate that’s great , good old dads helping out , mine helped me to get my first road bike.. it was all I ever wanted , glad it brought back those memories and you enjoyed the video, thanks for the comment:)
What never gets mentioned is these bikes had more low end torque than given credit for. I drove my buddy's H2 ,& he took my new 1976 900 KZ ,when he returned he said one major difference was the 750 H2 seemed to have more torque ! I had to agree I was surprised after I drove it ,feeling as strong or stronger than my KZ at low end. Still have my KZ 900 & still drive it on occasion. The other thing not mentioned is the lightness compared to anything at the time.The gear dogs can be machined to stay in gear, the linkage can easily get tweaked in a crash & should be replaced or checked.You're the only one I've seen who seems to know how to drive the thing to it's potential ! Good video keep it up..
Yeah and I agree with you, they do have a lot of low down torque , especially for a 2 stroke , and also some of the bigger 4 strokes of the time were heavy for sure , thanks for the info and glad you enjoyed the video , appreciate it :)
So cool to see the transition from, "You can feel all the vibration up through your feet..." to, "This is a proper machine".
Yeah it’s all the ‘problems and imperfections ’ with these bikes that make them such a great machine to ride.. you really have to be focused all the time , awesome 😎
I was 16, I traded a MG Midget for a 69 AMC Javelin, a Suzuki TS 100, a house stereo, a car stereo, $150 and a 72 - 750 TRIPLE with chambers and a great tune (the guy was terrified of bike). I never lost a race for about 2 yrs. It was hard to control in first gear so I usually let them get in front of me, hit 2nd gear get close and then wheelie past them. I loved that bike. - I was in a hard right turn leaving work, front end hit a pebble, I remember seeing the pebble, the front end washed out, I rag dolled and rashed, the bike hit the curb so hard on the far side the motor broke from the frame. The end. Big vagina as I never felt comfortable on the street since that day. I am 61 now and have had a 57 Pan, 48 Flat, KZ 650, 52 Pan, XT 500, KTM 640. I still ride my KTM 520 in the desert.
Ha was great when people swapped whatever they had for something they wanted , don’t happen that much nowadays , yeah they were fast for sure , shame you felt that after the crash , had many myself but I just love bikes to much ! Must be nice just riding around the desert , would love to do that !
I still wanna go on one, always have since I was a kid. Engine more advanced than the chassis situation.
Yeah it’s worth it just to experience it , for sure it was more advanced, definitely too powerful but it was what made it great :)
I had a decent paying job back when I was 15 so when I turned 16 I bought myself a brand new H2 750. It was a 75' in purple but that had that red too. I put on some Bassani expansion chambers and tuned the carbs to the pipes. I think Bassani only makes pipes for Harleys now days. What a change from my F7 175...... never heard the stories about being a widow maker until i was older and no longer had it! I just rode the snot out of it and had fun.
That must of been awesome to have one at 16 .. what a bike to have back then … ha I bet you rode it hard as a teenager.. no fear :)
Bought back some memories that sound, they were a widow maker tho when they came out a fella diwn the road got hold of one proud as punch he was 2mths later we were going to his funeral.
Jesus that’s unlucky , but Always does bring back men hearing a two stroke , unfortunately they was called that for a reason.. I can see why a lot of people got into trouble on them, the brakes and handling wasn’t really up to that engine , but they are awesome if not interesting to ride
I bought a used H2 750 back when I was 19 for 700 bucks. It was the same color as this one. It was wicked fast! Great memories....
The hair on the back of my nick just stud up as I heard this beast.. what a weapon tell Paul I love it 😉 bring on the ypvs 👍
My hair fell out riding it , well the little I had 😂 I will let him know , yeah I’m looking forward to the ypvs 😎
The exact motorcycle that I rode on the back of everyday when I was a kid. Never realized it was so dangerous. I would never put my kids on the back of one now . But still love it
Yeah crazy , I know someone who had one and we all used to go on the back of it … we all was a different breed then
So pleased I came across your channel, great characters, loving the classic bikes - bringing back excellent memories from my youth :-) Plus, bonus footage at the end - great stuff guys 🙌
Thanks a lot, appreciate it.. ha always just a bit of something that happened for a bit of fun at the end, glad your enjoying the channel :)
You had to be there in the 70s to appreciate the Japanese revolution 2stroke heaven 😊
Yeah definitely… I just missed out as I was born in the 70’s but can appreciate what this bike did for motorcycles and bikers :)
All I can say for a bike that is almost 50 it still kicks allot of butt.I had a 72 h2 750 with denco package !
