Kawasaki is a Japanese carmaker founded in 1896, now part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The cars themselves are another matter: across 3 VIN prefixes on record they came off lines in 2 countries — the United States 94.4%, Thailand 5.6%. 177 models are tracked here (1981–2026). Reliable? yes, and comfortably so — 4.4 out of 5 across 177 rated models, though the spread between model years is far wider than the badge suggests (every model ranked →).
Who makes Kawasaki
Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. is the motorcycle and powersports division of Japanese conglomerate Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), headquartered in Akashi, Hyogo. KHI itself was founded in 1896 by Shozo Kawasaki as a shipbuilding company. Motorcycle production began in 1953 with the KE-1 engine, and the first complete Kawasaki motorcycle (the B7) launched in 1961. Kawasaki spun off the motor and engine business as Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. in 2021. Kawasaki is one of the four major Japanese motorcycle manufacturers and produces street motorcycles, off-road motorcycles, ATVs, side-by-side utility vehicles (Mule, Teryx) and personal watercraft (Jet Ski — a Kawasaki trademark, originally introduced in 1973). The Ninja H2 supersport (2015) was the first production motorcycle with a supercharged engine, producing 326 hp in track-only H2R form. The Z H2 hyper-naked uses the same supercharged platform. Kawasaki Heavy Industries trades on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (7012) and as KWHIY in OTC US trading. Recall data for every Kawasaki VIN sold in the US is reported to NHTSA. ForCar.org decodes any Kawasaki VIN to surface trim, factory options, open recalls and original delivery price.
Shozo Kawasaki founded the Kawasaki Tsukiji Shipyard in 1878 in Tokyo, and Kawasaki Heavy Industries was incorporated in 1896. The conglomerate produces ships, aircraft, helicopters, robots, gas turbines, locomotives and motorcycles. Motorcycle production began in 1953 as a small division building two-stroke engines for other manufacturers; the 1961 B7 was Kawasaki's first complete motorcycle. The 1969 Mach III H1 500cc two-stroke triple was famously fast and difficult to handle. The 1972 Z1 900 inline-four established Kawasaki as a top-tier four-stroke manufacturer, succeeded by GPZ900 Ninja (1984), ZX-10R, Ninja H2 supercharged (2015) and current Ninja ZX-10RR.
| Kawasaki | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1896 |
| Founded by | Shozo Kawasaki |
| Headquarters | Akashi, Japan |
| Owned by | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
| Listed as | KWHIY |
| Slogan | «Let the good times roll» |
| Assembled in | 2 countries |
Technology it is known for: Supercharged engine technology (H2 family), KIBS (Kawasaki Intelligent ABS), KCMF (Kawasaki Cornering Management Function), Showa SFF-BP fork, Brembo Stylema brakes (premium models).
This page covers Kawasaki Motors, the powersports division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries — not the broader KHI conglomerate (shipbuilding, aerospace, robotics) or Kawasaki Yokohama (a separate train operator).
Where Kawasaki cars are actually built
A badge says where a company is registered, not where its cars were bolted together. The first three characters of any VIN — the world manufacturer identifier — say the second thing, and that is what we counted: 408 vehicles on record, 3 distinct manufacturer codes.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | JKA, JKB | 1993–2026 | |
| Thailand | ML5 | 2022–2025 |
Read your own: the first character is the region, the first three together identify the plant's manufacturer. A Kawasaki beginning JKA was assembled in the United States.
All Kawasaki models 177
Every Kawasaki model we track, grouped by body type. Click any model for its VIN decoder, recalls, MPG, safety and ForCar Reliability Score — broken down by year.
