Evil Kawasaki.

[fastfredracing]

I used to ride with a guy with a CR 500. I could keep myself out in front of him on my yz 250 most of the time( we mostly rode in tight woods) , but whenever he got around and out in front of me, I had to prepare for the barrage of flying rocks and mud coming off his back tire . A chest protector was a must
Big bore 2 stroke dirt bikes were good family fun !

[Eric Hahl]

Loved my old 2-smokes!

[Jeff Higgins]

I would nominate the H2 750cc triple as the most evil Kawasaki of all time. Possibly the most evil motorcycle of all time. Before I got married, one of my room mates owned one on which he had installed a 900cc big bore kit, expansion chambers, and some sort of aftermarket carbs.

What a death trap. It felt like it had a vertical hinge between the seat and the gas tank. I got into a pretty good tank slapper well into triple digits speeds one day and resolved to never ride it again. He was passing me (I was on my Sportster) one day when it came up on the pipe, upon which he looped it and landed flat on his back (he was, fortunately, unhurt).

I always thought these would be a real hoot in a proper frame. Apparently some agree, I do see conversions into better frames.

[Baz]

Love my '06 Ninja 500R!

[unclebilly]

I have one of these god forsaken things... a KX85.

I bought it sight unseen from the original owner.

Problem 1... it quit and wouldn't restart. No spark.

The bike had the wiring harness all cut up to install a CDI from a Honda CR250 and an electrosport stator. The screws in the stator came loose and the pickup was just dangling.

Problem 2... bottom end let go.

I rebuilt the bottom end with a Hot Cranks kit and replaced the piston with a forged piston. I noted damage in the bore from the past but consulted some 2 sroke engine builders who pointed out the damage was below the rings at BDC.

Problem 3... top end siezed after a few hours.

Forged pistons expand more than the stock cast pistons. Piston and cylinder were replaced with a factory Kawasaki piston, rings and cylinder.

Problem 4... engine quit and no spark.

Since the wiring harness was all cut up, I had no choice but to order all new electrics. New CDI, New Electrosport CDI. Still no spark. Ordered new coil. Still no spark. Called Electrosport and told them since everything else is NEW and factory Kawi - it has to be their junk. Turns out that rotating the tire backwards with the bike in gear created spark. Had to reverse 2 wires in the harness and it ran fine.

Problem 5... my son rode it less than a mile and it quit.

No spark and rattle in bottom end. Bought him a KTM 85. Finally tore into the bike and discovered that the screws in the CDI had come out and the pickup was dangling and all twisted up. Electrosport did warranty the stator. Put bike back together and now it wont start from bad fuel from sitting for a year... I dont have the energy to fix it anymore.

Ownership of this bike has been analogous to having a violent case of diarrhea and somehow, it got in my mouth...

[Baz]

Another KX500 Kenny Kaplan vid from 1 year ago......

[Tobra]

Higgins has got it

Great motor, scary bike

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I would nominate the H2 750cc triple as the most evil Kawasaki of all time. Possibly the most evil motorcycle of all time. Before I got married, one of my room mates owned one on which he had installed a 900cc big bore kit, expansion chambers, and some sort of aftermarket carbs.

What a death trap. It felt like it had a vertical hinge between the seat and the gas tank. I got into a pretty good tank slapper well into triple digits speeds one day and resolved to never ride it again. He was passing me (I was on my Sportster) one day when it came up on the pipe, upon which he looped it and landed flat on his back (he was, fortunately, unhurt).

I always thought these would be a real hoot in a proper frame. Apparently some agree, I do see conversions into better frames.

Yep. And fortunately I was warned about the thing before hopping on board. You had to sneak up to the power band and get up on the tank. Was never fun.

[Eric Hahl]

Saw this on craigslist years ago. I think it made it to "the best of" list.

[LWJ]

^^^ I’ve seen this. Hilarious.

Every now and then I see someone with an old school big bore 2t bike.

Not for the faint of heart.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I would nominate the H2 750cc triple as the most evil Kawasaki of all time. Possibly the most evil motorcycle of all time. Before I got married, one of my room mates owned one on which he had installed a 900cc big bore kit, expansion chambers, and some sort of aftermarket carbs.

What a death trap. It felt like it had a vertical hinge between the seat and the gas tank. I got into a pretty good tank slapper well into triple digits speeds one day and resolved to never ride it again. He was passing me (I was on my Sportster) one day when it came up on the pipe, upon which he looped it and landed flat on his back (he was, fortunately, unhurt).

I always thought these would be a real hoot in a proper frame. Apparently some agree, I do see conversions into better frames.

It was either Cycle World or "other" that had that on their cover with the headline "Evil, Wicked, Mean and Nasty""

Even my itti bitty 400 had the gumby frame and cream cheese brakes.

[Tobra]

I knew a guy with 350 two stroke triple Kawasaki. Acceleration was exhilarating, more of a straight line sort of bike. That thing with more than twice as much motor would be terrifying.

[Bill Douglas]

I rode a Kawasaki 500 triple once back in the 1970's. Around the block was enough for me thanks.

[Skytrooper]

I had a kawi 500 when I was a senior in high school. Man, what a ride. That 2stroke triple was a beast. I rode it everywhere ! Starting out with such a powerful road bike made all others seem anemic to me. I never could quite capture that thrill again with my subsequent bikes.
It came to ruin when I went in the navy. A good friend said he would like to rebuild it for me. I never saw it again until I got out of the navy. I finally tracked down my friend. He brought the bike back while I was at work. The bike was a rolling frame and the engine was completely disassembled in boxes. It had sat that way, unprotected for 4+ years. I sold it all to a motorcycle shop for next to nothing. An inglorious end to my sweet Kawi 500.

[Eric 951]

Those were the glory days of MX and SX, guys racing in the 125 and 250 class and guys racing in the 250 and 500 class on the same day--including the heat races and finals--so cool.
Ron Leichein
Brock Glover
David Bailey
Jonny O Mara
Bob Hannah
Jeff Ward
Ricky "Too Hip" Johnson

[manbridge 74]

The 750 only made 74hp and at about 452lbs (dry) was not exactly a rocket ship, top speed was 120mph. The piston port power delivery without using any exhaust power valves made a nothing and then everything type of power band. With a primitive chassis I’m sure they were a handful.

[creaturecat]

i had the blue 750 triple. i wheelied over backwards - with the mayor’s kid on the back - with my 750 triple. maybe 70 mph? the gauges had already been ripped off during a previous incident. launching that thing, drag racing? that took some nerve. don’t ever let off - sorta like a 911.

[Eric Hahl]

There's an interview with Valentino Rossi out there on the web somewhere about riding the MotoGP 500 2 strokes. In it he states (with twisting throttle hand motion and bug eyes)..."The 500 is like...F@#$!

[manbridge 74]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

i had the blue 750 triple. i wheelied over backwards - with the mayor’s kid on the back - with my 750 triple. maybe 70 mph? the gauges had already been ripped off during a previous incident. launching that thing, drag racing? that took some nerve. don’t ever let off - sorta like a 911.

Yes, the weight distribution was terrible on these solo. I cannot imagine riding two up with a heavy hand.