MopedDB

Kawasaki

Year		Event		Edit
1995		WM 125ccm Cross Seventeen years after Kawasaki first competed in the 125cc Motocross World Championship, the Japanese manufacturer achieved its first podium finish with Tortelli.
1994		Last year's world champion team, Greg Albertyn Venko Honda, owned by Jan de Groot, will officially be responsible for Kawasaki's factory entries in the Motocross World Championship. The team will now operate under the name Kawasaki Racing Team (KRT).
1989		With the KX125/250, Kawasaki was the first large-scale manufacturer to introduce the steel (later aluminum) perimeter frame in motocross, which encloses the engine and provides greater rigidity.
1985		With KIPS (Integrated Power Valve System), Kawasaki is launching a mechanical exhaust control system that improves torque in the lower range without sacrificing peak performance.
1984		Campionato italiano The first podium finish for Kawasaki in the Italian championship by Massimo Contini with 2nd place.
1979		Uni-Trak: Kawasaki's first single-shock rear suspension system with lever linkage.
1972		US Nationals The first major motocross title for Kawasaki on the international stage. Brad Lackey wins US Nationals 500
1967		Kawasaki launches its first production motocross bike, the 250F21M.

Foundet:1878

The origins of Kawasaki Heavy Industries can be traced back to 1878. At that time, company founder Shozo Kawasaki opened a shipyard to build ships. Mobility on water, but also on land and in the air, has shaped the history of Kawasaki.

As early as 1952, the first motorcycle engine rolled off the production line: the KE-1, an air-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke unit. In 1955, the Meihatsu 125-500 with the KB-5 engine was launched on the market. In Germany, Kawasaki caused a sensation with its fast three-cylinder two-stroke models by the end of the 1960s at the latest.

The KX series (motocross)

The KX models are Kawasaki's flagship racing bikes. The series officially launched in 1974 and shaped the image of the green brand.

KX125 & KX250: These models formed the backbone of the two-stroke fleet for over 30 years. Production of the KX125 ended in most markets around 2005/2006, and that of the KX250 in 2008, when the focus shifted to four-stroke models (KX-F).
KX500: The legendary "Open Class" machine (introduced in 1983) was considered one of the most powerful motocross bikes ever built. It was produced until 2004.
Small displacement: Kawasaki is one of the few manufacturers that still produces two-stroke competition machines for young riders (models KX65, KX85, and the now discontinued KX100/KX112).

The KDX series (enduro/trail)

The KDX series was the enduro variant, known for its reliability and a wider usable rev range.

KDX175 / KDX200: The KDX175 (from 1980) was the first model with Uni-Trak rear suspension. Its successor, the KDX200 (1983–2006), is considered one of the most successful enduro motorcycles of all time.
KDX220R / KDX250: These models complemented the range for riders looking for more torque, with the KDX250 being discontinued in the 1990s, while the 200 and 220 continued until the end of the series in 2006.

Technological pioneering achievements

Kawasaki introduced several innovations that are now industry standards:

Uni-Trak (1979): The first single-shock rear suspension system with lever linkage.
KIPS (1985): The Kawasaki Integrated Powervalve System, a mechanical exhaust control system that improved low-end torque without sacrificing peak power.
Perimeter frame (1989): With the KX125/250, Kawasaki was the first mass-production manufacturer to introduce the steel (later aluminum) bridge frame in motocross, which encloses the engine and provides greater rigidity.

Last edited: 2/23/2026 · Jürgen Wißler