apoole6, on 19 April 2012 - 09:09 PM, said:

The 1969 Mach III 500cc models were the fastest, rated as the fastest PRODUCTION motorcycle released to the public in 1969.  But they de-tuned the 1970 models, because of all the accidents people were having on the 69's. "several people were killed".  I owned a 69, when it hit the pipe in 1st gear it was impossible to keep the front end on the ground if you had your right hand twisted half way or more. At high altitude " I rode to Yellowstone Park" they didn't run worth crap, typical of 2-smokes. The wrist pin came out of the center piston and scratched a groove in the cylinder, replaced it. the CDI failed, replaced it, and it got 20 mpg at 80 mph, and only 35 mpg riding easy, It was NOT my favorite bike, however it WOULD go like hell, win drag races, and do 130 mph top end.

Edited by Hammerider, 27 September 2012 - 07:26 AM.

Cool thread.  I had a couple of S3 400s when i was in high school in the 70's.  Bought a green '75 model and rode it for three years until I traded it for a car.  Bought another '75 a few years later and rode it until the woman i was living with caught me with another woman. It probably was made a little worse because I used her car to hook up with the other woman a few times.

I didn't know I was busted until I got home and found an empty apartment and a missing bike.

She cleaned me out.

i had almost forgot about that summer i had a h2 hinge in the middle tripple fast as fast could be in a straight line but whoa that thing was scary in a corner. never could be sure if it would hug a line or just want to let go. hit that magic spot and the front tire was in the air. i have had faster/quicker bikes and bikes that handled better, but none that gave the same feeling of raw kick you in the pants, hang on for dear life kind of ride.

yyz79flh, on 26 November 2012 - 07:10 PM, said:

And the sound!  Holy crap they sounded great.

Lot of the front wheel coming up was from them being such short wheelbase. Like many bikes of the era the swingarms had 2 hinges, up and down and back and forth!   Be cool to build a triple in a modern chassis and "smoke" around town.

Edited by highmarker, 26 November 2012 - 08:57 PM.

Lair, on 05 October 2012 - 04:14 PM, said:

Classic stuff!! I can relate,,To be young and wild again...

Don't have any experience with the KZ, but I saw that one poster made mention of the Suzuki GT. I owned a 76 GT 550 in 78, while my buddy had a GT 380. My 550 was pretty darn fast, although I don't think it could touch a KZ 500. My buddy's 380 was actually quicker off the line, but the 550 had a higher top end. I had it up to 116 before I chickened out on a mountain road. I loved that bike.