1969 KAWASAKI H1 MACH III 500 | Walkaround and Kickstart | 2 Stroke Triple | Classic Bike

A brief description and history of my 1969 Kawasaki H1 Mach III. The video also includes the fourth and final 'Kickstart Challenge', where one can witness the anxiety that surrounds starting a classic motorcycle!
Links:
Charlie's Toybox Kickstart Challenge | Kawasaki KH500 H1 Triple 2-Stroke
• Derek’s World of Motor...
Cramer's Classics - Kawasaki Triple Extravaganza!
• Kawasaki Triple Extrav...

[@ianhalton4795]

Hello Derek, I've just enjoyed watching your post on the H1 and heard you say there's nowhere under the seat for the toolkit which is absolutely right as it should be in the carrier at the rear of the battery box with access from behind the LHS side panel. Enjoy yourself with the bike and if your like me it never fails to bring a smile every time I go for ride out on it - they certainly won't be making bikes like this ever again 😅

[@derekb2765]

Thanks for that tip mate, I will have a look for that at the earliest opportunity. It is a fun bike to ride, and long may we be able to enjoy such classics on the road 🙏

[@Freimopp777]

@@derekb2765 Very nice bike. I have a Candy red 70 H1. I'm also a little younger. I'm wondering what you think about the future of the 70's motorcycle market. The collectors who have memories of that are getting older, they give up riding and thinking about selling. The new generations no longer have as much interest in it. Then the trend towards more environmental awareness and so on.

[@derekb2765]

Nice to hear from you. Are you in Germany? It's great that younger people like you are also classic bike enthusiasts. I hope you can share your passion with others in your peer group 👍 I think values of 70s classics will remain strong for now, as many who lusted after them as kids/teens can now afford them. However that number will diminish as people die off, so values will drop with the reducing demand. Changing tastes and the will of governments to push their environmental agendas will also have an effect. E.g. California state is allegedly looking into banning the use of classic (pre 1978) cars.

[@rickh8380]

What an awesome looking bike Derek. Nothing better than restoring a bike yourself. Ride safe and keep the rubber side down. Cheers

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike. Just so as you know, I didn't restore this bike. It was the owner before the previous owner 😇

[@rickh8380]

@@derekb2765 You made an awesome purchase. I bet it's a blast to ride. Cheers

[@jakemurphy9536]

Sounds good. It has that crisp, punchy sound of a 2T in good order. Very nice.

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike. Thanks for watching the video 😀

[@powerman1955]

I love everything about your channel and all of your bikes. I just turned 68 years old, so your bikes are from the era when I was still in school, ahhh, youth! I had a 750B Kawasaki, which was a four stroke twin. I had a friend that owned an H2, I got really tired of wiping oil off my helmets face shield as he was perpetually in front of me. Keep the good stuff coming, Derek, I love it!

[@derekb2765]

Thank you for the kind words 😇 I'm glad you're enjoying the channel. Hopefully I can keep you interested and entertained 👍

[@markdavies5508]

That Kwacker is such a little beauty - and only two kicks to start her . . . result!

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike! It doesn't usually take too many kicks to start it, though ambient temperature seems to have an effect 🤔

[@0120raptor]

Derek I first saw the bike advertised from a well respected dealer. No names. Advert said frame up total rebuild ,rebuilt engine with brand new crankshaft. Zero miles from rebuild. What could go wrong .I bought it unseen. It was the exact same bike I had in 1970 and just had to have it. I know I paid well over the odds .Almost £ 16K. As it happened the engine wasn`t rebuilt at all, wiring loom was partly melted, loose critical bolts others missing , clutch dragging. I contacted the dealer and sent photos of the cylinders and scored pistons. He was really good about the whole thing and genuinely didn`t know about the problems. He sent me a load of money back so no problems. Decided to rebuild the entire bike from frame up myself. Whilst I was at it modified the pistons ,cylinders,and heads for anti detonation and reshimmed the gearbox which was miles out. Another 2 weeks and it will be finished.I could possibly be in a position to offer the CDI boxes both A and B in rebuilt form in the next few weeks.

[@derekb2765]

£16k!!! Wow, that was top money. 😮 That bike should have been museum quality! Mine cost just over £10k. It's not immaculate, but then I wouldn't want it that way, as it was bought to be ridden. Lucky you, that your dealer had a conscience! Best of luck with the resto. At least you'll definitely know that what's underneath you is good! 👍

[@0120raptor]

Derek Don`t get me wrong. The bike was / is museum quality. Only slightly cleaner than when brand new. It`s just when you delve deeper some mechanical parts aren`t correct. @@derekb2765

[@alistairshaw3206]

It's a beautiful bike, Derek, and it sounds awesome. What I fancy for my collection is an early RD350, pre LC. I saw a Purple and White one at Stafford and fell in love with it! I will need to sell my FJ1200 to make room for it. Since my wife's MS got worse, she can't ride pillion anymore, so the FJ1200 has to go. It's big and heavy but a great machine.

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike. Sorry to hear about your wife. Hopefully you can sell your FJ with minimal hassle. I'd love to restore an RD350LC, but like you, I'd need to sell first before buying 😬

[@AutoBeta2T]

Now that sounds mega 🤤

[@derekb2765]

Agreed. Even better on the open road! 😃

[@AutoBeta2T]

I bet 😊

[@vwpieces]

Beauty! I have a 71 I'll be taking out for a ride in a few min. Also check your vids to see if there in one on the H2.

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike. 👍

[@martinowl]

Gorgeous looking bike, just a shame the maintenance previous to you wasn’t as good. Well spotted on the issues.

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike. These classics always tend to have a few 'foibles', so it wasn't totally unexpected! 😉

[@stevebarber5641]

It starts filling up but around 3.00 there will be a few there and odd places on the green. I’m up Church End brewery Ridge Lane at 12.30 ish to day. Bike show.

[@derekb2765]

I'll probably set off around 1.30pm then. So I'll look out for you when I arrive. 👍

[@grantcumming9056]

So cool, you can keep your modern computers on two wheels,

[@derekb2765]

Glad you like the bike 👍 Yes, you're paying for so many electronic rider aids, that you neither want or need 🙄

[@0120raptor]

I have the exact same bike. Same colour, same year. .Just bought it. Love it. Where are you based. ?

[@derekb2765]

I'm based in the West Midlands. You?

[@0120raptor]

Manchester. @@derekb2765

[@derekb2765]

Do you mind me asking how much you paid for yours? 🤔

[@cabovermike]

Local lad had one of these and he was the "king of lean" around the village roundabout , he eventually crashed it tho,.

[@derekb2765]

Ha ha, he was just another to join the long like of 'victims'! 😉

[@michaeljkasnter]

Someone explain why I prefer to ride this bike over a ZX-10-RR -2023 ? Iam gobbling up any and all 2-stroke street bikes, they are everything motorcycles should be!!!

[@derekb2765]

You might prefer the H1, but definitely also keep the ZX-10. You need to have at least one bike that you know will start on the button and will get you home! 😉

[@BRaff-hl4ip]

Can you imagine leaving such a crappy air filter on the engine after all that detailed restoration?

[@derekb2765]

Yes, I don't understand it either. Maybe aftermarket ones weren't available at that time? 🤔

[@peterkingsley7695]

Lose that soundtrack, aaaaaaah

[@derekb2765]

I like it! 😉