Yeah this kicks butt this bike, it’s fast .. and for once it actually stops too .. which helps, awesome bike 😎
@@ProjectMoto I did thirg gear wheelies with mine yup it will test your bravery or stupidity lol. Love the snapping from the pipes !
I had a H1 500 and the Denco pipes took 1 second off the 1/4 mile time.
@@gbone7581 Denco and tripple =Fun !
My Uncle had a lot 500. He let me take it out when I was 15. It was Nuts!
Ha awesome, must of been so good riding around on one at 15 😎
I went to Bonneville for 10 years with a friend who raced a turbo HD shovel (201). I never saw a two stroke Kaw, but I saw lots of trick Kz1000s. A guy named Toy had a turbo Kaw 1000
that was street legal and ran over 200. But they were on a knife edge between running and blowing. They couldn't handle 10lbs of boost. The HD would live fine with 18lbs of boost.
Yeah people would get crazy speeds out of some of these old bikes … but yeah they were on a knife edge with what could happen for sue 😎🔥
i allmost bought one back in the 90s . a basket case for 150 dollars. the engine all together. i wish i had it today
Yeah they are worth a bit more now , if only we knew about bikes we had or was offered at low money back then ..
I remember these Kawasaki machines from back in '75. The paint-scheme in particular I liked, the entire line had the same decals that year. There was a Kawasaki dealership close to my home which was a magnate for me. While they were popular upon their initial release, these bikes mysteriously disappeared from Canadian roads by the dawn of the 80s.
Yeah the lines , the paint all just work, ha when I was young there was a Kawasaki dealer near me I used to go to all the time in the late eighties , different machines but the same feeling, I guess a lot may of been crashed ??
What a channel lads love it more 2 strokes pls
Thanks , glad your enjoying it .. we have more 2 strokes to come yet :)
Loved the video, takes me back, petrol station to petrol station, engine rebuilds, plugs and oil in pocket
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it , ha yeah all those things for sure !! :)
I always wanted a H2 and a kettle never managed to own either. Lovely to see and hear it. 🎉
They are very interesting to ride , they are out there for sale, just not really everyday bikes, unless your like Paul, he’s hardcore riding these all the time
Those are very rare and worth alot, especially a restored one...
Yeah they are not cheap for sure
I had a 72 h2 750 back in the day and i never got beat. Raced everthing in town
Ha , yeah I bet , speed is a feeling relevant to what you are on to me..they are still fast today :)
These were fearsome superbikes of 1975...only overshadowed by the ZI/Z900...they've benefitted by modern aftermarket parts which civilizes them a little...this one looks like a hybrid mix of the H2 and KH750 which was similar styling to the KH500B of 1977/78...rather like my unfinished KH250B which is partly S1...sort of 1975/76/77 ish...i haven't ridden mine since 1990 when it got damaged...if i ever complete the rebuild it will have a new identity...and different number plate...it's 17 years since i had the frame painted...you'd think id've finished it a decade ago...fork tubes ground and rechroming next...chrome plate costs a small fortune...forks alone are £220 plus shipping per pair...you need to be a jackpot Lotto winner to afford these 70's restorations...or have had damn good salaries...not a poverty stricken peasant like me...i still hope to finish my lifes work...take some photos of it and let my family sell it...Mark..Honda 125 Innova fi
Mate these things take time , you can’t rush them and yeah if you need new parts they can be costly .. but just think how awesome it will be when it’s done, hope you get it done soon :)
I loved riding the 500 triple back in the day. I still have a 440 EXC and KX250 racing as I love my 2 strokes.
Yeah me and my kids all had 2 stroke off road bikes.. on or off road there’s nothing like a 2 stroke 😎
Ohhh the sound, that is a gorgeous beastie.
Yeah it’s fantastic, awesome bike 😎
Just love the sound from those pipes, I had a H1E in 1976, exactly the same colour
Awesome , looks so cool in this colour , The sound is incredible when your riding it … or hearing it come along the road . Either way it’s a win 😊
Wow what a machine, its my generation !
