Page 24 - Sept 2024.cdr

WHICH KAWASAKI MOTORCYCLE WAS
NICKNAMED 'THE WIDOWMAKER'?
awasaki is quite the hydra of a company, with
multiple divisions producing all kinds of
Kproducts. However, its arguable flagship
offering is its line of motorcycles, launching in 1962
with the release of the Kawasaki B8. Throughout the
years, motorcycle enthusiasts have seen various
celebrated bikes hit the streets, including some
incredibly fast ones that are best left to seasoned
riders. Unfortunately, the rich history of Kawasaki
motorcycles features quite the unsavory renaming of
one of its motorcycles. The model in question has
become known colloquially within the motorcycle
community as "The Widowmaker.
The true identity of the Widowmaker is one of the most
successful Kawasaki motorcycles in history, the
Kawasaki H1 Mach III. The bike was in production from
1969 to 1975 and earned a reputation in its heyday for
its remarkable speed. It could hit a quarter-mile in
12.96 seconds at 100.7 mph and only cost $999, but
where did the nickname come from? "It was a term
from the board-track days, but we used it on the H1
because of the way it might flip over backwards and
spit you on the ground or
get a wobble at high
speed. It was just a
nickname, but it caught
like wildfire," said former
Kawasaki test driver
Tony Nicosia of the
b i k e ' s f o r e b o d i n g
nickname during an
interview with Revzilla.
T h o u g h t h e
Widowmaker name has
very much caught on
t h r o u g h o u t t h e
decades, is it actually
warranted?
There's no denying that
the Kawasaki H1 Mach III packs a punch, flying down
the road at potentially dangerous speeds if the person
behind the handlebars doesn't know what they're
doing. Also, visually and auditory, it's quite a standout.
Its induction noise is loud, it bellows from the exhaust,
and it blasts out smoke at full throttle, resulting in an
overall breathtaking riding experience. Still, is it worthy
of the Widowmaker name? The answer is not so cut
and dry.
As mentioned by Tony Nicosia, many of the worries
regarding the H1 Mach III stemmed from its
unpredictability. It could flip or wobble into a wipeout at
high speeds, causing serious injury or even death.
These issues could also be drastically worsened in
wet conditions. Some of these concerns come down to
the bike's design, with dodgy brakes, inefficient, thin
tires, and a scarily flexible frame, but there's also the
matter of human error to consider. Riders should know
what they're getting into with this bike and drive it
accordingly, prioritizing safety over all else. Otherwise,
like with any motorcycle, disaster could strike. The
Kawasaki H1 Mach III will likely go down in history as
the Widowmaker in the eyes of many, and the
appropriateness of such a title will still be argued.
Regardless of where you stand on the debate, it's
probably best that new riders stick with some of the
most popular Kawasaki motorcycles that are better
suited for them before hopping on this unwieldy yet
iconic bike. LHR
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