Bike World Dream Rides | 1975 Kawasaki H2 Road Ride

Another Dream ride with The Bike Specialist, this time it's s corker! The 1975 Kawasaki H2, 750cc air-cooled 2-stroke triple widow maker.
#kawasaki #bikeworld #dreamrides

[@rodneysteffen6376]

I have that exact model, and I think some of the criticisms are exaggerated. The handling is on par with other bikes of similar age and size. They don't vibrate that bad - not nearly as much as a 4 stroke twin like the popular 650 Yamaha. The exhaust smoke on start up seen in the video tells me it hasn't been started in a while; there isn't that much if they get ridden regularly. Yeah, they're noisy and the gas mileage isn't so good. I set mine up with taller 17/47 sprockets, which lowers the rpms at cruise. Reduces vibration and improves gas consumption. I get about 30 mpg over all; not too bad for a 2 stroke. The long smooth seat lets me vary my riding position, making for a reasonably comfortable highway ride. The stock brakes are quite good; the '73 Cycle magazine super bike test measured the H2 at .922g - the best of the lot.

[@mixolydiano8954]

The best motorcycle KZbin channel covering some before-my-time bikes? Instant click.

[@skywalker7517]

Agreed!!

[@jamesmcmillan2656]

I owned one in the early 80s. I rode it from Perth to Adelaide in Australia and it destroyed my body. Loved that bike.

[@jurgentreue1200]

In the 1970-80s the coming of age for a motorcyclist in Australia was riding across the Nullarbor Plain and back, on anything.

[@justjeff4173]

After owning a '74 H2 for a couple of years a riding buddy offered me his Z1 to try. It was amazing how different it felt - smooth, heavy and insulated. A completely different riding experience. However, at the time at least, I felt like I preferred the H2 with it's lightness and more visceral feel. It seemed like I could feel everything that was going on with the bike. I've owned some pretty amazing bikes since then including a ZRX1200 that I owned for over 15 years and deeply loved. However if I could have one bike back it would be that H2.

[@jordanjoestar8839]

Miss the 70s bikes. I work at a motorcycle dealership and even having ridden hundreds of machines, nothing was like my 1979 XS1100. 11 second bike, and I removed about 80lbs, lowered the rear and upgraded the brakes/cafe style bars so who knows how fast it was being lower and lighter. Truly a beast of a machine.

[@paulbryan1094]

My first bike was a KH250. Brilliant piece of kit

[@freemenofengland2880]

As a young teenager I used to see these at Knott Mill Motorcycles in Manchester, a Kawasaki main dealer. 250s, 400s, 500s and 750s as well as the Z1 King of the Road. The purple bikes were always my favourite. Awesome memories.

[@nickrider5220]

The 70s, when the Japanese bikes didn't handle too well...or stop ! In 1983 I remember an H2 overtook our school minibus , wow - the noise !!! and the smoke obscured the road ahead .....awesome 🙂 Great video 👍😎

[@flatcapcaferacer]

I was lucky enough to start riding in 1969 on Kawasakis including triples. The 1972 H2 is the only bike that frightened me and 50+ years riding later and riding up to 200 horsepower bikes it still is the only one. There were a few riders that could get a stocker a 12.3 to 12.5 quarter mile but the only stocker that could get to close to a flat 12.0 were professional riders. Nowadays my stock BMW R9T and Thruxton R would beat a 1972 H2 in the quarter mile 7 or 8 out ten times, but nothing to this day as puckered me up as much as a 1972 H2.

[@MillerMotoring]

Loved the comments on your riding impressions. When you kicked it over your face looked the day you and your mate found dad's playboys! :D :D :D

[@mudslinger5833]

What a wonderful sound.

[@nicholasgage2095]

Just love that sound and you can almost smell the two stroke. Fantastic!

[@brucekendall52]

A collectors dream.Priceless.

[@mauroignelzi329]

My auto shop teacher had one in the 70s got to ride it once 😳 WOW even the Busa would have a problem for the first 100 feet

[@yonniboy1]

I moved to the 1975 H2 from an S2 350 Kawasaki but every time the road was even damp it would either spin the back wheel or go sideways, I later bought a magnum rolling chassis and dropped the H2 engine in after a Stan Stephens stage two tune, it handled beautifully and with 105bhp was probably the fastest bike in N. Ireland at the time.

