Excellent to watch these triples run. I drag raced 1974-81 period. Back then I was the only Canadian from Ontario representing our flag. I raced a 72 H2 Denco 148hp and followed by a 149hp. Paul Gast really helped support my cause as we both were learning during that period. I am still a active H2 pro street rider. I received an award for traveling the complete circuit in Drag-bike association back in the day! My best time 9:69 at 142mph 1/4 mile and my 1/8th mile 6:17 at 105mph. Really appreciate your videos as it truly brings back great memories. As a Canadian we really felt like family at all these events the best folks that’s for sure. My wife and I drove to the Mancup to see Paul Gast run and the triples back in 2019. It was so awesome and we walked around that evening and the folks are still holding on to the same culture an atmosphere that I felt back in the 70s. I can’t imagine anywhere through life where the atmosphere has remained the same no matter how many generations. Truly a sacred ground. Paul Romanelli cheers
Don't get me wrong, 'cos I love 2 strokes AND I love nitrous but, in my experience, putting the two together increases your chances of turning braaaaap into baaaang by many orders of magnitude. So, I tip my hat to all of these guys for having a go at it and keeping us entertained in the process. Thanks for another great vid CycleDrag.
Used to ride on the back of my Dad's Suzuki water buffalo. Loved when he went into town because I'd ride his Yamaha Rd 350 and Kawasaki 500 2 cycles at 14 years old!! Thanks for the memories!
Yes. I had my hands on a 71? RD350 tooooo stroke! rescued from a dirty tow recovery shop...under it all lay an orange bike with full chrome fenders waiting to be loved again...it got it with a fresh topend and judicious cleaning that rewarded me with a 1st place bike show trophy and at a mostly HD bike show at that and crazy high rpm gear shifts.
I got my H1 in 1987. The day I got my drivers license is the same day I got my motorcycle license. It was the same day the police came to my door. Also the day i went on my first solo road trip. Great day
@@toddzilla6491 I’m sure you, Randy, and I all had some close calls! Being young/dumb on a fast bike is a dicey combination. But I agree that it was a spectacular time that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
My favorite was my 1972 RD 350 Yamaha. I bought it brand new for $750.00, close out. Cleanest 2 stroke around, extremely dependable, and plenty fast. Burnt orange and Black. The only things that beat me, through the quarter, were an identical 350 Yamaha, with a 30 pounds lighter rider, and a 1969 Mustang, with the 302, factory high performance package, and I had him, big time, until well past the 1/8 mark. Fun times, but long gone, now.
Way back when, I bought a beautiful blue 1978 RD400 with super long Bassani expansion chamber pipes - the damn thing hung with KZ900’s at the street drags and was a Dennis the Menace wheelie machine. Amazing what $800 could buy!
Great video. Love the old 2 strokes. Brought back memories when the fellow said he paid $935.00 out the door for his S2 350. I purchased a 400 Kawasaki triple for $953.00 out the door. Crashed it, broad sided a drunk driver and between insurance and selling the wrecked bike I got $950.00. Lost $3.00 on the deal but has cost me a lifetime of pain. That was 45 years ago. Still love 2 strokes..
I had a 1973 Water Buffalo (Suzuki GT 750). It was a blast and super fast. Always had problems trying to keep the Mikunis right though. My best memory of those carbs was trying to calibrate them and laying my bare arm on a hot chamber inlet. Peeled the skin right off. Good times and great memories! YEAH!
as a bike rider who had his 1st dirt bike in early '70's and an NHRA drag racing fan, loved the Yamaha 'RD' series bikes.....thank you for posting this......ahhhhh....to hear the 'ring dings'.....awesome post and well done
Thanks for posting this great 2 stroke video.I ran H1 and then a72 denco H2 back in the 70 s.I had the great pleasure of working and racing with Jack O Malley.Before he started Orient Express.I still race my stock Fz1 at Sonoma raceway.I was blessed to hear his name mentioned by the Strauss family in that great interview you did with them.Keep up the excellent coverage that you do.
Great Video, thanks. Had a Yamaha single 125 then traded it in for Kawi S2 350. That S2 surprised me Twice. The first time, when I test rode it and damn near slid off the rear of the seat when it hit 6000RPM accelerating in second gear with the throttle wide open. Second time I was going home from work as I accelerated down a familiar street with a speed limit of 45 I glanced down thinking I saw the Tach at 90, a double take and realized that wasn't the Tach it was the Speedo and I had no idea I was going that fast. Scared myself., But I loved that Bike.
When got out of the Army in 1968 I got a Kawasaki 350 Avenger Scrambler, I’d go to old Ascot Park in California ever Friday nite for half mile flat track, after the races all the bikes would go down Artesia Boulevard before it was the 91 freeway, I’d race anyone & anything, 650 Triumph Bonnevilles, Harley Sportsters, BAS’s and Smoke them all, it was the first year there were sold in the US, I rode one when I was in Thailand, so I knew they were fast. Then I got the 1970 Mock 111 500cc Triple, what a handful that was. I just found you on Facebook and know I’ve subscribe to your TH-cam channel, as I’ve had 9 Motorcycles in my life. The Fiesta Flash 🤙🏼🍺
I had a Suzuki 600 ram air triple (Australia) it was a great bike and in the 80's it was a blast, I wish I still had it. as I had done all the boy things , heavy duty clutch, bigger fuel jets, custom intakes, and exhaust power pipes with lots of engine chrome. In the day you were battling to keep the front wheel on the ground going hard through the gears. Ohhhh I really loved that bike, thanks for brining back memories
I never raced bikes, but I was exclusively a two stroke rider from 1974-1983. '74 Kaw F7 175 I used for off and on road, '74 Kaw H2 750 used for local street bike, '75 Suz GT750 I built into a long distance tourer, with Windjammer fairing, bates saddle bags and trunk. By 1983 I bought a Honda 1100 Aspencade and had sold the two strokes.
