Kawasaki, eager to grab their own slice of the glory, was the last of the major Japanese manufacturers to enter the high-octane world of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Although the company had a long history of engineering innovation, it adopted motorcycles relatively late in the day. However, Kawasaki did more than simply copy what the other Far Eastern firms were producing, and struck out on their own with some truly innovative designs. These were machines which are still regarded as classics today. This then is the story of how a previously little-known Japanese conglomerate became a household name in the West, through its trailblazing motorcycles, which were larger and faster than anything that their rivals had at that time. Kawasaki chose to showcase their machinery in the Isle of Man, at the world-famous TT races, and in the 1970s – the era of big hair, big flares and even bigger engines – they ripped up the record book time after time. The so called ‘Green Meanies’ became part of TT folklore, and the era of Kawasaki dominance was to be one of the most exciting in the history of the event.

Matthew Richardson is curator of social history at Manx National Heritage. He has a long term interest in military history, and has published widely on the subject of the two world wars in particular. In recent years he has produced a number of acclaimed exhibitions covering the Isle of Man TT races, and continues to research and publish in this area also.