[@A_S_100]

Cool Video. I think you should take a ride on a Suzuki GT750 or a Suzuki GT550 to see a different world of triple 2 strokes. You might like it.

[@chrisstephens6194]

Rg500 998r H2, keep it up fella it's the best watch on the Internet.

[@harrycalibra]

Brings back good memories my old M reg Suzuki GT250A with expansion chambers love that thing two strokes love them 😎👌

[@BirdArvid]

And THAT'S what a 70's bike looked like; bright colours and lots of shiny metal and chrome; not the blacked out retro-bikes we have now. That's what I grew up hankering for, yearning to own and ride.. so to me, that's what a motorcycle should look like; you can look through them, they're lighter-looking than modern bikes.. lovely!

[@siraff4461]

I love that thing. Remember when he says it did a 12s 1/4 he's talking about back in the day on 70's rubber. Tyres have come a long way since then and I'm sure that time would be significantly lower now. That was also in standard trim and even back then there weren't all that many of these which got left alone. Pipes, jetting and minor porting could see some very, very large gains if you were daft enough.

[@paulocarreiro5855]

"It wasn't going to be where you last put it" That's just brilliant!

[@CPUspeed]

I remember 16yo in motorcycle shop and my mother asking me if the 500 h2 was too much bike for me. I pointed to the 1000 bike and said see that’s a 1000 this is just a 500 😅

[@cecilwilson5442]

You certainly seemed to enjoy the ride out on the 750 triple,, much as I enjoyed watching it ☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️ from northern Ireland great series of videos

[@spud3607]

If I remember right, this used to do 12mpg at full chat. You could get from one service station to the next and fill up again!

[@SirOsisofLiver]

Sounds about right. I had a '75 GT550 Suzuki. It was considerably more mellow than the Kawasakis, but the absolute best I could eke out was about 30mpg. Flogging it would have it down in the teens. I'd hit reserve at 50 miles on one particularly exuberant ride. The KZ900 was a miser in comparison.

[@williamb.9110]

I had one (same color) back in 1975! My first ever "superbike". Gawd, I loved that machine! I sure wish I had hung onto it now for all these years. Very rare indeed.

[@boostaholic7116]

What a review! Two stroke is my youth ❤️ the smell, sound the power band ring a ding ding! Can't wait for the new H2 review 👍

[@stephengunrunnerhanson3550]

I had a h2 750 and there not bad new tyres new shocks better brakes new oil in the forks and it handle like a train yes never close the throttle into a bend but that's like most bike and a widow maker neve half of them that had one were afraid of them fantastic bike yes I said new tyres Dunlop tt100. Improved helped in the wet but widow makers no I am still here then it was one of the fastest bikes on the road

[@donjingle4059]

I rode a Kawasaki KH400 back in the 80's and it was pretty wild. That H2 must be insane.

[@joeblow5037]

Hell yes!!! Took care of a buddies 750 for a few months whilst I was in the Corps, and he was on deployment. He trusted me because, at the time, my daily ride was a '75 Trident T160. Both fun bikes 🙂

[@richardgiles2484]

my 1st bike was a Yamaha RD200 Electric start with a killer drum brake on the front 🤣 I wish I still had it made in 1973 but I still have the front number plate on my shed wall 🤣🤣

[@jamesharback6154]

I purchased a brand new 1974 H2 in 1975. It was a blast. Scared the crap out of all the time but, that's what made it so great. I even had to ride it one time about twenty miles home from school in the snow. That was very interesting.

[@malcellison8831]

A bike I lusted after as a 17 year-old, but way out of my price range. Great review as always.

[@mr_benn_escapes_lockdown1780]

I worked with a guy at the start of the Eighties who was a few years older than me, 1975ish he had a Z1 and his brother a brand new H2 (probably with the bugger ports 🙂in case you missed it...). He told a tale of them making good progress around Falmouth and passing plod in a Moggy Minor, instead of making his escape in a haze of blue smoke his brother was looking over his shoulder (mirrors too blurry) to see if plod was leaping in to action, by the time he looked back he didn't have the 100m needed to slow down for the next corner, result one written off H2. Plod turned up and said he hadn't even thought of a 'pursuit'.