Kawasaki Motorcycles 177
| Model | Years | Recalls | Complaints | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kawasaki Ninja 400 | 2018–2023 | 2 | 2 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja H2 R | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 650 | 2006–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 7 | 2024–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 500 | 2024–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLR650 | 1981–2026 | 17 | 204 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ridge | 2024–2025 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX-6R | — | 3 | 18 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan S | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 300 | 2013–2026 | 3 | 45 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Kawasaki Eliminator | 1985–2026 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R | 1990–2026 | 15 | 63 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Kawasaki Teryx | 2007–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja H2 | 1981–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z650 | 2017–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z400 | 2019–2024 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 900 | 1981–2026 | 8 | 11 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R | 2004–2026 | 8 | 12 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX | 2017–2024 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z900 | 2017–2026 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 1000 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE PRO-FXT | 2015–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z1000 | 2003–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Sports | 1990–1992 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z500 | 2024–2026 | 2 | 1 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX250 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 500R | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Versys | 2024–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Versys 650 | 2008–2026 | 2 | 3 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z900RS | 2018–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 250R | 1986–2026 | 1 | 4 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Teryx4 | 2007–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX140 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Brute Force 750 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX300 | 2021–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 800 | 1981–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Bayou 220 | 1981–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX230 | 2020–2026 | 2 | 2 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE SX | 2017–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Bayou 300 | 1981–2004 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE 4010 | 2009–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX500 | 1981–2004 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 | 1981–2026 | 6 | 29 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Kawasaki Utility | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki EX250 | — | 2 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 | 1981–2026 | 3 | 2 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX450 | 2006–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z H2 | 2020–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 | 2006–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 750 | 1981–2006 | 4 | 11 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 650R | 2011–2011 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki CONCOURS | 1981–2022 | 2 | 7 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Kawasaki W800 | 2019–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX110 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KDX200 | 1981–2006 | 1 | 3 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki PRAIRIE 360 | 2003–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ1000 | 1981–1983 | 4 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX100 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX250F | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 600 | 1985–1992 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Versys-X 300 | 2017–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Concours 14 | 1981–2026 | 25 | 52 | — | 4.0/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE 610 | 2005–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Brute Force 300 | 1981–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki W230 | 2025–2026 | 3 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Brute Force 450 | 2025–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX85 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Classic | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX140L | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mule 3010 | 2001–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX125 | 1981–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Automatic | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ650 | 1981–1983 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Super SHERPA | 1999–2009 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX-6RR | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z125 PRO | 2017–2026 | 2 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Touring | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mojave 250 | 1981–2004 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja 1100 | 2025–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 500 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mule Pro-MX | 2019–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KFX50 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZZR600 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX65 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 900 Custom | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki LAKOTA | 1995–2004 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KE100 | 1981–2001 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 | 1981–2026 | 5 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX230R | 2020–2024 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX250S | 1981–2026 | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Prairie 300 | 1999–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki W650 | 1981–2001 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Eliminator 125 | 1997–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX125 | 1981–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki BAYOU 250 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z900RS CAFE | 2018–2020 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja H2 SX | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki EX500 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki GPZ | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mule 1000 | 1987–1993 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KFX450R | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX-12R | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z800 | 2016–2016 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX300R | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZR-7 | 1981–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Prairie 400 | 1997–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ER-6n | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX-7R | 1996–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZRX 1100 | 1999–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja e-1 | 2024–2026 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KFX90 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX80 | 1981–2000 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4RR | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ750 | 1981–1984 | 2 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Prairie 650 | 2002–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R | 2012–2026 | 5 | 5 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZZR1200 | 1981–2005 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KFX700 | 2004–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki LE650 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mule 2510 | 1993–2002 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE PRO-FXR | 2018–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Brute Force 650 | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLR250 | 1981–2005 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KFX400 | 1981–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX1000 | — | 7 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ440 | 1981–1984 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 | 1981–2001 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z7 | 2024–2026 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R | 1994–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ550 | 1981–1984 | 1 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z750S | 1981–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX112 | 2022–2025 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZR-7S | 1981–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Versys 1000 | 2012–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX400 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Prairie 700 | 2004–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ1100 | 1981–1984 | 3 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX250SF | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE 4000 | 2009–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE 600 | 2005–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX600 | — | 2 | 3 | — | 3.5/5 |
| Kawasaki VN1500 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki EL250 | 1988–1994 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki EN500 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mule PRO-DXT | 2016–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Voyager XII | 1986–2003 | 3 | 3 | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KX60 | 1981–2003 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Mule 550 | 1997–2004 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZRX 1200R | 2001–2005 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Z e-1 | 2024–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KDX250 | 1981–1994 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KDX50 | 1981–2006 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Zephyr 750 | 1981–1994 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX1100 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX750 | 1981–1992 | 3 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE PRO-FX | 2016–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX450R | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ305 | 1981–1992 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki MULE MX | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R | 2000–2005 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZG1000 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Eliminator 600 | 1996–1997 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX650 | 1981–1996 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KZ250 | 1981–1983 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki LAKOTA SPORT | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZL1000 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Ninja ZX-4R | 2023–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Zephyr 1100 | 1993–1993 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZL600 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZR900 | — | 3 | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki EN650 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki KLX110L | 1981–2026 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki Vulcan 88 | 1987–1999 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX-7RR | 1996–1997 | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
| Kawasaki ZX900 | — | — | — | — | 4.5/5 |
Kawasaki by the numbers
What the federal records say about the marque. Each line links to the full breakdown by model and year.
