Drop of hat 2002 - the sequel . . March 2002
I have to say from the
outset that if I thought the last trip was ill planned then this
one has all the thought of a blind man on a tightrope! The tale
starts just a week after I had returned from the Dallas trip, I
was totally snowed under with mails, work, renewals and with a
newsletter to write and print I was avoiding answering the
phone. The phone went yet again, the caller I.D. displayed
"International" and I answered it to hear a chap telling me how
he had read an article about my "collection" in a magazine . .
and would I be interested in buying a new Z1a? Yes, A NEW Z1A!
Unridden with just the test 1 mile on it! As I have been lured
to the U.S. on futile paper chases before I asked a few more
questions, the bike was apparently One of a pair bought by the
guys father and never ridden. One bike was sold to someone in
the U.K. a few years back.
The bike sounded genuine
and more importantly sounded like it had been well cared for
apparently it had stood in the fathers hallway for some 20
years, when his father died, the house was cleared and the Z1
was taken to the garage a couple of years back but soaked in
WD40 and had oil put down the bores – things are looking good eh
? Coupled with the fact that the bike was just 375 miles from my
old pal Harry and Jenny in Michigan I started to search the
Internet for a flight, the basic plans came together, fly to
Detroit, drive to Toronto, see the bike, make a decision, sort
out the new fly in the ointment which is a KV75 that I happened
to buy off EBAY some 9 hours ago (as I type this account) and I
think Is not a million miles away from the Z1, from there try to
re trace my route of Two years ago and try to complete a deal
for the huge inventory of N.O.S. in Michigan and also maybe take
a mere 60 mile detour to buy some of the stock from Canada that
I also saw on the same trip – sounds like a plan? Sounds more
like flying by the seat of your pants, but what the hell!
So once again I find
myself in Newark airport and it is a healthy 65 degrees and
Sunny. Some 5 hours later and I am landing in the minus 2
degrees and sleet in Detroit! I pick my new "zero mileage"
Pontiac Firefly up and check on the rental rates, I sign up for
$220 (£140) and think it is a little cheap for ten days hire, I
question the insurance and it appears that I just have 3rd
party F&T for that price - I am responsible for all non
recoverable losses – So, the gamble – I have driven well over a
Million accident free miles in the U.K. and I have driven some
24,000 accident free miles in the U.S. (is that you choking Mr
Aylor?) Fully comp insurance works out at an extra $280! (200
quid) – with the unknown equation of the weather common sense
prevails and I see little choice but to request the fully comp
and sulk to myself that Ten days insurance is what it would cost
me for a whole year in the U.K. (that poor little Pontiac is
going to have to give me 200 pounds worth of fun though!) As it
is still light I decide to head for Canada (40 mins away) and
get a motel over there. I clear the tunnel to Canada and queue
at the customs post, my video camera (like last trip) is set to
record the process, the interview at the booth was not easy, the
customs guy (like last time) could not understand why anyone
would fly from England to look at an old Kawasaki motorcycle,
things start to drag on until he sees the camera – He is not a
happy bunny and sternly orders that it be turned off immediately
and the film re-wound and taped over – from there I am sent with
my tail between my legs to the "immigration" point where I am
thoroughly searched (no rubber gloves though!) I leave the
terminal and start to look for a motel, in the sleet I manage to
miss a sign and start to turn the wrong way down a One way
street . . . only to face a cop car coming the other way!
Luckily I realise my mistake before any harm is done. So next
stop is the wine shop . . (Got my priorities right this time!)
The motel I found was old but clean and VERY reasonably priced
at £26 a night! And quite surprisingly I managed to get some kip
this time . . . or was it the wine?
 So,
up to a cold and sleeting morning, scrape the ice off the car
and I head off towards Toronto, I arrive at the Z1’s home some 3
hours later and the bike was as described – it had been in the
owners hallway for 25 years and had several generations of his
families dust and skin particles on it – the last 3 years it had
lived outside but had been well protected with duck oil the only
real flaw was that the tank had badly "Orange peeled" for some
reason – but I reckon it could be salvaged with some T cut and
at worst a re- lacquer. I struck a deal with the owner and
whilst the wheels were put in motion to pay him I headed off on
the 250 mile drive to Michigan. I took a slight 80 mile detour
to meet up with a guy off the message board, unfortunately it
didn’t work out but quite fortunately I got to see the biggest
truck that I had ever seen close up in my life! The truck has
around 40 axles and consists of a central platform supported
either end by two steered bogie assemblies, this in turn is
hauled by a single unit - and maybe pushed by another?. I think
the truck is around 130 feet long (THREE times the length of a
normal U.K. road truck) it’s major use is to carry the huge
presses that form the body panels of GM cars.
