After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

I now own a Kawasaki H1F

https://i.ibb.co/PDx92s5/22-Jan19start2.jpg

I'm having it refurbished:
new crank seals/bearings, rebore to first oversize, new small ends, new seals, gaskets. New SS rims/spokes, powder coated frame, new switches, seat. Chrome to be...well, rechromed. Bodywork to be resprayed to two tone green in "chainsaw" pattern (same pattern as above but green). The H1F didn't come in green but the prior year H1E did, I'm not concerned with originality; it was the green one I rode years ago and have lusted after ever since.

The H1F has a rubber mounted engine since the triples buzz at 5k rpm (rubber mounting started with the H1E) and it was the last model before Kawasaki dropped the power output and made the KH500. The H1F is less powerful than the H1A/B though, but a bit more civilised. Handling is still appalling - it still has two steering dampers! Originally, they were supposed to be 60bhp, probably a bit less in reality but the power used to come in with a bang at 6k rpm which made them immensely entertaining to ride.

The triples have a habit of boiling their battery so I'm getting a new reg/rec from the US made specifically for the H1.

Won't be ready till May :(

In some ways this bike isn't "me", I love the SV because it's so economical and is Euro 4 compliant, the H1F is an environmentalist's nightmare. My friend with an H1A used to get 22mpg when he rode it hard. Maybe it's my evil twin coming to the surface.

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

congratz. i would not change the colour.

dont overdo it with the 2T or it will burn hotter if you do which takes out the middle pot.

for me its the 750 or nowt.

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

Wow. Good for you.

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

Excellent, can't beat the sound of a stroker triple hitting the power band. Will you run it with the pods, or can you get a factory airbox for it?

I'm sure you know all about these, but just in case ....

Loads of Kawa triple tests: http://kawtriple.com/mraxl/reviews/triplereviews.htm

Road test of an H1F: http://kawtriple.com/tripleed/cgm3f/

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

Very nice. I'd agree that the blue looks great too.

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

I'd prefer the factory airbox - the induction howl is loud enough stock, with pods it must be like a banshee. You can still get the complete airbox assembly in the US, although at £350 it's not cheap.

The blue is ok but I've always wanted the green. When the H1F was released in brown/mustard (my description) they didn't sell but now it's a popular choice but not with me.

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

Yer undercrackers will be that colour anyway as soon as you open her up! ;)

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

There an H1 intake trumpet (just the trumpet) on eBay: £150. No bids, unsurprisingly ....

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...irbox&_sacat=0

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

Yes, that's the downside of owning an older Japanese bike that wasn't built in huge numbers. One of the big problems is the exhausts, assuming you want to remain stock. The factory one would sometimes detach an internal baffle support rendering it useless. You can buy a set of H1A/B/C replica exhausts for £1300 but they don't fit the H1D/E/F. Assuming you can't find a second hand replacement you have to get expansion chambers most of which require the centre stand to be removed.

Green H1E with Higgspeed expansion chambers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAq9kiTRMSM

(tried to embed video but kept getting errors)

Re: After 40 plus years, I've done it
 

That was the problem I had with my GT380, the internal baffles detached so they looked fine externally but were useless. After a year or so of looking, I found some 70s J&R chambers at a fair price, which saved a huge amount of weight, sounded amazing and looked great too.

They also perked the performance right up, as factory Suzuki exhausts have no internal cones, etc at all, just flat baffle plates.