Kawasaski KMB450 scans, 1994

Rich Aitch · Sep 26, 2010

Kawasaki had a go at selling mountain bikes through Kawasaki motorbike dealers, as part of a half baked "Go into a motorbike dealer to buy a motorbike, come out with a pushbike instead" business plan. The only reviews I ever saw for them- although there might be more- were in motorbike magazines as a "Well fancy that, Kawasaki have started building bikes with no engines" kind of way. For anybody who's interested here are the reviews from Bike magazine, October 1994 [Nice uncharacteristically subtle paint job] and then Superbike Magazine "Midsummer 1994" with re-asuringly lime green paint.

Rich Aitch · Sep 26, 2010

And the Superbike Magazine scan

NakedGav · Oct 29, 2010

Is that really a picture of a former world champion training near his ranch ?
Looks a lot like Richard Allaway who rode for the UK Kawasaki mountain bike team to me !

Rich Aitch · Dec 5, 2010

Magazine humour I expect. Scott Russell was 6'1" so I suppose it could have been judging by the seat height and assuming that the frame size is about 17". But if I'd won a world championship I'd want a bit more from my employer than a mountain bike that they couldn't sell. James Toseland got a grand piano from the GSE Ducati team, so that makes a 21 speed mountain bike seam a bit lame!

Rich Aitch · Jan 27, 2013

Here is Performance Bikes magazine's [Why did only motorbike mags take an interest?] review of a 17" KMB450 from 1995. I'd never thought of dyno'ing a pedal bike, sheer insane genius!

And the contents page

Rich Aitch · Jan 27, 2013

The advertisement carried in the same edition, note the "Let the good times roll!" slogan, I always liked that, can never remember any other motorbike co slogans:

Rich Aitch · Jan 27, 2013

And here is the original U.S brochure from 1994:

Muddy paw · May 17, 2013

Well i never new they ever made mountain bikes :facepalm: and of course they were that well advertised that i mustn't of been paying attention :shock: ..

Rich · May 18, 2013

Deffo Richard Allaway eh! Didn't know they did a carbon bike either!

Rich

ibbz · Jan 4, 2021

Thanks for this info and there’s one on sale on eBay right now

Kawasaski KMB450 scans, 1994

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