Kawasaki powered Triumphs

brooke

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Brooke
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Okay everyone where do Kawasaki powered Triumphs fit in to the T Talk . I haven’t found anything about them thru google . Had forgotten they even existed untill some guy in Virginia noticed what I was riding and commented that he had one of the early Hinckley’s ?? and it was Kawi powered. ? Brooke
 
This is news to me.
This is 1 July, not 1 April BGRIN
 
Okay everyone where do Kawasaki powered Triumphs fit in to the T Talk . I haven’t found anything about them thru google . Had forgotten they even existed untill some guy in Virginia noticed what I was riding and commented that he had one of the early Hinckley’s ?? and it was Kawi powered. ? Brooke
It was a Copy of a BSA A10, externally.
Went through several internal Revisions.
They are rare to find to purchase.
Smart people bought them secondhand in the 70's and stored them.
 
Well that’s a start . This should be interesting.
 
OK, not a Hinckley model. Nothing I ever read or heard mentioned anything about a Hinckley with a Kawasaki engine.
I researched John Bloor and the development of Triumph under his ownership very thoroughly so I knew there was no such machine.
The Yamaha XS 650 was a fair copy of the A10, but Meriden Triumphs with Kawasaki engines is new to me - and I don't pretend to be an expert on the subject BGRIN
 
This is the first I have heard of this one and doing a Google search does not bring up anything, so I would really like to hear more on this one if anyone has information on it.
 
I have one of.the earliest Hinckleys and it all Triumph. This is how ignorance is perpetuated. See Photo. She is early '95 ( I believe a Model T-309'RS). Just the same 885cc six speed, 97h.p.you got in the Daytona. Uses Mikuni carbs, but that is the only thing on it that is Japanese built. I am the second owner. ...J.D.

Sprint without luggage.JPG
 
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It was a Copy of a BSA A10, externally.
Went through several internal Revisions.
They are rare to find to purchase.
Smart people bought them secondhand in the 70's and stored them.

That is not Kawasaki powered though. Anyone have a Hinckley Triumph older than mine, I'd like see pictures. I know there are a few left out there. MY understanding as told to me by the guy I bought this one from is 1995 was the first year Triumph returned to the U.S. market. I know they were building bikes a couple of years before that. They made a 750 version of this engine as well as the 900 I have, but they were all Hinckley engines. I have owned this one since 2002. ...J.D.
 
Was this not possibly a custom build as I remember back in the 70's this one guy put a Honda motor into a Norton. It actually worked out great as he had a bike that handled great and did not leak oil.
 
Was this not possibly a custom build as I remember back in the 70's this one guy put a Honda motor into a Norton. It actually worked out great as he had a bike that handled great and did not leak oil.
Your taking the piss Dave.
Norton's don't leak oil if there put to tether right.
Like most things then, that means post factory with many hours in the shed.
 
Looks to be a couple of different tacks here, I don't think there was ever a Hinckley Triumph powered by a Kawasaki engine. However at the time the first Hinckley Triumphs came out there was some comparisons made to the Kawasaki GPZ900, the spine frame and the engine layout was comparable.
The other thing mentioned is the Kawasaki W1 model of the late 60's which was very much a copy of the BSA A10 except it had good electrics and didn't leak oil like the original.
 
The only connection to Kawaskis was the fact that Bloor's design team studied Kawasaki's engine designs of the era, and SOMEWHAT borrowed some basic concepts to integrate into the excellent modular design that produced 6 engines from two basic crankcase pairs, rendering a full line of brand new motorcycles right from the first day of production of the New Triumph line.

There were no "Kawaskai engined" Triumphs.
 
If you look at Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawaskai (often referred to as the "Big Four" of Japanese motorcycle manufacturers) you will see more than just passing similarity.

There are only so many ways to arrange a crankshaft, transmission, cylinders, and carburetors (or injectors) in a compact engine. Also, many sub-components are common to two or more brands (especially Kawasaki & Suzuki that share quite a lot). Same happens in the automotive world.

This is the direction the industry has gone in the last few decades, so Triumph climbing aboard was only a matter of common practice.
 
Your taking the piss Dave.
Norton's don't leak oil if there put to tether right.
Like most things then, that means post factory with many hours in the shed.

If I remember correctly this one had a few good miles on it at the time and was not in such great condition to start off with. It was a long time back and I just remember seeing it in his workshop with the motor out and the Honda ready to be inserted into it, I cannot even remember what Honda motor it was anymore.
 
If I remember correctly this one had a few good miles on it at the time and was not in such great condition to start off with. It was a long time back and I just remember seeing it in his workshop with the motor out and the Honda ready to be inserted into it, I cannot even remember what Honda motor it was anymore.
No need to apologise.
Most Norton's leak oil. !
The crankcases are like egg shells.
The commando primary solved most of chain problem.
The oil pumps let the oil through slowly.
Nature of the beast.!
 
The no,s leading by 3 , or the knows perhaps.
 
Issue # 2 ... I don’t know how we got there either but lots or flat trackers leaked after being converted from left to right side shifting . Considered bad manners by some bad luck by others depending on the severity and the steward of the day.
 
If I remember correctly this one had a few good miles on it at the time and was not in such great condition to start off with. It was a long time back and I just remember seeing it in his workshop with the motor out and the Honda ready to be inserted into it, I cannot even remember what Honda motor it was anymore.
Early 750 k4's didn't handle well because of the soft springs and chrome rear shocks.
Throw the rear shocks away, put some girlings on and stronger springs in the front and rear and the handling was transformed to as good as most British. Except there was another 100 lbs or so in the Engine. So putting in a featherbed was not necessary. And waste of a good featherbed.!
 
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