[@chrisjonesbath]

One of my biggest biking regrets is buying the new Z650 in 1976 rather than a big stroker. I hated the 4-cylinder Z650 and soon sold it for a big twin and never looked back :-)

[@tomme2314]

Awesome video, I love the 70’s 2-stroke triples ❤ would be cool if you guys would update the dreamrides playlist so I can rewatch the whole series in one go!

[@BikeWorldTVshow]

We're just about to do that, cheers.

[@davidyersz8668]

What a stunning looking bike I grew with these bikes I had a KH250 tripple in 1980 and it sounded great, never driven the KH400 or the H1500 or the H2750 but would have loved to great review on one of my fave icon bikes

[@gregrsvr3947]

Decent rear shocks make a world of difference.

[@MrDickBills]

At work I met a customer that had owned an original H2. By coincidence my next job was at an industrial unit with cars and sport bikes. I mentioned that the last person I spoke to had owned an original H2. He was in to bikes, but had no idea that there was such a thing. Sort of reminded me how old I am.

[@-DC-]

What a machine ❤️

[@magellanicspaceclouds]

Can't wait for Chris to ride a vintage hand-shifted bike! 😆

[@MadChalet]

This is a really entertaining series-great idea to partner with The Bike Specialist to take a walk down memory lane. 👍I've only ridden two 2-strokes in my life, a mid-70s Kawasaki 400 and an '83 Yamaha RZ 350. Both were brief stints as I was searching for a new bike at one time and another. The Kawasaki ... the sound, the smell, the vibrations and the abrupt power all made my hair stand up - it was a bit frightening. The Yamaha was mellower, given that it was liquid cooled (so quieter) and tuned for a less abrupt punch of power. I didn't buy either of 'em, but they sure are great memories.

[@spudbarry]

I had a Kawasaki 500 H1E, i had a few scary moments on it, i bought a racing tank off my mate and I fitted clip ons & rear sets which improved the handling and went to the TT in 1976 with my mates on a Yamaha 350 and kawasaki H1A - some great memories of going around the TT course on it, one thing i remember was the fuel consumption - I only got about 20 mpg!! but i wasn't bothered as it was such a beautiful bike and petrol was cheap then !!

[@andypandy9931]

Used to have one jus t like that, it cost £739.00 new. If you think it handles badly you should try the H1 500cc which I had previously. Good video.

[@northerniltree]

I have the same bike, and the same color. The purple '75 H2 will live forever in infamy. And, that's a good thing.

[@christinebeckett7060]

People commuted on them back then. Myself and most of my mates had bikes mainly because we could not afford a decent car, so those beasts, and others like them, took us to work and back every day, and everywhere else we wanted or needed to go. Gotta love those 74/75 paint schemes. I thought those schemes made the Kawa triples the most beautiful bikes ever.

[@mrnobodytheuser2950]

70s bikes are beautiful so are the Cars.

[@Topendz]

Loved Ogri growing up!

[@jayfilmer2594]

Brilliant series keep the great reviews coming!

[@BROKENHEARTDESIDUDERJ]

Old is Gold 🪙 Always

[@astrostrotch]

Has James got an early 500? They were the exciting one's, knife edge power and even more disgusting handling courtesy of a frame made of gas pipe. All the 750's were mildly tuned by comparison. I love 'em, lol.

[@Bemoto]

Can't we come with you on these videos and have a ride of the bikes as well?! Great video!

[@markputnam6371]

Not sure I have heard you giggle quite so much Chris on any other bike. Maybe that should now be the measure of a bikes fun level, Chris’s giggle meter😀 I’m old enough to remember these and the other 2smokers, they were so much fun, very involving, not always in a good way either. Thanks for these videos Chris really makes my day when they come out.

[@m2menuiserie540]

1971? 1972? Can't remember. Had the blue one from Comerfords, Thames Ditton. One of the first six imported to UK. Absolutely crazy machine that I loved to bits. So many hairpins on the M1 motorway. Brown-trousering tank slappers. Dawn blasts London to Brizzel. Always worried about scraping the rear numberplate off. Blew all the exhaust baffles out once; thought I was being followed by a fighter jet. Fuel consumption at speed was 16 mpg. Thanks for the nostalgic reminder. Ride safely.

