For some riders, no other bike will do but Kawasaki, the Japanese brand of powerful motorcycles. The manufacturer, like many other automakers, has been around for decades. Today, it is known for bangers such as the Ninja H2R, the hypersport machine that crowns its revered Ninja line of motorcycles.
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The many decades in the motorcycle industry have given Kawasaki the kind of experience and technical know-how that only comes with age. Its prowess can be seen in its machines, which are some of the most eye-catching bikes available today. However, most of these machines, like the aforementioned Ninja, either come from the late 20th century or the 21st century, which is disheartening because there are a number of awesome motorcycles from the company’s early years as a motorcycle manufacturer. From the humble B8 and W1 to the powerful A1, let’s go over three of the most underappreciated motorcycles from Kawasaki’s early years.
The Kawasaki 125B8
Although Kawasaki was founded in 1878 by Shōzō Kawasaki, it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that the company decided to try its luck in motorcycle making. Throughout the ’50s, it was tinkering with motorcycles and motorcycle parts. In 1969, it debuted the renowned H1, a two-stroke, three-cylinder machine considered the fastest accelerating bike in its class. However, seven years earlier, the company released the B8 motorcycle, which was the first motorcycle completely built by Kawasaki. Before the B8, Kawasaki made motors such as the 123.5cc, two-stroke, air-cooled KB-5 engine and the 247cc, four-stroke, OHV, air-cooled KH engine. The company had also been involved in a number of motorcycle projects through its Meihatsu subsidiary, releasing bikes like the Meihatsu 125, which featured the aforementioned KB-5. However, it had not built a complete motorcycle by itself until the B8.
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The B8 used an air-cooled, two-stroke, single cylinder, 123.5-cubic-centimeter engine that produced 11 horsepower. Priced at $390 at the time, it had a speed of 62 miles per hour, with a fuel consumption of 168 miles per gallon. The B8 was more than a special bike at the time of its release. Its quiet engine and torque won many hearts across the country. However, its racing variant, the B8M, did even more to attract the public’s attention to Kawasaki. To begin, the B8M marked the first production racing motorcycle by Kawasaki. Known as the Red-Tank Furore thanks to its red fuel tank, the B8M won numerous races in the Japanese Motocross Championships, propelling Kawasaki not only into the racing scene but also into the wider motorcycle community as a brand to watch closely.
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The Kawasaki W1 650
In 1965, Kawasaki released the W1, a motorcycle whose engine boasted the largest displacement in any Japan-made motorcycle at the time of its release. The engine in question was a 34.1 cubic-inch, four-stroke parallel twin-cylinder OHV motor that pushed out 50 horsepower and 41 pound-feet of torque. The engine’s bore and stroke came in at 74 by 72.6 inches, with the motor registering a compression ratio of 8.7:1. The W1 took the recognition the B8 had established and built upon it, pushing Kawasaki into newer markets. The company gained global recognition for its bikes, with the W1 standing as a testament to Kawasaki’s ingenuity.
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The Kawasaki W1 650 has several significant features that have shaped motorcycle culture over the years. First is its engine displacement, which was a change from the more common smaller displacements of the time. Second was its fuel tank, which formed the bike’s main attraction. Dunked in a candy red paint, the tank stood out above all else, ensuring heads turned whenever you rode by. The bike would cement Kawasaki as a talented and equally capable manufacturer on a global scale. While the B8 had introduced Kawasaki to the world, the W1 solidified every assertion the B8 had made, opening a completely new playing field for the Japanese motorcycle maker. The W1 also played a crucial role in ushering in the era of multi-cylinder motorcycles, an age that would give rise to the superbike.
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The Kawasaki A1 Samurai
The Kawasaki A1 Samurai debuted in 1966. The bike was powered by a 247cc, twin-cylinder, two-stroke, rotary-valve engine that produced 31 horsepower. Kawasaki had developed the bike not only for its Asian clientele but for the United States and its endless roads. Interestingly, the bike would do more than sell in America. It would also destabilize the then-existing monopoly created by the likes of Honda and Yamaha.
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The A1 Samurai had a few good things going for it. First, its name included the word “Samurai,” which might have been why it became a bestseller in the U.S., which historically cannot get enough of Samurais. Jokes aside, its success lay in its performance. The A1 was such a beast on the track that Kawasaki introduced a racing version of the bike, aptly named A1-R. This particular trim was limited edition. But that didn’t stop it from winning several races across the globe. The bike would live on through the A7 Avenger, which was released in 1967. Even more fascinating is the fact that the A1 is a direct ancestor to the Ninja line, a feat that’s nothing to scoff at.