So, as I am still a day
ahead of schedule with time on my hands I check thru my notes I
find a reference to a 1964 SG1 250cc single cylinder Kawasaki
that I was told about a couple of years back up in "Iron
Mountain" in Michigan on the Wisconsin border), I call the guy
and he still has it (is he shocked to hear my voice or what?)
The owner informs me that he has been told there were just 12 of
these bikes imported into the U.S – I have seen Two on EBAY
(going reasonably cheap) in the last 3 years so I will reserve
judgement on his statement. But, I decide to take another detour
to see this bike (whats a thousand miles at a quid a gallon
anyway?) – the weather turns rough some 200 miles into the
journey and I am bemused to see so many snowmobiles riding
through the woods alongside the roads. Every café and bar (there
are not that many) has rows of snowmobiles parked up outside.
So, some 450 miles later this day I am in the sleet and snow of
Americas highest ski resort - Iron Mountain. A call to "Jim"
with the SG reveals that he is deep in the woods surrounding the
resort. The next morning Jim calls to collect me and we head off
back through the snowy roads into the woods and after as few
miles arrive at Jims house. The bike is in remarkable condition
for it’s age, there is some light rusting but it appears to be
totally original. This model has the "Meguru" badge (with the
early Kawasaki logo) on the petrol tank and Kawasaki is cast
into the engine casings. Jim bought the bike in 1967 as a non
runner, he tells me that he traced the fault down to the piston
that had a flaw in it’s casting and was actually fractured right
the way through and would not allow enough compression to fire
the motor.
One thing that I did
notice was that bolted to the head was what I can only presume
to be an electric valve decompressor ? - No doubt Kawasaki will
re-invent this idea in another ten years. Jim is in no rush to
sell the bike (at $3,000 he may struggle anyway!) but I am given
first refusal if I can find a way of shipping it back to the
U.K. - Watch this space.
 I
head back south past the "World famous" mystery spot that is
open "rain or shine" (so why is it closed ?L ) Then over the
Macanaw bridge (identical to the Humber bridge) and try to get
as far as possible in the severe weather, my goal for the night
is the Tourist resort on the shores of lake Michigan – Traverse
City. This place is awash with empty hotels and I find a really
plush place for just $50.00 (apparently in high season it is
$200 a night!). The lake looks pretty as the snow falls and the
"slush" laps up on shore – Lake Michigan Is freshwater so it
freezes over quite easily. My Jet lag has finally gone and I
wander down to a local bar for a couple of pints.
So, the next stage of the
journey is a 350 mile trip down
to Manistee to see my old friends "Harry and Jenny", those of
you that have been in the club a while will remember the story
of how H&J had a couple of Kawasaki dealerships in the mid
sixties and early 70’s they then closed the shops in 1976 and
took all the bikes and stock to their home in Manistee in the
North of Michigan. Two years ago when I visited, the bikes had
suffered badly and were not in good condition. What a difference
the Two years has made! The bikes are all now back in almost
showroom condition! The bikes consisted of: A NEW H2b still in
the crate, A NEW H2b assembled, Two NEW Z400’s, a NEW KD125, 4
NEW KS125’s A low mileage H2b, A low mileage H2a a 650W1TT, and
a 650 W1SS – I was totally stunned at the condition. Over the
next day I checked over the stock and with the advent of EBAY I
have decided to do my best to try and purchase it. Due to the
huge amount of New Old Stock this may well involve my going and
staying in the U.S. for a month or so to fill the container . .
. watch this space (and don’t be puzzled if no one answers the
phone at the office in a couple of months time!)
So, with a severe weather
warning given out I head back down to Canada to wrap the Z1 up
and get it to the shippers. The 350 mile trip is interesting to
say the least, the traction control on my Pontiac Sunfire
appears to work well . . . but it is more fun to turn it off and
get the car sideways! A cheap motel in Port Huron (£28.00) turns
out to be the best value of the trip so far – clean large room,
telly, microwave, fridge nice furniture and a bar next door!
Still no Internet access though and I know the mails are piling
up! Next day it is a 150 mile drive to London Ontario (in the
snow) I collect the bike and take it to the freight forwarders
(after taking dozens of photos of it for a picture CD) The bike
is well wrapped for it’s journey.
