The Widowmaker...on steroids!

[JJ]

 The 500cc H1 triple was bad enough....but the 750cc????...YIKES!!!  .

..and look at the price...with 4 days still to go!!

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

What would you call this one then?
https://youtu.be/IdfLUIc1E6A

[blu guzz]

i would pay good money for just 10 minutes on that beast.  when he wound it out a little things got small fast.

[drdwb]

In 1975 I was stationed in Rapid City SD, a friend had one of these, he took me from a bar in downtown Rapid City to Mt.Rushmore and back to the bar in around 35 min, I have no idea how fast we were going, I couldn’t see sh.t due to my eyes being full of tears. I learned a few things, never ever get on a bike behind someone who is crazier than you or who has been drinking or both, always have eye protection on when on a bike. Never ask someone why their bike has a Nick name of Widow maker. And yet 47 years later I’m still here and able to tell the story. Youth is wasted on folks who take it for granted.

[LowRyter]

$15k?   I think the cost shock is more dangerous than the bike. 

From what I read, many of the bikes had defective rear shocks that caused the bikes to weave.  Of course they were overpowered, had a weak frame and an abrupt powerband.  I think they had all of 75hp.  The story with the shocks was that the oil leaked out of them when the bikes were shipped with no tell tale signs when delivered to the dealers.  I can't verify or attest to any of it. 

The only reason I'm into the trivia is that one of my oldest buddies was a Kaw nut growing up and he's mentioned that he'd like to get a' 69 H1.  I've been on the lookout but they guy hasn't ridden in 50 years, so there's that.   He used to work at the local Kaw shop when he was in high school and likes to tell the story of terror riding the first H2.  I told him the story about the shocks.

[ozarquebus]

First street bike I ever laid down, fortunately it wasn't mine as it slid out from under me before I got out of the shiny seal-coated parking lot. An order of magnitude faster than my AMF 74ci FLX 'dog hog' was at the time. A quick trip to the local motorcycle salvage yard got replacement parts for my friends Kawi for 20 bucks in 1980. Good as new. Ah the good old days...we are still friends but he won't let me ride his Fat Boy.

[Rough Edge racing]

 Some of you make comments on a bike you have never ridden The H2 did not have an abrupt  powerband like H1 2 stroke. it made a good amount of torque and only needed about 6500 rpm for full power, about 65 hp. on dynos of the time period. But it was a powerful engine for the time so wheelies were easy just like a Buell...The handling was ok for a Japanese bike up to a point and that point was beyond most rider's skill levels but push on and it could become a handful.

[Rough Edge racing]

The H2 like most Japanese bikes had poor quality rear shocks. Just a few minutes of fast curves or the race track would produce a wallowing and could cause a crash if the rider didnt back off.. The shocks were improved but still not the best..Cook Neilson the editor of Cycle magazine then invited US Kawasaki reps to demonstrate the bad shocks. After a few repeated passes on a mountain road the shocks faded badly, Cook, a racer, was thrown from the bike....
 Most street riders were only interested in it's acceleration....Mod ern improvements like good shocks and swingarm bushings can make the bike handle safely... They are a matter of taste...I disliked the vibration and to me, it felt like a bargain priced bike...

[jwinwi]

What would you call this one then?
https://youtu.be/IdfLUIc1E6A

He cut the  crankcase with a hacksaw - by hand! Millyard is a wizard or an alien or an alien wizard... 

[larrys]

The H1’s and H2’s had plastic swingarm bushings. Could buy a kit at the time to replace them.
A buddy had a green H2 that was ported and had chrome Bassani chambers. Sounded like a hive of angry bees.
Larry

[MAC]

A friend had a H2 when we were kids.Flame paint job,after market expansion chambers and reed valves.It was an animal!

[JJ]

@ $16.000 with 3 days still to GO!! (...with a RESERVE!!)

[JJ]

This was no surprise either....$20,000 + $1,000 (5%) Buyers Premium

[drdwb]

WOW, either someone with fond childhood memories or way too much money, maybe both. So if I just hold on to my 79 Yamaha XS 750 Special for a couple more years… maybe it will sell for more than I purchased it new for.I can dream,right.

[Muzz]

It was really only the early 500's that were evil , the running gear was designed for a 350 and the 500 motor just overwhelmed the chassis . The 750 was a tamer beast , and as RER stated , handled OK for a Japanese motorbike of that era . Trust me , the early Hondas and Yamahas were pigs on rollerskates also , especially to someone who cut their teeth on English motorbikes . The little 250 Suzuki Hustler was the best handling bike from Japan, although even it was a bit spooky .

My bro-in-law had a very early H1, drum brakes and all.  Well, brake is not a term I would use for them.  It really was scary to ride, with a built in hinge in the middle of the frame.

[LowRyter]

$20K?   Nuts.  totally nuts