Hi,

thanks for the visit.

Good to meet another Triple Fan. :-)

Having been at this (triples) since I bought my first H1, New (H1D 1973), I've figured out quite a lot of the problems they have, and improvements/upgrades they need.

FYI; I roadraced that H1 in every class, from 500cc Production, to 500 Grand Prix (after MUCH modification) for 4 years, and then, a 72 H2 750, in 750 Production Class and 750 Superstreet (like today's 750 Super Sport classes), for an 18 race season.

Never blew it up and finished in the Top Ten in Class (7th overall, with 2 Podiums), against 8 year newer bikes.

One of the biggest problems today, with Kawasaki Triples, is they were designed for 98-102 Leaded fuel.

Modern 91 Unleaded Fuel can create a hole in the piston dome in as little as 5 miles of 70-100mph freeway riding, on a stock tuned Kawasaki Triple.

Next, is the fact they came with rubber oil seals on the crankshaft. Fine when they are new, but 35+ years out, they are hard, cracked and result in a poor running bike, if it runs at all.

Another problem is the transmission; although there were service bulletins to improve them, they were poorly shimmed, and resulted in sloppy stationary gear(s) movement, worn shift forks, and then, worn gears/rounded engagementr dogs that popped out of engagement.

I correct those problems and a number of others.

That's not a cheap proposition, and frankly, I'm not the cheapest guy to go to for this work. I'm a private individual, not a shop, and if I have to buy a part at retail, I may have to mark it up even more than list price. It's not common, but it has happened.

 I am a Wiseco Distributor, and am fairly competitive with my prices but I don't build these for my health.

BUT, I do know what I'm doing and will build you an engine capable of a lot of hard miles, track days, or production roadracing (all the things I've done with mine).  My Goal is to build a 2010 Kawasaki Triple.

Your engine (as long as nothing inside is broken), done right, will cost about 1/3 of what the bike is worth (if it is clean and good condtion to begin with).

Most nice H2's these days, I put a value of $10-15K on.

Disregarding our countrie's current financial BS, of course. NOW, would not be the time to try to sell and make a dollar on your H2.

But, that doesn't mean it won't cost less to build it right.

Don't shoot the messenger please!!

Bottom line is;

any triple, no matter the size, once opened, needs to be complete rebuilt.

I won't do it any other way.

That means;

Complete teardown and inspection.

Engine cases, cylinders and heads glass bead blasted (I REALLY don't like to do engines that have been painted black). Way more time is need to get that paint off and it ruins the glass beads. I will do them, but you will be charged accordingly.

Rebuilt crankshaft (using more modern design, alloy Labrynth Seals inside). Unless you hurt/overev it, this type of crank won''t ever have to be rebuilt again.

Unless you race it of course. Even then, it will have a long life. That 72 H2 I raced so many races on, it then went 4 more years & 40K mi. as my ONLY transportation. I finally sold it to get a Suburban, and I'd paid my dues as a Motorcyclist, that's for sure.

I'd kept my H1, and started riding it again.

I've never been without a triple, since 1973.

In fact, I've owned over 50!!!!

Back to business; The transmission is Magnafluxed (so you know it is in good condition with no stress cracks), Undercut (on the upshift side gear dogs), and reshimmed. This then allows for very positive engagement (like today's modern sportbikes have) and much reduced/if any shift fork wear.

Tranmission Oil; although they came with regular motor oil, it breaks down VERY quickly (1000 mi.) from gear "gnash"/gear grinding the oil polimers apart, so I use a real 2 stroke transmission oil. Pick any major brand; Spectro, Bel Ray, etc.

I also like Bel Ray's fully synthetic, Si-7 injector 2 stroke oil. Very little smoke and good wear protection.

Clutch gets rebuilt with Barnett "Kevlar" fiber plates and new steel plates.

All new oil seals and gaskets.

Clutch release mechanism; 1974-76 H1's & H2's came with the desireable (because it can take heavy springs without being excessively hard to pull the lever) Ball Bearing release mechanism (the early ones were a plastic worm gear). The problem is it takes it's own oil seal (because the throw is deeper and will destroy the earlier oil seal), which is unavailable.