Later that afternoon I
venture East toward Toronto to meet up with Greg Peters who has
a trio of H2’s. Greg’s H2 recently won a best in show award at a
Toronto show. The award was deservedly won, a lot of the parts
on the bike were N.O.S. but Greg has the distinct disadvantage
that H2’s are few and far between in his locality and original
bikes for reference are non existent (maybe you ought to buy a
Picture reference CD from RB’s Greg?) Greg is fortunate (?)
enough not to be married so his H2 has pride of place in the
front room! So, a night with beer and Pizza made a great change
from my own company and hotel rooms. Next morning I had time to
wander round the local market and see at first hand the
handicrafts of the local Amish community.
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My
plan was to see Jack (check old tale) who I had also visited
during my last trip to this neck of the woods, some of you will
remember that Jack had a great collection of not only Kawasaki’s
but also British bikes and Harleys, not to mention cars, RV’s,
Sports cars, Planes, Jet ski’s, tractors and stationary engines!
Jack Also had quite an interesting assortment of N.O.S. Kawasaki
parts from the 70’s. Unfortunately Jack was driving back from
Daytona and was delayed by the severe weather, this gave me time
to take a somewhat leisurely drive to his vicinity rather than
the usual manic panic! Good job really as the speed limit is set
at 62 miles an hour and on the spot fines run at the rate of for
70mph : £40, 80mph : £100 and 90mph £120 (or thereabouts!). I
stayed out of town on the shores of Lake Eerie, I had stayed
here a few times before but it has never been in daylight and as
I wandered around the town I found it was actually a port with a
ferry and a dock – the dock had the most amazing icicles that I
had ever seen and was worthy of a trip down at night to take
photos of the sun setting in the distance. 
Lake Erie is a freshwater lake and with temperatures still
around minus 6 the icicles were growing! That evening I ventured
out for a steak, as the steak arrived it came without tomatoes
but was accompanied by a new bottle of Heinz sauce, as usual I
picked the bottle up and gave it a vigorous shake . . the top
flew off and tomato sauce flew up the walls, the adjacent table,
the ceiling and covered me from head to toe! The darn waitress
had already released the cap!
 So,
on his return I had just a few hours to go over his stock until
I had to head for Detroit for my flight to Florida. In
the barns were some interesting 1970’s items – how about a BRAND
NEW Z900 tank at the bargain price of $60.00cdn (£28.00!) Boxes
of grey cables, new brake levers, headlamps, baffles etc etc . .
Unfortunately Jack was reluctant to rush into any sort of a deal
and told me that he was selling no more of the old stock until
he had completed the restoration of the triples that he has
started. and will just have to wait to hear from him in due
course. So, it’s another drive through the sleet and snow to
Detroit airport as luckily all this has coincided with bike week
at Daytona and John Aylor and Dave Crussell will be racing -
John Aylor takes up the story . .
My First Daytona!
(Florida, USA) By JA (John Aylor)
First, I would like to thank
all the guys that helped me out. Florida Dave for the help
loading my stuff (and disappeared before we were done… ;-), Rick
Brett for coming over and helping with some testing, taking
photos and videos, buying dinner and drinks, and generally being
a cheerleader/wise cracker when Dave Crussell and I were down a
bit on luck. And to Dave Crussell and his Lorraine for sharing
his pit area and the Moral support as with Super Dave, Zooke,
Krash and the other triple guys that stopped by.
I’ll start with Dave's story,
from my perspective. It started with a ignition trigger going
bad in Deland (a pre race held at an airport built in WWII). But
he still got a 3rd after he fixed it. The fix bit him at Daytona
when a solder joint broke in the first race. IT was a bummer
because he was FAST in the first practice! Passed me like I was
sitting still on the banking. (which I was, being one of the
first laps I ever did at Daytona) After Dave lost power in the
first race, we thought he might have had a light seizure. But
after pulling the heads we found no seizure marks. So out came
the Ohmmeter and start checking the electrical system. Batteries
and Nevell Lush’s (Australian racer/motor builder) ignition box
looked good as well as resistant levels of the triggers. After
trading around wires, we found there was trouble in the center
cylinders electric's. There was interesting "incident" due to
the fact that we put the bike on the rollers (starting system
that uses a cars tire to start the bikes) to turn the motor
over. Dave's lovely wife was used to starting motors with heads
on and compression. Needless to say when she ran up the car
engine, there was no resistance and the motor was revving giving
all of us around the bike a nice shower of premix. As Rick had
just gone through a bike fire from the same thing, we elected to
have a "fire extinguisher volunteer". Thinking the trigger was
bad we started the task of borrowing a soldering gun (Harley
guys had one.... ;-) All this was as 2nd call came for Dave’s
second race. Dave was ready to call it quits, but Rick started
in cheerleading and we got to it. After cutting one side of the
trigger wire loose, RB went to cut the other side and the wire
just pulled loose. AH HA! found the problem! So to the last
minute "thrash". (quite literally!) Dave was putting sealer on
the heads and I was bolting them up. Rick was finishing the
ignition stuff and Miss’s Dave was putting on the fairing. FL
Dave (short for Florida Dave) was putting in the plugs while I
was torquing down the heads. 10 hands working just like a real
pit crew! Dave dressing out, and FL Dave gassing the bike up,
and off Dave went just in time.
