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From Copycat to Ground Breaking: The history of the Kawasaki W1 & W2

August 15, 2023

For Kawasaki Motorcycle & Engine Company, the dream of achieving success in the ever-competitive arena of motorcycles started with wings and not wheels. Prior to 1962, Kawasaki was more known for making aircraft than making motorcycles but after requiring struggling company Meguro Motorcycle Company in 1963, Kawasaki was well on its way to producing some iconic motorcycles. Well, sort of.

Mini Bike Madness: The Honda Z50

July 25, 2023

There are some ideas that are simply too good to not pursue, and the Honda Z series of motorcycles is exactly that.

Originally created for Japanese amusement park Tama Tech, a park that was owned by none other than Honda themselves. Yes, that's right, Honda owned an amusement park that featured motorsports-focused rides and attractions, and the Z50 was a result of an attraction at that park!

European Challenger: The Honda CB900F

June 27, 2023

What’s that saying? “If you complain enough, you’ll eventually get what you want”? Well, that may not be the way the saying actually goes but that’s exactly how the Honda CB900F came to be.

From 1981 to 1983, Honda manufactured and sold the Honda CB900F, a bike that introduced Honda as a contender into the “naked bike” field that made motorcycles show off actual machine parts. As you’ll learn, the introduction of the Honda CB900F represented a bike that had already been tested on European and Australian roads, so the bike itself become known for its longevity, comfort, and performance - but it only got the United States because we complained enough about not being able to get one.

Last Of The 305 Scramblers: The Honda CL77

June 06, 2023

If you wanted to go off-road with a motorcycle in the 1960s, your options were fairly limited to larger, slower bikes that were pushrod-driven and not all that much fun to drive.

Honda entered the market with the Honda CL77 in an effort to contrast the lackluster efforts of other manufacturers by adding a more modern up to date design with a smaller, but more rev-happy engine. The result? Between 1965 and 1968, Honda sold an incredible number of the Honda CL77s as a fun, lightweight road bike that could handle off-road trips too. It was just what America was asking for.

The Days Of XS: Everything You Need To Know About The Yamaha XS1100

May 24, 2022

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a war that was brewing right here on our shores. It wasn't geopolitical, no. It was a war for horsepower and the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers of the day were duking it out for ultimate power supremacy.