Don't Armor-All the seat

[sloinker]

I remember these killing machines from back in the day. Quite the pucker factor when I first rode one.Wish I would have picked up a couple of these back then as an investment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MivW0kvcB3k&t=117s

 

[CT8]

Actually I had a 71 Mach III In bought brand new in August 71. I sold it is 1976 to buy an Yamaha RD350. I raced lots of H2s and they weren't faster in actual on the road use. If you could launch them in a drag race they had a wider power band so that was an advantage. I had several friends with H2s. There was nothing better than when the Mach III came on its power band. Yes today's bikes relegate the Mach III's as well as the H2's power to entry level bike power.

 

[JimPghPA]

I once drove a cousins friends 3 cylinder 2 stroke Kawasaki 400 back in the 70's, that thing was powerful, I can't imagine what the 750 was like. The person who owned the 400 wrote a letter to Kawasaki that the engine on it was very impressive, he said that he red-lined it and even maxed out the tack many times and it still never missed a beat. They sent him back a coupon for a free tune-up at a Kawasaki dealer.

 

[ZeeOSix]

I remember tuning up a Kawasaki 750 H2. They had a 2-cycle oil injection pump that was always way too rich even if adjusted per the shop manual, and the plugs wouldn't last very long on them. After the tune-up I took it out for a test drive on the highway right along the shop to clear out all the excess oil. Opened it up WOT on a long straight away and came up on a convertible fast, so I passed it without slowing down. I looked in the rear view mirror and there was so much smoke I couldn't even see the car I passed !! The people in the car were probably smoked out big time, lol.

 

[FastGame]

Originally Posted by CT8

Originally Posted by sloinker

I remember these killing machines from back in the day. Quite the pucker factor when I first rode one.Wish I would have picked up a couple of these back then as an investment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MivW0kvcB3k&t=117s

Actually I had a 71 Mach III In bought brand new in August 71. I sold it is 1976 to buy an Yamaha RD350. I raced lots of H2s and they weren't faster in actual on the road use. If you could launch them in a drag race they had a wider power band so that was an advantage. I had several friends with H2s. There was nothing better than when the Mach III came on its power band. Yes today's bikes relegate the Mach III's as well as the H2's power to entry level bike power.

I had the 72 Mach III tricked out by a cart shop who built high end enduro carts, don't remember being beat on the streets of Phoenix. Back in the day 500 H1, 750 H2, Z1 900, Norton Commando where the kings until the Honda CBX came out. My big heavy Concours 14 would spank any of those bike.

 

[sloinker]

For the time, they were hard to beat. They were also plug fouling pita.

 

[Lapham3]

Many of the earlier 2 strokes were too rich on oil metering. It wasn't rare with guys buying way more powerful bikes than they had the smarts or experience to handle. A number of us made some poor choices as young pups. Many of us survived the stupidity and some did not.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

We should try not to say rich and oil metering in once sentence. More oil = leaner mixture in a 2-stroke A lot of folks ( 99%?) confuse oil smoke with rich. I think many bikes were over-lubed by running a 50:1 premix AND the oil injection pump at the same time "Just in Case" That was a Mistake. I know I did it too. though more like 100:1 plus the pump. I know my Suzuki T rebel had a oil injection pump adjustment. A throttle cable came down to a lever that controlled the qty of oil injected.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I remember delivering groceries as a kid and I saw one parked in the fellow's yard. He came outside and was kind enough to show me it. Couldn't believe it was a three cylinder. Turned out he was an RCMP officer. Nice guy. Later, I purchased a Suzuki 350 2 cycle with a 6 speed transmission. Some how I survived riding that bike.

 

[FastGame]

Back in the day it wasn't the street bikes that held the quickness & hold on for dear life title, it was the hot MX bikes that held the honor. Maico 400, Husky 360/400, Suzuki 400 fitted with street tires and minor gear change were deadly quick. My 1972 Mach III got beat at the drag strip (Beeline) by a guy on the Maico 400.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite

We should try not to say rich and oil metering in once sentence. More oil = leaner mixture in a 2-stroke A lot of folks ( 99%?) confuse oil smoke with rich.

It's terminology. Most people familiar with 2-strokes would say the oil mix was "too rich" if there was too much oil mixed or metered with the gas. Too much oil (rich mix) means more exhaust smoke.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Here's some 2-stroke drag racers.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite

I think many bikes were over-lubed by running a 50:1 premix AND the oil injection pump at the same time "Just in Case"

Any bike that had a 2-cycle oil metering pump never also said (by the manufacturer) to pre-mix with the gasoline. If anyone did, it was their own decision to do so.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite

I think many bikes were over-lubed by running a 50:1 premix AND the oil injection pump at the same time "Just in Case"

Any bike that had a 2-cycle oil metering pump never also said (by the manufacturer) to pre-mix with the gasoline. If anyone did, it was their own decision to do so.

I recall from my uncle (I wasn't around then) that many people premixed because the metering pumps were not always reliable.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by Jarlaxle

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix

Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite

I think many bikes were over-lubed by running a 50:1 premix AND the oil injection pump at the same time "Just in Case"

Any bike that had a 2-cycle oil metering pump never also said (by the manufacturer) to pre-mix with the gasoline. If anyone did, it was their own decision to do so.

I recall from my uncle (I wasn't around then) that many people premixed because the metering pumps were not always reliable.

True ,,, but they also disabled or removed the oil injection pump, they didn't do both at the same time.