Mr Trigg.

Mr Trigg.



I have only ever owned one four cylinder motorcycle (Z1000J) back in 1983.

Mr Trigg.


The 'Zed talk has me thinking about these again.

 
I have ridden a very large percentage of late 70s-mid 80s Japanese 700--1100cc models, as I was a buyer/exporter in 89-91, and had hundreds pass thru my hands/garage. (Including all of the models in TWs post above)⁹

Some of them were very nice and a lot of fun. Some were dogs. Most were very low milage, sub 10k mi was very common.

Most were faster than a Commando.

Some handled better than a well sorted Commando.

Few were more fun.

I decided to keep none of the best, and still have the same Commando I had at that time.
 
A norton Atlas won a 24 hr race in Spain. And one won a TT race in the IOM (I think!)
Dunstall Atlas ridden by Ray Prickell won the TT , no idea if an Norton won the 24 hr race, Dave Degens won it twice in 1965 and 1970 on a single carb Manx framed Triumph.......
 
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Stop press!;
A Norton won the 24 hr Bol D'or in France 9 times between 1935 to 1959, but this is not on a 750..
 
Dunstall Atlas ridden by Ray Prickell won the TT , no idea if an Norton won the 24 hr race, Dave Degens won it twice in 1965 and 1970 on a single carb Manx framed Triumph.......
Almost. His second victory was using his own Dresda chassis.
 
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I have only ever owned one four cylinder motorcycle (Z1000J) back in 1983.

View attachment 79279

The 'Zed talk has me thinking about these again.

H1 has a lack of cross bracing tubes, just look at the f/bed frame to see where Mccandless brothers put them. It will also need a 1 1/2 inch longer s/arm. This will cure most of the unwanted wobbles that most Kawasaki riders experienced.
 
The thing for me about the big, indeed most all, of the jap bikes was the reliability and power compared to the brits. Few would be willing to simply head for the opposite coast on a brit bike compared to a big four. Back then I loved my Trident and it could beat most of the Hondas I met but not in terms of being trouble free or worry free. Sure a BMW had long legs and was reliable but handling stopping and ripping about it wasn't in the game.
 
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The thing for me about the big, indeed most all, of the jap bikes was the reliability and power compared to the brits. Few would be willing to simply head for the opposite coast on a brit bike compared to a big four. Back then I loved my Trident and it could beat most of the Hondas I met but not in terms of being trouble free or worry free. Sure a BMW had long legs and was reliable but handling stopping and ripping about it wasn't in the game.
Even fewer would be adventurous enough to ride a big (500+) British bike down to the race tracks, take part in 4 races and ride the bike home again. Yep, did that with a Jap 4, -always got home again.......
 
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The thing for me about the big, indeed most all, of the jap bikes was the reliability and power compared to the brits. Few would be willing to simply head for the opposite coast on a brit bike compared to a big four. Back then I loved my Trident and it could beat most of the Hondas I met but not in terms of being trouble free or worry free. Sure a BMW had long legs and was reliable but handling stopping and ripping about it wasn't in the game.
I took my Trident to Assen in 1982 with no credit card or breakdown cover. I don't think I'd do it now without some sort of cover though.
20190215_161103.jpg
 
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By the time I had the Money to buy a Norton 750, I soon discovered breakdown cover was a necessity - but at that time it was 4 weeks wages on my meagre apprenticeship pay, a lot of money to me then. But I really needed it.
 
Thinking about it I went to Holland in 78 and 79 on a 750 Triumph Tiger and Holland again in 81 on the T160, I didn't even have a bank account back then let alone a credit card.
Was breakdown cover available back then? Luckily the only spare I needed was a clutch cable for the triple which I had with me.
 
Look at the big front wheel and the spindly stanchions on the Trident! That bike wasn't light either!
 
18 inch rear, 19 front, found another photo. Heavy yes, although I did lift that engine in on my own once.
If you think the forks look spindly on a Trident take a look at a CBX.
 
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H1 has a lack of cross bracing tubes, just look at the f/bed frame to see where Mccandless brothers put them. It will also need a 1 1/2 inch longer s/arm. This will cure most of the unwanted wobbles that most Kawasaki riders experienced.
Weak point on my H1, other than the cheesey suspension, was the swingarm pivot, which was bushed with plastic. Bronze bushes cured the "hinge in the middle" feeling. Koni shocks helped. At the time, other than playing with fork oil levels and weights, not a lot could be done with the fork.

I believe the early Superbike racers added braces to the Z-1's frame at the steering head.
 
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