Your spot on mate As you say “ not paying out the buyer or the restorer of this bike” get it right ! Attention to detail Re routing cables and wiring correctly is so important But pods is a big no no “ find a genuine air. Box apart from the fact they run better “ Have said for years won’t be long and some of these beautiful ol “ Chook chasers “ will be pulling $100k Nice bike you have there Cheers from down under
It's the same thing EVERY YEAR with Mecum. Already you are seeing bikes posted for sale all showing pictures of the mecum results claiming their bike is worth "X Amount". It's a constant tug of war
Years ago helped on a 2year restoration of an Indian Prior to that my only motorcycle love was riding my H1 as fast as possible Anyway a short time later the Indian was entered in show at Indian day Springfield ma and took ribbon for most correct restoration. Someone had to explain what that was. Anyway my love for bikes and respect for proper restoration was born. I don’t have 50k to drop on a bike but that is no where near what an absolute perfect bike could bring price wise. I could go on 😊❤🏍️
Sounds like a beautiful bike! It's definitely another level of restoration when you are going for that nut and bolt accuracy. I have a lot of respect for those who take the time and effort to build those bikes.
I don't want to say it was built to a lower standard, but the accuracy in the build wasn't to a point where I would consider it a BIG dollar bike like that
Nice analysis. How about the Kawasaki Z2 750 that sold for a record $88,000! After the sale they noted that the headstock info was ground off and the engine case step where the serial number is etched in was also questionable. The seller had already left town, but Mecum did the right thing and killed the sale. Still, how could you not see this? And Mecum should probably have done a better job at confirming the authenticity of such a rare bike, knowing that it would set a new watermark in this category (only 15 in the country, never sold in the USA market).
I'm not going to get too into the Z2 controversy but you're absolutely right. Even IF the story is true about the owner trying to remove powdercoat to reveal the number he BUTCHERED IT! How NOBODY caught that prior to it going on the block blows me away!
I actually like and prefer the decals slanted aft, that sucker was so fast in its day the letters tilted that way all by themselves from acceleration, go ask the Roadrunner, he knows. This slant is also the mark of the infamous 'Deviant Builder' and shall eventually drive his prices even higher through such trademark evil. As for the tank vent not going over the frame rail, I can see some divergent not wanting stuff jammed under the seat squashing it and selecting a better routing method. From the video we really do not know what precautions Bubba took while routing the vent hose, so we speculate. That vent line often chafes into the top frame rail wearing paint thus exposing bare metal and encouraging rust. I just betcha it may be routed safely in a hidden and more tidy manner by some clever individual. None of these bikes in any shape or form are worth what some numbskulls are paying. Fix it, make it presentable and ride it. Yes, a few things that matter could be easily corrected in an hour or so like the horn and cables however one thing is for sure, they are adjusted much easier than a guy spending that kind of cake for the bike.😜
The most obvious thing is the tank decals should lean forward. I can't believe somebody did that! Rick Brett is the expert on triples he know the way they should be.
The sticker is correct over the RH side,and when flipped to the LH side appears to slope backwards,you see this on all these H2's,they only made one sticker,so this is correct.I think he could have moved it back 2 inches though going by other pics of the H2.
@@GrandNational66 fair enough but i viewed lots that don't just by doing a search,maybe they are aftermarket ones and yes the originals should be forward,i'm not going to go against an expert,cheers
it is probably THE MOST common mistake on restorations. Whenever I gt stuff painted I make it AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE how they should go. Very easy to mix up side covers if you're not familiar.
Sooo glad I jumped on my 72 H2 when I did, total basket case, needs frame off, but its all there and square. And he's right, the Kawasaki Triple community will bend over backwards to help you.
