Kawasaski KMB450 scans, 1994

[Rich Aitch]

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]

And the Superbike Magazine scan

 

[NakedGav]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[Muddy paw]

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]

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

Rich

 

[ibbz]

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