On January 14, Kawasaki applied for a new trademark for the Meguro name with the European Union Intellectual Property Office – for use with “two-wheeled motor vehicles; motorcycles; bicycles; structural parts for motorcycles.” Last week it has submitted also similar applications for the Meguro name inNew Zealand, Australia, the U.S. and the Philippines.

1962 Meguro K1

Meguro name occupies a special place in the history of the Japanese motor industry.In 1930s, the Meguro Manufacturing Company started its activity by investing in Harley-Davidson after the Wall Street Crash in 1929 in the USA. After receiving control of some of H-D’s technology,Meguro began manufacturing gearboxes and then its own motorcycles. In the 1950s, Meguro started building copies of the BSA A7 with a 651cc Parallel-Twin engine. And for a while, Meguro was the second-largest motorcycle manufacturer just behind Honda.

In 1960,Kawasaki Heavy Industriesacquired an interest in Meguro – and later, in 1963, assumed full control.Kawasaki continuedto build BSA clones, most notably the Meguro K and Kawasaki K lineups, and in 1965 Kawasaki started producing the W1, the precursor to the modern day W-model. Therefore, returning of the Meguro name should be regarded primarily as the desire of Kawasaki to expand the range of its retro models.

So how did the Meguro name disappear? On the left - Meguro logo composed of two M letters on the tank of 1961 K1 model. On the upper right is the 1964 K2 model tank, above the Meguro name is the Kawasaki logo, which they used from 1961 to 1967. On the bottom right - Kawasaki logo on the 1968 W1.

Now Kawasaki has three motorcycles in the W line: W175 – for India and Asia, W250 - better known as Estrella, W800 - newly updated flagship.

Kawasaki W1

Also, do not forget that Kawasaki retro models are also presented by the Z900RS lineup. And if the niche of the medium-cubic retro bikes has long been occupied by Triumph, for instance, the segment for the beginners is almost not represented by major brands. In the USA you will be offered the Cleveland CycleWerks models, in England - Mutt, Mash or Bullit, in Italy - FB Mondial.What unites all these brands? Of course, Chinese engines!

As a result, buyers have a rather specific choice - either old (not necessarily used) Japanese bikes like the SR400, or new Chinese ones of locally assembly. If Kawasaki is going to expand its retro-line with global models under the Meguro name, we will have a healthy alternative. The only condition – the price tags to be competitive,and not like in the case of the W800 ($9,799).

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