Kawasaki Motorcycles

About Kawasaki

Kawasaki motorcycles are manufactured by the Motorcycle & Engine division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries.

The Kawasaki Company was founded in 1896 by Shozo Kawasaki as a shipyard meant for building oceangoing steel ships. At the beginning they constructed marine steam turbines, locomotives, freight cars, passenger carriages and bridge girders. In 1918 the Aircraft Department is established and after prolonged research Kawasaki succeeds in building Japan's first metal aircraft. Then came 1949 and they turned towards the motorcycles industry by making engines suited for motorcycles.

Kawasaki Aircraft initially manufactured motorcycles under the Meguro name, having bought out an ailing motorcycle manufacturer called Meguro Manufacturing Co. Ltd with whom they had been in partnership earlier, but later formed Kawasaki Motor Sales. Some early motorcycles display an emblem with "Kawasaki Aircraft" on the fuel tank. Kawasaki motorcycles from 1962 through 1967 used an emblem which can be described as a flag within a wing.

Kawasaki came out with their first bike in 1954, called Meihatsu. This bike had Kawasaki's own KB-5 engine. An improved model of the Meihatsu, called Meihatsu 125 Deluxe, was introduced in 1956.

Kawasaki was producing bikes for a while without much popularity, but technically progressing. Kawasaki started to be noticed as a big player on the motorcycles market due to the release of the 500cc H1 model (also known as Mach III). In 1973 Kawasaki introduced their first superbike, the Z1 which had a 903cc engine.

One of the most notable bikes in Kawasaki history, the GPZ900R came in 1983. This was the first model ever produced by Kawasaki to have a liquid-cooled engine and to reach 250 km/h. A year later they started to sell this bike in the US and they renamed it Ninja, thing which proved to be very benefactor, registering huge sales.

Their first ever motorsports victories were obtained by Dave Simmons in the FIM World Road Racing 125cc Championship. He won the West German and the Isle of Mann TT races and the series championship riding a KR-1. Then came 1981 and Kawasaki won the manufacturer's title in the FIM World Road Racing 250cc Championship, courtesy of A. Mang who was riding the KR250. Kawasaki's most notable win in their motorsports history was the Le mans 24-Hour Race back in 1983. The model which participated in that race was the ZXR-7.

Moto blog

Results From Day 1 Of World Supersport Testing At Phillip Island

Despite losing the World Supersport title last year to a hard-charging Sam Lowes, Mahi Racing Team India’s Kenan Sofuoglu, aboard his Kawasaki ZX-6R, hasn’t lost any of the pace that has made him the overwhelming favorite heading into 2014. He topped the timesheets on the first day of testing at Phillip Island, setting a time of 1:33.521, putting him at near lap-record pace. Second on the day was Dutchman Michael van der Mark, aboard the Pata Honda CBR600RR.

Single-Cylinder 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 250SL/RR Mono Revealed

Kawasaki revealed a new 250cc Ninja for the Asian market featuring a single-cylinder engine. Called the Kawasaki Ninja RR Mono or 250SL (depending on the market), the single-cylinder model offers a bit less power and more torque than the parallel-Twin Ninja 250 but weighs 46 pounds lighter. We first saw spy photos of the new mini-Ninja undergoing testing late last year, but now we can see the finished product.

Nitron Introduces Adventure Series Shocks

The latest suspension manufacturer to hit the block, Nitron is hitting the ground running. Its latest offering, the Adventure series of shocks, leaves no question as to its intended pursuit. Crafted from aluminum alloy with stainless steel fittings, Nitron Adventure Series of shocks are lighter weight than standard ones, and are built to withstand the harsh environments adventure riders are known to travel.

2014 AMA Supercross – San Diego Results

James Stewart captured his first AMA Supercross win of the season, leading all 20 laps before a crowd of 56,828 fans at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Calif. The Yoshimura Suzuki rider becomes the fourth different winner of  the season in the 450 class through six rounds. The news was less positive for last week’s winner Chad Reed.

2010-2012 Kawasaki KLX110 and KLX110L Recalled for Fuel Leakage

Kawasaki has initiated a recall on 2010-2012 KLX110 and KLX110L entry-level off-road motorcycles because of potential fuel leaks. The recall affects 9,978 units in the U.S. According to Kawasaki, fuel can leak from between the fuel tank and the tap on certain KLX110 models.

EBR Announces More Than 60 Founding Dealers

Erik Buell Racing (EBR) today announced its founding dealerships across the United States. The recruitment process began shortly after the American International Motorcycle Expo in Orlando, Florida, where the company took the wraps off the 1190RX production superbike. More than 60 dealers will be the first to carry the 1190RX.

2013 US Motorcycle Sales Data

The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) reported a modest 1.4% growth in U.S. motorcycle and scooter sales in 2013, with consumers purchasing 465,783 vehicles. The sales data represents numbers from the MIC’s member brands which include BMW, Can-Am, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, the Piaggio Group (which includes Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Vespa), Victory, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha.

2014 AMA Supercross – Anaheim 3 Results

Chad Reed tasted victory for the second time in three weeks at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., leading all 20 laps and fending off a last-lap challenge from rookie upstart Ken Roczen. Reed, who also won the Jan. 18 round in the second of three Anaheim races, now trails fellow Kawasaki rider Ryan Villopoto by just two points in the 2014 AMA Supercross championship race.

Tommy Aquino Dies in Motocross Accident

California racer Tommy Aquino has died after a crash involving another rider at Piru Ranch MX in Piru, Calif. According to the Ventura County Star, the 21-year-old professional racer died in a head-on collision shortly before 12:30 pm on Feb. 2.

2014 Kawasaki World Superbike Team Launch

Kawasaki officially launched its 2014 World Superbike Championship campaign, introducing its three-rider lineup of reigning World Champion Tom Sykes, Loris Baz and David Salom along with the Ninja ZX-10R superbike. The Japanese manufacturer also used the launch party in Barcelona, Spain, to mark the 30th anniversary of the Ninja line which began with the 1984 Kawasaki GPZ900R. Kawasaki revealed a special 30th anniversary logo which will be featured on the side fairings of the 2014 Ninja ZX-10R superbike’s livery.