Brings back memories :. "Clearwater, Florida... 1975, I had a 1973 Honda 500 four. Got it up to 115mph then I ran out of freeway.... Very similar to this video. I was 19 years old then. /// Thanks for this video !!!!!
Had a 73 same color as in vid from 1974 to 84 when I replaced it with a H2. Mine would pull 10200rpm in 5th gear, had denco pipes, K@N individual air filters and was jetted for the setup. I would tuck in behind the dash and let it rip. Got into a speed wobble once at about 85 in a big sweeping curve, just about shit myself. After that put Dunlop TT100's on both ends, handled great after that. It would eat up any Yamaha 350, KH 400, Honda 550, or Suzuki 380/550.
lol. I can't resist putting a comment up. My S2 used more gas than a V8, and about the same as the H2. about 18 miles to the gallon. It was a competition whether the bike was going to kill me or me kill the bike. So many far fetched accidents, and near accidents. Truly a horrible nasty bike that only stayed under control while you were using every bit of ingenuity, total concentration, and full body strength and fierce determination to stay alive. So hard case. Bigger bikes couldn't leave me behind on windy roads. It's a terrible, dangerous thing to be 17 and trying to prove your manhood by cheating death, on the public roads, on a bike like an S2. Shocking right of passage, but it was part of my initiation into manhood and I wouldn't swap it.
I bought my S2 at Cycle City in Southhaven, Ms. just south of Memphis. I ported, polished and rejetted carbs added expansion chambers and changed sprockets. Top speed 106. Also took it to Lakeland Drag Strip turned 13.6 sec. quarter mile. Fun bike.
I had a 1973 Kawasaki 350 triple, was a suicide bike, wiped out first time i got it back from shop, was so powerful of a take off. I had 2 rear sprockets, smaller for highway cruising max at 112 MPH, large for catwalks up to fourth gear, max speed was 72-82 mph. Coils always fouled in rain lol. Went through spark plugs and points like candy, smoked like a big rig, so i mixed manually, more power and less smoke.
Never got my 1973 S2A up to redline in top gear. I stopped at about 90 mph, as you could feel every irregularity in the pavement as a twitch through the handlebars. I had no desire for a tank-slapper on at top speed. Excitement was once spelt with a K and had three cylinders.
Ive never ridden one but when i get up to 80mph tucked as much as humanly possible on my rxs100, it starts wobbling ALOT. I think these kind of speed wobbles are fine as long as you don't hit a little hole or rise awkwardly.
18 with a new S2 350 in '73 (same colour). 4" tire on back, flat bars, hand- matched and polished the carb manifolds to the ports. 1 top end run, let off at 115 mph (indicated) because I was passing too many cars too fast! Was still climbing slowly. Never had any speed-wobbles or sketchy handling with mine. Pulled the "gastest" RD350 in town, by 20 ft in 1st gear, and was gone.
@bitcunth The "death wobble" aint so bad....you just gotta drive through it. I have since mounted a set of Avon Road Rider tires(oem sizes) and put a set of european bars on the bike. Messing around with the steering damper(at high speeds I like mine a little on the loose side) and finding the correct riding position pretty much makes the bike quite solid and the wobble is almost unnoticeable. Did you see my other video on the S2 racing a vw?
All shaking at it's limit. Just like my yamaha RS 200 dangerous at it's too speed. These bikes are best up to 65mph but anything faster gets them wobbling!
Yes, but this bike with lower bars and tightened steering damper runs pretty solid at speed. I have another video with this setup im mentioning where the speedo see's the ton.
Brings back memories :. "Clearwater, Florida... 1975, I had a 1973 Honda 500 four. Got it up to 115mph then I ran out of freeway.... Very similar to this video. I was 19 years old then. /// Thanks for this video !!!!!
Had a 73 same color as in vid from 1974 to 84 when I replaced it with a H2. Mine would pull 10200rpm in 5th gear, had denco pipes, K@N individual air filters and was jetted for the setup. I would tuck in behind the dash and let it rip. Got into a speed wobble once at about 85 in a big sweeping curve, just about shit myself. After that put Dunlop TT100's on both ends, handled great after that. It would eat up any Yamaha 350, KH 400, Honda 550, or Suzuki 380/550.
