M Turns To W

Kawasaki was almost a 'sleeping giant' before it started to manufacture motorcycles. The huge Japanese conglomerate made equally huge things such as oil tankers, 'Bullet' trains and aircraft but was little known by the public.

The real sea change was the acquisition of once dominant yet failing motorcycle company, Meguro, in the early 1960’s. Formerly dwarfing Honda, Meguro had and still has legendary status in Japan thanks to its K series “Stamina” machine powered by a BSA A7 vertical twin style engine made under licence. Sadly, the bike remained under-developed and a year long workers strike led to Kawasaki taking over the company.

Tasked with updating and improving the K series was legendary engineer Gyoichi 'Ben' Inamura 'father of the Z1' who improved bearing surfaces, oil feeds and numerous other details to create the 1966 Kawasaki W1, the first large capacity Kawasaki machine and the first to be exported in any numbers to America, Kawasaki’s target market.

Oil tight, with relatively lively performance and with metric screws and bolts, the W1 was a Japanese twin ready to take on the then dominant British machines in the USA market. With such 'luxuries' as indicators, a rev counter, vacuum fuel tap and steering damper as standard or extras, the W1 was available in standard and twin carburettor performance SS form in its early years and eventually evolved into the W3 RS650 complete with disc brakes and Z1 style meters. Overshadowed by the Z1, the W1 can take credit for getting Kawasaki on the motorcycle map and for a model life extending to eight years.

And why W? some say it is simply the Meguro mirror M logo cut in half while others are sure it reflects the vertical twin engine architecture. What is certain is the place this mighty machine plays in the Kawasaki story and its influence on the W650 and W800 families that have become so popular.

CMS lists many rare and hard to find W1 parts, so if you are restoring then start your search with us and keep the W flame alive!