I had a H1 Mach III in 1973-1976. Traded it in on a new Z900 in Jan 1976 and which I still own today. Wish I still had the H1. That was a wild ride in the day.
I can really relate to these my first street bike 1975 H1 500,the following year purchased crashed 1973 purple H2 put the electrical and engine swap. Work all overtime in winter 1981 bought 34 mikunis with Denco chambers. What a beautiful machine I had 1975 H1 mint metallic stock brown with H2 engine ,box square swingarm. Today I have many Kawasakis that I've collected, regrettably not that one.
My favorite ever since my first water cooled 2stroke in 1985 in Invercargill New Zealand 🇳🇿 was the 1971 Suzuki Gt750 what we always called the "Water bus", and I was very excited with the power surge and acceleration from a standard as far as I know 13 year old 2stroke 🤗 (besides the set of expansion chambers, by MacDowell Engineering/Electroplating, Invercargill.) I still get that feeling when I hear that music/resonation in the air and the smell 😜😋 awesome show guys great machines👍
Here here yes :) we use to call um the Water Buffalo here in Ca. Now i too was bitten by the Widow Maker Kawasaki H2 Triple 750 2 stroke , i was all happy to do high 11s in the quarter at 120mph and back in 1980 i was one of the fastest in my town Norwalk Ca. ahh the good ole days of a 19 year old teenager with balls of steel :)
Thank you that's a great job I had a 1969 500cc two-stroke Kawasaki I believe it was called Blue Streak white tank with a blue stripe on it extremely quick never lost a race thank you keep doing it
Without a doubt my 72 H2 was wicked fast! Bored .040 over, ported to the max at Phx. Kaw., Denco high end chambers, clip-ons, stripped, would do power wheelies at 100 mph in 3rd gear easy, got it airborne all the time in the Az. desert highways with dips and rises at the dry washes. With somebody on the back you could not keep the front end on the ground. First time I road one, a friend let me try (foolish), I stood it straight up through an intersection accidentally. Had to have one. Never got beat by any KZ 900, 1000 or 1100s. Raced a friend's Harley (machinist built himself), we started at 100 mph, he nodded, I downshifted into 3rd gear and pulled a wheelie while he hammered his 4 speed Harley but, nothing...he was so mad! My Dad thought his Gold Wing might beat me top end but, no. You've never ridden something that fun, light, powerful. I could bring the front end up while I was still bent over coming out of a turn or lift the back tire stopping, insane fun!!! I'm 66 now and ride my electric fat tire bike in the mountains to avoid my turn hitting the deer around here. My wife gave up horses, made me give up the bike. Dang! (If she dies on me I'm getting another one). Thanks for the incredible video! Insane wicked fun!! Those 750s were almost as fast as that 1441 4 stroke!
Yes, twostrokers have more fun! My first bike ever was a German-made Zundapp KS100 from 1970. Since it was so light, less than 75 kgs, the 10 hp motor was quite enough to kill you, if you weren't careful in the corners. It was a blast! ❤
Go ahead! Make me jealous as hell! I had a Daytona Special, that I put an RZ350 engine in. Bone stock, except for the expansion chambers, and Boyesen reeds. The convert took me all night. RD400 cost me about $350, and the wrecked RZ, another 300. The RZ front end was good, so the fork and wheel were also used. Twin discs, baby. DAMN I wish I still had that bike. Zero to 60, in first- second, in like a heartbeat. (Probably 2 seconds.) steve
RG 500 is my favourite because it's the closest you can get to the bike my all time racing hero Kevin Schwantz had so much fun on. I love smokin strokers, the sound of an engine revving into the teens, the smell of fully synthetic two stroke racing oil. Unbeatable.....
I love the 350, that was my first bike too, and yes it was orange as well. My best mate won a state Christmas Tree on a h1 500 in dial your own racing. He lost across the line, but the other rider broke out.
My all-time favorite is my Yamaha rd400 dragbike. It weighs 240 lbs and is all about innovation. it runs 11 flat with mild porting and less-than -optimum pipes. Who builds a great set of pipes out there? it's a 10 second bike with a real set of pipes!
I had a rd400 Daytona Special with k&b's and spec two pipes, drag bars and rear sets ! What a blast!! Could beat anything up to a 850 to 100mph!! Out ran a Illinois State trooper for 15 minutes through my old neighborhood ! Found out I wasn't Kenny Roberts! Topped out at 130 !
I bought a fully dressed Water Buffalo for $150 back in 1981. It hadn't run in over 10 years. I got it started, but it ran really bad. The middle piston had a 3/4" hole all the way through on the exhaust side, and the rings were bent down below the hole. I bought a new piston and rings for $31(lot of money back then)and my first 1/4 mile pass was 11:62 at 124mph. Had to stop racing when my sons were born. Miss those days at Sacramento Raceway. I see these guys with the fancy electric starters....I used to reach down and start mine with my hand on the kick starter.
The list is so long I just say everything from a kx80 to a 490yz dirt and rd 350's to rz 500 street at least 15 different bikes before switching to 4 stroke bikes. I can't believe Smokin Joe is still racing I remember watching him back in the mid 80's. The smell of klotz is like perfume to me .Twin Mcchullocks on a go cart was fun too.