| Topic | Kawasaki | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 161 campaigns | Most recalled: Electrical System |
| Owner complaints | 452+ filed | Most reported: KLR650 |
Compare model years like a dealer does.
- Full research report on any model year
- Market chart: how this model holds value
- Exact values with mileage adjustment
- Price-drop alerts on the trims you're watching
- No ads, no tracking — and much more
Get a Kawasaki window sticker by VIN
Recreate any Kawasaki's original Monroney label — MSRP, factory options, EPA MPG and safety — free from the VIN.
Kawasaki window stickers →How to read a Kawasaki VIN
Every Kawasaki built since 1981 carries a unique 17-character VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). It encodes where and when the vehicle was made, its engine and body — here's what each part means:
- WMI (1–3) — country & manufacturer. Tells you it's a Kawasaki and the country it was built in (real Kawasaki codes below).
- VDS (4–8) — model, body style, engine, trim & restraints. The 8th digit is the engine code.
- Check digit (9) — a math check that proves the VIN is genuine.
- Model year (10) — the year it was built (e.g. R = 2024, S = 2025).
- Plant (11) — which factory assembled it.
- Serial (12–17) — the unique sequential production number.
- USAJKA · JKB
- JapanJK8
- IndonesiaMH4
- ThailandML5
The remaining digits — engine (8th), model-year letter (10th) and plant — follow the universal SAE standard. The whole position-by-position breakdown — year codes 2001–2026, country codes, stamping locations — lives in our VIN decoder tool.
Who owns Kawasaki, and what you get
Kawasaki belongs to Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Kawasaki competes globally in motorcycles, ATVs and personal watercraft against Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, BMW, Ducati and KTM. The Ninja sportbike heritage and Z naked-bike series anchor street segments, while the KX motocross line wins major MX titles. Kawasaki's personal watercraft (Jet Ski) division dominates the PWC market with approximately 40-50% global market share. KHI's 2021 spin-off of Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. as a standalone subsidiary positions the motorcycle business for greater commercial focus.
| Kawasaki | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Ownership | Kawasaki Heavy Industries |
| Stock ticker | KWHIY |
| Basic warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 years / 60,000 miles |
| Assembly countries | United States, Thailand |
⚠ Worth knowing before you rely on it: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, while basic cover here runs 3 years / 36,000 miles. See when Kawasaki models actually start to break →
Kawasaki — frequently asked
Is Kawasaki japanese?
Kawasaki is a Japanese company, headquartered in Akashi and founded in 1896. The cars are a separate question: 94.4% of the Kawasaki vehicles in our records were assembled in the United States.
Where are Kawasaki cars made?
Across 3 manufacturer codes on record, assembly splits as: the United States (94.4%), Thailand (5.6%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the manufacturer and plant country — that is where these shares come from.
Who owns Kawasaki?
Kawasaki is part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
How many Kawasaki models are there?
We track 177 Kawasaki models spanning 1981–2026. The full list is above, ordered by how often each is searched.
What is the Kawasaki warranty?
New vehicles come with 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Terms vary by model year and market — confirm with a dealer.
Is Kawasaki reliable?
It depends far more on the model and year than on the badge. Every Kawasaki model is ranked by complaint rate here, along with the age at which each starts to fail.