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genghis61

way back to 1978, bought a '74 Kawasaki KH250, NZ had (still has) 250cc limit for learners, so a crazy 2-stroke triple was the way to go. Took me four months to destroy it and put myself in hospital - head and spinal injuries. Never been the same since.
Pic not a 74, but not much difference, later models had mag wheels and the same diabolical handling . . .

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ItsRobsLife

Yes a real beauty, an older friend had one when I was 13-14 years old.
Another guy had a Suzuki 250 Ram Air and they had some epic battles, but Steve blew the centre pot quite often on his KH,
they called them 'The Kettle' (could be wrong though) I think because of their propensity to cook and blow holes in the pistons.

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genghis61

The Kawasaki wasn't a match for the Yamaha RD250 of the same era as I remember, and a lot less predictable the revs went from 'nothing happening' to 'scare-you-sh1tless' in about half a second. Unsure on performance v the Suzuki you mentioned; exactly what was 'ram air' I think 2 bikes later I had a GT550 ram air (what a mistake, dreadful 3cyl 2 stroke, i never learned back then).

genghis61

ok just had a google and answered my own question:
1973: The Ram Air cylinder head forced the cool air to pass through the cylinders and behind the block. A simple but working innovation, although some poeple call it just a gimmick. The same Ram Air system was introduced in all of the air-cooled GT models (the GT750 was liquid-cooled).
1976: The Ram Air cylinder head was no longer used on the 1976 year's GT250A (some early 1976s still had it), new cylinder finning was supposed to make up for its benefits.

ItsRobsLife

It did look like a gimmick, a folded ally plate tacked onto the top of the cylider head, I can't imagine it made a lot of difference.

As far as performance the GT250 was able to give the KH a good race, a bit more solid and stable in the corners, but it would never beat the KH off the line!

helge

BSA B40 350cc Army 1967-70
This is what my first bike looked like when I first laid my eyes on her( or similar as this is not my pic)
After a bit of a paintjob, we had a lot of fun together, and she never, ever let me down on our trips to Norway and Sweden.
I paid about 10000 Baht, and was later offered another four for just 25000, which I bought for spareparts .

I gave my brother one to rebuild as a trialbike, but still have 3 under an inch of dust.
And I still have my first bike, and we shall never part. Amen

helge

genghis61

thanks; was just looking at another site for info; I thought it may have been an early version of the v-boost system Yamaha used on the V-Max . . . but it isn't!
3.11am in Phuket and I can safely go to bed having learnt something!

nedwalk

i think mine was back in 74 a TY trials, broke me arm, bloody thing.

MeMock

6 years old and I saved up to pay half ($150) for a second hand 50cc something a rather.

celtic

1970 Kawasaki 350cc 3 cyl , from 0-60mph would blow away Yamaha 650"s and Norton Commandos. I was 17 and had it for a year ,miracles happen and I didn't kill myself. Lucky I graduated to BMW's at 18, probably why I'm still alive today.

Panda

BSA Bantam. D1. Around 1953 model I believe. 125cc two-stroke.

I was only 14 at the time and she was not registered. Stripped her down for paddock work around the farms. Spent endless happy hours chugging around the cow tracks and swamps. Some happy memories coming back there.

Paid $3.00 for her in 1967 and pushed her home 6 miles with a bag of clutch parts.

Mr Earl

1968 Honda z50



I was 12. I kept getting into trouble for riding around on the city streets (Wash DC)

Later got one of these

250cc's of Kawasaki muscle.

Marmite the Dog

Start your own thread.

Marmite the Dog

I think Gerbil is the only one to have outdone me so far with his Kawasaki ZZR 1100, so I'm pretty happy.

S Landreth

Marmite the Dog

That's true. I always had cars in the UK, but this opportunity came along and I took it.

AntRobertson

I know some dipstick's likely to say it doesn't count, but mine was one of these:



A Honda Beat. Loved it too I did, and that grill on the front's not just for looks either as it actually had a radiator to cool the massive 49cc engine. Only mine was black in colour which obviously made it both faster and cooler.

It also had this 'VTEC' or 'VTACS', something like that anyways, system which basically meant that if you stood on a peddle by your right foot it would adjust the fuel / oil mixture to give more power. Near as I can tell it actually did fuck all, bit it did light up a bunch of LED's on the dash it an upwards RPM type arch so I thought it was cool regardless.

It also had a rather inovative for its time belt-drive system. This was a fact I didn't actually discover until one day whilst out and about on it the belt snapped and the bike suddenly started doing approximately 55,000rpm (as per I'd been storming along with my foot firmly on the VTEC or TAC or whatever peddle).

Loved that bike, right up until the time I lost the key and ended up parking it in the garage and forgetting about it. Not sure what ever happened to it actually, mayeb me dads still go it there? Better ask him next time.

And immediately following that I got one of these:



250 Kawasaki 'Ninja'

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Marmite the Dog

I'm even happier now.

Norton

I had the 500cc version. Indeed it was one hell of a crotch rocket. Cornered like a rock though so always best to make sure you kept the speed down when cornering. Even in a straight line it was a killer. The power band was so narrow, if you opened up the throttle in 3rd gear and speed was low, the engine would emit a low rpm growl and then suddenly a high rpm scream when it hit the power band. It was at this point one found themselves sliding down the road at 60mph on their ass watching the bike bounce down the road.

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