Super Dave Rosno
(triples board computer friend) on a CR 750 took the lead and
basically obliterated everyone. Dave C’s H1r was down on power
now since the cylinders lifted when we had it on the rollers and
weren't sealing well (no gaskets, just sealer). What really
stuffed Dave C was that the race was red flagged due to a crash,
and so every one had to regrid and wait for the restart. He had
just put in enough gas for the race , and he ran out before the
end of the race. Scott
McCain’s first 500 triple effort at Daytona was having teething
problems (new bike) and he limped home in the formula 500 race.
(Jetting and plug wire coming off) And he decided to drop out of
the formula vintage race.
Only one triple of the 4 there
made both races. The only thing is that he only rides 2 races a
year and basically runs around the track so he can say he raced
Daytona. I was hoping to see Zooke (500 Suki) race also, but the
bike was a wiggle monster, and he didn't want to risk another
get off. So It was Zooke and me standing there by the fence
listening to our names and numbers being called out, was a bit
of a bummer.
As far as MY Daytona, It was a
success. There were 4 thing I wanted to do: get to Daytona, ride
the track, race and not fall down. 3 out of 4 isn't bad for my
first outing. After smoking a center rod main bearing in
practice here in New Mexico, (the day the bike was supposed to
leave for Daytona) I was left flipping a coin whether or not to
go ahead and send the bike and rebuild it there. I finally
decided if things fell into place, I would go for it. I got my
spare crank ready to send out to Damon Kirkland (this was a
Saturday), and Damon had a one-day turn around. I called him the
following Wednesday from Daytona to see how things were going,
and he said it should be there today, and it was! I had a couple
of days to do the work and so I took my time.
When I got the cases apart not
only was the centre rod welded up, but there was a LOT of copper
in the case of the left cylinder. 2 cans of carb cleaner and a
lot of Q-tips and paper towels, I got both case halves spic and
span. It was a pain taking apart the oil valves in the bottom of
the cases and cleaning them and the passageways out. Got the
crank dropped in and new piston in (the rod main bearing had
gotten so hot it had caused detonation in the cylinder, pitting
the piston). I also upped the pilot, needle and mains for sea
level (I live at 5000 ft), and the motor popped right off. It
was lucky it was bike week (500,000 bikers show up for bike
week!!!) with all the Harleys running around with open pipes.
The neighbourhood didn't seem to mind me running around in
circles to break in the crank some. After a few heat cycles I
load up the bike for a test run where I could do some jetting
runs. The weather had been very cold and some showers. As usual
when I found a spot to unload the bike, Mr. rain showed up. I
said screw it and made a few runs getting soaking wet and very
cold. Motor was running rich but was close. Then the first
Daytona (curse) "boom". My cousin’s trailer is the tilt type,
and I was parked on an incline. I got the bike in and one
tie-down on. I was stepping over the bike, and the trailer
tilted down, down goes the bike on top of me, in the rain no
less. (I bet that was a sight for the people driving by) I
picked the bike up but couldn't move it off of me with the one
tie-down hooked up, so I had to put it back down, undo the tie
down and reload the bike. The brand new 90.00 bubble was busted
up pretty bad, fairing top mount bent, shifter bent, footpeg
broken off and instrument panel broken. Nothing like adding
insult to injury. A big crescent got the shifter straightened
out, easyout and new bolt got the peg on, safety wire got the
instrument panel usable and as my cousin said some cowboy chrome
(duck tape) got the bubble and fairing mount fixed.
Off to tech the next day. I
was worried about a few things on the bike (the EX calipers the
most). Breezed through that, lot off my mind then. I hooked up
with Zooke and Krash for the riders meeting and I was ready to
race. Met another really nice guy and talked triples for about 2
hours, when a van came sliding up with a real ugly guy driving.
It was Scott McCain. I think I will call him Mr.Hyper from now
on, very animated. We all looked at bikes, and then it was off
to wait for Rick to show up. We went to eat at a really good
Japanese buffet and talked triples, ate too much and he drank
wine. The next day we went to find another more secluded road to
test on. Ended up in Deland on a nice little 1/4-mile side road.
