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#REDIRECT [[Kawasaki Motors]]
{{Short description|Motorcycles by Kawasaki Heavy Industries}}
'''Kawasaki motorcycles''' are manufactured by the [[Kawasaki Motors|Motorcycle & Engine]] a division of [[Kawasaki Heavy Industries]].
[[File:Kawasaki Ninja H2R Seattle motorcycle show.jpg|thumb|[[Kawasaki Ninja H2R]]]]
[[File:Randy de Puniet 2006 Sep.jpg|thumb|[[Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR]]]]
[[File:Kawasaki XI750R Lago Azul Cordoba ARG 1994 Fernando Bigi.jpg|thumb|Kawasaki XI750R]]

==History==

Kawasaki Aircraft initially manufactured motorcycles under the [[Meguro motorcycle|Meguro]] name, having bought an ailing motorcycle manufacturer, Meguro Manufacturing with whom they had been in partnership. This eventually became Kawasaki Motor Sales.<ref>[http://www.khi.co.jp/mcycle/museum/w1/history/index_e.html Kawasaki Museum, Kawasaki as "Kawasaki Motorcycle Co. Ltd."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010010235/http://www.khi.co.jp/mcycle/museum/w1/history/index_e.html |date=2010-10-10 }}</ref> Some early motorcycles display an emblem with "Kawasaki Aircraft" on the fuel tank.

During 1962, Kawasaki engineers were de veloping a [[four-stroke engine]] for small cars. Then some of the engineers transferred to the Meguro factory to work on the Meg ro K1 and the SG, a single cylinder 250&nbsp;cc [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]]. In 1963, Kawasaki and Meguro merged to form Kawasaki Motorcycle Co., Ltd.<ref>[http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_motorcycle_kawasaki.html K Hulsey, Classic Vintage Motorcycles: Kawasaki history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824162708/http://www.khulsey.com/motorcycles/vintage_motorcycle_kawasaki.html|date=2010-08-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Daniel Levy, Stastsheet.com Kawasaki Motorcycles - "Independent In Thoughts And Actions". |url=http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article45887.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009105346/http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article45887.html |archive-date=2019-10-09 |access-date=2010-08-20}}</ref> From 1962 through 1967, Kawasaki motorcycles used an emblem which can be described as a flag within a wing.

Work continued on the [[Meguro motorcycles|Meguro]] K1, a copy of the BSA A7 500&nbsp;cc vertical twin<ref>[http://www.motorcycleclassics.com/motorcycle-reviews/2005-11-01/tip-of-the-wedge.aspx Motorcycle Classics, Kawasaki W2TT Commander.]</ref> and on the [[Kawasaki W series|W1]]. The K2 was exported to the [[United States|U.S]]. for a test in response to the expanding American market for four-stroke motorcycles. At first it was rejected for a lack of power. By the mid-1960s, Kawasaki was finally exporting a moderate number of motorcycles. The [[Kawasaki H1 Mach III]] in 1968, along with several [[enduro]]-styled motorcycles to compete with [[Yamaha Motor Company|Yamaha]], Suzuki and [[Honda]], increased sales of Kawasaki units.

1974 saw the establishment of a Kawasaki assembly facility in [[Lincoln, Nebraska#Automotive and technology|Lincoln, Nebraska]], US, named the American Kawasaki Motors Corporation (KMC), to complete Japan-produced components into finished motorcycles for the North American market.<ref name="MCN 13 Feb 74">Kawasaki's US factory. ''[[Motor Cycle News|Motorcycle News]]'', 13 February 1974, p.7. Retrieved April 4, 2022</ref><ref>[https://www.cycleworld.com/sport-rider/kawasakis-plant-in-lincoln-nebraska/ Kawasaki's Plant in Lincoln, Nebraska] cycleworld.com, July 11, 2016. Retrieved April 4, 2022</ref>

Kawasaki's engines division, housed in a single office complex in [[Grand Rapids, Michigan]], consolidates research and development projects for engines.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kawasakienginesusa.com/news/2015/kawasakis-engines-division-consolidate-all-functions-including-research-development-single|title=Kawasaki's Engines Division To Consolidate All Functions Including Research & Development In A Single Office Complex In Grand Rapids, Michigan {{!}} Small Engines - Lawn Mower Engines - Parts - Kawasaki|website=www.kawasakienginesusa.com|access-date=2016-05-01}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of Kawasaki motorcycles]]
* [[Kawasaki (bicycle brand)|Kawasaki bicycles]]
* [[Kawasaki xtr 125]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Kawasaki motorcycles}}
*{{Official website|http://www.kawasaki-cp.khi.co.jp/mcy/index_e.html}}
* {{curlie|/Recreation/Motorcycles/Makes_and_Models/Kawasaki|Kawasaki motorcycles}}

{{Kawasaki motorcycles}}
{{Major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers}}

[[Category:Kawasaki motorcycles| ]]
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers of Japan]]
[[Category:Personal water craft manufacturers]]

Latest revision as of 07:39, 28 October 2024

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