Kool vid man!, I had a 1972 H2750, layed down rear shocks, akront rims, had custom cut denco chambers tucked under like a TZ 750, was done by Bill Smith here in oakland ca! >>> R.I.P. Bill!
My uncle was in the Navy in 1973 and bought a new green 73 H1 500 Mach4. He was sent to Hawaii & left it at home in Nor Cal, he gave me a wink and said not to mess with it, I was only 12! But I was bike crazy & my pocket knife just happened to work in the ignition switch so... I now had a Kawi 500! I took it every chance I got when my grandparents were at work or asleep & with a helmet the cops couldn't tell how old I was! Wow, fun times!
I recall 2 students at my USF engineering college in 1977 had those 3 cylinder Kawasaki 750 2-strokes. Very light and powerful (at high rpm), with a small and simple engine. Even the Yamaha 350 2 cyl 2-stroke was a pocket-rocket, with max HP close to the Honda 750 4 stroke. 2 strokes were soon outlawed in U.S. street bikes by emissions laws. Those engines wore out quick and were temperamental. The light that burns brightest burns briefest.
Bought a brand new Red 1970 H1. Never rode one before I purchased it. I was 16 years old at the time. I left the parking lot and a couple of minutes late I twisted the throttle all the way up and the front end came up! I thought wow what a cool bike! I rode the piss out of it and just before I got home it started to run weird so I pulled over on the side of the road. Turned off the bike and when I went to start it it was locked up! Waited for a while for it to cool off and cranked it up and rode it the final mile home. Never had a problem after that.
Water Buffalo - the owner of the company I worked for had one. I had the GT-380 Tripple 2 stroke. 7K redline. It was the only bike I ever pushed into a gas station. I sold it the third time! F yeah!
RD350. I bought and rode a raggedy RD250 The white and red one..I was and still am passhinet totally took over my life ate,slept,dremped, and lived RDs..THE 250 GOT A COMPLETE FRAMEOFF AND 350 JUGS,DG,heads,wallerdout reedcaseing and stepped them up with larger carbs.i should go on and on. But on closing I had to go over 100mph everyday and I talked to her.Thanks DENIS HOGAN TAMPA FL.
Back in the day, I had a reddish/purple '74 H2 like one at 1:10... later ones were actually detuned slightly from the 1st ones in '71... H2's were horrible MPG... 15 - 20 MPG in easy riding and only a 4 gallon tank... hard to pass a gas station...
1982 Yamaha IT 250j. Pretty quick. 35 hp stock. 110kmh top speed. Wheelies into 4th. Cannot kill it. It's a tank. I go everywhere riding single track. It's like one of my best friends 😂
Two stroke triples! Gotta love um. I've had two Suzuki GT-750 Lemans myself. Both outfitted with aftermarket carbs and expansion chambers. Sold my last one, a 72, in 2006. Wish I never had sold it. Also sold a much modified Honda CBX the same year. Wish I hadn't sold that either. Both sold to buy a brand new Suzuki M109R, which I still have to this day. And I also have a 08 B-King.
I had a 1972 Kawasaki 750 with Dan covel Chambers and Weiss go pistons and 38 mm Mikuni's one of the fastest street bikes in southern Minnesota in the late 70s and early 80s!
Have I owned a 2 stroke street bike 😊 I’m 60 and have been racing since a was 11 yrs old. I’ve personally owned 2 GT 380’s 1 GT 550 1 GT 750 water Buffalo 3 RD 350’s and 1 400. I never drag raced any of them, I had a 70 Nova SS L78 for the drag racing itch. Motocross 2 strokes, I couldn’t begin to list or remember all of those.
I miss all my old 2 strikers, from bikes to outboards. The sound , smell and torque is unchallenged. Kawi, AR90 , Gt550 Susie, Yammie RD350 & 400 too. Miss them
My father had a '73 Mach 3 750. I was terrified on the back of that thing on Big Tujunga Rd and Angeles Crest north of LA. I started riding dirt in '71, street in '80. I asked him later what it was like to ride the 750 hard. He said I would have hated it compared to modern four strokes. No reed valves, no special porting, all pipe. The powerband of an on off switch. A dog until it hit the pipe and took off in whatever direction it was pointed in when it hit about 5500 RPM. The 750 with a heavier crank was considered manageable compared the the 500 which was so quick to rev and so pipey it was a deathtrap. I remember seeing Suzuki 750 "water buffalos" here and there back in the day. Haven't seen one in the wild in decades.
I remember a time out here in California,back in the late 70 s and 80s 90s, but really in the 80s at LACR Palmdale’s famous drag strip, I raced there for 10 years , but I remember a bike meet thier, and a guy named tommy turner, brought his RD 400, out he was the world record holder at the time , 10 s he was trying every thing toget into the 90s. My other story is one of my other friends had a street RD400, he rode it on the street, my cousins had a triple Suzuki or Kawasaki I don’t remember, he took it on the toad back and forth to San Diego navy base do you was a navy Navy sailor that’s was back in the 80s, so you for your cycleDrag vlogs , love it , BigAl California.
