10 replies to this topic

[Mick Robinson]

Hi Guys, I've just uploaded 3 images of 1975 Kawasaki H1R W 500 replica.

http://msrphotograph...o_page_500.html

http://msrphotograph...o_page_501.html

http://msrphotograph...o_page_502.html

[philippe7]

Thank you Mick, very nice as usual . Interesting machine , this 1975 water-cooled "factory" 500 . I'm sure we discussed it recently with first-hand insight from someone who worked on it ( Rod Scivyer maybe ? ) and wasn't too impressed with the overall standard of construction ....Mick Grant's senior TT win on this machine bordering on the miraculous .....

edit : found it ... Here : http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=4036504

Edited by philippe7, 25 August 2010 - 21:03.

[philippe7]

.....and just for fun ...while re-reading the linked post by Rod, I suddenly realised that I had personal photographic evidence of the last sentence of the quote below :

In Sweden in '75 we spent, Nigel Everett and myself, almost the entire practice time rebuilding the motors and eventually were down to one spare crank which we had to fit to Micks engine the night before the race. This one of course had to be different, it was about 25mm too long on one end. The only thing for it was to saw the end off We worked well into the night, with regular forays into the paddock to scrounge new saw blades.

I have to say, at this point, that Mick was absolutely brilliant, making regular trips to and from the team hotel with food, drink and encouragement. This was obviously a task well below the status of the team management who of course were never seen during the whole time (bitter, no not me). The race followed it's normal course with first Ditchburn and then Mick retiring.

There it is : Mick Grant retiring.....



( this is the only picture I took at that race, due to lack of telephoto lens )

[fil2.8]

excellent as normal , Mick

[SADBATCCM]

One from Donington !!

[picblanc]

Nice to see its got stingers on instead of those flipping silencers!!

[picblanc]

Great photos & lovely job Nigel has done again!

[SILVERDREAMRACER]

on the topic of H1RW's
does anyone know the racing history of Nottinghams Rick Brett's H1RW ?
only ever seen pics of it ,not in the flesh though...looks lovely

Edited by SILVERDREAMRACER, 26 August 2010 - 16:31.

[Mick Robinson]

Thank you Mick, very nice as usual . Interesting machine , this 1975 water-cooled "factory" 500 . I'm sure we discussed it recently with first-hand insight from someone who worked on it ( Rod Scivyer maybe ? ) and wasn't too impressed with the overall standard of construction ....Mick Grant's senior TT win on this machine bordering on the miraculous .....

edit : found it ... Here : http://forums.autosp...w...t&p=4036504

Thanks Philippe7 Glad you like.

[philippe7]

on the topic of H1RW's
does anyone know the racing history of Nottinghams Rick Brett's H1RW ?
only ever seen pics of it ,not in the flesh though...looks lovely

This is what I had found at the time....no certainties though .

http://riviere67.fre.../KAWA/KR500.jpg

After a little searching, the picture linked above seems to have been taken during the 2002 Coupes Moto Légende at Montlhéry, and is said to display a machine which is part of famous british Kawa Triples guru Rick Brett's collection . From what I read on various forums, apparently 3 machines were built, which raced in Europe in 1975 but also in the japanese championship . So, Rick Brett has one, so does the Beaulieu museum , that latter one presented as being "Mick Grant's TT winning bike" but from reliable sources it seems that frames, engines, bits and pieces were happily swapped around between the three factory machines, as was common at the time, which makes that claim look a bit suspicious .....

[exclubracer]

From memory, the Kwaka H1's were fast but extremely fickle. Riders of the calibre of Eric Offenstadt, Rusty Bradley, Christian Ravel, Dave Simmonds and Ginger Molloy all rode the H1 with varying degrees of success. Sadly, some paid the ultimate price for their dedication to the marque

IIRC Mick Boddice also tried an H1 motor in his sidecar outfit but it was such a drain on brother-in-law Dave Simmonds' spares cache, it was discontinued.