N100 Plan
Encyclopedia
The N100 Plan was the corporate code name for the top secret concept, engineering, and development of an entirely new motorcycle
engine by Kawasaki Motorcycle Corporation
, a division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
in 1966.
had already introduced its successful Honda CB450
in 1965 and Kawasaki desired to enter that large bore niche.
, a 350 cc two-stroke, parallel twin-cylinder, rotary-disc engine, bored out to 500 cc or (2) develop an entirely new engineering layout, building a parallel 3-cylinder two-stroke or create a new and groundbreaking "L-triple" design air-cooled two-stroke engine.
The development team decided to utilize both twin-cylinder and triple-cylinder engines together as test engines. The largest concern was development of the 3-cylinder design and whether it would be a parallel in-line or new "L-triple". The concern over the 3-cylinder design was cooling cylinders #2 or middle cylinder in either application. Osaka University
's laboratory belonging to the Faculty of Engineering performed a number of tests on cooling of the engine as a whole, optimum length of cooling fins, and optimum cylinder pitch. It was determined that a parallel in-line configuration would not impair cooling.
The Kawasaki technical team at the end decided on a more exotic looking, stunning, and innovative design of the three-cylinder piston inlet port engine.
and Las Vegas
in late 1966 with the test rider Tony Nicosia. A new engine was installed at Las Vegas and the bike was run to Yuma, Arizona
under normal road conditions with a return trip to Los Angeles. Krause reported improvements at low speed, better electrical performance, and improved oil consumption @ 350 to 400 miles per quart. Problems were listed as bad piston and clutch
noise.
dealer to become one of the first corporate employees of American Kawasaki. Krause's positions were Service Manager, Racing Manager, New Products Manager, General Manager of the Kawasaki Engine Division, and General Manager of Kawasaki Accessories Division located in Santa Monica, California
. One of the his first duties in 1966 was to commission a U.S. marketing plan for Kawasaki.
In 1967, Krause took a few of the 250 cc Kawasaki A1 Samurai
models to Bonneville Salt Flats the next year and set 2 American Motorcycle Association world speed records himself for that year.
with interest and it was eventually labeled in various ways as the "world's quickest accelerating production bike". The success of the Mach III directly lead to the development of the Kawasaki Mach II S2 350
in 1971, the Kawasaki S1 Mach I
and Kawasaki H2 Mach IV 750
in 1972.
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
engine by Kawasaki Motorcycle Corporation
Kawasaki Motorcycle Corporation
Kawasaki motorycles are manufactured by the Motorcycle & Engine division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries at plants in Japan, USA, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand. The motorcycles have been produced since 1954.-History:...
, a division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
in 1966.
Goal
The goal of Kawasaki engineering in the N100 Plan was to create a large bore, fast motorcycle engine for entry into the American market, the largest market for motorcycles. HondaHonda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
had already introduced its successful Honda CB450
Honda CB450
The Honda CB450 was the first "big" Honda motorcycle with a 444cc dual overhead cam engine producing 43-45 horsepower . Appearing first in the 1965 four-speed K0 model, and progressing through a series of KX models with various improvements and styling changes, notably a redesigned gas tank and 5...
in 1965 and Kawasaki desired to enter that large bore niche.
Kawasaki directive
The N100 Plan called for an air-cooled standard motorcycle with an engine capacity of 500 cubic centimeters. The power output was set at no less than 60ps (equivalent to a per liter horsepower of 120ps). The performance minimum was to make a 13 second standing start 1/4 mile run (0-400 meters).Three cylinder development
The Kawasaki engineers approached the N100 Plan in two ways. (1) Use an existing, tried and true Kawasaki A7 350 "Avenger"Kawasaki A7 Avenger
The A7 Avenger was a Kawasaki motorcycle. It was a standard or Universal Japanese motorcycle sold in the U.S. and abroad from 1967 through 1971.-Development:Kawasaki was the last of the big four Japanese manufacturers to start making motorcycles...
, a 350 cc two-stroke, parallel twin-cylinder, rotary-disc engine, bored out to 500 cc or (2) develop an entirely new engineering layout, building a parallel 3-cylinder two-stroke or create a new and groundbreaking "L-triple" design air-cooled two-stroke engine.
