Kawasaki is one of the most well-known motorcycle producers in the world. Kawasaki Heavy Industries is based in Japan, but they have plants around the world. They are mainly known for their sports bikes, such as the Ninja ZX-6R, one of their most popular models. The company was named after its founder, Shozo Kawasaki.
When it was founded in 1878, Kawasaki was a shipbuilding company. Kawasaki Tsukiji Shipyard was built on land owned by the government on the Sumidagawa River. The industry grew rapidly during the Sino-Japanese War, and Kawasaki decided to take the company public at the end of the conflict in order to grow. Shortly thereafter, Kawasaki, nearing 60 years old, appointed Kojiro Matsukata as his successor and began to shift the day to day responsibilities to him.
Matsukata expanded Kawasaki into the aircraft and shipping industries. He oversaw the launch of the Iyomaru, the first ship built since Kawasaki went public. They launched 80 new ships between 1886 and 1896. He also wanted to expand into other areas, and Matsukata took Kawasaki into the railway industry, building freight and passenger cars under the Hyoko Works brand. In 1904, Kawasaki was given the contract to build Japan's first submarines and, later, the first large warship built by a private shipyard.
All of this was building up to 1962, when the company merged with Meguro Manufacturing Co. to create the Kawasaki Motorcycle Co. One of its earlier models was the Kawasaki W1, which became a huge hit. In 1969, they launched the H1 model, which was the first motorcycle to truly put Kawasaki on the same level as many of the European manufacturers and in the U.S. market. The Z1, produced in 1972, solidified that position, and the company has been known for its amazing motorcycles since then.
