What do you ride?

[DonSSDD]

I had a 71 Kawi 500 3 cylinder 2 stroke, it outran the 500 honda 4 stroke in 3rd at top end and every other gear the honda was not in sight. Looked like this:

My brother drove 650 Yamahas several times from PEI to Alberta and back. One trip he went down into the Carolinas and stayed the winter. He also has 4 cyliner Kawis, 1000,1200 4 strokes, but I don't recall anything being faster off the line than the 500 2 stroke.

 

[real61ss]

Remember these?
View attachment 62427
Early on I was a two stroke guy (Yamaha RD350 and Kawasaki 250 twin road racer). Then I stepped up to a 1970 Norton Commando 750. Now that was a fun ride!

We used to laugh and chide guys who rode these old 60s Hondas .

Yeah but who's laughing now? Those Honda Dreams have escalated in value quite a bit

 

[wristpin]

I had a 73 Kawi 500 Mach3 also. Broke my arm riding down steps on a beer run. Seemed like good idea at the time. That bike ran so freaking hard once hit 2500rpm or so! It accelerated off line faster than my '82 GPz750!! They handled awesome too. I'd like to find another and see how well it handles with modern rubber and 130 wide rear tire. The 90 rear slid then high speed tear wobbled wayyyyy to easily!!

 

[wristpin]

Bought this last year. On restore list.

 

[Fathead Racing]

750 water buffalo, 2012 ultra, Honda Z50 and various mini bikes. The Honda 750 four was a file photo, very close to what I built in the 80's.

 

[wristpin]

My brother had never heard of a Suzuki WaterBuffalo. I said i wanted one. He went home and sat in a bar talking to older man. Guy says i have one in garage. Jerome went and bought it for $150 i think it was. Still has it.
Few weeks ago we went riding and he road it. Oil puking from front sprocket area. Finally i said i need to see if i can slow flow. Pulled sprocket cover off and there were 2 bolts that came loose that held in electrical box. Cleaned holes and bolts (laying in little pan area there) and everything was golden.

 

[Fathead Racing]

My brother had never heard of a Suzuki WaterBuffalo. I said i wanted one. He went home and sat in a bar talking to older man. Guy says i have one in garage. Jerome went and bought it for $150 i think it was. Still has it.
Few weeks ago we went riding and he road it. Oil puking from front sprocket area. Finally i said i need to see if i can slow flow. Pulled sprocket cover off and there were 2 bolts that came loose that held in electrical box. Cleaned holes and bolts (laying in little pan area there) and everything was golden.

Dem 750 three's are smoking fast. Pulls as hard in fourth as first.

 

[wristpin]

He has that WB, Norton 850 and FXD. Rides fxd least.

 

[skipxt4]

A friend of mine, had 3 Suzuki Water Buffalo's. The 72, smoked really bad. His leather Jacket, always smelled like Golden Spectro. After a few years, he got fed up, and bought a 74. Metallic Blue. That was an awesome bike. Hardly smoked at all. Suzuki worked hard, to cure the oil problem. Finally, he bought a RED 75. That bike was really fast, not Kawi Fast. It would sit there idling, and sound like a Hot Chevy. I guess, he got tired of two strokes, and bought, a Limited Edition, 76 Honda Gold Wing.

 

[Fathead Racing]

A friend of mine, had 3 Suzuki Water Buffalo's. The 72, smoked really bad. His leather Jacket, always smelled like Golden Spectro. After a few years, he got fed up, and bought a 74. Metallic Blue. That was an awesome bike. Hardly smoked at all. Suzuki worked hard, to cure the oil problem. Finally, he bought a RED 75. That bike was really fast, not Kawi Fast. It would sit there idling, and sound like a Hot Chevy. I guess, he got tired of two strokes, and bought, a Limited Edition, 76 Honda Gold Wing.

Yeah, mine is the 72. Used to roll smoke out in a vortex when you had the wick turned up.

 

[skipxt4]

I used to kid him, and say H & H, Bill. (Harley and Honda). He always, told me, I was #1

 

[409newby]

Remember these?
View attachment 62427
Early on I was a two stroke guy (Yamaha RD350 and Kawasaki 250 twin road racer). Then I stepped up to a 1970 Norton Commando 750. Now that was a fun ride!

We used to laugh and chide guys who rode these old 60s Hondas .

I still have mine under 4K original miles, runs good

 

[61belairbubbletop]

750 water buffalo, 2012 ultra, Honda Z50 and various mini bikes. The Honda 750 four was a file photo, very close to what I built in the 80's.

I wanna ride that VR46 !

 

[Don Jacks]

I'd rather ride image 0237.jpg myself !

 

[Fathead Racing]

I wanna ride that VR46 !

Yeah, hard to roll out of that saddle under excessive acceleration.

 

[Fathead Racing]

I'd rather ride image 0237.jpg myself !

VR 46 is that image Don!

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

I had one of those Kaw Triples back in the day (500cc). Damn it was a wheelie machine!!!

Rode another buddies 750 triple and that was even more wicked .

Best friend had a 1973 350 triple, we once rode from Cleveland, OH to the border of Mexico (Piedras Negras) he on the Kaw and me on the Norton. That was a fun Spring Break 1974!

TomK

 

[Don Jacks]

My late brother,Steve,raced those 750 2 stroke Kaws.He won several motor cycle racing awards,a lot of bracket races,and at one time,held the record for the quickest and fastest 750 triple in the world.I think that he was in the low 8's or high 7's in the quarter.He was one of the first to figure out nitros on a two stroke bike.

 

[wristpin]

If anyone knows of a Norton for sale...whole or basket or just parts...let me know.
My brother has a '73 or '74 850 Commando.

 

[Fathead Racing]

Back in the day, 62 maybe 63, I would hang around the Norton dealership in Erie Pa. on Upper State St. genealy making a pest of myself. I remember a Big Norton commando, I think a 750? Whenever the staff, you know what they called staff at a Norton dealership, couple of guys in white tee shirts with greasy hair, wasn't looking I would climb on that bike. First bike I ever saw with a center stand. First time I swung my leg over that Norton the center stand went over center to the back tire and I almost shit my pants. The guys just roared. Good times.