A History of Kawasaki Canada

Kawasaki’s history traces back to the late 1870s, when Shozo Kawasaki started a company that built steel ships. By the early 1890s, it had become involved in metallurgy, aircraft, trains and industrial plants. In 1949, Kawasaki built its first motorcycle engine but didn’t release its own motorcycle until 1954. In venturing into the motorcycle industry, Kawasaki’s original intention was to build brand recognition. However, its motorcycles quickly rose to fame and became one of the leaders in the industry.





In 1960, Kawasaki became serious about developing motorcycles. It then constructed a factory exclusively for producing motorcycles and bought the then famous Meguro Motorcycles. It also began to expand and set up subsidiaries in different countries. Canadian Kawasaki Motors, or Kawasaki Canada, is one of the first and more popular subsidiaries, which distributed motorcycles, ATVs and personal watercraft in Canada. Its establishment helped pave the way for the booming racing scene in Canada, as well as the heightened interest in motorcycles from Canadians.

When it first started selling to the North American market, Kawasaki had to step up its product. Its offerings of two-stroke engine motorbikes simply didn’t have enough power for the market. This proved to be a challenge that resulted in the Kawasaki Z1. The Z1 had a 903cc four-stroke engine, which flattened the competition at that time, the Honda CB750. With its strong performance and affordable price, it wasn’t long before the Z1 was called "the king". Kawasaki Canada bore witness to the sales success of the Z1 and the growing number of Canadian bikers.





In the 1990s, the competition among Japanese motorcycle companies for producing the best super bike was tighter than ever. With the ZZR-R1100, Kawasaki edged out its rivals. The ZZR-R1100 would later be known as one of the fastest production bikes of its time. It was later updated to the ZZR-1200 and the ZZR 600. These two were a hit in Canada, hitting record sales and winning races such as the Anaheim Supercross, the Parts Canada Superbike Championship and the Daytona Supercross, among other major national racing events.





In 2000, Kawasaki again blew the industry and motorbike racers away with the launch of the Ninja sports bike, the Ninja ZX-6R. Kawasaki began to build an all-new line of Supersport motorcycles, all of which are offered by Kawasaki Canada. In fact, it was the exact same motorbike that helped secure the multiple victories of national motorbiking champion Jordan Szoke.





With the strong presence of Kawasaki Canada in the Canadian motorcycle scene, biking enthusiasts who decide to purchase a Kawasaki model can expect affordable maintenance costs, as windshield repair, replacement parts and other basics are all widely available for the models as a result of their popularity.





Isla Campbell writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.