Kawasaki (bicycle brand)

Kawasaki is a brand of bicycle produced by various manufacturers from time to time since the 1970s.[1][2][3][4][5][6] The bicycle types have included BMX,[1][2][3][4][7] mountain,[5] fatbikes,[8] and e-bikes.[6] Manufacturers have included Huffy,[3] CGF Factory,[5] and Diavelo.[6][9] Promotion of the Kawasaki BMX brand included sponsoring BMX racing.[10][11]

## BMX

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Kawasaki BMX bicycles were welded by Triple-A Accessories in southern California in the 1970s.[12] Frames were made from steel and aluminum with TIG and MIG welders.[12] The frames had a rear suspension consisting of a swingarm supported by a spring on each side.[3] The front fork was attached to the frame by a triple clamp but was not telescopic, even though the bottom of the stanchions were covered by a boots to give the appearance of being telescopic.[3] The bikes had banana-style seats and BMX-style handlebars.[3]

## MTB

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Kawasaki mountain bikes were sold at Kawasaki motorcycle dealerships in the 1990s.[13] The 1994 KMB 450 model had a rigid steel rear frame and telescoping forks with elastomers.

In 2018, a 34-lb, full-suspension mountain bike with 26-inch wheels and a front disc brake was offered under the Kawasaki brand name.[14]

## See also

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* Kawasaki motorcycles
* David Clinton

## External links

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* Project Kawasaki BX200 Pro Series
* Kawasaki at the BMX Museum
* Kawasaki Mountain Bike Ads

## References

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1. ^ a b "Testing the Kawasaki BX-200". Bicycle Motocross News. October 1975. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "volume 2 no.9 - october 1975. Brian Ramocinski on the Kawasaki on the cover. Testing the Kawasaki BX-200."
2. ^ a b "../history/1897-1979". 23Mag. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "Following Yamaha's footsteps, Kawasaki introduces an aluminum shocker."
3. ^ a b c d e f "BMX Bikes / K / Kawasaki". BMXMuseum. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "1975 Kawasaki BX-200. In 1996 cheap department store bikes were sold with the Kawasaki name plastered all over. It seems that in 2005 they have started selling bmx bikes again."
4. ^ a b Rick Sieman (July 1, 2004). "Behind The Scenes At Vintage Iron - Hanging Out With Rick Doughty". Off-road. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "All kinds of vintage stuff can be found throughout the shop. High up on a shelf you'll find a Yamaha and a Kawasaki BMX bike from the 70s."
5. ^ a b c "Kawasaki Bicycles". Cycling News. December 22, 2017. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "CFG Factory has officially-licensed Kawasaki trikes and bicycles."
6. ^ a b c Oli Woodman (September 7, 2017). "5 disappointing collaborations from brands you'll already know". Bike Radar. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "OMG, Kawasaki producing a mountain bike?! This must be awesome, or perhaps it could've been had Kawasaki not simply licensed its name out to someone else's somewhat generic e-bike. In fact, the design comes from Diavelo."
7. ^ Gavin Lucas; Stuart Robinson (May 16, 2012). Rad Rides: The Best BMX Bikes of All Time. Laurence King Publishing. ISBN 978-1856697262. Archived from the original on 2018-07-01. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "Kawasaki BX200"
8. ^ Matthew R. Duncan (2018). "Best Fat Bikes for 2018 Reviews: 1. Kawasaki Sumo 4.0 Fat Tire Bicycle". BikeGeeky. Retrieved 2018-05-13. "Cons: Very heavy bike"
9. ^ "New Kawasaki Electric Bikes presented by Diavelo". BikeToday. August 21, 2017. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "Diavelo (Netherlands) – New Kawasaki line up designed by Diavelo. Kawasaki introduces a new e-bike model program for 2018. The models are equipped with Shimano Steps and Bosch mid motors."
10. ^ Bart de Jong (Dec 14, 2017). "Rare Footage from 1976 Kawasaki BMX Race at Saddleback Park". Retrieved 2018-05-12.
11. ^ "David Clinton". United States Bicycling Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "First rider to hold a pro license and first factory sponsored rider; Kawasaki"
12. ^ a b "Kawasaki BMX, Race Inc, and Bill Bastian". BMX Society. Retrieved 2018-05-12. "Like some sort of Karmic accident, my first real job was welding bicycle frames for a company under contract with Kawasaki."
13. ^ "Kawasaki KBM450 Review". Bike Magazine. October 1994. Retrieved 2018-05-13. "We think the CMB450 is brilliant, though £650 seems steep for a bike with no engine."
14. ^ Robert Hos Moore (2018). "Best Full Suspension Mountain Bike 5. Kawasaki DX 26 Bicycle reviews". BikeJar. Retrieved 2018-12-08. "Pros: Lightweight, dynamic, inexpensive and comfortable to ride. Cons: Not so easy to set up."