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Kawasaki Kt250 Prototypes


thooker515
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Hello,

 

Great to see the interest in the KT250. Decided to become a member and hopefully add some details.

 

The video link to www.youtube.com is of the 1975 Kawasaki KT250-A that I uploaded in 2009. I was then in the process of selling the bike which ended up being purchased by the same collector in France who also purchased my Suzuki RL250. Videos of each can be located under Youtube channel "bhipp75".

 

I then also created a detailed description of it along with a link to www.flickr.com hosting images in detail. That description can be viewed by clicking on "show more" just below the video view page.

 

Reading the earlier posts helps shed more light on some of the details I was not sure of. The serial number of this one is "KT2-00078" . I believe it to be one of the hand-assembled versions. I say this due to the appearance of the "K" emblem on the side covers as well as the smearing of the outside of the electronic control module mounted within the frame below the fuel tank. I had always guessed the unusual appearance of this might be because the bike came out of a prototype run that was hand built. The observation in one of the earlier posts that some bikes were of this type appears to confirm this for me now. An image of exactly what I am talking about can be seen on www.flickr.com .

 

The other differences that I can recall have also been mentioned. They include a bolt in the swing arm oiler, early front brake lever, and even screws (not bolts) holding either end of the shocks to the frame. I'm sure those would have replaced with stronger bolts in practice. The change to a different front brake lever was done I believe to the fact that the curved version tended to cause mud to build up along the hub probably locking the front wheel.

 

The smaller airbox cover is also seen in the images as well as the black stub on the right side for the optional gear selector lever. I was not aware that was an option then until now reading these posts.

 

One thing not easily visible is that the front white fender had a slight indentation on the back portion closest to the front of the engine. This was not a dent, being that the fender was molded this way. There is plenty of clearance between the engine and fender, so this was not really necessary.

 

This bike was titled in the United States during October 1974 to Kawasaki Motors Corporation then located in Santa Ana, California. It was displayed at their front entrance and not ridden. It was presented to Bob Hansen of Kawasaki Road Racing fame upon his retirement from Kawasaki. It eventually made its was to a collector in Michigan whom I purchased it from. When I received it there were only around 3 miles recorded. I sold it to another collector in France after around 10 years later. I had about 8 miles recorded when I sold it.

 

Somewhere on my computer I have images of the title and all paperwork confirming this titling trail. I will post those if interested when I can locate them.

 

The collector in France at that time was having folks look worldwide for the very best examples of bikes that could be displayed in a museum. He purchased both my 1974 Suzuki RL250 and 1975 Kawasaki KT250-A. At that time he had worked a deal with a shipping company to gather together enough bikes to fill a shipping container leaving the east coast of the United States to make its way aboard ship to France to be delivered to his Chateau located about 90 miles south of Paris.

 

I have not seen his proposed museum displaying all of these on the Internet. Hopefully both bikes are safe there. Wish I still had them.

 

Thanks.

--- BBH

 

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  • 1 year later...

I have one of the strange bikes. It has the smaller air box, right side shifter opining with rubber plug, steering pins cut off and the brake switch bracket was not welded on. The real strange thing is that there is no serial number on the frame or the engine.

Can anyone tell me why?

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Works bikes were 450cc at one time, pretty good for motoring round the Scottish I think, less so in the sections. Yes, Richard Sunter rode for them, also Mark Kemp, Jack Galloway and Nigel Birkett. I think all of them were glad to get back onto Spanish bikes when their contracts were terminated.

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  • 2 weeks later...
 

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