Kawasaki Triples Club

Hi all, here are a few photos of my new (to me!) S3 1974 project bike. So far, I have got a battery, the oil pump cover and the sprocket cover so the engine looks complete. As you can see, it is missing a few parts with the biggest items being the seat and exhausts. I guess I will have to use a reproduction seat with fibreglass base and expansion chambers. I intend to do a full strip and rebuild on it over the next few years. It seems to have been dismantled and then loosely bolted back together with the engine only half bolted into the frame. As the engine and carbs move freely and the engine has good compression, I am tempted to see if it will start up but I have no ignition or neutral light on. I have reconnected as much of the wiring loom so I am not sure why I have minimal electrical items working (only the instrument lighting when I turn the ignition on). Is trying to start it a good idea without any exhausts on, apart from the noise (if it starts)?

My next step will be to completely strip it. Should I take the head and barrels off while the engine is in the frame? I will definitely remove the sprocket bolt but should I also remove the generator while the engine is in the frame? I expect I will need to get the crank rebuilt, and I will see what the pistons and bores are like when get the heads and barrels off. Any other tips before I get started?

Cheers, Keith

Astounding...
the paint of the tank

Not paint, it's hydrodipped. And no. I won't keeping the stars and stripes!

Don't remove the engine
Don't expect the barrels to come off easily, they cold weld to the studs
Here's some useful tips from triple resources
http://kawatriple.com/stuckcyl.html

Good luck
I would d the crank, the havoc a cage from a roller bearing can cause isn't worth thinking about

That KH250 tank is awesome.

Thanks for the barrel tips Mr Scouse and yes its a very awesome tank!

SAM wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:45 am That KH250 tank is awesome.

Agreed...lightly flat it back (carefully) and get it lacquered

SAM wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:45 am That KH250 tank is awesome.

In my ignorance I didn't know it was a KH tank, but now I know that KH tanks have a key lock while the S3 tank doesn't. Is the tank shape the same for KH and S3 tanks?

I guess I need to find an S3 tank but all the Ebay tanks are in the USA and very dented, unless anyone knows of a decent one available in the UK?

KeithA wrote: ↑Tue Jul 11, 2023 9:38 am

SAM wrote: ↑Fri Jan 27, 2023 9:45 am That KH250 tank is awesome.

In my ignorance I didn't know it was a KH tank, but now I know that KH tanks have a key lock while the S3 tank doesn't. Is the tank shape the same for KH and S3 tanks?

I guess I need to find an S3 tank but all the Ebay tanks are in the USA and very dented, unless anyone knows of a decent one available in the UK?

seems to be a kind of holy graal now

Ive sent you a PM on the petrol tank

Thanks, pm sent!