Yeah it sure is a proper old school machine , loads of character, fun and scary to ride in all one , awesome 😎
I bought collected mine from the local dealer in 1972 much to my mother's annoyance. Happy days long gone, but I still ride every day.
Ha I think most parents would be a bit Annoyed when their kids got one of these.. but yeah great days , that’s cool , ride safe :)
I tried to save watching this vid until Friday as a treat Could not wait that long! H2 is awesome The sound gives you goose bumps 50 shades of gold at tea time really made me laugh Well done everyone Roll on the Elsie vid
Ha.. the temptation was too much to take , it’s is such an awesome machine, loved riding it…50 shades of gold 😂😂 thanks :)
Wow!!
What a special machine. Sounds incredible.
Rob’s here at the moment, and we watched it together and both were saying the 2 strokes sound so good. Miss them.
Mate it is so cool to look at, awesome to ride ,and the sound is something else, ha has Rob seen any eagles yet?? 😂😂
@@ProjectMoto he thinks he’s seen an eagle, but I’m pretty sure it was a sea gull 🤣
@@alanprice9938 😂😂 shame, I lost count of how many eagles we see 😂😂
I bought one when I was 15 from a friend of my older brother. Man talking about letting it rip ! I tore up and down every street looking for victims to race. It was so much fun in a straight line race but handled like a trash truck in the turns ! LOL !
Crazy to think people 15/16/17 had these bikes , Ha yeah I think that’s what everyone done , great for the straights and not so good for the bends
I still recall my first ride on an H1 Mach III over 50 years ago - first time I was truly terrified on a bike!
Ha , that’s great .. the bike did exactly what it was meant to do 😂
I was the very proud owner of a 1975 purple H2 750. wheelie in all 5 gears!! Traded it for a 1980 Z1R 1000
Awesome , these do like a wheelie :) I think a lot of people went on to one of the z1000’s, another great classic :)
Mate of mine had a 750 "kettle" before getting a Yoshimura Kawasaki ZX11.
I stupidly asked him how fast it was... he handed me a lid... next thing we're on the freeway doing something approaching 170mph, by which point I could scarcely hear the engine over the noise of the wind and tbh I shut my eyes and prayed.
So this brought back memories of both those bikes, cheers.
Ha awesome 😂😂 I loved doing things like that to my mates when I was younger , always used to take a pillion around .. I only get to do it and then now , great days , thanks , glad you enjoyed it :)
@@ProjectMoto 🤣🤣 I became a "car guy" shortly after the Yoshimura incident lol.
Probably not your cup of tea but an interesting build imo was the Fiat X1/9 by Polini Racing for Davide Cironi.
There are 2 documentaries on TH-cam about it... uses a Yamaha R1 motor I think.
@@markbowden7238 thanks I will take a look 👀
@@ProjectMoto there are a couple of really quick X1/9's competing in the European Hillclimb Championship this year that use Alfa Romeo D2 engines, make around 390bhp, weight is 650kg : blue one driven by Manuel Dondi grey one driven by Gianluca Ticci.
The Kwaka 250cc triple was a bit of a beast and could be lethal in the hands of a 17 year old learner back in the day but this machine well man, what can one say. I could almost smell that unmistakable 2 stroke exhaust. Nice ride and bike
Yeah was crazy that a 17yr old learner could just get on the 250.. thanks , what a bike the 750 is 😎
Back in 75 that was the dream bike for me and my mates 👍
Yeah sure was … and all these years later it still is for a lot of people, awesome bike 😎
I had a 500, upgraded to a 750, what a rocket it was. You could put your feet on the back pegs in second gear, and ride a wheelie for a mile!
Ha awesome mate … yeah they sure are fast and like a wheelie .. nowadays there’s just cars everywhere around here , be nice to have an open road for a mile !!
I had a 72 500, what a fantastic bike!
If I knew then what I know now I never would have sold it. I know most people would say that on one thing or another.
Yeah they were great, if only we knew about all our old bikes eh..
Lovely '75 bike, doing the business on 21st century roads. You need to sort your lines out though, you’re on or over the line a lot. If I was fortunate enough to own a H2 I wouldn't let you borrow it.
