It looked like he had ridden into the side of a bus, the forks bent back until the front guard had met the cylinder. It looked like the frame was bound to be bent as well. I informed the acne infested youth of the high cost of buying a new frame, forks, wheel, clocks, exhaust and petrol tank (which was dented but not split). The smashed clock read only 3300 miles. The bike could not even be pushed, such was the solidity with which the wheel and frame had meshed. The large cracks in the cast wheel made it doubtful if it would have got far even if it could be still rolled forward.
It looked more trouble than it was worth, to be honest, what with perfectly good KH100s available for as little as £700. I was going to walk away from the wreck but the desperate youth insisted I make an offer. 200 quid didn’t go down very well, but he agreed that £250 was a fair price, all things considered.
He was almost in tears when he handed over the logbook. The Volvo estate (yes, | know...) would not accommodate the Kawasaki but with a bit of grunting I managed to secure the KH on the roof-rack. It was doubtful that if it fell off any extra damage could be done to the machine, such was its state.
Back at the house, I started to strip off the bits. The only way the front end could be freed from the motor was by taking off the fork yokes and laying into it with a big lump hammer. After about five minutes of this the front end sprang free and everything fell over on the floor, including yours truly. This put me into such a foul mood that I soon reduced the front wheel to rubble.
Off with the tank to reveal that the frame was not bent after all. Next day it was on the phone to the breakers in MCN. After much swapping of insults, everything except the forks were found and duly collected in the Volvo - it’s one of those old ones that refuse to rust to pieces or blow its engine. I looked the forks over, there was no way that I was going to get them straightened. I phoned around a couple of Kawasaki dealers until I found someone with a set. Total cost of all the bits came to £225 and it took only a night’s work to put the machine back together. Admittedly, I did fix the tank myself rather than buy a replacement.
I can’t say I was overwhelmed by either the appearance or performance of the KH. It started easily enough, with a gentle kick, and rattled away merrily. I had heard enough KH engines to know that the rattles were entirely normal. Ring-ding-a-ding here I come. Or not. It was only just fast enough to keep an energetically ridden bicycle in its place. It was also very rough running, with the odd detonation in the curiously long silencer.
The single cylinder two stroke motor never gave any indication of a power band, it was so mild that a complete novice would find it difficult to get into trouble. Engine running improved greatly when it was fed with a new spark plug, something needed every 2500 to 3000 miles. It still wasn’t fast, not wanting to do more than 60mph, only with great perseverance putting 65mph on the clock.
The bike does have a good side, usually managing to better 100mpg, which made me able to boast to car owning friends about its frugality. The good economy suggested that the engine had bedded in well and not died an early death from youthful neglect or thrashing. So the poor performance could be perfectly normal.
I was convinced that something was bent in the chassis. The bike was reasonably stable in a straight line but wanted to maintain that attitude when trying to go around corners. I had expected that a machine that weighed little more than 200lbs would be delightfully easy to flick through corners, but, no, the KH stubbornly resisted being banked over unless quite a lot of force was applied to the high, wide bars. I tried a used one at the local dealer, pretending an interest in its purchase, but it was just the same.
It didn’t help that this is a small machine on which I always felt perched high, never coming close to becoming one with the bike, unlike something agricultural like a MZ125. Also, the tyres were very thin and the wheels large, leading to some twitching on bumpy roads. After a while, I adapted to the bouncing about and ignored the machinations with a firm grip on the bars and an eye on the scenery.
I suppose the KH100 was designed as a town bike, but I like to go wandering around our fine countryside, so the Kawasaki had no option but to adapt itself to this unusual role. I wouldn't give the seat more than 2 out of 10 for comfort, though the riding position was fine for the minimal speeds that the bike was able to sustain. For such a small machine, quite substantial vibes get through the chassis when the engine had its neck wrung.
The one thing to avoid is riding so far that the return journey is made in the dark. The KH has a most marginal electrical system. Lights that dim to almost nothing at tickover are a grave cause for concern with all the half blind cagers around. Even when lit up properly, the front light has a useless dip and a main beam that has seen me down to about 20mph on unlit country roads. I usually tried to tail a car, but more often than not they disappeared off into the distance.
I once had to do 50 miles in the dark - I was so blinded by oncoming lights and so strained my eyes trying to see where I was going, that for days afterwards I had a nasty squint and a searing headache. Running around town a lot at night would also lead to a flat battery, the generator seems unable to cope with the demands of the electrical system. Even worse, the bulbs would blow every 2000-3000 miles, once leaving me stranded ten miles from home with no lights. Always carry spare bulbs!
Despite all that, I put 8000 miles on the clock in six months. Then the back wheel bearings went. No grease. Same in the swinging arm spindle, which was already a bit loose - I wasn’t that impressed with its lack of support nor its small diameter. There were specks of rust breaking out on the frame and even some of the engine screws were blemished with corrosion. Not an impressive machine on build quality.
With some 12400 miles on the clock the chain and sprockets needed replacement. Why on earth doesn’t such a mundane machine have a fully enclosed chain? I had expected the chain to last at least 20000 miles and the sprockets three or four times that, so light was the Kawa and so mild its power output. True, the Jap tyres still had plenty of life left, but as I think much of the poor handling was down to them I’m not sure if I should applaud or cry!
I never actually fell off the little Kawasaki. I came damn close a few times, when the tyres let go in the wet. A quick boot down saved us, but the way the machine lurched about and the way my body was jarred I’m not sure if it wouldn't have been easier to fall off. I would have liked to try the machine with proper tyres but I was determined to sell the KH100 a profit and the OE rubber was still legal with 15400 miles done when | got shot of the bike.
In its favour, except for oil and spark plugs, the engine ran without any attention § and, hmmmmm... oh yes, insurance was laughably cheap. I knew there was something else positive about the experience! I certainly wouldn’t pay £1200 for a new ‘un but can see some, fairly desperate, circumstances when I'd be glad to have a used one for the daily commuting chores.
There's nothing really wrong with the Kawasaki, it’s just been around so long, and had so many minor mods, that the whole is now a lot less good than the sum of the parts would suggest. There's obviously a huge market for commuting machines that the Japanese have yet to tap, but the only way Kawasaki would make much impact is to start with a clean sheet of paper.
Mike Pritchard