@@PetesClassicCycle I'm currently inventorying the bike and making decisions on what to buy new, NOS or refurb. After that then it's the process of parts scrouging and prep work, all of which I'm sure you (are) very familiar with. I have two other bikes in process, 1981 GPZ550(twin shocker the only one to have) which is almost done, and a 77 KZ650 Vintage Race bike, which has been a total surprise. Somebody invested a lot of effort and $$ into it from the day. I thought is was just a $500.00 clapper, but upon disassembly found a fully built engine(worn out and out of tune). 720cc over bore, larger Z1 carbs, .410 hard welded RR cam(unknown manufacture from the day), ported and polished head with 3 angle valve grind, 11:1 compression, lighted flywheel, polished rod ends and braced frame. Once I split the case I'll know more, but I think I'll do a period correct performance restoration on it. AP dual disk, RaceTek Emulators, KYB rear Shocks, wider Alu rims and a braced swingarm. KZ650's are a very under appreciated, the frames are just like the Z1and handle great. Setup right and you can drag a knee no-prob. Great community too, just like the Kaw Triple owners. The H2 Trip was a bucket list bike that I've wanted since I first saw one at a Road Race in Seattle in the mid 80's. I had an RD400 and knew a 750 Two Stroke would have to be crazy fast and lethal to ride. The one I have was bought from the original owner in CO; the original engine has cylinders and cases ported from Purple Haze Racing from the late 70's or early 80's from what we can tell. Maybe custom pipes from them as well, as there are no markings on the pipes. Great video, thanks for replying.
@@PetesClassicCycle Working through the inventory of the bike and figuring out what to get new, NOS, or refurb. Also have two other restoration in the works, 81 GPZ550 and 77 KZ650 Vintage race bike. What is your opinion on the level of restorations and prices these bikes are going for? This seems like desperation of the wealthy to grab the last of the them maybe... They are rare, if it were not for the fact that my H2 was purchased from a friend and a basket case barn find cheap, there is NO way I could afford $10K let alone $50K for an H2. Honestly for the money I'd much rather have a RG500, RZ500, NSR400 or a Steve Willgood Kawasaki KZ1000J S1 clone. Thanks for the reply.
I worked on them . Those faulty esthetic 'details' very probably hide some serious mechanical ones , as usual with shiny bling-bling restorations. Beware of restored H2s (as with most other 2-stroke bikes of the time, really) : old ones all have (pressed) crankshaft wear issues , with NO oem replacements available , period). Well, I'd love to get one...with $50,00 wortth of oem motor parts of course. This one is not worth a fifth of that. Great bike though . Very easy to repair by a decent mechanic , compared with modern ones, and MUCH nicer too. I've had wet dreams of restoring one 100% mechanically original...no way.
You raise some very good points. I also dream of building one with 100% oem parts but that alone would probably cost 50k these days with what some people ask for parts
Looks like a Kawasaki Z900 fork/wheel/brake. H2's had a single disc in Australia, and certainly the disc was not drilled, and certainly did not come with braided stainless steel brake lines. Just sayin'.
There were plenty of things not accurate with this bike, I didn't want to sit there and lust them all but you are right. Single disc came standard here in Canada too, But the 2nd disc was a $120 option.
Thanks Kirby! It may have been a bit repetitive but I thought it important to tie it all together with the point of the video instead of just bashing the poor guy for no reason. haha He was taking enough heat as it was.
You buy a so called restoration for that kind of money, you’d expect it to be perfect. The so called expert restorer did nice work, but he definitely wasn’t an expert.
Not necessarily.. I would think the smart thing to do is invest in an appreciating asset. Not over pay for something that has speculated to have peaked already.
I'm thinking the only people bitching and carping are the ones that don't have one sat in their workshop. A mint bike is a mint bike, no matter who the previous owners were.
Considering most of the outrage was in the H2 forums I don't think that's entirely accurate. If a Shelby Mustang broke the world record price you could bet your 1st born that it was looked over by countless experts to verify it's authenticity. This bike slipped through the cracks and I believe the buyer was not aware of the "problems" with the restoration.
B.S....I dont believe it. This was just a sensationalized fabricated sell for publicity....55,000.00 😂😂😂😂....this guy is pretty much sharing my thoughts ..
The guy that bought the bike is probably rich… making money takes time he probably owned one when he was young… I did but I’m not rich and I can’t afford a cheap one today
That may be so, but it doesn't change a thing. Anybody looking to buy or build one should take the time to do as much research as possible to ensure the best product possible. I don't have a problem with the price..it's that it was THIS bike that reached it with all it's inaccuracies.
And that's totally fine, but if you watch the video full video I make the point that this particular bike was not built to the accuracy in which you would expect a record breaker to be. It was riddled with inaccuracies and wrong parts.