Yeah what an awesome bike, still brilliant all these years later … sort my lines out??? You know the camera is on the chin of my helmet right? I move around on the bike a lot, ok I won’t ask then 😂
A group ride video (or series) with the ProjectMoto crew riding their personal bikes and sprouting endless banter would be excellent viewing.
What spend more time with this lot 😂😂 I did have a video I done somewhere when a few of us went out last year.. il have a look and see what I can do
I was a owner of a 2-stroke Suzuki 380 GT in the early 70s. The engine made a special noise when the speed was increased. Then you felt like a king on the road. It had 3 cylinders but 4 exhaust pipes and a special cylinder head, which helped to cool the cylinder in the middle. Because it was a known problem that Kawasaki engines overheated and often got damaged. Now in this days I´m a owner to a Kawasaki VN 750
Awesome , yeah I know the bike , good they did that to try and help with it over heating , I love a Kawasaki :)
Amazing. The H2 looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. Rode an H1 back in the 1970s once, but never got to ride one of these.
It’s a stunning bike, my favourite of the one we’ve had in videos and Paul rides in, they are a great experience to ride :)
Good to see our bike being caned..... great video Martin glad you enjoyed it😊
Ha I was just trying to keep the plugs clean … didn’t want Paul to have to changed them again… thanks to you and Paul for letting me ride it , it’s such an awesome bike , it sounds incredible 😎
Anytime mate👍
Beautiful machine.. 👍.. One of my all time favourite bikes of the era is the Rd 350 lc. A dream of mine to. Own one since the 1970s..
Yeah it’s gorgeous… the RD 350lc is still a great bike today today .. we did do a video on one th-cam.com/video/Yu-ckb0dZ6o/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this vid.Never owned a motorbike,never even ridden one but i do take an interest in them especially these classic 70s triple Kawasakis
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, that’s really good to know that even that you haven’t ridden a bike you still enjoy them… maybe one day you will get to have a go on a bike :)
Owned one. Raced one (after much frame strengthening). Easy to get 150hp out of one with a tuned exhaust and some porting. Frighteningly narrow power band. Kenny Roberts said the same of the TZ750. The limits were the available tyres at the time.
Yeah I can imagine they wanted a bit of frame strengthening especially with more power
Funny how the TZ 750 race bike only produced 120bhp in 1979. I think you spent more on tuning the Dyno than the bike.
I had a 1974 H1 500cc. I friend of mine wrecked his 1971 H2 750cc. I bolted in 750cc engine to my H1 frame. It was a perfect match except for the expansion chambers. Another metal worker friend helped me bolt on the expansion chambers. I loved both engines equally. They were so different. The 500cc was a high rpm no torque screamer. The 750cc was just the opposite.
Nice , I guess one man’s loss was another man’s gain , people just don’t do things like that much nowadays swapping engines , yeah they are very different in that way for sure :)
Awesome, and it was great to meet you at the ducati Day at donny
See you at silverstone chap 👍👋
Thanks, appreciate it , always good to see everyone at the track days … see you at Silverstone :)
The TOONED one! Amazing.
Grin from ear to ear 😊
My 1st bike was a two stroke loved the powerband 😊
Ha awesome , glad you enjoyed it , 2 strokes are the best :)
H2 blows by.....the sound and the smell is undeniable
Mate you don’t have to wait to go by people on this one before they here it.. they turn around as your coming up the road, awesome 😎
Fackin ell mate - that totally reminds me of me RD350LC brand new in June '82. Love how you kept the running gear mostly original and those tyres look good enough to eat ! What a bike man .
Ha , yeah RD350’s are awesome to ride, we did a video on one a while ago.. will have one on a 350ypvs soon too.. yeah and this H2 is awesome . Always a treat to ride an old 2 stoke :)
Paul that looks lovely. I'll pop up and see you when I get a chance. John (from your time in Romford)
Thanks ..Il let him know.. he’s back from holiday tomorrow
Going to have to come up and see you chaps on my H1 500 love the 750. Excellent on bike video by the way .
Yeah definitely do mate.. you watch Paul come flying out the workshop when he here’s a 2 stroke pull in 😂 thanks, appreciate it :)
Love it , someone used to new bikes wouldn't get it and would likely end up wrapped around a tree.
Awesome bike and your right mate , if you’ve only ever ridden new bikes I don’t think you would get on very well.. they would think wtf is this.. just before crashing ..
