1977 KAWASAKI KH400

400cc | 38bhp | 812mm seat height

Dealer £5000-£8000 Private £4000-£7000 This one £3100, private sale The KH499 has all of the Kawasaki two-stroke virtues: noise, frenetic acceleration, screaming sound and gorgeous looks with very few of the drawbacks. Yes, it’s thirsty, but it handles pretty well (chassis is the same as the 250 triple) and the engine’s rubber-mounted with electronic ignition, so it’s smooth and fairly maintenance-free. Earlier S3 versions did nearly 110mph, but the KH was detuned for 1970s emission regs (or what passed for them). As the running gear is all 250, used parts are relatively cheap and easy to obtain and there are some good specialists out there.

Buyer beware

Dented exhausts are common and virtually impossible to repair invisibly, original pistons and rings are ridiculously costly and spare plugs should always be carried.