[@JonMurray]

Brilliant video as always guys. That looked like so much fun to ride man! A bit of a handful but definitely fun haha!

[@robertmaitland09]

I swear i got a whiff of 2 stroke watching this. That road looks like the Strines!

[@2wheels6strings8]

Loved Ogri! And Bloodrunners!

[@skts2610]

Superb… My cousin started his racing career on one of these!! Brilliant stuff Chris, roll on the next test👌🏽

[@SuperFastino]

great video , this bike was my first introduction to s super bike, my uncle had one, he use to ring its neck lol loved it! was to young to have a go but it got me hooked on bikes, ive never looked back ;-)

[@Grahamvfr]

Brilliant, now you know when us old duffers hear you guys talk about a new bike not handling veryvwell.. We will always shake our head and and think.. "really??"

[@alextaylor9139]

That road is my direct route into the peaks, is weird seeing it on KZbin

[@MotoGoato]

8:25 .... so much like a modern KTM 4 stroke engine then ... "you'd swear it was broken" .... lol 😂😂🤣🤣

[@leedavidson7314]

Should have more of you testing the older machines bet it smelt beautiful

[@theriderdtm8650]

Yeaaaah❗✌🏻 stroke

[@KB-yj5xp]

Thanks Chris, really enjoyable to watch these reviews. Cheers from Ottawa Canada.

[@theonlyredspecial]

I’m lucky to own a new 2016 h2 which I’ve spent a fortune customising and tuning to around 300 hp at the crank. Fantastic to see the original which was before my time. Thanks ❤

[@dukie1616]

Absolutely always look forward to these series of videos, and this one did not disappoint. Thank you👏 On a side note but related, back in the 80s I had a chance to buy a nice running H2 for $500 and opted out in lieu of a 78, CB 750. Anyway the term I could kick myself doesn’t even come close!

[@rob2475]

What a fantastic video! I had the 400 triple back in the day which was bonkers enough but never got to ride the 750. Your descriptions of it were just great! You rode it so well too, so spirited and even though you’re used to much more capable and faster bikes, you appreciated how it felt to us guys in the 70’s who viewed this as we now see the likes of the top sports bikes today. Well done you! Always enjoy your content, so look forward to the next one. (GT 750 kettle? XS1100? Guzzi Le Mans1?) 🤔😉

[@joelg34]

Hail seizure. I can smell the Castrol R from here, and it's bloomin lovely.

[@pauldark3044]

Great review! Continue the great work, looking forward to the modern H2!

[@RadDadisRad]

Awesome color on that bike.

[@Morbieman]

Ah, the purple people eater. I want that motorcycle so badly.

[@hotblackdesiato3451]

Redline is 7500 - 12000 and the frame is made of toffee. I heard the final test in SAS selection is to ride one for 100 miles.

[@springcorgi]

Awesome review guys. Love the channel.

[@tonyseath2278]

You learn something new every day, never knew that neutral was right at the bottom, top stuff, newly subscribed:0)

[@BikeWorldTVshow]

Welcome Tony!

[@tonyseath2278]

@@BikeWorldTVshow good to be here, just getting back into biking after 30 years, got myself a 1991 DTR 125 so I'm familiar with the buzzing two strokes and white fingers :0)

[@Johnnyfreitas1]

Brill mate. Good one.

[@Starman331]

I had the original model (light blue) for 35 years. I honestly loved the handling. It was so easy to change line mid corner. Best description of the handling is lively! I ride a z900rs now, and it has better grip due to the huge tyres, but the big tyres make is mushy in the bends. My 1971 h2 was like riding on a knife edge. So why did I sell it? Because I got tired of being out braked by cars, let alone bikes. I miss it though.

[@donald4095]

Oh man I had to subscribe you're riding my bike and it's in for paint it's been away for a week and I already miss it had a couple of 400s when I was younger a few 500 and about six of these H2S I kept the 75 and that's my main bike that I use to ride around. You measure these bikes in smiles per mile. I'm 57 and I have never owned a bike or registered a bike that was not a Kawasaki triple except for dirt bikes...

[@djwozzawoz]

I used to own a Suzuki GT 250 X7, similar madness...If I didn't do 100mph every day I knew something was wrong..