I Had A 76 RD 400 For Year's,& Love The Sound of Multi Cylinder Two-Stroke,Motorcycles They Sound Wicked & This Bike Looks & Sound Fantastic & ,3 Sticks of Dynamite For Each Cylinder 🧨🧨🧨🌪☠🏆☠🌪☠🌪🤜🏼🤯🤛🏼
Oh nice , my friend has an RD400 now :) I really do like everything about it , good and bad make the complete package.. what an awesome bike 😎
Thinking about it, these H2's make 69 rear wheel hp and weigh over 200 kg, my tuned 2001 CCM 604 makes 66 rear wheel hp and weighs 144kg, how things have changed since1975 when a 680cc 4 banger single would kill the famous and much vaunted 'Widowmaker' H2 out on the road! Great vid, keep them coming please
I don’t know if it would kill it.. certainly not this one , it’s fast , some times it’s how an engine delivers the power .. and these 2 strokes certainly deliver it :)
And to think that years later, their single cylinder KX500 made the same amount of power..
You must have done some serious work to you 604 to get 66hp thats big step from the claimed 48hp at the crank.
As a rider starting in 1969 on Kawasaki two strokes I'd agree many of today's would blast a stock H2 in the quarter mile. My 1200 Thruxton R will run a 11.7 ET quarter mile and my Zx1400R would definitely smash a stock H2, HOWEVER nothing I've ridden scares or thrills me as much as that two H2 especially the early ones.
The sound from the intake and pipes, the vibration through the pegs and handlebars when it comes on the pipe will have the best riders scrambling to stay on. A great scary feeling.
as stated in other posts there was no other bikes faster in 250,350,500 or 750 in acceleration or top speed which of course is why we bought them.there was just nothing out there that could compare and the sound of a well screwed bike was awesome,most Kawa stroker riders had these bikes screwed against the stop.Im nearing 70 now but have a couple of 350,s and a 500. which i still enjoy,just dont go compare them with modern bikes you have to either have ridden them against their contemporaries for a true comparison. or accept them for what they are.
I could have got a new 1975 H2 or a new 76 Kh 500 I bought the 500. It was fast and amazing, but the purple 750 would have been even more amazing. They both sounded so bad ass with expansion chambers. Part of my life I will never forget. 2 strokes are gone forever, at least brand new.
What an awesome choice you had back then , they are both great bikes and yes both sounded bad ass with expansion chambers , it’s a shame for sure that they don’t still make 2 strokes like this or any really anymore
Thanks my man. My favorite ride from South Africa.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it , Great your watching from South Africa , awesome bike 😎
maybe i’m still alive because i never owned one great video
had a suzuki 550 triple. cool bike. just quieter and we’ll off the pace of a Kaw
but two strokes get in your bloodstream
Thanks , yeah Kawasaki was a bit more of an animal for sure but the Suzuki was still a cool bike, once you’ve had a 2 stroke it’s definitely in your blood
This is the type of bike I want to buy for
my mother-in-law.
😂😂😂 genius gift 😂
Enjoyable video, BEAUTIFUL H2. I had both the H1 and the H2. The 500 had a jekyll and hyde personality, not much before 5500, after that hold on. The H2 power band was flat in comparison, just loads of torque. My 72 H2 also vibrated badly, I always felt like I was holding onto the engine cases. To be fair I bought it with high mileage so that didn't help. Miss both of the bikes.
did you mention the crap gas mileage of 32 mpG?
Thanks, appreciate it , yeah the bike still looks so beautiful, exactly that with the 500 & 750 engines, a lot of people miss their old bikes but at the time you just move on to the next bike and don’t think about it I guess
Had a 250cc Suzuki x6. Drove it on the highway so fast and solid. I can't imagine how fast a 750cc would be.
Nice , as long as it fella fast it’s awesome and puts a smile on your face .. the 750 is a fantastic machine , great to ride /)
@@ProjectMoto it must have been totally ahead of its time.
I was born and lived in a communist country until I was 18 and we only had MZ, Jawa and Tomos engines and they all had a similar sound. That sound takes me back to my youth and the moment the Lada hit me while I was on the motorcycle, luckily I didn't have any fractures other than bruises. It was Yugoslavia.
