I had one of these , KAWASAKI advertised these as producing 42 hp at the rear wheel. KAWASAKI also claimed they would turn a 12.04 in the quarter, and they WOULD, MINE was radically ported and the rotory valves cut with chambers, I only wieghed 105 lbs at the time, the bike did not even know I was there, I was turning mid 11s in the quarter. very few people really knew anything about KAWASAKIs at the time. I truly loved kicking the shit out of the super cars then, and 90% of the bikes,
I know what you mean, I had one way back when too, the meanest fastest bike I ever rode then or since - and the most dangerous. I can't imagine why this guy doesn't turn the tap and get into the power band, they are sensational engines and he doesn't show it.
The 1967 and '68 A7s only claimed 40.5 bhp as they had only 26mm carbs, different pipes (internally) and, possibly, slightly less aggressive transfer port timing than the 1969-71 variety, which had CDI, 28mm carbs, different pipes, etc and claimed 42 bhp.
They went to piston port induction when the went to the three cylinder inline layout for their street two strokes. A rotary valve triple would have been awkward and overly bulky. While the triple configuration made sense for their 500 and 750 two strokes, I think it would have been better to stick with the the old A7 twin instead of the newer S2 triple, when it came to a 350. As I recall the rotary valve twin was faster. But the triple was able to bask in the reflected glory of its bigger brothers and the 250-350 class of bikes was no longer as competitive when it came to performance as it had been a few years earlier.
I had one of these , KAWASAKI advertised these as producing 42 hp at the rear wheel.
KAWASAKI also claimed they would turn a 12.04 in the quarter,
and they WOULD,
MINE was radically ported and the rotory valves cut with chambers,
I only wieghed 105 lbs at the time, the bike did not even know I was there,
I was turning mid 11s in the quarter.
very few people really knew anything about KAWASAKIs at the time.
I truly loved kicking the shit out of the super cars then,
and 90% of the bikes,
I know what you mean, I had one way back when too, the meanest fastest bike I ever rode then or since - and the most dangerous. I can't imagine why this guy doesn't turn the tap and get into the power band, they are sensational engines and he doesn't show it.
The 1967 and '68 A7s only claimed 40.5 bhp as they had only 26mm carbs, different pipes (internally) and, possibly, slightly less aggressive transfer port timing than the 1969-71 variety, which had CDI, 28mm carbs, different pipes, etc and claimed 42 bhp.
My dad drove this bike when he was young.
why did Kawasaki quit making the rotary valve motor and go to the piston port design?
They went to piston port induction when the went to the three cylinder inline layout for their street two strokes. A rotary valve triple would have been awkward and overly bulky. While the triple configuration made sense for their 500 and 750 two strokes, I think it would have been better to stick with the the old A7 twin instead of the newer S2 triple, when it came to a 350. As I recall the rotary valve twin was faster. But the triple was able to bask in the reflected glory of its bigger brothers and the 250-350 class of bikes was no longer as competitive when it came to performance as it had been a few years earlier.
@@shwesq my brother rode a a7 in 1970. He said it was the hardest accelerating bike that he even rode!!!!!!