4. Kawasaki
After the Second World War, Japan started putting its take on the motorcycle. Kawasaki that ranks 4th in our list of best-selling motorcycles of all time, dove into the market—first building engines, then began their production of motorcycles in 1960. The B8 was their first motorcycle and the inspiration for their KX line of bikes. One year after their motorcycle debut, Kawasaki released a series of two-stroke models ranging from 50cc to 250cc—the 250cc Samurai particularly attracting the attention of the American public. When the Kawasaki H1, better-known as the Mach III, makes its debut in 1969 they officially establish a name for themselves in the United States earning a reputation for powerful machines. They try to keep the upper-hand by staying ahead of the times and producing advanced models before their competition and is shocked when Honda had the same idea of releasing a four-stroke street bike in 1969. Naturally, they scratch the idea and focus on producing a model that will one-up Honda’s 750; and their 900cc Z1 does just that offering more power and double overhead cams. By the time their most notable motorcycle—the Ninja—was released, they had been winning World [sportbike] Championships left and right, and as even their most powerful models are amped up year-after-year, it is likely that their success will continue to prosper.
