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
Integrated motorcycle production started
Business alliance with Meguro Manufacturing Company
1961
First Kawasaki brand motorcycle “B7” released
1963

“Kawasaki B8” took 1st to 6th places in 125cc class motocross race at Aonogahara, Japan
1964
Meguro Manufacturing Company merged into Kawasaki Aircraft Industry
Motorcycle “SG” and “SGT” released with Kawasaki Meguro brand
1965

Kawasaki announces "W1" to the market
1966
Domestic sales company changed its name to Kawasaki Autoby Hanbai
American Kawasaki Motorcycle Corp., sales company, founded in U.S.
1967
First appearance in road race World GP, the Singapore GP
1968
US sales company changed its name to Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC)
1969

Motorcycle “H1” released
Iseki Kawasaki Service (IKS), domestic general purpose engine sales company, founded in Japan
1970
Kawasaki Motors N.V., spare parts sales company, founded in the Netherlands
1972
First portable generators, “KG600,” “KG900” and “KG1300” released




Motorcycle “Z1” released
1973
First JET SKI® watercraft “JS400” released


1974
Kawasaki Motors (UK), Ltd. founded in U.K.
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 Motoren G.m.b.H founded in then-West Germany
Kawasaki Motors Pty. Ltd. founded in Australia
1976
Thai Kawasaki Motors Co., Ltd., manufacturing company, founded in Thailand
1978
Took a stake in Thai sales company, Glory Kawasaki Motors Co., Ltd.
Kork Ballington, who rode KR250 and KR350, won Road Racing World Championship GP250 & GP350 in 1978 and 1979.


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
ATV “Tecate 4” released

General purpose gasoline engine “FC150V” released
1988

First Utility Vehicle “MULE 1000” released
Kawasaki Sunrock Sdn. Bhd. founded in Malaysia
1989
Motorcycle “ZEPHYR” released

KMM launched general purpose engine manufacturing plant in Maryville, Missouri in U.S.
1990

Motorcycle “ZZ-R1100” released
1992
JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI 750SX” released
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
PT. Kawasaki Motor Indonesia founded in Indonesia

Motorcycle “Ninja ZX-9R” released
1995
JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI 900 ZXi” released
1997
Domestic general purpose engine sales company IKS changed its name to K-GES Co., Ltd.

Kawasaki Motors Enterprise (Thailand) Co., Ltd. founded in Thailand
1999
Motorcycle “W650” released

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
Participated in Road Racing World Championship MotoGP
JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI STX-12F” released
2004
Motorcycle “Ninja ZX-10R” released

Motorcycle “VULCAN 2000” released
JET SKI watercraft “JET SKI STX-15F” released
2005
ATV “Brute Force 750 4x4” released
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
Suspend MotoGP racing activities
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
CK&K in China started up general purpose gasoline engine production plant
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
Motorcycle “W800” released
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 "Z800" released
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
Motorcycle "Ninja 400" released
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
General purpose gasoline engine "FJ300D" released
Motorcycle "Z125 PRO" released
Scooter Model "J125" released
General purpose gasoline engine "FX730V EFI" released
2016
Motorcycle "Ninja 650" released
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 H2 SX" released
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
History of Kawasaki

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