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

Versys 1000 video short

Kawasaki's just-launched Versys 1000 also came with a video crew for the day. So if you're interested in a bit of footage of the bike in action and some 'behind the scenes' stuff from the launch, then check it out. If you want to read the Kawasaki Versys 1000 first ride review, well, click that link old son.

2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R First Ride

Loyal fans of Suzuki’s iconic Hayabusa have something to be seriously worried about. Kawasaki has overhauled its fast and smooth ZX-14, adding a bigger and more powerful engine that promises to outgun the venerable ’Busa. I just spent a day hammering the new ZX-14R In Las Vegas, beginning with a blast through the desert and ending with several runs down the quarter-mile dragstrip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Top 10 EICMA Show Bikes You May Have Missed

Interesting motorcycles you probably didn't see1 of 11Next Last There’s no cave deep, mountain high or rock heavy enough to have thwarted news of Ducati’s 1199 Panigale superbike launch at the 2012 EICMA show in Milan, Italy. And a few models such as Honda’s NC700S and X, Kawasaki’s Versys 1000 and CRP’s Energica were unveiled without heavy prior fanfare, but gasps of surprise weren’t heard when the wraps were taken off Triumph’s Tiger 1200 Explorer, Husqvarna’s Nuda or MV Augusta’s F3 675 among others, whose existences were revealed months in advance of the show. What we’ve comprised below is our list Top 10 Bikes unveiled at EICMA that didn’t receive top billing but are certainly worthy of your attention.

EICMA 2011: Kawasaki Versys 1000 Not Coming to U.S.

While Kawasaki unveiled its Versys 1000 at EICMA, don’t expect to see it on American roadways any time soon (edit: but if you live north of the border in Canada you’re in luck, as it will offered for CN$13,999, a bit higher than the Z1000 but the same price as the Ninja 1000): What will we be missing? A bigger, badder version of the original Kawasaki Versys seems to be the answer. “Created as the long-awaited big brother of Kawasaki’s mid-size any-road street surfer, the new Versys 1000 is designed to enable the greatest riding enjoyment in the widest variety of street riding situations,” Kawasaki Motors Europe says in a release.

James Stewart Signs With Joe Gibbs Racing – Bubba Returning to Motocross and Eying Future in Nascar

James Stewart has signed a multi-year contract with JGRMX, the motocross division of Joe Gibbs Racing. Stewart raced the last three years with the L & M Yamaha factory team, and he will continue with the Tuning Fork brand with JGRMX, riding a Yamaha YZ450F. The two-time AMA Supercross and one-time AMA Motocross Champion will debut with JGRMX at the Jan.

Mobile tea-urn

This steam powered motorcycle (not a bicycle, 'cos it don't have no pedals), could be perfect for you if you like a brew at short notice on your Sunday ride. Built in 1894, it's about to be auctioned and is expected to reach a world record price (for a kettle). It uses a coal furnace to super-heat water into steam which is fed into a small engine.

French Moto Website Anticipates Versys 1000 at EICMA 2011

Musings of a liter-size engined Kawasaki Versys have circulated the web for a few years now, as loyalists of the likable Versys 650, as well as displacement-driven riders waiting in the wings, have pondered the potential of a more powerful adventure bike from Kawasaki that’s in the same league as BMW’s R1200GS and Yamaha’s Super Tenere. Alas, nothing of the sort has ever left the lips of Kawasaki, let alone go into production. Recently, however, the French motorcycle website, Moto-net.com, has produced convincing images that appear like photos of a complete Versys 1000, including matching hard luggage.

Million Dollar Man: Ryan Villopoto Wins Monster Energy Cup

Ryan Villopoto swept all three main events to win the inaugural Monster Energy Cup and take home the $1 million prize. The 2011 AMA Motocross and Supercross Champion was a favorite going into the Oct.15 Monster Energy Cup at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. Villopoto completed the hat trick by winning the Cup and the prize money.

What We Ain’t Getting: 2012 Kawasaki ER-6n

Kawasaki announced its 2012 street model lineup this week announcing a number of updates to its ZX-14R, as well as the Vulcan 1700 Voyager, Ninja 1000 and Ninja 650. Absent from Kawasaki’s U.S. offerings is the naked version of the Ninja 650, the ER-6n which has also been updated and will be available in other markets such as Europe and Canada.

Tested: Maxxis Supermaxx Diamond

Well Maxxis were bang on with their mileage claims, 6500 miles on the rear and it looks as though there is another 1000. Not bad at all for a set of tyres that cost less than £200. Having lived with the Supermaxx’s Diamonds over the past few months the best thing about these tyres is the mileage range they offer vs cost.