The two-stroke engine had come of age in the 60s, a time when these engines were mainly known as an affordable and reliable means of transportation. Yet the real 'heavy' engine work was dominated by four-stroke engines. However, this changed when Suzuki launched the T1968 Cobra in 500, and shortly afterwards Kawasaki stunned the motorcycle world with the introduction of the Kawasaki 500 H1 Mach 3. Kawasaki, a company also involved in the production of aircraft and ships, had all resources available to develop innovative motorcycles.
Bigger, faster, more
The arrival of the Kawasaki 750 H2 Mach IV in 1972 set a new standard for speed and power. Based on the 500 H1, but with significant improvements and increased engine size, the H2 was the epitome of 'bigger, faster, more'. With 74 hp at 6800 rpm and a top speed of 203 km/h, it was a true monster on the road. Despite its challenging handling characteristics, which earned it nicknames such as 'kamikaze bike' and 'widowmaker', the H2 became a legend on both road and track.
Rare engines
The H2's production lasted several years after the 1973 oil crisis, after which environmental concerns and new four-cylinder models such as the Kawasaki Z1 and Z1000 took over the market. Nowadays Kawasaki H2 examples are rare, partly due to their short lifespan as a 'tear tool'. Yet a ride on an H2 remains an unforgettable experience, steeped in nostalgia and the pure thrill of the 70s two-stroke engines.
Pure youth sentiment
For classic motorcycle enthusiasts, the Kawasaki 750 H2 Mach IV represents an era when boundaries were pushed and the future of motorcycling seemed limitless. The full story of this iconic motorcycle can be read in the March issue of Auto Motor Klassiek, a must-read for every motorcycle enthusiast.
And in our group there was always the Kawasaki rider, who always had bad luck, ergo, even though he always bought them new (poison black). Since then we call them ; Kwaia's, no matter how beautiful they are, I think they should have paid more attention to reliability! Furthermore, he couldn't turn properly, so that was fun overall😉
Classy cycling, wonderful youth sentiment. I rode the Suzuki Water Buffalo for almost a year, another incredibly cool 750cc 3-cylinder two-stroke with a wonderful sound. I have had big sporty 4-strokes for many years now (after 4 cylinders I became addicted to 2 cylinders), but 2-strokes remain great, just in terms of sound...!
We had about 750 water-cooled Kawa called a water organ, always leaking, we had two of them running, traded in after a year.
And anyone who wants to know what was possible with those mopeds should take a look at Allan Millyard on jijbuis
Has entire series about two-strokes..