I also sold two H-1's complete with three extra engines in 2010 for $2500, along with my KX500 for$1000,who'd have thought that they'd go up 10X. The good news from that sale was, the proceeds and another $6500 bought me a 1977 Turbo 911 Porsche which is worth 10X what I have in it now. Who'd have thought that bikes and cars would go up so much in the last 15 years! I still love the Kaw triples ,had an S1,S2, four H1's and two H2's!@@PetesClassicCycle
People with lots of money are not necessary smart. The 350 you have is lots more fun to ride than a 750 anyway. I had a 250, 350 and 500 Kawasaki's 70-73 races the 250 and 500.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that but it seems like that individual was not as educated on what to look for when buying an H2. I DO agree thoug that the small triples are more fun to ride, especially around town.
suzuki gt750 are a better long lasting bike with loads of chrome,and a first with a 750 water cooled bike 2 stroke and first with twin discs, and did gear indicator,.
These bikes have been increasing in value over the years so I'm not totally surprised that a few jumped up in price during the auction. I'm more surprised at which bikes did.
From what I know it was a legit sale. IF it were the 1st H2 to roll across the block you could think that but this was down the list of H2 and and a couple days into the auction already.
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
I always tell people "everyday you learn something new". I'm going to take a closer look now. Thanks for posting!
Thanks, and you're absolutely right. Even the experts I know are constantly studying and learning new things.
The crazy shit that goes down at auctions , you could write a book "More money than brains" "More dollars than sense"
2024 was definitely a crazy year at Mecum
It was nuts.
Your spot on mate
As you say “ not paying out the buyer or the restorer of this bike” get it right !
Attention to detail
Re routing cables and wiring correctly is so important
But pods is a big no no “ find a genuine air. Box apart from the fact they run better “
Have said for years won’t be long and some of these beautiful ol “ Chook chasers “ will be pulling $100k
Nice bike you have there
Cheers from down under
Thanks for the comment! It will be a bitter sweet day these bikes hit 100K.. Good for those who have them..bad for those who want them.
It’s crazy when an average bike just runs up crazy. Not that they are cheap anyway but the asking price of all them will go higher.
It's the same thing EVERY YEAR with Mecum. Already you are seeing bikes posted for sale all showing pictures of the mecum results claiming their bike is worth "X Amount". It's a constant tug of war
Years ago helped on a 2year restoration of an Indian
Prior to that my only motorcycle love was riding my H1 as fast as possible
Anyway a short time later the Indian was entered in show at Indian day Springfield ma and took ribbon for most correct restoration. Someone had to explain what that was.
Anyway my love for bikes and respect for proper restoration was born.
I don’t have 50k to drop on a bike but that is no where near what an absolute perfect bike could bring price wise.
I could go on 😊❤🏍️
Sounds like a beautiful bike! It's definitely another level of restoration when you are going for that nut and bolt accuracy. I have a lot of respect for those who take the time and effort to build those bikes.
That’s some insane money for a such a bike, especially one built to a lower standard. You sure know these bikes Pete.
I don't want to say it was built to a lower standard, but the accuracy in the build wasn't to a point where I would consider it a BIG dollar bike like that
So cool! As a 20+ year long owner of a 77 KZ650 just wanna say thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
Love the bike , not the price.
Nice analysis. How about the Kawasaki Z2 750 that sold for a record $88,000! After the sale they noted that the headstock info was ground off and the engine case step where the serial number is etched in was also questionable. The seller had already left town, but Mecum did the right thing and killed the sale. Still, how could you not see this? And Mecum should probably have done a better job at confirming the authenticity of such a rare bike, knowing that it would set a new watermark in this category (only 15 in the country, never sold in the USA market).
I'm not going to get too into the Z2 controversy but you're absolutely right. Even IF the story is true about the owner trying to remove powdercoat to reveal the number he BUTCHERED IT! How NOBODY caught that prior to it going on the block blows me away!
I actually like and prefer the decals slanted aft, that sucker was so fast in its day the letters tilted that way all by themselves from acceleration, go ask the Roadrunner, he knows. This slant is also the mark of the infamous 'Deviant Builder' and shall eventually drive his prices even higher through such trademark evil. As for the tank vent not going over the frame rail, I can see some divergent not wanting stuff jammed under the seat squashing it and selecting a better routing method. From the video we really do not know what precautions Bubba took while routing the vent hose, so we speculate. That vent line often chafes into the top frame rail wearing paint thus exposing bare metal and encouraging rust. I just betcha it may be routed safely in a hidden and more tidy manner by some clever individual. None of these bikes in any shape or form are worth what some numbskulls are paying. Fix it, make it presentable and ride it. Yes, a few things that matter could be easily corrected in an hour or so like the horn and cables however one thing is for sure, they are adjusted much easier than a guy spending that kind of cake for the bike.😜
The most obvious thing is the tank decals should lean forward. I can't believe somebody did that! Rick Brett is the expert on triples he know the way they should be.
