Ok, never fails. Everytime I go out to my local strip I see a few bikes. Most of the bikes I see are rice pilots on their street driven machines. After those guys are the guys who have a drag only bike the bring out in the back of a truck or a trailor. From what I have been able to gather most of them are all old Kawasaki bikes. They run like a scalded dog. I have been running thru ebay looking at some of the prices on the old Kawas and some of them can be had very cheap. Anyone know what years/models were so popular with racers and why?

There on sale!!! But one, get three free!! ;););)

old 2 valve Kwakas had a bullet proof bottom end and there is SHIT loads of aftermarket go fast stuff....

Ya need to work out what numbers and what class you wish to run BEFORE ya buy a bike

I'm an old Kawasaki fan, and I still LOVE the old Mach series of 2-strokes from the 70's. Man, I've been lookin' for one of those (cheap) for several years.

Talk about yer scalded dogs! Man, nothing but blue smoke and GONE!

I sold a 1974 ZIB 900E Kawaka for $7.000 just before I got the sporty this bike was a oil cooled model only 40 ever made for raicing exported to Britain in 74 to premote the new models my uncles bike shop had this for a display and the factory told him to keep it I paid a small fortune to have it sent to OZ it could out run just about most so called supper bikes on the road to day top speed well in exess of 260kmph.I know regret the look of the money in my face the day I sold her.

Grayfeather.

The old suzuki GS1100s are pretty freakin fast too and are the basis for alot of the suzuki dragbikes and they have a few near me for less than 2k.

Old Honda Magnas, the 65 cubic inch V-four DOHC versions, not the newer twins, are STILL fast, (I believe the V65 did 0 - 60 in 2.7) as is the Yamaha V-Max, and they can be had cheap.

The V65 Magna was the first 10 second 1/4 factory bike. I see them on Ebay all the time. If I was going to buy a metric cruiser it would be a V65. I love the style of those bikes.

sportster girl thats all i race is the old H2 750's sweet bikes cheaply built and i get more attention than the big bikes...... like said before kawis are easy to find easy to mod and nearly bulletproof. once you step up to a higher level of speed though they show there weaknesses to the 16 valve suzukis. we race them all but we have had better service out of our big suzuki and my little stroker than ever out of our 14 and 15 hundred cc sakis. its all in what you want and speed cost money just how fast do you wanna go?

The Kaw's were first with the roller crank then Suz came out too. They are a dime a dozen bike and great for drag racing. I got a 82 GS1100E thats now at 1395cc and loads of fun. I'd rather be racing my naked bike then riding alot of plastic. You can tear down these's motor's in just a few hours and have it back up by the next day. Plus you can find all sorts of go fast parts, cheap/used so it won't break your wallet.

I had a 750 Kawasaki 2 stroke back in the day for a short time. The power band on it was totally INSANE. Very Very fast. Loud as hell and once you hit the power band on the tach, it had a tendancy to warp the rear wheel. Way too much power in way to small a package.

sportster girl thats all i race is the old H2 750's sweet bikes cheaply built and i get more attention than the big bikes...... like said before kawis are easy to find easy to mod and nearly bulletproof. once you step up to a higher level of speed though they show there weaknesses to the 16 valve suzukis. we race them all but we have had better service out of our big suzuki and my little stroker than ever out of our 14 and 15 hundred cc sakis. its all in what you want and speed cost money just how fast do you wanna go?


Sweet, I've always loved those bikes.....They were hot s*&t when I was a teenager....

I've been looking for a while now for a used one (prob the 500) and would just like to find one that is in decent enuff shape to restore, not a complete basket case....but not pristine either. Something I could afford to buy and then work on. It would be a dream come true....one day!

I love the two stroke street bikes. I have rode the Kaw triples, 500 and 750. Father in law had a 750 with air shifter and wheely bars set up for racing. Even had a Sukuki T350 that would do well over 100.

My personal favorite was my Yamaha RD400. 130 mph on a 400 will turn heads. It was a wheely machine that put many big bikes in their place. I had no problem beating the 80's 1000cc superbikes with that RD400. I once did 120 mph back and forth with a Saab turbo all the way across Nebraska on that bike. I wish I never sold it.

they are sweet bikes my little triple does 6.01 in an 8th at 123mph and all this on motor alone with 93 octane fuel.. i had a street one that i used to love to take to the town here and jump on young punks and their Crotch rockets.... amazing how many people think they can out run a 750 with an 1100 on nos.... who would have thought

I love the two stroke street bikes. I have rode the Kaw triples, 500 and 750. Father in law had a 750 with air shifter and wheely bars set up for racing. Even had a Sukuki T350 that would do well over 100.

My personal favorite was my Yamaha RD400. 130 mph on a 400 will turn heads. It was a wheely machine that put many big bikes in their place. I had no problem beating the 80's 1000cc superbikes with that RD400. I once did 120 mph back and forth with a Saab turbo all the way across Nebraska on that bike. I wish I never sold it.

Oh yeah! The RD's were sweet too! Long live Kenny Roberts! Man, those were the days.....

Oh yeah! The RD's were sweet too! Long live Kenny Roberts! Man, those were the days.....

yep, brings back my youth and my hoard of Cycle magazines

I have a very clean and original 1981 Kawasaki Gpz1100B1 and I love the ride and power of these old bikes.

Besides racing the Harley I have an 84 suzuki gs 1150. I think these were the fastest thing on two wheels for a few years. I will recomend getting a gs1100 rather than the 1150 because the rear mono shock ups some racing costs.
But this bike was one of those great stories...it sarted as a rumour bout one being in someones back yard under a tarp...I looked into it and there it was ....
It hadnt been run for years...now get this...bought it for about $600 US (800 canadian)on a wednesday...checked it all over and changed the fluids and raced the shit of it that saturday....mid 11 second times on old rubber and low 11 second times on a new erar tire. Dont run it at all but was very glad to have it for fathers day this year for a father son race in Spokane.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v700/Narley/Harley%20racing/DSCF0100.jpg