My New Norasaki/ KawaTon

o1racing03 said:
[The fact that the “sandcast” name has stuck ...
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People who know better, use "quotes" ("sandcast", as above). People that don't catch that, sometimes criticise people that know what they ARE talking about.

(I'm just saying, not accusing anyone in particular)
 
grandpaul said:
o1racing03 said:
[The fact that the “sandcast” name has stuck ...
Click to expand...

People who know better, use "quotes" ("sandcast", as above). People that don't catch that, sometimes criticise people that know what they ARE talking about.

(I'm just saying, not accusing anyone in particular)
Click to expand...
You should have quoted the author of that statement and not me.

I got all the paperwork on the bike today. It is now officially mine. Hoping to make a trip to Ca. around the first of the year to retrieve it and the Triumph. Interesting going through the paper work. I have his receipt from when he purchased it from the estate. The bike, the Kawasaki frame, 2 wheels, and some books, all for $433
 
I now have the bike in my possession and the answer to the question of what the pods are under the fuel tank is that it is an actual fiberglass oil tank. Filler neck at the front center of the fuel tank.
My New Norasaki/ KawaTon


When I lifted the fuel tank the whole recess in the top of the oil tank was filled with rat chit.
My New Norasaki/ KawaTon
 
I still think it's a VERY cool old bike, and I'd do what I could to get it running.

My guess is you MIGHT get the engine running, but as soon as you drop it in gear and start to attempt to ride away, you will find zero power and extreme bogging due to dry, shrunken/cracked crank seals.

Doesn't make it any less cool, just not cheap to fix.
 
That's a pretty weird combination of motor / frame / wheels. Those 750 H2's made like 75 hp stock right? Way too much power for an old Featherbed. Buzzy as all hell with a massive power hit. I rode my buddies H2 back in the mid 70's and my hands still haven't stopped tingling. It was an evil, vile handling bike and I couldn't wait to get off. The middle cylinder on his bike kept seizing. He later traded it for a new Z1 and never looked back. They do run like scalded cat in the 1/4 mile. I'd strip that thing down to it's components and sell the motor, mag wheels, brakes on ebay for 2-3 grand and find a nice British twin to stick in that Featherbed frame. Those H2's are all the rage now and someone would love to have it. The wheels seem highly desirable too.
Gosh I've become a cranky curmudgeon in my old age...

Just my 2 cents...
 
Should really have a Head Brace .

Toob going back to aft X member'd do it .

Those Brakes will torsion up the cross joint without it , if youre giving it grief .
Story in NZ of the Norvin Manx snot that had the front depart through there from that . No Head Brace ! .

Wouldnt do THIS to it, but yergetha pitcher , moit .
My New Norasaki/ KawaTon


theres a few tags there , normally bolts to the head ( the BRACE ) but your heads not right for that . :p
so running it aft gets the job done , otherwise where the side & down tubes cross is overstressed .

Someone Else as been at it too .
My New Norasaki/ KawaTon
 
mschmitz57 said:
Those 750 H2's made like 75 hp stock right? Way too much power for an old Featherbed.
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Only hobot's H2 makes that much power.

Factory claims were more than optimistic!
 
grandpaul said:
mschmitz57 said:
Those 750 H2's made like 75 hp stock right? Way too much power for an old Featherbed.
Click to expand...

Factory claims were more than optimistic!
Click to expand...

Well, 750 H2's DID run low 12's. I don't think 60hp can hustle a 450 lb bike through the 1/4 that quickly.
 
"Should really have a Head Brace ."

+++++ 1

I'd upgrade that to must have a head brace !!!
 
mschmitz57 said:
Well, 750 H2's DID run low 12's. I don't think 60hp can hustle a 450 lb bike through the 1/4 that quickly.
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Commandos got into the 12's, and they didn't even have 60 hp.

Marketing, marketing, its all marketing ....

Indeed, featherbed frames without a head brace could be lethal.
 
Yeah, More like 50 hp for the Norton.
A '73 Cycle Magazine Superbike test dyno-ed the 750 Commando at 49 hp and the Kawi H2 at whopping 64hp.
 
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We've had all this hp discussion before, many times over.
As have other forums.
With that much on tap, it should have blown them all into the weeds.
And kept gas stations in business....
 
You could build a very nice bike out of that roller. With the Kawasaki engine, the weight distribution would make it extremely dangerous - It would be very easy to crash. However with a good Commando engine well forward and a decent gearbox, it would be lovely. Unfortunately to get it really right, it needs a drum front brake - not a good way to go.
 
It should be easy to find someone prepared to do a swap of engines with you - H2 for a Commando. Gearboxes are not too hard to find. If I was cashed up I'd take that bike on for about $3000. The tank and seat look as though they are genuine Manx.
 
I just noticed It looks like the motor mounts are fabricated of long thin metal bars/straps, and the lower mounts appear to be attached to the frame rails with hose clamps.
Seriously? Tell me I'm mistaken. That thing must jump around in the frame a lot.

Companies like Unity Equipe sell a wide variety of engine mounting plates for featherbed frames. http://www.unityequipe.co.uk/
You could easily and properly mount most pre-unit and unit Norton, Triumph, and BSA singles and heavy twins into that frame.

Just saying...
 
At the risk of incuring the wrath of the OP I was pretty surprised at the answer to mschmitz57 comment about the engine mounts. - and the early observation that there seemed to be no steering head support.

"Bike was ridden for years, I'm not concerned"

I had a guy riding my racing 500 Dommie for several years - and he was a very good rider and beat lots of guys with international reputations.

His own bike was a fire breathing methanol burning 750 H2 Kawa with at least 80 BHP on the SAME dyno where my bike measured 51 bhp.

But he had modified this and altered that and messed about with something else on the frame and suspension. And it had become an unrideable mess.

He was slower on that 750cc H2 than he was on the 500 cc 1956 Dominator !!! Same day same track ! Here are the lap times. You can also see Chris Swallow has the 5 th fastest time of the day on the Goldstar. That was an early meeting for him in NZ but the following year he got second in the Junior and Senior at the Manx Classic at the IOM. So these guys are good riders but even they cannot ride through a bad frame setup.

http://www.marktime.co.nz/results/nz-cl ... 09/26/BEST

I would be really worried about that frame set up sorry - even if it has been ridden for years! A featherbed without a head brace is a disaster waiting to happen Just saying :D
 
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