That's pronounced H2-Plus-Plus. Because she got plussed up in the handling department, and she got plussed up in the braking department.
This one was quite fun for me to do, especially since I have known this bike for at least 25 years and i had never heard it "ba-ding-ding" until early August of 2024.
I think I started on it in in earnest in February of 2024, and as of Labor day, she is back with her custodian to be enjoyed until the winter. This one will return for warm accommodations, because if you're cold, they are cold too!
This project was a veritable menagerie of other-than Kawi factory parts, and some non-motorcycle parts in there as well. Plus a few little details I got to whip up with my signature sauce. Spinkle in a few zips, zaps and round parts and we got this little nipper.
We kept it as a go-er not a show-er. Financially, the cost to pretty-up and finish all the bits would have gotten out of hand.... and this one is meant to be enjoyed. So, if you ever get to lay real eyes on it, the bumps and bruises are there and I think she wears them well.
I really wanted this thing to have a wheelset and tire combo that filled the factory tail section, was performance orientated plus I wanted it to have the outset appearance strongly resemble that of the original silhouette, just tightened up a touch.
Glad it came out the way it did.
Quick list of some of the bigger mods (if you care)-
Front end is a late model Kawi 636, with stem mods to fit the headstock and a cognitomoto top tree to gain precious trail. Kawi 636 brakes, rotors, wheel. Front fender is a nice little unit off a late model RE and my buddy who owns the bike made u some sano stainless carriers for it.
Tank was sealed with Caswell Dragons Blood, Pingel petcock with no reserve.
Factory wiring was lightly revised to adapt to the new bits, but this machine has all the features present from '75.
Offset motor sprocket and 420 conversion from Fast from the Past
The rear is where the majority of the mods took place, namely the GS1100 alloy swingarm, and Ohlins shocks. The rear wheel is an 18" magnesium one-of-none unit I found on VFT.org. By all accounts, it was a Hanebrink developed piece. The rear rotor is a front rotor from a Savage, and the rear brake is a front brake off a KTM enduro. Rear master is off a Gixxer. Very few commitments were performed to the H2 chassis, namely only added tabs to the passenger peg braces to carry the rear MC and a small surgical event took place at the headstock to graft in a forkstop feature.
I think it is a great bike to ride and it's also real fun to look at.
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| Not-so-stock trim |
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| Stock trim |