FYI; I don't do jobs where you supply the parts (or gripe about my parts cost for that matter), although I will make consideration in some instances..

The alternative, is a Sy-Tec Billet Worm Gear release meachnism, which can use the older seal (that comes in most oil seal kits).

Pistons;

I use Wisecos' because they are a stronger (Forged vs Cast) piston. The down side is they are a race piston with WAY too much compression (160-170psi) for the street. They require race gas of 102+ octane.

Stock pistons have a compression of 142psi, and were designed for 92-102 leaded.

FYI; you could use stock pistons/rings, but they list price for as much or more than the Wiseco's, if you can find them. Today, I consider them an inferior product.

I also send the pistons out to get aerospace coatings (Ceramic Domes and Moly Skirts).

Heads; To compensate for the higher Wiseco's compression, I send the heads out (to one of the smartest 2 stroke machinists I've ever met), and have the heads recut for dual squish bands. They are "squared up" (spark plug hole and head gasket surface are parallel) and cc'ed to be exactly the same.

This then allows you to run pump gas. You are still going to have to pay close attention to the jetting (richer) and timing (retarded). 

I also run taps and dies over every threaded hole or stud, so the engine assembles smoothly and to the proper torque.

Here are a few problems to expect;

the shift forks are always worn (grooved on the sides where they contact the gears), usually more than you want to reuse. New forks are NOT available from Kawasaki. Start pounding the pavement (eBay, triple message board, etc) for 3 new (or very clean) forks for your bike.

If your clutch basket is loose on the primary gear (at idle, you'll hear a rumble out of the lower end/clutch cover, that goes away/reduces when the clutch is pulled) , it needs to be replaced.

It is also NA.

Look for a solid basket, or competent machinist who can rerivet it (properly). It also may have severe "Chatter Marks", where the fiber clutch plate tabs rub on the basket's "ears". If light, you can file them smooth, too bad, and the basket is junk.

Cylinders; I always recommend a Stage I/match port job. At this point, you/we would have built one hell of a nice engine, better by far than it ever came new.

For "a few" dollars more, you get the power part of the engine corrected to what it was designed to, and a little bit more power than before.

Nothing radical, since triples are kind of radical anyway.

The 1974/75 H2's (72/73 H2 were ported much more radically) are better as a street bike, since it has some bottom end torque. The early ones are all about top end power.

This should give you some idea of what is really needed to do your engine right, no matter who builds it.

You could save if you didn't do any port work and used stock pistons (if you bought them right). You would still want to areospace coat them.

BUT,"I" build a 2010 engine, not a 1975 one. I'm not real interested in anything less than what I present to you.

So, if you want me to do your engine, I expect you to call some/all of the references I send you, to get an idea of who I am and how I work.

Money, I expect a good sized deposit (to start the work and get parts flying all over the country), another cash injection at about the 3-4 week mark (to pay for all the parts coming back and the work done so far) and the final # when you pick it up/before I ship it out.

BE AWARE; If you want me to build your engine, you must have the money to do this job, and when I call for a cash injection, it happens when I need it. I unfortunately can't build for the 9-5er who is saving every week (unless all of the money has been saved0. When the wife figures out you are dropping the kid's education on your triple, "I'm" not going to be the odd man out, "Kapish"?

If you are in the West, I REALLY like it if you bring it here, so you see it come apart in front of your own eyes. Then there is no credibility problem of who I am, what work is being done or what is needed.

I have had guys from as far away as Maryland and Florida ship me their engines, buit I do like to meet you and you meet me.

Stage II; styled after DENCO's 120hp "King Cobra", I taylor it to you and what you want to do with your H2. This package requires 34mm Mikuni's (Round or Flat Slides), adapters to mount the carbs on the cylinders, and expansion chambers. I do quite a bit more porting, and all the other work mentioned above.

OK, I'm done!! :-)

If that doesn't get your juices flowing, nothing will!!!!!

Hey, it's only money right? So what if your kids don't go to college, they need to earn thier keep anyway!!! ;-)

Talk to you soon?

cheer and good luck

Boots Langley

1-619-466-7298