The Kawasaki Story: Racing and Production Models from 1963 to the Present Day

by Falloon, Ian

• ISBN13: 9781859606131
• ISBN10: 185960613X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-12-01
• Publisher: Motorbooks Intl

Summary

Although it is Japans smallest motorcycle manufacturer, Kawasaki has had a huge impact on the motorcycling world. Here is the full story of this famous marque, including road and competition bikes. Ian Falloon delivers the background history of the Kawasaki company; chronicles the early racing days; Kawasakis two-stroke production bikes; the Green Meanies - the HR version of the 500cc four-stroke; the highly successful Superbike and Endurance racers of the 1970s; and the bikes of the 1990s which ushered in a new era of performance up through the ZX-12R introduced for 2000.

Table of Contents

Foreword	6	(1)
Scott Russell
Introduction and acknowledgements	7	(2)
From ships to motorcycles	9	(3)
Early racing days	12	(4)
Early production two-strokes	16	(18)
The W1: the first big four-stroke	34	(4)
Racing triples: `The Green Meanies'	38	(15)
Four-cylinder air-cooled four strokes: the Z1 and beyond	53	(16)
Air-cooled racing fours	69	(8)
Global and model expansion	77	(7)
Off-road competition	84	(32)
Colour Section	97	(19)
Grand Prix success	116	(8)
New generation: sportbikes and cruisers	124	(16)
Liquid-cooled fours: endurance and superbike	140	(9)
The 1990s	149	(14)
Appendix Technical specifications of Kawasaki motorcycles: 1963-2000	163	(12)
Index	175