Kawasaki 400cc Triple 2 stroke

[Peter Cooke]

Just picked up 2 x 1974 Kawasaki 400cc triple cylinder 2 strokes. Same owner (my father) since the late 70's. Stored since the mid 80's. Both repainted the wrong colour by owner/s prior to him.
Once I finish my VL I'll break out the metric tools!

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[ihrescue]

Good luck Peter, looks like a great project. Maybe you would consider starting a bike build thread in the Member Builds Forum with update notes and photos as you go.

Mike Love

[Jim]

I'm not sure about Kawasaki but... Honda used JIS screws, so you may want to check into that for your Japanese bike as well. Just a "thought". Of course, that means MORE TOOLS!!

LOOKS like a nice project bike! Have FUN.

[Peter Cooke]

Thanks for the reminder Jim. I had heard something about JIS screws so will check it out.

It will be a fun project but not as much fun as being a 15 year old riding pillion behind Dad, on the green one, on dirt tracks over the mountains near home and hanging on for my life!. Come out the other end onto the sealed road, stop for gas and a Coke and then home down the highway! We've never had the blue one running so it's a bit more of a mystery!

[kitabel]

Pretty sure it's JIS, I had a 1972 H2 750 2-stroke.
Caution: keep the original front fender if you have it, it directs air to the #2 cylinder.
Biggest service complaint: fouled plug, especially dangerous because the bike still feels frisky even on 2/3 power (the H2 tested 14 second ET with 1 cylinder dead) but it's easy to seize the other 2 from using them too hard.

[Peter Cooke]

"Caution: keep the original front fender if you have it, it directs air to the #2 cylinder."

Thanks for the tip. I know there's at least 1 original between the 2 of them.

[aumick10]

When you start pulling these bikes apart, you will find all the screws will be very difficult to undo.
The phillips heads on these screws are very soft, and can be stripped by hand.
Your best friend here is going to be an impact wrench, with forged tips. The tips they typically come with are average quality. You should find a set of forged tips.
Put the tip and drive adapter to the screw head and give it a hit. The tip and adapter usually jams into the head. Then replace the impact unit and give it a good hit while turning the unit in the direction you are going.

This should get most of your screws out, but a couple may still need to be drilled out.

Good luck.

[jim d]

The Vessel company makes JIS screwdrivers. And they also make two sizes of them that have the impact feature built right into them. The impact feature only works to loosen the screw but you can use it to tighten the screw in the normal way.

[Tom Wilcock]

The heads on the screws are NOT Phillips but JIS. Using Phillips screwdrivers will usually strip the heads on tight ones.
Tom

[Peter Cooke]

Thanks for all the assistance gents. JIS screwdrivers are on the list. And I can get the Vessel brand here in Oz so even better.

[tjgreen]

Looks like a great project! The best part about restoring a 2-stroke, other than getting to ride a 2-stroke, is the 2strokeworld forum. Best online bike forum on the internet, incredibly knowledgeable and active and just nice to be around. http://www.2strokeworld.net/forum/index.php