Kawasaki H2 Mach IV

The Kawasaki H2 Mach IV was a 750 cc three-cylinder two-stroke production motorcycle sold from September 1971 through 1975, the direct successor in spirit of the H1 Mach III. Its 748 cc engine was entirely new rather than a bored-out 500 and made about 74 horsepower, with far more low-speed torque than the H1, so a standard bike could cover a standing quarter mile in 12.0 seconds and it was the fastest accelerating production motorcycle of its day. It handled better than the Mach III but still pulled wheelies and felt loose in fast corners, and Kawasaki revised it through the H2A, H2B and H2C. The 1972 model had a single front disc brake and a capacitor discharge ignition unique to the H2; the 1974 H2B traded power for civility. Motorcycle journalist Alastair Walker said it made Kawasaki's reputation for scarily fast machines. Yvon Duhamel won the 1975 Pocono National production race on one, the last two-stroke win in an AMA production class.