Rode a 1972 H2 across in Canada 1974, Toronto Ont. to Vancover BC. 11 days on saddle, 14 - 18 hrs days 7300 miles, 4 tickets to my credit. exhaust pipes totally white at tips, Just say in
You CAN drag race in the rain- if you are totally nuts! (Back in '65 or '65- the bike rags in the U.K. announced the first ever International Drag Race- I had to see it!) The event was held at an unused air craft runway. The Yanks brought over those slingshot four wheeled things- but I was there to watch The Michigan Madman, (E.J. Potter.) He had brung over- a bike with a hemi car engine in it !?! Of course- it rained hard all day. The slingshots didn't go out- only the British saloon cars, AND E.J. Potter went out. At the lights, E.J.'s rear wheel, was perched on a stand- when the green light was flashed- they kicked the wheel off the stand! (I could not believe it- there was standing water, right across the track, about half way down!?! E.J. hit that- and lost it! He went through two picket fences, and dumped it! While he was in the hospital, the bike rags and the newspapers interviewed him- he showed them, the drawings for his next bike, (it had TWO hemi car engines in it!) E.J. did all right, when he went home- he ran that thing, at a lot of drag races in the U.S.! Way to go, Mr. Potter!
Probably nothin compared to these but back in the 90's i rode, regularly a mates cr500 2 stroke he'd put on the road..man that bike gave the biggest smile...hed ride my zx9r...because i just couldnt get enough of his cr....on acceleration on roads we had to lean over the front as it wanted to live on its back wheel !!...beautiful bike...man i miss that 500 i really do 🤜🤛
Eliminations are up - th-cam.com/video/8irgLww12Ew/w-d-xo.html
We need Smell-a-Vision For the 2-stokes!
Ok
Excellent to watch these triples run. I drag raced 1974-81 period. Back then I was the only Canadian from Ontario representing our flag. I raced a 72 H2 Denco 148hp and followed by a 149hp. Paul Gast really helped support my cause as we both were learning during that period. I am still a active H2 pro street rider. I received an award for traveling the complete circuit in Drag-bike association back in the day! My best time 9:69 at 142mph 1/4 mile and my 1/8th mile 6:17 at 105mph. Really appreciate your videos as it truly brings back great memories. As a Canadian we really felt like family at all these events the best folks that’s for sure. My wife and I drove to the Mancup to see Paul Gast run and the triples back in 2019. It was so awesome and we walked around that evening and the folks are still holding on to the same culture an atmosphere that I felt back in the 70s. I can’t imagine anywhere through life where the atmosphere has remained the same no matter how many generations. Truly a sacred ground. Paul Romanelli cheers
This is not Canada . Who cares what you say. This Michigan
Don't get me wrong, 'cos I love 2 strokes AND I love nitrous but, in my experience, putting the two together increases your chances of turning braaaaap into baaaang by many orders of magnitude.
So, I tip my hat to all of these guys for having a go at it and keeping us entertained in the process.
Thanks for another great vid CycleDrag.
That was funny!
But for the time being it's one hell of a ride
I wonder if anybody's messed with that nitromethane stuff used for RC cars.
Used to ride on the back of my Dad's Suzuki water buffalo. Loved when he went into town because I'd ride his Yamaha Rd 350 and Kawasaki 500 2 cycles at 14 years old!! Thanks for the memories!
Yes. I had my hands on a 71? RD350 tooooo stroke! rescued from a dirty tow recovery shop...under it all lay an orange bike with full chrome fenders waiting to be loved again...it got it with a fresh topend and judicious cleaning that rewarded me with a 1st place bike show trophy and at a mostly HD bike show at that and crazy high rpm gear shifts.
All of my Penn Hills neighbors were so happy when I turned 16 in 1982 and they got to enjoy these sweet sounds from me and my 74 H1. 😂
Lol I live in Whitehall and had a 750 Suzuki water buffalo in 82.
Too bad we never met. Great story 👍
I got my H1 in 1987. The day I got my drivers license is the same day I got my motorcycle license. It was the same day the police came to my door. Also the day i went on my first solo road trip. Great day
That’s awesome Randy!!
Those were great days.
The freedom of being young
and owning a fast bike. Lucky
the thing didn’t kill me haha.
Penn Hills? I'm from Monroeville!
@@toddzilla6491 I’m sure you, Randy, and I all had some close calls! Being young/dumb on a fast bike is a dicey combination. But I agree that it was a spectacular time that I wouldn’t trade for anything.
My favorite was my 1972 RD 350 Yamaha. I bought it brand new for $750.00, close out. Cleanest 2 stroke around, extremely dependable, and plenty fast. Burnt orange and Black. The only things that beat me, through the quarter, were an identical 350 Yamaha, with a 30 pounds lighter rider, and a 1969 Mustang, with the 302, factory high performance package, and I had him, big time, until well past the 1/8 mark. Fun times, but long gone, now.
My brother bought a new 350 Yamaha and it was awesome for the time. The Harley boys would get mad when they got spanked light to light.
Way back when, I bought a beautiful blue 1978 RD400 with super long Bassani expansion chamber pipes - the damn thing hung with KZ900’s at the street drags and was a Dennis the Menace wheelie machine. Amazing what $800 could buy!
Great video. Love the old 2 strokes. Brought back memories when the fellow said he paid $935.00 out the door for his S2 350. I purchased a 400 Kawasaki triple for $953.00 out the door. Crashed it, broad sided a drunk driver and between insurance and selling the wrecked bike I got $950.00. Lost $3.00 on the deal but has cost me a lifetime of pain. That was 45 years ago. Still love 2 strokes..
I had a 1973 Water Buffalo (Suzuki GT 750). It was a blast and super fast. Always had problems trying to keep the Mikunis right though. My best memory of those carbs was trying to calibrate them and laying my bare arm on a hot chamber inlet. Peeled the skin right off. Good times and great memories! YEAH!
