1971 Kawasaki H1 15K

[Tuck]

Price drop, He was asking 18k


https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/mcy/d/vallejo-1971-kawasaki-h1-500cc/7003480899.html

[RDryan]

Wow, that asking price even with the price drop is sky high....but the bike sure looks nice.

There was as  Ebay auction recently for the same year/color scheme recently. It was a pretty much all original example in very nice condition, mileage at about 8k and described as tuned and proper working order. The bike sold for $5,500. I had put a bid on it earlier this past summer and retracted it (got cold feet) and never expected to see the bike again then about two weeks ago it reappeared. Probably should of bid on it to win but I kinda had a bad feeling that if I were to ride the bike everyday I would really have to go thru the engine, seals, gaskets possibly crank and rings.

I love that particular year of the triples with the front drum brake and the chrome rear fender but I kinda feel like those bikes aren't such a great reliable vintage rider and the overall performance just isn't there. But that's just me wanting to get my moneys worth and enjoy the bike and such. It really is more than anything the sound, sight, smells that make them so great.

[Tuck]

Its on EBAY as well. Current bid is 10.2k

[RDryan]

Its on EBAY as well. Current bid is 10.2k

Really? I just got on EBAY and did a couple quick searches under the Kawasaki category, searched saying H1 and searched saying 1971, didn't see that bike there. I did see a 73 as well as a 72 from another seller. Those bikes looked the same, simply beautifully restored. Immaculate paint, polishing, chrome and described as fully rebuilt. Bidding on both was about 5k and I would be doubtful they reach over 10k. The odd thing is those two bikes always seem to be on and off the EBAY site. I think the seller must be wanting too much money for them. Regardless I've come to the conclusion that triples on CL or EBAY all seem to be sky high price wise especially when someone rebuilds them. But it seems like you have to have a lot of faith in what the seller says as far as "rebuilt" is concerned. Seems to me with all the resources out there to find parts it would be in one's better interest to fine a barn find and just go thru it them selves but I know not everyone has the time or varying degrees of mechanical aptitude to make it happen.

[RDryan]

Ok so after my last post I thought I would give it one more try to search EBAY and I found it! I searched in the motorcycles category for all 1971 bikes. Had to scroll down a bit thru all the different makes and models....there was a decent Suzuki T350 rebel by the way (nice price)...and there she was. Odd the the bike didn't show up under Kawasaki but anyways. With four days left, three bids up to 10.2k and reserve not met. Well that is a nice restoration, the inside of the gas tank just looks so perfect, like a new bike should. Really the whole bike looks that way. It's probably a fair deal at 15k when you consider all the labor and expertise involved to get it to that point. However at this point how bad does someone want it?...and what will they do with it? I wanna say ride it but I feel like it just looks too nice to ride. They don't say if it's numbers matching and they do say it's sold with a bill of sale and under title it's stated as clear but I get the feeling there is no title but I guess that doesn't matter. The bike is just so pretty.

[RDryan]

FWIW it kinda makes that last auction I mentioned even more memorable for me. Yeah I probably should've bought that bike, LOL. It wasn't as cherry, concours immaculate as this bike but it was exceptionally nicer than say a barn find. It was too nice to restore as it was very original and at 5.5k it seems like a bargain compared to 15k. I mean it could have been a daily rider but just a crap shoot if you had to redo the crank and top end or whatever would go wrong. It was also touted as numbers matching and the seller was in my home state Ma. with a clear title. That would be another key thing for me as Ma. is big title state and it just makes things easier to register or resell. Oh well. I keep having reality checks as soon as I want one, lol.

So that 1972 model is here in this link.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1972-Kawasaki-H1-500/323953297290?hash=item4b6d1f078a:g:Ux0AAOSwiHFdfZAH

She looks pretty awesome too, full restoration and probably about the same asking price. I actually talked to the seller last year about helping me fix my RD but I ended up doing it myself. He claims he has a business partner and they employ a few guys to help restore and resell these bikes. He claimed he had a big storage container filled with H1 and H2's in various degrees of parts to complete projects. He's not too far from me, I would like to see his shop. Same seller has this 1973 model. Its in that same cherry restored kinda shape and with a buy it now price of 7.8k, so a bit more affordable. However doesn't have that sixties vintage look. I guess by 1973 they had to get on with the seventies but what a difference a couple years make.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-Kawasaki-H1-500/323953289288?hash=item4b6d1ee848:g:y7EAAOSw5Pldq62D

[Tuck]

If you scroll thru the pics on the EBAY listing there is a really nice Daytona. Out of curiosity I contacted him to see if it was for sale. It is 10k



https://www.ebay.com/itm/1971-Kawasaki-KAWASAKI-H1-A/254397291704?hash=item3b3b429cb8:g:rioAAOSwPUVdaH5f

[RDryan]

The Daytona looks mean. Really quite the collection of old 2smokers in that pic. I wonder if the RGV250 is for sale?