MAGNETO: Kawasaki H1

Monday, August 1, 2011

Rarest Kawasaki Roadracer

So i was hanging out @ Wauseon with friends when

I get a email in regards to "Rarest Kawasaki Roadracer ".

Anyone that knows me knows i have a thing for Kawasaki

two strokes and i finally got around to posting this.

In 1969 Kawasaki showed up @ the Daytona 200 with 2 A7RA's and 6 A1RA's. The A7RA's were ridden by #16 Dick Hammer and # 26 T. Araoka in the Daytona 200 Expert class. Also in the race were #105 Simmonds and #19 Hanley who rode bikes based on the new 1969 Kawasaki H1. During the race #16 Hammers seized on the 1st lap and #26 Araoka seized on the 2nd lap, whereas both #105 Simmonds and #19 Hanley completed all 48 laps to finish in 17th and 19th places . After the race Kawasaki decided to use the new H1 as the motor for there factory roadracer, so they sent the frame from Hammers bike back to Japan to be adapted to use the H1 motor and it became the original H1R. They sold the #26 Araoka's bike as well as the motor and spares from Hammers bike to Chief Gulbraith of Power Research Racing who raced the bike for numerous years. We aquired the bike in 1977, but it was just an old Kawasaki 350 roadracer and it sat in our barn for 31 years until a friend(Rob from Rancho Motorcycle Dismantlers) talked me into showing it @ the CJMC show in Auburn in 2008. It won its class and created a quite a stir.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Kawasaki A1R

In 1967 Kawasaki introduced the A1R. With continuous development of the Yamaha twins these machines needed an upgrade to become competitive. In 1969 Kawasaki introduced the A1RA at Daytona with a very impressive works team including Dave Simmons, Cal Rayborn, Art Baumann, Walt Fulton and Dick Hammer. The A1RA featured an upgraded frame (a predecessor to the H1R), a dry clutch and revised carbs (30mm sand cast Mikunis) and expansion chambers. The A1R rear wheel was retained, the front upgraded to either a Ceriani or Fontana, later in the year using the H1R drum.