Me 2 I love the 2 stroke 750 H2 !! Back in 1975 i had a 750 H2 1972 model back in SURINAME S.A. An ERA that's never coming back !!
Had an rd 60, gt 350,
77 rd 400 (sold it in concourse condition in early 2k's)
Many dirt bikes of 80s era.
Great coverage 🤘
73 H1. Lived on that bike. Loved it!! Turned the odometer over every year.
I love the look of these old bikes! Especially the way the gas tanks are painted. They could be hung as wall art, they are beautiful.
as a bike rider who had his 1st dirt bike in early '70's and an NHRA drag racing fan, loved the Yamaha 'RD' series bikes.....thank you for posting this......ahhhhh....to hear the 'ring dings'.....awesome post and well done
Thanks for posting this great 2 stroke video.I ran H1 and then a72 denco H2 back in the 70 s.I had the great pleasure of working and racing with Jack O Malley.Before he started Orient Express.I still race my stock Fz1 at Sonoma raceway.I was blessed to hear his name mentioned by the Strauss family in that great interview you did with them.Keep up the excellent coverage that you do.
Great to see these bikes gooooo! Had a 1969 Suzuki T500 in the early seventies, club raced it for a couple of seasons.
I had a 1972 Suzuki Titan 500 which was bought new in 1972. Loved riding 2 strokes!
Awesome video! My first vehicle was a 74 h2 Mach IV. Bought it when I was 17. Pure thrill ride!
Great Video, thanks. Had a Yamaha single 125 then traded it in for Kawi S2 350. That S2 surprised me Twice. The first time, when I test rode it and damn near slid off the rear of the seat when it hit 6000RPM accelerating in second gear with the throttle wide open. Second time I was going home from work as I accelerated down a familiar street with a speed limit of 45 I glanced down thinking I saw the Tach at 90, a double take and realized that wasn't the Tach it was the Speedo and I had no idea I was going that fast. Scared myself., But I loved that Bike.
Hate to see the ghost got broke man love that bike thanks buddy for covering this show
When got out of the Army in 1968 I got a Kawasaki 350 Avenger Scrambler, I’d go to old Ascot Park in California ever Friday nite for half mile flat track, after the races all the bikes would go down Artesia Boulevard before it was the 91 freeway, I’d race anyone & anything, 650 Triumph Bonnevilles, Harley Sportsters, BAS’s and Smoke them all, it was the first year there were sold in the US, I rode one when I was in Thailand, so I knew they were fast. Then I got the 1970 Mock 111 500cc Triple, what a handful that was. I just found you on Facebook and know I’ve subscribe to your TH-cam channel, as I’ve had 9 Motorcycles in my life. The Fiesta Flash 🤙🏼🍺
I had a 3 cyl Kawasaki back in the 80's. Mean machine!!!
I had a Suzuki 600 ram air triple (Australia) it was a great bike and in the 80's it was a blast, I wish I still had it. as I had done all the boy things , heavy duty clutch, bigger fuel jets, custom intakes, and exhaust power pipes with lots of engine chrome. In the day you were battling to keep the front wheel on the ground going hard through the gears. Ohhhh I really loved that bike, thanks for brining back memories
I never raced bikes, but I was exclusively a two stroke rider from 1974-1983. '74 Kaw F7 175 I used for off and on road, '74 Kaw H2 750 used for local street bike, '75 Suz GT750 I built into a long distance tourer, with Windjammer fairing, bates saddle bags and trunk. By 1983 I bought a Honda 1100 Aspencade and had sold the two strokes.
My 66 Yamaha 250 was the greatest bike for the time would take any hill never let me down. I miss my old bike. Love your work.
I had a '74 Water Buffalo bought new as a young man and toured North America on it.
Went coast to coast in 5 days on it, once. Wish I still had it.
I had a H1 Mach III in 1973-1976. Traded it in on a new Z900 in Jan 1976 and which I still own today. Wish I still had the H1. That was a wild ride in the day.
i live 40 miles from US 131, summer flew by with me missing this show, so thanks big time
Love Them Triple Two Strokes
I can really relate to these my first street bike 1975 H1 500,the following year purchased crashed 1973 purple H2 put the electrical and engine swap. Work all overtime in winter 1981 bought 34 mikunis with Denco chambers. What a beautiful machine I had 1975 H1 mint metallic stock brown with H2 engine ,box square swingarm. Today I have many Kawasakis that I've collected, regrettably not that one.
Fav... All Kawie triples! Wish I had smell o vision! Keep On!
My favorite ever since my first water cooled 2stroke in 1985 in Invercargill New Zealand 🇳🇿 was the 1971 Suzuki Gt750 what we always called the "Water bus", and I was very excited with the power surge and acceleration from a standard as far as I know 13 year old 2stroke 🤗 (besides the set of expansion chambers, by MacDowell Engineering/Electroplating, Invercargill.) I still get that feeling when I hear that music/resonation in the air and the smell 😜😋 awesome show guys great machines👍
Here here yes :) we use to call um the Water Buffalo here in Ca. Now i too was bitten by the Widow Maker Kawasaki H2 Triple 750 2 stroke , i was all happy to do high 11s in the quarter at 120mph and back in 1980 i was one of the fastest in my town Norwalk Ca. ahh the good ole days of a 19 year old teenager with balls of steel :)
1975 F7, was the first street legal bike I rode and learned to respect. Love 2 stroke dual purpose/ enduro
Thank you that's a great job I had a 1969 500cc two-stroke Kawasaki I believe it was called Blue Streak white tank with a blue stripe on it extremely quick never lost a race thank you keep doing it
all time fave for me is my 1975 rd250. I bought her as a basket case and had a very fun experience rebuilding her from the grown up.
