Tag Archives: kawasaki

Tokyo Vice‘s cars elevate a pretty great yakuza series to something totally unprecedented

The yakuza series Tokyo Vice is currently on its second season. It’s not the most mind-blowing crime story, but one thing it has going for it is its excellent use of period correct Japanese cars. The series is set in … Continue reading

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Kawasaki Ninja’s 40th anniversary colors are awesomely retro

Real ninja, the silent assassins of feudal Japan, date back to the 15th century. The iconic Kawasaki Ninja, however, turns 40 years old this year. The moniker debuted in 1984 as a rebranding of the GPZ900R, a groundbreaking sportbike that … Continue reading

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When the Kawasaki Z1 smashed the 24-hour world speed record

Today is National Bike Day in Japan. While the occasion has an emphasis on motorcycle safety, we’re going to focus on achievements. The game-changing Kawasaki Z1 turns 50 this year, and it came right out of the gates with a … Continue reading

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Celebrate 50 years of the Kawasaki Z1 with this incredible Swiss motorcycle museum

This year marks the 50th anniversary of one history’s most important motorcycles, the Kawasaki Z1. To celebrate the occasion, and to promote the retro Z900RS inspired by the Z1, the company held a little event at its Swiss importer’s headquarters. … Continue reading

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The iconic Kawasaki Z1 celebrates 50 years with anniversary models

Everyone’s awaiting the heritage-infused Nissan Z, but there’s another iconic Z that is celebrating its history this year. The Kawasaki Z1 was the most powerful bike in its class when it debuted 50 years ago, in 1972. It was technologically … Continue reading

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Japan’s Automotive Hall of Fame inductees for 2021 include Toyota Celsior and Nissan Be-1

The Japan Automotive Hall of Fame has announced its 2021 inductees. Each year three vehicles representing milestones in the country’s auto industry are selected for the honor. This year, they include two cars from the Bubble Era and a classic … Continue reading

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BIKES: Kawasaki revives the 1976 Z650 with retro Z650RS

Kawasaki has introduced a stunning new retro bike inspired by the 1976 Z650. The new Z650RS follows two other throwback bikes that Kawasaki has introduced in recent years, the Z900RS and Z900RS Cafe. The addition of the Z650RS lets those … Continue reading

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Happy Year of the Ox from JNC

Today is the first day of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. If this were Italian Nostalgic Car we’d be on easy street, but Japan doesn’t really have any cars named after cow-esque animals. The closest … Continue reading

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BIKES: Kawasaki revives the Meguro marque with K3 vertical twin

Kawasaki has just revealed one of the coolest bikes we’ve ever seen. Japan has seen no shortage of retro styled motorcycles in recent years, but none have been more of a throwback than this, the Meguro K3. Not only does … Continue reading

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Kawasaki heritage parts program also creates desk art out of cylinder heads

Following in the footsteps of Japanese car companies, Earlier this year Kawasaki launched a Heritage Parts program. The first item to be reproduced was the cylinder heads for the 1972-76 Kawasaki 900 Super 4 and the 1973-78 Kawasaki 750RS, also … Continue reading

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This awesome vintage motorcycle event but with cars, please

Even without a ton of knowledge about motorcycles, we can probably all agree that the Legend of Classic is a cool event. Held at Japan’s Tsukuba Circuit and Fuji Speedway, the vintage motorcycle racing event’s self-described philosophy is this: “To … Continue reading

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NEWS: NA Mazda Roadster, Mitsubishi Model A inducted into Japan Automotive Hall of Fame

The 2019 inductees for the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame have been announced. The ceremony took place earlier this month, welcoming four historically significant vehicles and three important individuals for their impact and contributions to Japan’s automotive industry.

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MARKETWATCH: Honda RS1000 sells for nearly $90,000

We recently wrote about Japan’s first-ever high-end motorcycle auction taking place in conjunction with the 42nd running of the Suzuka 8 Hours race. Well, the auction took place July 27, and the results are in. The most expensive bike sold, … Continue reading

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JNC THEATER: Tom Cruise uncovers his old Kawasaki Ninja in Top Gun: Maverick trailer

The surprise dropping of the trailer for the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick has given fans of Japanese nostalgic motorcycles a cool throwback to the 80s. In one scene, Tom Cruise’s character whips the cover off his old bike, a Kawasaki … Continue reading

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BIKES: Japan kicks off high-end collector motorcycle auctions

We at JNC certainly love our classic Japanese cars, but Japan’s true technological tour de force came on two wheels. The design, engineering, and performance of Japanese bikes had an even bigger impact on the motorcycling world than that of … Continue reading

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BIKES: Kawasaki re-releases retro W800 motorcycle

Kawasaki has re-released the W800, a vertical-twin motorcycle inspired by the original Kawasaki W-series built from 1965 to 1974. The W800 is said to not only take its layout and look from its predecessors, but its riding feel and sound … Continue reading

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NEWS: Kawasaki’s retro-styled Z900RS Cafe goes on sale

Since its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show last year, the retro-styled the Kawasaki Z900RS has been well-received in its home market. The bike we called “the Kenmeri Skyline of motorcycles” for its place in Japanese motoring history just went on sale July 1 and … Continue reading

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NEWS: Retro Kawasaki Z1000 MkII-inspired bike unveiled at Tokyo Motorcycle Show

One of the biggest news items in the world of nostalgic motorcycles came last year at the Tokyo Motor Show when Kawasaki unveiled the retro Z900RS. Our own San Mamiya called “the Kenmeri Skyline of bikes” due to the impact it had … Continue reading

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Tokyo Motor Show: The Kawasaki Z900RS is the Kenmeri Skyline of bikes reborn

There’s just one more bike story to cover from our visit to the Tokyo Motor Show, but it’s an important one. The Kawasaki Z900RS is a glorious throwback to the heyday of Japanese motorcycling, going all the way back to 1972 … Continue reading

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EVENTS: New Year Meeting 2017, Part 07 — Motorbikes

The New Year Meeting is an amazing show, but there is one element missing, one that’s just as much a part of Japanese classic culture as the cars we love: motorbikes. Unlike in the US, where two-wheelers are mostly a … Continue reading

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