Kawasaki Heavy Industry is a huge company whose motorcycle division forms only a small part of it's operations. Like many Japanese motorcycle makers Kawasaki started life in the 1950s to take advantage of the huge postwar market for two wheel transport. Kawasaki had additional motivation to diversify as they had previously been heavily reliant on orders from the now smashed Japanese military.

The first complete bike the company made was in 1960. In the same year they took over Japan's oldest motorcycle manufacturer Meguro. By 1966 the company was producing larger capacity bikes such as the W1. This 650cc twin was, like so many Japanese machines of the era, designed to compete with the British. In this respect the W1 failed and did not sell well outside of Japan.

Smaller two strokes such as the A1 Samurai and A7 Avenger did better overseas and in 1969 the 500cc H1 triple really secured Kawasaki's reputation as a maker of serious sportsbikes. With a light weight of 174 kilos and 60bhp the Mach III, as it was also known, would lift it's front wheel with ease.

The H1 was followed by the H2 in 1972. It's 750cc engine increased power to 74bhp and an improved frame made handling more manageable. This was still an extreme machine though for it's time. Eventually emmissions regulations ended the H2's production in the mid 1970s.

The iconic Z1 was first released in 1973. This 903cc inline four had a bombproof engine that produced 82bhp. With a top speed of 130mph the Z1 was a clear winner against competition at the time. This bike established Kawasaki's reputation for building powerful engines and was so good looking that the company has revisited the design in later models.

In the 1980s Kawasaki made arguably the most exciting road bike of that decade. The GPZ900R featured a strong and powerful 908cc, watercooled, four cylinder engine. Capable of over 150mph this thoroughly modern looking machine remained popular for well over a decade.

The ZZR-1100 of the 1990s began the battle for super high top speed motorcycles. When it was introduced in 1990 it's incredible top speed of 175mph was a revelation. It remained the world's fastest production bike for many years. The bike introduced the idea of ram-air induction to road bikes. This technology is now used universally to increase engine output. The ZZR was a fantastic all rounder with firm handling provided by it's aluminium twin spar frame and comfortably large dimensions.

The ZX series machines have been on the cutting edge of sportsbike design since the early 1990s. The ZXR750 was an incredibly aggressive looking bike with huge air intake pipes and vivid green paintwork. It's short wheelbase and typically Kawasaki style 750cc engine made it one of the most exciting riding experiences available at the time.

In modern timed the ZX series bikes continue to be the ones to buy if you need the gruntiest engined sportsbike. Frame design, not always Kawasaki's strongest point, is now as advanced as any of their competitors. The Kawasaki ZX can always be told apart from it's sometimes samey rivals though due it's extreme styling and vivid paintwork.

The company continues to contest the top speed competition with it's large capacity sports tourers and the latest ZZR1400 is an excepionally fast mile muncher. With handling more sports than tourer this bike will keep the pure sports bikes in sight at least.