Only new vehicle that I ever bought for myself, 1972 H2. $1295 out the door. Lucky to be alive
Mike Griffith do you still own it?
@@mathiasnkristensen No, wish I did.
Love these things... The only bike that would ever get me on the ride again is an older 2stroke street bike.
Aren't we all?
Had my first street bike last year of 1975 H1 500. Following year bought crashed 1973 H2 transplant electrical and engine into the H1.
Enjoyed every bit of it , Thanks
Without a doubt my 72 H2 was wicked fast! Bored .040 over, ported to the max at Phx. Kaw., Denco high end chambers, clip-ons, stripped, would do power wheelies at 100 mph in 3rd gear easy, got it airborne all the time in the Az. desert highways with dips and rises at the dry washes. With somebody on the back you could not keep the front end on the ground. First time I road one, a friend let me try (foolish), I stood it straight up through an intersection accidentally. Had to have one. Never got beat by any KZ 900, 1000 or 1100s. Raced a friend's Harley (machinist built himself), we started at 100 mph, he nodded, I downshifted into 3rd gear and pulled a wheelie while he hammered his 4 speed Harley but, nothing...he was so mad! My Dad thought his Gold Wing might beat me top end but, no. You've never ridden something that fun, light, powerful. I could bring the front end up while I was still bent over coming out of a turn or lift the back tire stopping, insane fun!!! I'm 66 now and ride my electric fat tire bike in the mountains to avoid my turn hitting the deer around here. My wife gave up horses, made me give up the bike. Dang! (If she dies on me I'm getting another one). Thanks for the incredible video! Insane wicked fun!! Those 750s were almost as fast as that 1441 4 stroke!
Your coverage kicks ass! Thanks
Yes, twostrokers have more fun! My first bike ever was a German-made Zundapp KS100 from 1970. Since it was so light, less than 75 kgs, the 10 hp motor was quite enough to kill you, if you weren't careful in the corners. It was a blast! ❤
The joy of two stroke ownership having a left hand constantly hovering over the clutch ready to react to the first sign of detonation.
I still ride covering the clutch just in case but haven't had a 2 stroke for about 35 years
Finally back to Cycles, I love the smell of premix in the morning
Thanks a lot for watching! Please share with a two stroke loving friend! If you had to pick one, what's your all-time favorite two stroke and why?
CycleDrag the RD series of course look at my initials
My first 2 stroke was a 1975 Yamaha RD 350 orange and black. Lots of fun!
Im blown away with how these bikes get down. They definitely made some gems in that era. The KZs were epic too
Still have a RD350, RD400 and RZ350 all street legal. Love the two strokes.
Go ahead! Make me jealous as hell!
I had a Daytona Special, that I put an RZ350 engine in.
Bone stock, except for the expansion chambers, and
Boyesen reeds. The convert took me all night. RD400
cost me about $350, and the wrecked RZ, another 300.
The RZ front end was good, so the fork and wheel were
also used. Twin discs, baby.
DAMN I wish I still had that bike. Zero to 60, in first-
second, in like a heartbeat. (Probably 2 seconds.)
steve
I love 2 strokes, owned RD-350, RD-400, and raced R-5 and H2. I miss them.
In my country we say back in 1980 RD350 Real Deth 350 because they don't have good breaks for the power ho have.
Its amazing when you see inside the cylinders and see the exhaust port is only about an inch down from TDC yet makes all that power!
@@steveskouson9620 The reed valved 350s were noticeably faster than the older, straight ported ones. The ported ones were fast, though, for 350s.
Nice vid CD, my old 2 strokes were a Yamaha 350 ypvs, a Suzuki gt380 and an RG250 which was an amazing machine, all the best.
Badass vid man thanks for sharing!
RG 500 is my favourite because it's the closest you can get to the bike my all time racing
hero Kevin Schwantz had so much fun on. I love smokin strokers, the sound of an engine revving
into the teens, the smell of fully synthetic two stroke racing oil. Unbeatable.....
I love the 350, that was my first bike too, and yes it was orange as well. My best mate won a state Christmas Tree on a h1 500 in dial your own racing. He lost across the line, but the other rider broke out.
My all-time favorite is my Yamaha rd400 dragbike. It weighs 240 lbs and is all about innovation. it runs 11 flat with mild porting and less-than -optimum pipes. Who builds a great set of pipes out there? it's a 10 second bike with a real set of pipes!
I had a rd400 Daytona Special with k&b's and spec two pipes, drag bars and rear sets ! What a blast!! Could beat anything up to a 850 to 100mph!! Out ran a Illinois State trooper for 15 minutes through my old neighborhood ! Found out I wasn't Kenny Roberts! Topped out at 130 !
I bought a fully dressed Water Buffalo for $150 back in 1981. It hadn't run in over 10 years. I got it started, but it ran really bad. The middle piston had a 3/4" hole all the way through on the exhaust side, and the rings were bent down below the hole. I bought a new piston and rings for $31(lot of money back then)and my first 1/4 mile pass was 11:62 at 124mph. Had to stop racing when my sons were born. Miss those days at Sacramento Raceway. I see these guys with the fancy electric starters....I used to reach down and start mine with my hand on the kick starter.
