By chance, somebody was selling this in the classified:
The guy used to race it in the US, and being an engineer, did some tasty modifications to it. Interestingly, the motor has no #, only the type is stamped in. This normally means replacement cases. It’s also got a Piranha ignition fitted and pipes seem to be FPP (Factory).
Only prob and it’s a big one: it hasn’t got a title which could mean I won’t be able to register it for the road.
Back from the ride
Test ride day… Did over a 100 km with the green T yesterday and was pleasantly surprised.
Two-three things remained to be done: chuck out the original and rusty shocks, they might as well been solid struts. There’s a huge amount of lateral play in the swingarm, probably the results of the very heavy rider and super tight chain (see my post about sprockets). I suspect I have to now time the beast to the nth degree, but other than that… it was fine.
I did see 80 mph on the clocks (~130 km/h) which is a bit low according to specs but the high bars make that sort of speed very uncomfortable. That was just before it did a light heat seize on me… what with trying for top speed during ten minutes. It also wouldn’t rev out to the red zone in 4th and 5th. This could be down an old airfilter or maybe the sprocket sizes.
I still nedd to sort out the pilot light for the MOT and I might have a problem with the paperwork, as I don’t have the original US papers with me.
I can’t really comment on the Dunlops K81 I fitted due to the rear swinger, but they felt slightly less grippier than the BT45. They would slide on pavement repairs in a less reassuring way than the Bridgestones… bit unnerving.
So this pile of parts, nicely wrapped up together and… 
…three very heavy beer coolers…
Equals to this: a very rare production racer, the Kawasaki A1R, one of 166 made, IS FINALLY INSIDE MY WORKSHOP!!!! This is some 10 years and many many frustating times after I bought an original sales flyer and decided to build a replica… Whoooohooo!
This couldn’t have happened without a lot of very helpful friends and a very understanding previous owner. Roll of Honor:
Thanks to Edwin for his patience and help: selling a bike to an unknown guy overseas is not easy and requires a lot of trust.
Thanks to Jeff G for driving 600 miles to pick up all the pieces & parts and then storing them for a few months.
Thanks to Ric Brett who, without even asking, took the pile of bits, shipped it back to the UK and then tripped over them for a few months before I could myself organized.
Thanks also to RGTS and their very helpful and cunning driver who ferried all the stuff from Nottingham UK to Lausanne, Switzerland, managing to find a hole in our very tight & stubborn Customs Administration.
Back to the pile of parts… I’ve got the front wheel somewhere else and the back wheel came with this lot. Basically, with the exception of the RH lever assembly and front brake cables, it is complete. I have located a set of crankcases in Holland and they might come with extra motor bits. Needless to say, this might turn out expensive. All details are in there, even the original hydraulic damper. All brackets are present, the fairing’s been slightly altered for more airflow to the carbs. the other bit not original is the rev counter replaced by a Smith… finding an original could (again) prove very expensive.
Upon looking into the pile of bits, the differences between the racer and the road bike are more marked than what I initially thought: almost all cycle parts have been reinforced. These mods will the subject of future posts.
I also have now 3 extra A7 motors, which will be uselful for trades and hopping up the Samurais.
For the moment, it will go on the shelf, times being what they are… thanks to the GCF.
Normally, at the end of today I’ll be the owner of a bashed-up, quasi-complet Kawasaki A1R… Wait and see.
The story of my long (more than 10 years!) search for an A1R.
This is what I found when I dismantled the clutch:
Most of the Fiber Plates were broken. New set needed… plus there’s an alarming amount of play. You can move the basket back and forth AS WELL as ROCK it on the shaft. Not what you want.
The clutch basket fingers are marked severely, I have never seen a clutch so abused.
While waiting for some of the clutch parts, it was time to take care of the brakes:
I doubt these functioned very well.
After a bit of polishing and cleaning:
And new shoes (note how different they are from the original iron plate ones),
These should be sorted for some time to come.
With a repainted tank, you really need new badges, anything old & wonky will stand out.
Don’t you agree?
Received the headlight rim and a pilot light socket… Some action will happen today in the shop! EDIT: too much snow…
Received some parts today: rubbers, headlight etc… Promptly managed to break the headlight glass :> before finding that Kawasaki S1 headlight fit straight in a DS6 
as well as early aircooled RDs. Damn.
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