History and Tradition

By Agus Wahyudi

Established as Kawasaki Aircraft Company to primarily produce components and parts from aeroplanes, Kawasaki began their first venture into the world of motorcycles in 1949 with a motorbike engine.

Shadowing over all other motorbike teams throughout the mid-1970’s to the mid-1980’s, Kawasaki reaped medal upon medal in various classes and firmly established themselves in the racing scene with their world class motorbikes.

After several years of racing with different teams and riders, in 2007 Kawasaki created a subsidiary company of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Motors Racing to take care of all racing activities that Kawasaki are involved in – primarily the MotoGP team.

Only winners of one Superbike World Championship (in 1993), whilst Reg Pridmore and Eddie Lawson are credible mentions, two of Kawasaki’s most famous riders are definitely Anton Mang and Kork Ballington. Whilst Mang and Ballington are famous for riding Kawasaki motorbikes, Kawasaki’s greatest winner and most popular rider is definitely ride Doug Chandler. As well as racing bikes, Kawasaki have produced some fantastic on-road bikes. From the early 1990’s KSE500 to the popular KZ900, Kawasaki’s most famous bikes are definitely their Ninja range.

Independent in Thoughts and Actions

By Daniel Levy

The story of Kawasaki Company goes back to 1924, at that time involved into metallurgy and the aircraft industry.

In 1949, they decided to enter the motorcycle industry producing engines that could be adapted to motorcycles.

First Kawasaki Motorcycles Products a Motorcycle Engines

It wasn’t until 1954 that Kawasaki Motorcycles produced their first complete motorcycle under the name of Meihatsu (a subsidiary of Kawasaki Aircraft Co.).

Important Information About The History Of Kawasaki Motorcycles

We cannot talk about Kawasaki without mentioning another make that will definitely help Kawasaki become as well as Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha one of the big players in the Japanese Motorcycles scene:

–> Meguro Motorcycles: better know in that time as the "senior make and the king of four strokes".

Meguro entered the motorcycle industry in 1937. Along the years, Meguro produced some very nice 250cc and 350cc rocker-valve, single cylinder models as well as high performance twins. Meguro will soon return to rocker valve models.

In 1960 Meguro signed an initial agreement with Kawasaki Motorcycles, and in 1962 they had completely disappeared.

….And this brings us back to Kawasaki Motorcycles…

In 1960, the company decides to give a serious push to the motorcycle division of Kawasaki Aircrafts:

Kawasaki Motorcycles could offer at that time (1960’s) from a 50cc moped-scooter to a powerful, high end and beautiful 650 cc twin cylinder motorcycle.

Nowadays Kawasaki Motorcycles is one of the major players in the industry and following their tradition, they nowadays offer a wide range of products for all kind needs and likes.

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