The development team decided to utilize both twin-cylinder and triple-cylinder engines together as test engines. The largest concern was development of the 3-cylinder design and whether it would be a parallel in-line or new "L-triple". The concern over the 3-cylinder design was cooling cylinders #2 or middle cylinder in either application. Osaka University
Osaka University
, or , is a major national university located in Osaka, Japan. It is the sixth oldest university in Japan as the Osaka Prefectural Medical College, and formerly one of the Imperial Universities of Japan...
's laboratory belonging to the Faculty of Engineering performed a number of tests on cooling of the engine as a whole, optimum length of cooling fins, and optimum cylinder pitch. It was determined that a parallel in-line configuration would not impair cooling.
Two-cylinder development
While testing the 3-cylinder, Kawasaki also went forward with the development and testing of its current two-stroke twin-cylinder rotary disc valve engine. The preliminary test results pointed to a very promising outcome. One possible advancement in the twin over the triple was keeping the rotary disc valve fuel/air intake which produced more horsepower than the conventional piston port or reed valve means which has been the case in other Kawasakis.The Kawasaki technical team at the end decided on a more exotic looking, stunning, and innovative design of the three-cylinder piston inlet port engine.
Road testing
The initial part of the 2nd test of the N100, as recorded by Darrell Krause, was between Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
in late 1966 with the test rider Tony Nicosia. A new engine was installed at Las Vegas and the bike was run to Yuma, Arizona
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
under normal road conditions with a return trip to Los Angeles. Krause reported improvements at low speed, better electrical performance, and improved oil consumption @ 350 to 400 miles per quart. Problems were listed as bad piston and clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
noise.
Darrell Krause
Testing in the U.S. was administered by Darrel Krause, one a few of American engineers with Kawasaki. Krause graduated from South Dakota School of Mines & Technology majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He had moved up through the ranks of Kawasaki from a Kawasaki/SuzukiSuzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
dealer to become one of the first corporate employees of American Kawasaki. Krause's positions were Service Manager, Racing Manager, New Products Manager, General Manager of the Kawasaki Engine Division, and General Manager of Kawasaki Accessories Division located in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. One of the his first duties in 1966 was to commission a U.S. marketing plan for Kawasaki.
In 1967, Krause took a few of the 250 cc Kawasaki A1 Samurai
Kawasaki A1 Samurai
The A1 Samurai was a production motorcycle made by Kawasaki. It was a standard or Universal Japanese motorcycle sold in the US and abroad from 1967 through 1971.-Development:...
models to Bonneville Salt Flats the next year and set 2 American Motorcycle Association world speed records himself for that year.
End results
In 1969, Kawasaki debuted the Kawasaki H1 Mach IIIKawasaki H1 Mach III
The Kawasaki H1 Mach III was a high-performance two-stroke 500cc production motorcycle manufactured by Kawasaki Motorcycle Corporation. It was sold in the U.S. and abroad from 1969 through 1975.-History:...
with interest and it was eventually labeled in various ways as the "world's quickest accelerating production bike". The success of the Mach III directly lead to the development of the Kawasaki Mach II S2 350
Kawasaki S2 Mach II
The Kawasaki Mach II was a Kawasaki standard motorcycle, made from 1972 through 1973.-History:The Mach II was a direct result of the widespread success of the Kawasaki H1 Mach III 500 cc introduced in 1969. The Mach II's engine was a 3-cylinder two-stroke with an engine displacement of...
in 1971, the Kawasaki S1 Mach I
Kawasaki S1 Mach I
The Kawasaki Mach I was a Kawasaki motorcycle made 1972 through 1975.-History:The Mach I was a direct result of the widespread success of the Kawasaki H1 Mach III 500 cc introduced in 1969 The Mach I's engine was a 3-cylinder two-stroke with a engine displacement of 249 cc which...
and Kawasaki H2 Mach IV 750
Kawasaki H2 Mach IV
The Kawasaki H2 Mach IV was a 750 cc 3-cylinder two-stroke production motorcycle manufactured by the Kawasaki. The H2 was a Kawasaki triple sold from 1972 through 1975....
in 1972.
Footnotes
- The term N100 was written about most authoritatively by Dragbike Magazine'shttp://www.dragbike.com article on the Kawasaki H1.
- The early 1970s Kawasaki single and twin-cylinder motorcycles with rotary-disc valves produced on the whole more horsepower than their competition by Yamaha and Suzuki. Chuck C., Kawasaki mechanic, Juno Cycle Center; Juno, Florida, 1971-1973. Email correspondence, July 2010.