Mark Hilderbrand’s first works bike was a 1976 Kawasaki SR250.  He bought the bike from Gary Semics and later learned that the bike was previously raced by Jimmy “Jammer” Weinert.  Mark has been collecting works bikes from all over the world ever since. (http://www.nightmare-racing.com)

Seeing the need to provide quality parts and plastics for other enthusiast’s restoring Kawasaki’s, Mark started his Internet business Night-mare Racing. If you are restoring a Kawasaki and are in need of quality reproduction plastics, graphics or advice on what is right or wrong with your restoration, Night-mare Racing is the place to go! Mark says he has had the opportunity to meet some very special friends along the way and we here at VintageWorksBikes are glad to have the opportunity to share some of his collection!

This was Kawasaki’s first works 125 raced by Steve Wise and then later in the season by engine. The rotary valve version was raced in Japan.  The bike shares nothing from the production model and is a pure work of  art from the Kawasaki works factory!

Full works 125 engine with magnesium cases and reed valve.  The 125 Kawasaki was down on power at first and had some teething problems.

Fiberglass fuel tank, billet lower  triple clamp with cast top clamp.  The forks were knurled for better grip. This bike currently has works Kawasaki titanium bars however, Mark was not 100% sure if they were allowed to race with these bars.

Billet works KYB forks made for Kawasaki.  The magnesium hubs had nikasil liners inside instead of steel rings.  This allowed them to run cooler and were much lighter at the same time.

Ex-Kurt Nicoll ride

Here is the history as shared by the current owner:

I purchased this bike from Kurt himself.  The bike had been stored since the last GP of 1987 , when the bike was given to him from Kawasaki UK.  It was left in the Nicol workshop attic  for 22 years, until I purchased it.  It has everything left as it was, not run since 1987. All I have done is check and clean the bike lightly.  It runs superbly,,

The history of the 87 SR.

The bike was designed for Georges Jobe.  He had many failures on the 86 bike, yokes snapping, and other failures, so Jobe was in no mood for a shabby 87 factory bike, if he was to re-sign with them. They enlisted Johan Luytons of Belguim, as his mechanic who is a superb engineer.  Over the winter, Jobe won some Supercross events on the production 87, so all was looking good in the Kawasaki camp. Then suddenly he jumped ship, to run his own team with  Honda……..

The bikes were given to Kurt, along with head mechanic Johan Luytons. The bike was modified to suit Kurt, the detail on this bike is amazing, even the hubs are machined for weight, the bike is a full factory works bike..

Factory carb, factory frame, factory sub-frame, factory seat, factory rads, factory swing arm and factory billet linkage.  The suspension, front and rear, are factory.  Only production parts are plastics.. even left hand rad cowl is pre production 88! Airbox is factory, along with fuel tank and Hitachi ignition. The engine has factory casings, SR cylinder, special gears, clutch and titanium bolts everywhere.  Sand cast clutch cover, and hand made solid billet yokes.  The bike still has Kurts Renthal bend bars, and his mushroom favorite grips!

I have spoken to Alec Wright awhile back to gain more light on the factory SR. As Kurt explained, and Alec, this bike is very special in alot of ways.  Many factory bikes that turn up, often have certain parts removed, as Alec expressed all Kawasaki rear suspension units were returned to Ohlins.  This SR has a works SR rear shock.

Ex Christer Hammergen Ride

Featured here is a 1974 Kawasaki SR400.  A few words from the current owner:

I bought the bike from Christer Hammergen around 15 years ago. I’ve since restored it using parts supplied by him. The bike is the late 1974 model supplied for the British Grand Prix and later rounds of the GPs. It has the lower engine, reed valve cylinder and different geometry to the earlier model.

Ex Jeff Ward Ride.  From his personal collection

Prototype SR for Kent Howerton’s 1983 Kawasaki SR250

A few words from Kent regarding the history of this bike:

At the end of 82 when I was leaving Suzuki to go to Kawasaki, I test rode the race  bike at Indian Dunes with Roy Turner. I didn’t really like the race bike so I asked him what they would let me change on the bike and he said probably anything, so we started back to Kawasaki and upstairs over the race shop where they had all the old bikes and I saw one that I liked, the way the frame geometry looked and we pulled it out.  It had a air-cooled motor which we took it out and replaced with a water-cooled motor. We started working and testing it at Saddleback Park. All the information that we got from that bike went to the factory and became the 83 SR Works bike. This bike then became my practice bike.