Kawasaki H1R 500RW
With Phil Aynsley
The final version of Kawasaki’s 500cc H1R machine was the RW of 1975. Only three were built, making it a rare beast indeed!
The drivers were Mick Grant, Barry Ditchburn and Yvon DuHamel. Grant won both the IOM Senior TT and the North-West 200 in 1975.
They competed in several GPs that year but proved to be a bit weak and had poor reliability.
Grant and Ditchburn continued racing the bikes for several years, with the bikes upgraded with KR750-style front ends in late 1976. A third bike was used as a spare during this time.
This is Grant’s bike, as evidenced by the right gear lever. It’s equipped with a ’75 fairing and painted in his ’75 TT but retains the original ’76 front end.
Power output is 88 horsepower at 9500 rpm and weighs 136 kg.
| Technical specifications Kawasaki H1R 500 RW | |
| Engine | Water-cooled, 498.7 cc two-stroke, three-cylinder in-line |
| Diameter x piston stroke | 60.0×58.8mm |
| Power | 88 horsepower @ 9500 rpm |
| Clutch | Multi-disc dry clutch |
| Instruct | Three Mikuni VM35SC carburetors |
| Gear | Five-speed closing ratio |
| Final drive | Chain |
| Frame | Steel duplex frame |
| Suspended | Kayaba 38mm telescopic fork, Koni double shock absorbers |
| Wheel | Front 3.25 x 18, rear 3.50 x 18 |
| Brake | 296mm disc, double piston brake caliper, single rear disc brake |
| Weight | 136 kg |