The list is so long I just say everything from a kx80 to a 490yz dirt and rd 350's to rz 500 street at least 15 different bikes before switching to 4 stroke bikes. I can't believe Smokin Joe is still racing I remember watching him back in the mid 80's. The smell of klotz is like perfume to me .Twin Mcchullocks on a go cart was fun too.
Kool vid man!, I had a 1972 H2750, layed down rear shocks, akront rims, had custom cut denco chambers tucked under like a TZ 750, was done by Bill Smith here in oakland ca! >>> R.I.P. Bill!
I remember a long time ago the late great Dave Schultz was running eight forties on a two stroke in Pro Stock Motorcycle. That was flying back then.
I used to have a Kawasaki kh250 triple here in the U.K. back in 1978, I loved it.
Love watching the 2 strokes. Keep em coming Jack.👍👌
Your dad has great bike taste. Couple classics. I wanna get a h2
I like Mr. Chuckles at 1:45, "Move it backwards or off the track!"
Me too he sounds like a bitch...must be blind..they was doing everthing they could to move it
My uncle was in the Navy in 1973 and bought a new green 73 H1 500 Mach4. He was sent to Hawaii & left it at home in Nor Cal, he gave me a wink and said not to mess with it, I was only 12! But I was bike crazy & my pocket knife just happened to work in the ignition switch so... I now had a Kawi 500! I took it every chance I got when my grandparents were at work or asleep & with a helmet the cops couldn't tell how old I was! Wow, fun times!
Brilliant. My first was the Honda 250 Superdream with red. Man did I drop that thing
Never rode on but I would love to try a 600 gama.
I recall 2 students at my USF engineering college in 1977 had those 3 cylinder Kawasaki 750 2-strokes. Very light and powerful (at high rpm), with a small and simple engine. Even the Yamaha 350 2 cyl 2-stroke was a pocket-rocket, with max HP close to the Honda 750 4 stroke. 2 strokes were soon outlawed in U.S. street bikes by emissions laws. Those engines wore out quick and were temperamental. The light that burns brightest burns briefest.
I love my H2 but I have to say the RD400 is an amazing two stroke motorcycle.
H1 , H2 and CR 500 . Have three favorites !
I've spent a few moments in tight confines up close and personal with two strokes. Quality time here fellas
Great story behind the Racing #. Thanks
Great show. Full view and new subscriber. Favorite 2 stroke was my dad's old 74 kawasaki 500 triple. Awesome bike. 1👍👍😎✌✌
YZ80d, RD 400, RD350 LC x2, RZ350 H1500, 750H2...ahhh the good ol days:)
Bought a brand new Red 1970 H1. Never rode one before I purchased it. I was 16 years old at the time. I left the parking lot and a couple of minutes late I twisted the throttle all the way up and the front end came up! I thought wow what a cool bike! I rode the piss out of it and just before I got home it started to run weird so I pulled over on the side of the road. Turned off the bike and when I went to start it it was locked up! Waited for a while for it to cool off and cranked it up and rode it the final mile home. Never had a problem after that.
Water Buffalo - the owner of the company I worked for had one. I had the GT-380 Tripple 2 stroke. 7K redline. It was the only bike I ever pushed into a gas station. I sold it the third time! F yeah!
I had a 71 H1. It was an exciting ride, especially with its flexi-flyer frame. Best way to ride was to keep it on the boil. I wish I still had it.
I had a '73 H1. Agree totally. 95 mph was too much for the rear swing.
Loved my Kawasaki triples, had them all.
Thanks for watching. What your all-time favorite two stroke and why?
I went to bike drag race in 70's and they were racing triple engine 750's. They were crazy loud and fast.
RD 125 Lc + RD 350 Lc + Honda 250 Gularm. Owned all of them , supper fun bikes to ride 😀
Thanks a lot for watching! Please share with a two stroke loving friend! If you had to pick one, what's your all-time favorite two stroke and why?
Me too. Rd 350....busas , harleys , fz 1 presently . 58 years old. Still at it .
RD350. I bought and rode a raggedy RD250 The white and red one..I was and still am passhinet totally took over my life ate,slept,dremped, and lived RDs..THE 250 GOT A COMPLETE FRAMEOFF AND 350 JUGS,DG,heads,wallerdout reedcaseing and stepped them up with larger carbs.i should go on and on. But on closing I had to go over 100mph everyday and I talked to her.Thanks DENIS HOGAN TAMPA FL.
Favorite 2 stroke, H1, I had one and at 58 would love another one.
I remember when I was like 16 an my buddy had a 750 two stroke and he let me ride it ONCE! Man that thing was quick!
Cool story bro!
@@phillipmiller2577 that sounds hella sarcastic but i bet it is not
The 750 was called "The Widow Maker" back in the day in the DMV area. It was crazy fast and took out more than one inexperienced rider.
A friend of mine had a 550 ,and that was bad enough .
Back in the day, I had a reddish/purple '74 H2 like one at 1:10... later ones were actually detuned slightly from the 1st ones in '71... H2's were horrible MPG... 15 - 20 MPG in easy riding and only a 4 gallon tank... hard to pass a gas station...
1982 Yamaha IT 250j. Pretty quick. 35 hp stock. 110kmh top speed. Wheelies into 4th. Cannot kill it. It's a tank. I go everywhere riding single track. It's like one of my best friends 😂
I had 3 RD 350s at different times in my life, love em.
1977 rd400 daytona special first learner bike! I learned real quick....... what fast is...
Awesome! Usually get a handful of Kawasaki triples at the Dragstalgia event at Santa Pod the noise is insane!!
