1971 Kawasaki Mach III: Debunking the “Widowmaker” Myth
When folks laughingly refer to Kawasaki’s audacious two-stroke triple as the “Widowmaker,” they may not understand the subject fully. It’s true that upon its launch in 1969, the 500-cc Mach III (a.k.a. H1) was a mindbender: For just $999, it covered the quarter-mile in 12.96 seconds at 100.7 mph en route to a 125-mph top end. Its three cylinders inhaled through separate carbs, the air/gas/oil mixture was ignited by a lightning-hot CDI system, and exhaust flowed through three sultry chrome pipes, with two on the right for dramatic curb appeal.
Empirically, the wheelie-happy H1 was the godfather of stoplight drags, but its performance wasn’t too different from the Honda CB750 Four, the three-cylinder Triumph Trident, or those snortin’ Norton Commandos. And these bikes weren’t called Widowmaker, were they? No, they were not. Instead, the term likely came from the Kawasaki’s performance plus its howling induction noise, whooping exhaust note, mosquito-fogging two-stroke smoke cloud under full throttle, and the euphoria the entire combination induced. Considered wholistically, the Mach III was like a hit of amphetamine with handlebars, and some riders didn’t know when and where to turn it on or, more importantly, off.
Let’s demystify things further, which I humbly feel qualified to do having owned both Mach III and later 750-cc Mach IV (H2) models, raced and serviced others as a factory-trained tech, and owned and tested their competitors for magazines in period. Both models used a typical double-cradle steel frame supported by a telescopic fork and coil-over shocks and swingarm. With average suspension, the triples handled fine under normal conditions, but when ridden hard, they ran out of ground clearance under the pipes while cornering. In the early, 1969–71 Mach III models, under duress the rear suspension pogoed, and the twin-leading-shoe drum front brake was only merely adequate. (A disc arrived for ’72.) But again, such dynamics weren’t atypical for big bikes in the day.
The 1971 example shown here surfaced in the Detroit want ads in the 1980s. Its young owner had ridden it to high school, babied it fervently, and never got in trouble, crashed it, or even tipped it over. For $750, it was garage-kept perfect, and remained so during my stewardship, proving that the “Widowmaker” moniker shouldn’t describe the Mach III after all, only its rider. As with any machine, the throttle works both ways.
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Back in the ’70’s I worked at a Yamaha dealership and we had an early drum brake Kawasaki 500 traded in for a new Yamaha. The bike was ugly. It had a big sissy bar on the back with leather tassels hanging off of it and it was painted blue with spray cans. It sat in the back for a week or so until the manager asked one of the techs to take it for a test ride to evaluate it. The tech came back with a big smile on his face and he said “This thing is a rocket!”. Now everyone had to take it for a spin. We called it the “Jet”.
The other three bikes were four strokes and about twice as heavy. Fast but not as quick as the Kawasaki. In 1970 I was looking at and test drove all three. Riding double, the Norton would pull the front wheel on a steady acceration on a freeway onramp. Not fun. We didn’t even try riding double on the Kawasaki. I bought the 750 Honda. Great bike.
Hagerty.
You’ve been asked many times. How about answering the question. WOULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN “You are posting comments too quickly. Slow down.”
I owned a Green 74 H1 with low bars and expansion chambers and beautiful blue 72 H2 set up the same way with some serious porting, as well as a 78 Z1R. I’ve owned 22 bikes, both Japanese and British, and that H2 was the most exciting thing ever. Almost impossible to keep the front wheel down! Going straight on both was exciting, turning at speed unnerving! Not sure how I survived my youth!!!
I worked at a little FBO at a country airport and had to close up everything after dark no one left except me and my new Mach 3 750 Kaw.After locking up got on after it was warmed up eased off towards a short cut and decided to ride on just the back tire so here I go for several yards eased off and let the front wheel come down when bam hit and ran over a small aircraft wheel chauck and almost lost it.After looking over the wheel decided to get to the house and took off down a black unlit curvy country unused road after getting up some speed the front wheel started whobbling and took me off the road into a ditch through some pine trees before I got it stopped and checked out.Had a hole in the tube about 1 mile from any tools,phone or help.I hear it young,dumb,and full of c**.Every foot I pushed my baby and not one person rode by. Taught me a lesson.I was 17 and learning every minute.By the time I got back to where I could lock the bike up and call someone to come get me I was ready for a shower and super the bike I’d fix later.✌️😄✌️
One of my previous friends purchased a Mach IV 750. Shortly after he ‘achieved’ an unintended wheelie at speed, and immediately drove it home and sold it.
Bought a new 650 Yamaha Special in 1972. Nice bike. Definitely not a Kawasaki though. Buddy of mine had a 900 Kawasaki. Scary bike. I only drove it once. That was enough.
In 1974 i had a new RD 350 Yamaha, could come close to 500 H1,CB750 when the XL 1000 blew me away it changed my life.
I was in Army basic when these things came out and they def gathered a wild rep, like right away! Poss that the handling and brakes weren’t up to the hemi-baiting acceleration. Scared me; didn’t need that kind of performance — and besides, I was living it up on $107 per month, plus three squares and a saggy bunk in TX.
My Suzuki X-6 (used, $325 from a MSG that dumped it with 200-mi. on the odo) was adequate — until in ’70 when I got my new 240Z! Wick
My buddy gave me a ride on his 500. It was the first and LAST time. Almost wet the seat.
I had a 1975 500 triple. I replaced the stock plastic swingarm bushings with bronze ones and properly tightened and greased the steering stem bearings and it handled great at any speed.
Some of my fondest high school memories from the early “70’s were having a “smoke” with friends in the parking lot and have a buddy doing wheelies the length of the lot on his 750 triple Kawasaki. Great entertainment. Rest in peace Gerry!
I owned a Mark 3 in 1973. While an absolute kick to ride, the bike did not corner well under speed. Yep, I dumped mine at 110 mph, coming a bit late into a sweep. Lesson learned.
Bought a new h1 in 69 was very fast bike
I had a new 1975 500 triple. Fast, yes. Handling ability? Not so much. I sold it a year later, and bought a Yamaha RD400, which I enjoyed tremendously.
I agree. The frame was the problem. The motors on all these 3 cylinder kawasaki just laid there in the double cradle frames and did not have enough motor mounts. This produced a awful squirmy feeling when pushed hard in a turn.Coupled with a powerful motor. intense vibration. poor braking systems, hence the term widowmaker.Thanks to the invention of perimeter frames this is something that has been rectified on newer bikes.