My first bike was a blue S2 with bikini fairing and clip ons way back in the early 80s
lol. I can't resist putting a comment up.
My S2 used more gas than a V8, and about the same as the H2. about 18 miles to the gallon.
It was a competition whether the bike was going to kill me or me kill the bike.
So many far fetched accidents, and near accidents. Truly a horrible nasty bike that only stayed under control while you were using every bit of ingenuity, total concentration, and full body strength and fierce determination to stay alive.
So hard case. Bigger bikes couldn't leave me behind on windy roads.
It's a terrible, dangerous thing to be 17 and trying to prove your manhood by cheating death, on the public roads, on a bike like an S2.
Shocking right of passage, but it was part of my initiation into manhood and I wouldn't swap it.
I too was 17 in 1972 with a new 350 triple. Mine handled perfectly at any speed/top speed. But yes I got as little as 18 and a max of 28 mpg at 55 mph
I bought my S2 at Cycle City in Southhaven, Ms. just south of Memphis. I ported, polished and rejetted carbs added expansion chambers and changed sprockets. Top speed 106. Also took it to Lakeland Drag Strip turned 13.6 sec. quarter mile. Fun bike.
I had a 1973 Kawasaki 350 triple, was a suicide bike, wiped out first time i got it back from shop, was so powerful of a take off. I had 2 rear sprockets, smaller for highway cruising max at 112 MPH, large for catwalks up to fourth gear, max speed was 72-82 mph. Coils always fouled in rain lol. Went through spark plugs and points like candy, smoked like a big rig, so i mixed manually, more power and less smoke.
Never got my 1973 S2A up to redline in top gear. I stopped at about 90 mph, as you could feel every irregularity in the pavement as a twitch through the handlebars. I had no desire for a tank-slapper on at top speed. Excitement was once spelt with a K and had three cylinders.
Ive never ridden one but when i get up to 80mph tucked as much as humanly possible on my rxs100, it starts wobbling ALOT. I think these kind of speed wobbles are fine as long as you don't hit a little hole or rise awkwardly.
18 with a new S2 350 in '73 (same colour). 4" tire on back, flat bars, hand- matched and polished the carb manifolds to the ports. 1 top end run, let off at 115 mph (indicated) because I was passing too many cars too fast! Was still climbing slowly. Never had any speed-wobbles or sketchy handling with mine. Pulled the "gastest" RD350 in town, by 20 ft in 1st gear, and was gone.
Like said below, you just have to ride through the death wobble; It won't hurt you.....lol My S2 was built & fast. What a great bike....
jesus christ - the notorious death wobble. Im almost scared to do a high speed run once i get mine running - but i'll still do it.
My brother had a 73 he bought new at Country Cycle center in Elbridge.
OldTriumph is your brother still alive?
Had an A7 Avenger up to 105 with a 95 lb girlfriend on the back
was that 100mph ?? Good to see a proper road run of old 2 strokes , sick of 50 mph shopping runs 😄
I don't think this was quite 100... One of my other vids with the pipes installed was 100 though.
@bitcunth The "death wobble" aint so bad....you just gotta drive through it. I have since mounted a set of Avon Road Rider tires(oem sizes) and put a set of european bars on the bike. Messing around with the steering damper(at high speeds I like mine a little on the loose side) and finding the correct riding position pretty much makes the bike quite solid and the wobble is almost unnoticeable. Did you see my other video on the S2 racing a vw?
350 S2A.
All shaking at it's limit. Just like my yamaha RS 200 dangerous at it's too speed. These bikes are best up to 65mph but anything faster gets them wobbling!
Did I see a little head shake.
Yes, but this bike with lower bars and tightened steering damper runs pretty solid at speed. I have another video with this setup im mentioning where the speedo see's the ton.
Ridden as it should be ! A1
So how fast were you going??
are you suppose to maintain speed or slow down when you start to feel the death-wobble?
Slow down without braking. Just drop the revs.