And that’s what 2 stokes do, the sound and the smell takes you back every time , they are still so good to ride now, interesting compared to todays bikes but awesome 😎
Fair play- that sounds pretty epic.
Yeah crazy sound when you ride it , awesome 😎
Great thanks giving it the message brilliant stuff ☘️☺️💯💯 from northern Ireland,, something special that's awesome ☘️☘️
Thanks , yeah what an awesome bike 😎 very lucky 🍀 to ride it :)
My best friend picked me up at school,same year,same color, and a Honda SuperSport a competitor lol pulled up to also get a classmate. We raced and left ' them ' in the literal smoke. Took them at the end at a little over 110 mph. And it still had more to go. If you could even read the speedometer at any higher speeds from the intense vibration!? And you're 110% correct! They didn't stop and that was nearly as scary as being a passenger! And turning, like Muscle Cars NOT!!
😂😂 ha so many great memories for everyone with these old classics .. was so good when you was younger racing around .. everyone always took their mates out on the back of their bikes .. don’t seem to happen as much nowadays, great times , thanks :)
This is my exact H2c same color and look. I had Denco expansion chambers and Denco ported cylinders. 38mm mikuni's. 144 rear wheel H.P . I had the single disc, single piston front caliper, however. Good only for drag racing. 9.03 best quarter mile with a wheely bar. Sold it in 1982 for $700. Worth $25K today! Ouch.
Wow sounds awesome and that’s fast! Yeah crazy how the prices are .. that is a big ouch , but we wasn’t to know what they would be worth now I guess
I put the 750 motor in a 500 frame it had a better rake ran 9.60s.
I have a YKZ900. Back in the day I used to get down on her. Ride the back wheel piece of cake.
Cool nice bike , was great back then and now .. these old 2 strokes like a wheelie too :)
You don’t ring a two stroke from cold, let alone a 70s air cooled one. You take it easy for at least 5 minutes riding before opening it up. That’s after initial warm up idling.
Ha , that’s right … but you do know how editing works right ?😂 the bike wasn’t cold…
Yes sooooo true! Not having a liquid cooled motor was detrimental during the summer damn nearly impossible to ride one in Florida half the year. But when the weather cooled down it was on.
I love the old classic bikes.
Always a great feeling when you ride them.. and so nice to look at … oh and hear .. and smell :(
A thing of beauty , I agree it’s the best looking.
Yeah what a beautiful bike.. in the right colour :)
What a beautiful bike , and bonus, it's a stroker . Sounds mint AF!
Yeah it’s gorgeous to look at and to listen too , awesome 😎
proper bike that, best channel - period.
Yeah it’s an awesome bike, thanks , appreciate it :)
Great video, interesting to see what everyone was riding in on too! Keep them up and all the best
Thanks.. I had to get up early and get ready to make sure I got there before everyone came in … the thing I do , dedication 😂😂
Had two, sold both, regret it ever since. Great bikes
Awesome , yeah there’s lots of bikes I regret selling myself , at the time you don’t really think about it too much as your looking at your new bike I guess
I remember getting behind a pack of those back in the 70's and having to wait for all the smoke to clear to drive my car again. The one in this video didn't seem to smoke as much though. The other popular bike back then was the Yamaha RD350.
Yeah when we go out on a few of these if you get caught at the back not only you can’t see too much with the smoke you get covered in spots of 2 stroke oil 😂
@@ProjectMoto, all that smoke is what caused them to be banned here in the US back in the 80's. I remember that not only did they put out lots of smoke, they actually shot smoke balls out of the exhaust. Like someone smoking a cigarette puffing out balls of smoke.
I had an s2 350 in 1976. I can remember covering 2 lanes of dual carriageway with a huge smoke trail 😀
What's crazy is the side of the road you ride on. Lol. A friend of mine had an old yellow RZ350 back in the day and that was a crazy ride. Then I had that twin 350 in my Banshee which I turned into a 510cc stroker. What I like about 2 strokes is the tuner pipes, we took Toomey T5's, cut them and put bigger spark arresters on them. Thanks for the video.
Ha yeah alway weird looking at people riding on the other side of the road , a few of my friend had , and still have RD350’s (RZ350 over there) , they are still great to ride now, we have a video on a RD350, my friend also had a Banshee as well, thanks for the comment , glad you enjoyed the video :)