Two stroke triples! Gotta love um. I've had two Suzuki GT-750 Lemans myself. Both outfitted with aftermarket carbs and expansion chambers. Sold my last one, a 72, in 2006. Wish I never had sold it. Also sold a much modified Honda CBX the same year. Wish I hadn't sold that either. Both sold to buy a brand new Suzuki M109R, which I still have to this day. And I also have a 08 B-King.
I had a 1972 Kawasaki 750 with Dan covel Chambers and Weiss go pistons and 38 mm Mikuni's one of the fastest street bikes in southern Minnesota in the late 70s and early 80s!
Have I owned a 2 stroke street bike 😊 I’m 60 and have been racing since a was 11 yrs old. I’ve personally owned 2 GT 380’s 1 GT 550 1 GT 750 water Buffalo 3 RD 350’s and 1 400. I never drag raced any of them, I had a 70 Nova SS L78 for the drag racing itch. Motocross 2 strokes, I couldn’t begin to list or remember all of those.
Thanks for watching. What your all-time favorite two stroke and why?
I miss all my old 2 strikers, from bikes to outboards. The sound , smell and torque is unchallenged. Kawi, AR90 , Gt550 Susie, Yammie RD350 & 400 too. Miss them
RD350B did 13.48 @102mph in 1977 with stock carbs and airbox. Made the pipes and wheelie bar. Raced at US 30 dragstrip in Indiana
Nostalgia!!!! I used to own an S3 (400cc)!!!!
My father had a '73 Mach 3 750. I was terrified on the back of that thing on Big Tujunga Rd and Angeles Crest north of LA. I started riding dirt in '71, street in '80. I asked him later what it was like to ride the 750 hard. He said I would have hated it compared to modern four strokes. No reed valves, no special porting, all pipe. The powerband of an on off switch. A dog until it hit the pipe and took off in whatever direction it was pointed in when it hit about 5500 RPM. The 750 with a heavier crank was considered manageable compared the the 500 which was so quick to rev and so pipey it was a deathtrap. I remember seeing Suzuki 750 "water buffalos" here and there back in the day. Haven't seen one in the wild in decades.
Smokin Joe has best helmet award. H2 750 is the best. Such a cool bike. Buffalo is cool but those H bikes rip
I really like the way you comentate , show the bikes and just beeing so super nice =)
Great vlog.
NSR 500, CR 500, RGV 500.
1971 HS1 then '79 RD400 Daytona Special finally an '81 RD350 LC! Love 2 strokes so much.
I learned to ride on 2 stroke Kawasaki's..........these guys are CRAZY!!!
I remember a time out here in California,back in the late 70 s and 80s 90s, but really in the 80s at LACR Palmdale’s famous drag strip, I raced there for 10 years , but I remember a bike meet thier, and a guy named tommy turner, brought his RD 400, out he was the world record holder at the time , 10 s he was trying every thing toget into the 90s.
My other story is one of my other friends had a street RD400, he rode it on the street, my cousins had a triple Suzuki or Kawasaki I don’t remember, he took it on the toad back and forth to San Diego navy base do you was a navy Navy sailor that’s was back in the 80s, so you for your cycleDrag vlogs , love it , BigAl California.
Thanks a lot for watching! Please share with a two stroke loving friend! If you had to pick one, what's your all-time favorite two stroke and why?
I remember in the 80's-90's seeing a guy from Southern California named John Albright(sp?) racing turbo'ed 750 Kawasaki 2-stroke triples.
Rode a 1972 H2 across in Canada 1974, Toronto Ont. to Vancover BC. 11 days on saddle, 14 - 18 hrs days 7300 miles, 4 tickets to my credit. exhaust pipes totally white at tips, Just say in
Everything flannery touches is fast 😎
You CAN drag race in the rain- if you are totally nuts! (Back in '65 or '65- the bike rags in the U.K. announced the first ever International Drag Race- I had to see it!) The event was held at an unused air craft runway. The Yanks brought over those slingshot four wheeled things- but I was there to watch The Michigan Madman, (E.J. Potter.) He had brung over- a bike with a hemi car engine in it !?!
Of course- it rained hard all day. The slingshots didn't go out- only the British saloon cars, AND E.J. Potter went out.
At the lights, E.J.'s rear wheel, was perched on a stand- when the green light was flashed- they kicked the wheel off the stand! (I could not believe it- there was standing water, right across the track, about half way down!?!
E.J. hit that- and lost it! He went through two picket fences, and dumped it! While he was in the hospital, the bike rags and the newspapers interviewed him- he showed them, the drawings for his next bike, (it had TWO hemi car engines in it!) E.J. did all right, when he went home- he ran that thing, at a lot of drag races in the U.S.!
Way to go, Mr. Potter!
Used to own a CAN-AM MX500cc qualifier single cylinder. That bike would pull the wheels shifting into 3rd at 100 mph, and still had 3 gears to go
loved my 75 H2....scared me but loved every minute.....the one after that was the z900....
Probably nothin compared to these but back in the 90's i rode, regularly a mates cr500 2 stroke he'd put on the road..man that bike gave the biggest smile...hed ride my zx9r...because i just couldnt get enough of his cr....on acceleration on roads we had to lean over the front as it wanted to live on its back wheel !!...beautiful bike...man i miss that 500 i really do 🤜🤛
I had a 1973 Kawasaki 500 h1 d in 1978, I traded my Honda cb200 and a $100 bucks at the dealer, had it for 10 years, what a bike, wheel stands city...
I had a 71 H-1 loved it!