Your right they are suppose to lean forward...so when it travels they appear to straighten.
The sticker is correct over the RH side,and when flipped to the LH side appears to slope backwards,you see this on all these H2's,they only made one sticker,so this is correct.I think he could have moved it back 2 inches though going by other pics of the H2.
@@MrLeslloyd they lean forward on both sides...those are incorrect.
@@GrandNational66 fair enough but i viewed lots that don't just by doing a search,maybe they are aftermarket ones and yes the originals should be forward,i'm not going to go against an expert,cheers
it is probably THE MOST common mistake on restorations. Whenever I gt stuff painted I make it AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE how they should go. Very easy to mix up side covers if you're not familiar.
Sooo glad I jumped on my 72 H2 when I did, total basket case, needs frame off, but its all there and square. And he's right, the Kawasaki Triple community will bend over backwards to help you.
That's awesome! Is it mid restoration now?
@@PetesClassicCycle I'm currently inventorying the bike and making decisions on what to buy new, NOS or refurb. After that then it's the process of parts scrouging and prep work, all of which I'm sure you (are) very familiar with. I have two other bikes in process, 1981 GPZ550(twin shocker the only one to have) which is almost done, and a 77 KZ650 Vintage Race bike, which has been a total surprise. Somebody invested a lot of effort and $$ into it from the day. I thought is was just a $500.00 clapper, but upon disassembly found a fully built engine(worn out and out of tune). 720cc over bore, larger Z1 carbs, .410 hard welded RR cam(unknown manufacture from the day), ported and polished head with 3 angle valve grind, 11:1 compression, lighted flywheel, polished rod ends and braced frame. Once I split the case I'll know more, but I think I'll do a period correct performance restoration on it. AP dual disk, RaceTek Emulators, KYB rear Shocks, wider Alu rims and a braced swingarm. KZ650's are a very under appreciated, the frames are just like the Z1and handle great. Setup right and you can drag a knee no-prob. Great community too, just like the Kaw Triple owners. The H2 Trip was a bucket list bike that I've wanted since I first saw one at a Road Race in Seattle in the mid 80's. I had an RD400 and knew a 750 Two Stroke would have to be crazy fast and lethal to ride. The one I have was bought from the original owner in CO; the original engine has cylinders and cases ported from Purple Haze Racing from the late 70's or early 80's from what we can tell. Maybe custom pipes from them as well, as there are no markings on the pipes. Great video, thanks for replying.
@@PetesClassicCycle Working through the inventory of the bike and figuring out what to get new, NOS, or refurb. Also have two other restoration in the works, 81 GPZ550 and 77 KZ650 Vintage race bike. What is your opinion on the level of restorations and prices these bikes are going for? This seems like desperation of the wealthy to grab the last of the them maybe... They are rare, if it were not for the fact that my H2 was purchased from a friend and a basket case barn find cheap, there is NO way I could afford $10K let alone $50K for an H2. Honestly for the money I'd much rather have a RG500, RZ500, NSR400 or a Steve Willgood Kawasaki KZ1000J S1 clone. Thanks for the reply.
Vin #'s from crank & frame within 200 to be considered #'s matching
That is a general rule of thumb. There are the odd exceptions though.
I worked on them . Those faulty esthetic 'details' very probably hide some serious mechanical ones , as usual with shiny bling-bling restorations. Beware of restored
H2s (as with most other 2-stroke bikes of the time, really) : old ones all have (pressed) crankshaft wear issues , with NO oem replacements available , period).
Well, I'd love to get one...with $50,00 wortth of oem motor parts of course. This one is not
worth a fifth of that.
Great bike though . Very easy to repair by a decent mechanic , compared with modern
ones, and MUCH nicer too.
I've had wet dreams of restoring one 100% mechanically original...no way.
You raise some very good points. I also dream of building one with 100% oem parts but that alone would probably cost 50k these days with what some people ask for parts
I like you comments ! your are realistic !
