Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. History

1953

First motorcycle engine “KE-1” released

Meihatsu Kogyo, domestic sales company, founded in Japan

1957

First general purpose gasoline engine “KF4” released

1960

Business alliance with Meguro Manufacturing Company

1961

1963

“Kawasaki B8” took 1st to 6th places in 125cc class motocross race at Aonogahara, Japan

1964

Motorcycle “SG” and “SGT” released with Kawasaki Meguro brand

1965

Kawasaki announces "W1" to the market

1966

American Kawasaki Motorcycle Corp., sales company, founded in U.S.

1967

1968

1969

Motorcycle “H1” released

Iseki Kawasaki Service (IKS), domestic general purpose engine sales company, founded in Japan

1970

Motorcycle “Z1” released

1974

Canadian Kawasaki Motors Inc. founded in Canada

Motorcycle assembly plant launched in Lincoln, Nebraska in U.S.

Kawasaki Motors (Phils.) Corporation founded in the Philippines

1975

Kawasaki Motors Pty. Ltd. founded in Australia

1976

1978

1981

First ATV (All-terrain Vehicle) “KLT200” released

Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A. (KMM) founded as a subsidiary of KHI and separated from KMC

1984

Motorcycle “GPz900R” released

General purpose gasoline engine “FB460V” released

1985

ATV “Bayou 185” released

1986

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI X-2” released

1987

General purpose gasoline engine “FC150V” released

1988

First Utility Vehicle “MULE 1000” released

Kawasaki Sunrock Sdn. Bhd. founded in Malaysia

1989

KMM launched general purpose engine manufacturing plant in Maryville, Missouri in U.S.

1990

Motorcycle “ZZ-R1100” released

1992

1993

Utility Vehicle “MULE 2510” released

Domestic sales company changed its name to Kawasaki Motors Corporation Japan

Kawasaki wins the first victory in Suzuka 8 Hours.

1994

Motorcycle “Ninja ZX-9R” released

1995

1997

Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co., Ltd. founded in Thailand

1999

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI Ultra 150” released

2000

Motorcycle “Ninja ZX-12R” released

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI 1100 STX D.I.” released

Kawasaki Motors Europe N.V. founded as an integrated sales subsidiary in Europe

2002

ATV “Prairie 650” released

2003

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI STX-12F” released

2004

Motorcycle “VULCAN 2000” released

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI STX-15F” released

2005

Utility Vehicle “MULE 3010” released

2006

Motorcycle “ZZR1400” released

General purpose gasoline engine “FX1000V” released

2007

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI ULTRA 250X” released

Motorcycle “1400GTR” released

First Recreation Utility Vehicle “Teryx 750 4x4” released

Kawasaki Motores do Brasil Ltda. (KMB) founded in Brazil

2008

Motorcycle “Ninja 250R” released

Utility Vehicle “MULE 4010” series released

KMB in Brazil started sales of motorcycles

Motorcycle “VULCAN 1700” series released

General purpose gasoline engine “FX730V” released

JET SKI watercraft "JET SKI ULTRA 260X" series released

2009

Motorcycle “ZRX1200 DAEG” released

25th Anniversary of the “Ninja” brand

Changzhou Kawasaki and Kwang Yang Engine Co., Ltd. (CK&K) founded as a joint venture company in China for production of general purpose gasoline engines

KMB in Brazil started up motorcycle production plant

Motorcycle “KLX125” and “D-TRACKER 125” released

2010

Company renamed “Motorcycle & Engine Company” as of April 1

India Kawasaki Motors Pvt. Ltd. founded in India

Motorcycle “Ninja 400R” and “ER-4n” released

Motorcycle “Ninja 1000” released

Motorcycle “VULCAN 1700 VAQUERO” released

Motorcycle “Z750R” released

2011

JET SKI watercraft "JET SKI ULTRA 300X" series released

Motorcycle "Ninja ZX-14R" released

Motorcycle "Versys 1000" released

Recreation Utility Vehicle "Teryx 4 750 4x4 / Teryx 4 750 4x4 EPS / Teryx 4 750 4x4 EPS LE"released

2012

Motorcycle "Ninja 250 / 300" released

Motorcycle "Ninja ZX-6R" released

2013

Motorcycle "Z250" released

Motorcycle "Pulsar 200NS" under the new Kawasaki Bajaj brand released

KHS in China started up the import/sales business of Motorcycle

Motorcycle "Z1000" released

Scooter Model "J300" released

2014

KMI in Indonesia started up the second motorcycle production plant

Utility Vehicle "MULE PRO-FXT" series released

Motorcycle "Ninja 250SL" "Z250SL" released

Motorcycle "Ninja H2/H2R" released

Motorcycle "Vulcan S" released

General purpose gasoline engine "FS730V EFI" released

2015

Motorcycle "Z125 PRO" released

Scooter Model "J125" released

General purpose gasoline engine "FX730V EFI" released

2016

Motorcycle "Z650" released

Motorcycle "VERSYS-X 300/250" released

Motorcycle "Z900" released

General purpose gasoline engine "FX850V/801V EFI" released

50th anniversary of sales company foundation in USA

2017

JET SKI watercraft "JET SKI SX-R" series released

60th anniversary commencement of General purpose gasoline engine sales

Kawasaki Motors (Shanghai), Ltd.（KMSH）, newly established in China, took over the import/sales business of Motorcycle from KHS.

2018

Motorcycle "Ninja 400/250" released

Motorcycle "W175" released

Z900RS, a 2018 new model, was awarded the grand prize in the “Japan Bike Of The Year 2018”, in its very first year.

2019

Kawasaki announces the all new "Z H2""Ninja ZX-25R" to the market

Motorcycle “W800” released

JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI STX 160” series released

Recreation Utility Vehicle "TERYX KRX 1000"released

Kawasaki racing team (KRT) wins the Suzuka 8 Hours for the first time in 26 years.
TEAM SRC KAWASAKI FRANCE wins the series title in Endurance World Championship

KAWASAKI MOTORS VIETNAM CO., LTD. (KMV) founded in Vietnam

2020

Motorcycle "Ninja ZX-10R/10RR" released

Kawasaki announces the all new "MEGURO K3" to the market

Jonathan Rea, racing for Kawasaki racing team (KRT), becomes the first ever rider to win the Superbike World Championship (WSB) series for six consecutive years, achieving a record number of WSB championship

Flagship model of general purpose gasoline engines “FX1000V EFI” released