Had I bit of a miss on the Right cylinder at low rpm’s but ran
good up top. I have to tell you, There is a BIG difference
between sea level and 5000 ft power wise (22% in fact) I was
practicing my starts and leaving nice darkies. (thick air is
cool!) We took some pics and Rick took the bike out for a run or
two. Changed a plug but still had the miss. Then some video and
off the main street to see the bikes. What a ZOO! Lots and lot
of very expensive bikes ridden by lots of very ugly people. ;-)
We caught a sign for 2 dollar bloody marys and decided to eat
first then have a couple of drinks. After some cold sausages
(just off the grill, still haven’t figured that one out) we
headed out for bloody marys and some great live music. It was
cold but the drinks hit the spot (of course Rick made me drink
two). We then decided to try and find the Iron Horse saloon to
see the "sea" of bikes, but got lost instead, and Rick was still
looking for the cabbage-wrestling pit. (no joke, gals wrestling
in cabbage) Finally stopped for oil and a look around the Kaw
shop there, then home to meet Dave Crussell and the miss's for
dinner. More Japanese buffet and good conversation (more wine of
course, and some talk about body piercing…. ;-).
 Race
day is here; we are up early and get in the wrong line (of
course) to get in the track. Finally get in and look for Dave
and his wife, they are not there yet, but we did find the bike.
Rick and I argued a bit about Dave's bike, he said it wasn't his
and I said it was, The gas cap threw Rick off. Dave showed up
and his miss's (sorry I am terrible with names) went back into
town and got us coffee (great lady!) We got unloaded and I went
off to talk to some of my friends. When I got back Dave was
suiting up, and it was then I realized, It was almost time for
the first practice! On go the leathers, and some butterflies in
the stomach. We had rollers available, so starting the bike was
a snap. Off to go practice. WHAT A RUSH!!!!!!! Oh, did I
mention, WHAT A RUSH!!!!!! I was a wobble monkey trying to
figure out the lines. Hit the banking for the first time, like
climbing up a mountain. Gas it hard through the gears motor just
keeps pulling. (I’ll say it again, I love thick air.... ;-)
Scare myself a bit and back off the throttle for the chicane.
Bike is feeling really good, Hit the brakes……….. And
reaccelerate back to the chicane, (brakes are just amazing!)
Through the chicane and back up the mountain of banking through
the gears. I stay in the middle of the banking with guys
literally flying by and over me next to the retaining wall,
which is actually hanging OVER you. Down the front straight, and
no idea where to brake, again brake too soon and back through
turn one. I almost clip the Armco with my shoulder trying to use
the full course. Feeling better, the flag comes out and the
session is over. I get to the pits, and notice that I cannot
feel my fingers from the cold. After warming up a bit Rick and I
pull the plugs and filters to check the sync. Plugs were very
dark and I had another 100 degrees to go on the EGT. I decided
not to push it and leave the jetting, the motor was running well
on top, even thought it had the sputters on the right cylinder
still at low rpm. Soon it's time for the second practice. Start
up the bike and head out to the grid. I look down and one of the
filters had popped off, so in the leathers it goes. I get in the
track feeling better and gas it up for turn one, hit the white
stripe and smoke the rear tire (did I say I like thick air? ;-)
Things are falling into place and I am feeling a lot more
comfortable. About 3 or 4 laps in I am coming out of the
international horseshoe, gas it up and BBBBBBBRRRRRRR..... grab
the clutch and up goes my free hand. I thought S#it, running too
lean without the filter. Push to the pits and pull the plugs.
Left one looked good without the filter, but turning the rear
wheel it is feeling notch. Off comes that head, the cylinder
looks fine...HHHHMMMMMMM off come the other 2 heads, those
cylinders look fine too.....HHHMMMMM turns to RUT RO (A phrase I
use instead of UT OH. Comes from the cartoon "the Jetson’s") Off
comes the stator, turn the crank and crunchy feeling, not good.
Rick wants to pull the clutch basket to make sure it's not in
the tranny, off it comes and still crunchy. My day is done
(found out later that somehow metal "swarf" had got into 2 main
bearings). RB wants to go ahead and tear it all down, but I knew
there was nothing to do, so I buttoned it up and became a
spectator.
Had some good talks with some
of the triples guys (sorry again about the names, but my mind
was all over the place). Got to watch some good races and see
old friends and meet some new ones. All in all a great time! Now
how do I get there next year??????????
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