Thanks! Mean's a lot
Looks like a Kawasaki Z900 fork/wheel/brake. H2's had a single disc in Australia, and certainly the disc was not drilled, and certainly did not come with braided stainless steel brake lines. Just sayin'.
There were plenty of things not accurate with this bike, I didn't want to sit there and lust them all but you are right. Single disc came standard here in Canada too, But the 2nd disc was a $120 option.
Good video... good points.... could cut the last 1/3. Cheers!
Thanks Kirby! It may have been a bit repetitive but I thought it important to tie it all together with the point of the video instead of just bashing the poor guy for no reason. haha He was taking enough heat as it was.
You buy a so called restoration for that kind of money, you’d expect it to be perfect. The so called expert restorer did nice work, but he definitely wasn’t an expert.
Agreed. Looking forward to his next bike to see how far he came.
This is always a sign the economy is about to tank, when people start overpaying for classics to get their money out of the banks?
Not necessarily.. I would think the smart thing to do is invest in an appreciating asset. Not over pay for something that has speculated to have peaked already.
For that price I would have expected it fresh out of the crate. Pod filters, really?
Or at least come with spare plugs and a good divorce lawyer haha
I'm thinking the only people bitching and carping are the ones that don't have one sat in their workshop. A mint bike is a mint bike, no matter who the previous owners were.
Considering most of the outrage was in the H2 forums I don't think that's entirely accurate. If a Shelby Mustang broke the world record price you could bet your 1st born that it was looked over by countless experts to verify it's authenticity. This bike slipped through the cracks and I believe the buyer was not aware of the "problems" with the restoration.
Oh hell no
I'm afraid so
Had 2 love them ! 50k ? what a joke !
You saw that right...
B.S....I dont believe it. This was just a sensationalized fabricated sell for publicity....55,000.00 😂😂😂😂....this guy is pretty much sharing my thoughts
..
I'm afraid so..
The guy that bought the bike is probably rich… making money takes time he probably owned one when he was young… I did but I’m not rich and I can’t afford a cheap one today
That may be so, but it doesn't change a thing. Anybody looking to buy or build one should take the time to do as much research as possible to ensure the best product possible. I don't have a problem with the price..it's that it was THIS bike that reached it with all it's inaccuracies.
@@PetesClassicCycle your right about that
to a collector with very deep pockets $50 grand is pocket change. maybe they now have one of each to complete the collection, who knows!
And that's totally fine, but if you watch the video full video I make the point that this particular bike was not built to the accuracy in which you would expect a record breaker to be. It was riddled with inaccuracies and wrong parts.
that's true also, but some wealthy collector's feel close is good enough ,but at that price you would expect perfection.@@PetesClassicCycle
$55k for another '72 blue H2 in the same auction!!! Sold mine in '82 for $550.00, left a little on the table.waaa waaa!~
This was the 55k bike
I also sold two H-1's complete with three extra engines in 2010 for $2500, along with my KX500 for$1000,who'd have thought that they'd go up 10X. The good news from that sale was, the proceeds and another $6500 bought me a 1977 Turbo 911 Porsche which is worth 10X what I have in it now. Who'd have thought that bikes and cars would go up so much in the last 15 years! I still love the Kaw triples ,had an S1,S2, four H1's and two H2's!@@PetesClassicCycle
People with lots of money are not necessary smart. The 350 you have is lots more fun to ride than a 750 anyway. I had a 250, 350 and 500 Kawasaki's 70-73 races the 250 and 500.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that but it seems like that individual was not as educated on what to look for when buying an H2. I DO agree thoug that the small triples are more fun to ride, especially around town.
Even gods fight in vain against stupidity
Gegen Dummheit kämpften selbst Götter vergebens
suzuki gt750 are a better long lasting bike with loads of chrome,and a first with a 750 water cooled bike 2 stroke and first with twin discs, and did gear indicator,.
All true. They are made to be more of a touring bike where the H2 was made for 1 thing and 1 thing only. Going Fast.
Nuts , way over priced , some dumb baby boomer with money to burn and had to much beer to drink . 15-21k tops
These bikes have been increasing in value over the years so I'm not totally surprised that a few jumped up in price during the auction. I'm more surprised at which bikes did.
Fake sale
From what I know it was a legit sale. IF it were the 1st H2 to roll across the block you could think that but this was down the list of H2 and and a couple days into the auction already.