[@oceanhome2023]

Lol me too 250cc model, essentially a modernized X6 Hustler, I swapped many of the 350 (315 cc actually) bores ,heads and carbs ! I had the scrambler model with the high pipes and that turned out well because I was able to conceal expansion chambers behind the chromed heat shields and still retain the chromed tips that looked so cool ! It was too loud so I installed an adjustable washer valve just inside the tips ! It was my Ring Ding Giant killer ! I could get to over 100 MPH quickly and I could get 14 to 15 seconds in the quarter mile ! 1969 , I miss it !

[@djwozzawoz]

cool! @@oceanhome2023

[@andyfairchild2383]

Great video, thanks. I had one of these in the mid ‘80’s, absolutely loved it! The noise, the powerband, the sketchy but (mostly) predictable handling…. Just a fun bike. It’s the one bike I deeply regret selling. I would agree it’s not great for distancethough. Two up from Buckinghamshire to Heysham for the TT wasn’t fun, but on the island, yeah worth it.

[@xs433]

glorious golden age of madness

[@damienmorales9082]

haha awesome man rarely heard you laugh so much while riding on previous videos!! 🤙

[@bdagnolo]

These were a total blast.

[@michaelhayward7572]

This is why old bikes are far better than new bikes.

[@einarendregaard1891]

Rode mine from Bergen to Malmo and back, 2K km, with clip ons. in 3 days . No problem, but of course i was young then. Now i ride 100 miles on my H2 SX SE my legs cramp lol

[@willwye410]

Pah! What a wimp! As an old git brought up on 1970s bikes I say you have should tried one with original 1970s plastic tyres on wet roads for the full brown trouser experience . Oh, and you didn't mention the sub 25mpg economy when ridden vigorously either. But hey, its an iconic bike and a landmark in two wheeled lunacy. Whats not to like?

[@KathrynLiz1]

You were riding it like a 4 stroke..... keep it on the bugles and it's a lot more predictable.....and the 750 is a lot 'softer' than the 500, and therefore easier to ride fast..... grab a handful of throttle coming out of a bend with the engine off the bugles and when the pipes come in you'll end up with a very angry unicycle.... Those are the US model bars too...the ones we had here in NZ had flatter bars and made them easier to manage. Once the pipes are hot there's no visible smoke. Yes those Kawasaki gearboxes with neutral below bottom is a pain... no one else did that!... Many of us put better shocks on the back and that helped too...... I miss the two strokes...always loved them.... I got my motorcycle licence in 1962.....

[@kevinross5360]

Chris you forgot to mention back in the day they used to race those things

[@PetesClassicCycle]

Wonderful film!!!

[@triplecranks]

Oh my goodness that thing is absolutely beautiful! Did they originally come with a chrome chain guard?

[@jimbo1485]

It sounds great

[@JohnErikjohansson]

i got an suzuki GT x4 125 2stroke from 82, it was the bike i rode when i was 16 17, and stil keep it for nostalgia. i would love to own a Kawasaki triple, or a NSR 250.

[@stylesbitchly9931]

Cris had the permagrin look or stank face . That’s his approval rating. I love it.

[@dannyboy9817]

I had a KH250 triple and that was mental enough. It wasn't actually that fast but felt ballistic as the power came all at once with no warning and made that glorious 3 cylinder 2 stroke howl. Miss that old horse and really rather regret selling it. I practically gave it away too. What a pillock 🙄.

[@joeeasterling5652]

Being from the US, even though I know you guys ride on the left side of the road, it still freaks me out when I see another vehicle headed toward you. Lol

[@BikeWorldTVshow]

Hey Joe, we spend a lot of time in Europe on new bike launches, there have been a couple of occasions when we've got it wrong. 😂

[@shadowred1980]

First bike was a 88 NS125R, o that Castrol R smell. :)

[@neilsolomon9149]

The Japanese are masters. ❤️

[@lambo_greg]

Awesome video Thanks 🙏 I’m building 2 identical 1975 hopefully better than new. Maybe finished in a year. 👍😎

[@ofirlevy1428]

Nice review,nothing like 2t smokers💨

[@The9meister]

I two speeds on my kwaka in the 70's, stop and flat out.

[@gavinthomas5999]

You lucky lucky chap!!!!