In 1949, Kawasaki entered the motorcycle industry, producing small engines that could be adapted to motorcycles. With the help of BMW, 60 cc twostroke, as well as a 150cc and a 250cc fourstroke engines were developed which became the KE engine. This was completed at the Takatsuki factory in 1952. Mass production of these 148cc, four stroke single cylinder engines, started in 1953

In 1954 that Kawasaki Motorcycles produced their first complete motorcycle under the name of Meihatsu (a subsidiary of Kawasaki Aircraft Co.).