Kawasaki Motors Corp. has a new president

TAKESHI TERANISHI NAMED NEW KAWASAKI PRESIDENT
AS SCOTT KIYAMA RETURNS TO JAPAN

New company president to assume position April 1.

IRVINE, Calif. (Mar. 30, 2009)--Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. has announced that Shigehiko (“Scott”) Kiyama, company president since 2006, will be succeeded in that position by Takeshi Teranishi, effective April 1, 2009. Kiyama has been at Kawasaki since 2002, serving initially as director of planning, marketing and sales.
Kiyama will return to Japan and assume a new assignment as general manager of the Supply Chain Division, Consumer Products and Machinery Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (KHI).
Teranishi, who most recently headed the Sales and Marketing Division at KHI’s Consumer Products and Machinery Company, is an experienced executive who has spent several years in the powersports industry. He served in various key planning positions while assigned to Kawasaki’s European operations.
Also fluent in French, Teranishi was first named to head the company’s office in France, prior to transferring to its European headquarters in the Netherlands, where he served as general director of the Corporate Planning Division and the Marketing Division.
Kiyama said the incoming president will bring a “considerable amount of consumer products background, and he is in a good position to quickly adapt to the market here in the U.S.”
During Kiyama’s tenure at KMC, the company introduced several key products that have helped it increase market share. These class-leading models include the Kawasaki Ninja® ZX™-14 sportbike, the Jet Ski® Ultra® 250 personal watercraft, Teryx™ brand recreation utility vehicles, and the Concours™ 14 sport touring motorcycle.
Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC) markets and distributes Kawasaki motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, utility vehicles and recreation utility vehicles through a network of more than 1,500 independent retailers, with an additional 8,000 retailers specializing in Kawasaki general purpose engines and hand-held power products. KMC and its affiliates employ nearly 3,650 people in the United States, with 430 of them located at KMC's Irvine, California headquarters.
Kawasaki’s tagline, “Let the good times roll.™”, is recognized worldwide. The Kawasaki brand has become synonymous with powerful, stylish motorcycles for over four decades. Information about Kawasaki’s complete line of recreational products and Kawasaki affiliates can be found on the Internet at www.kawasaki.com.

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Pro Armor Kawasaki Teryx finishes second at Parker 250

The Pro Armor Kawasaki Teryx built by Side X Side Outfitterz had an outstanding race this past weekend at the Best in the Desert Parker 250.
Starting the race at 7:30 the team of Mike Lasher and Rick "Wally" Wallace took off into the rising sun and battled dust, whoops, and blinding glare from the sun for the first 25 miles. Once out of the mid way pit with a quick adjustment to the shocks, complements of Speed Technologies it was smooth sailing from there. The Lockmann Precision motor ran strong all race hitting a top speed of 60.04 MPH on the GPS. When the car reached the main pit the team had their work in store. A driver change putting Tim Orchard and Dave Elbert into the car, adding 10 gallons of gas, adjusting the preload on the rear shocks, and an increase in the nitrogen of the rear shocks was all completed in under 3 minutes. The Second lap was smooth sailing as well, as Tim and Dave picked off the competition one UTV at a time finishing in the second spot just 7 minutes behind the leaders. Look for the Pro Armor Kawasaki Teryx to be on display at the Powersports Expo Feb 13-15 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The next race for the team is the Terrible's Town 250 April 17-19, 2009. Team

Sponsors include: Kawasaki, Pro Armor, Side X Side Outfitterz, OMF Performance, Walker Evans, CST Performance, ITP, Simpson, Lockmann Precision, Side X Side Action Magazine, K & N, DynaTek And HMF.

Photo courtesy of Robert Laxson.

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ROHVA Announces Safety Rules for Safe and Responsible Use of UTVs

ROHVA Announces Safety Rules for Safe and Responsible Use of Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles

Receives ANSI Accreditation to Develop Voluntary Vehicle Standard for this Emerging New Product Category

IRVINE, Calif., Nov 10, 2008 -- Formed by the major manufacturers and distributors to promote the safe and responsible use of a new and emerging category of recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs), the Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) received ANSI accreditation on November 3, 2008 to develop a standard for the equipment, configuration and performance requirements of ROVs. In addition, ROHVA has published Safety Rules for these increasingly popular off-road vehicles.
An ROV -- sometimes broadly referred to as a side-by-side or UTV -- is a motorized off-highway vehicle designed to travel on four or more non-highway tires, with a steering wheel, non-straddle seating, seat belts, an occupant protective structure, and engine displacement up to 1,000cc. Current models are designed with seats for a driver and one or more passengers. ROVs' performance and durability make them ideally suited for a variety of outdoor recreational activities as well as many work applications.
The following "ROV Safety Rules" focus on safe and responsible ROV use:

1. Always wear protective gear, use the seat belts, keep all parts of your body inside the ROV, and wear a helmet when driving the ROV for recreational purposes.
2. Never drive on public roads -- another vehicle could hit you.
3. Drive only in designated areas, at a safe speed, and use care when turning and crossing slopes.
4. Never drive under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
5. Never drive an ROV unless you're 16 or older or have a driver's license. ROVs are not toys.
6. Never carry more passengers than the ROV is designed for, and never allow a passenger who is too small to sit in a passenger seat to ride in the ROV.
7. Read and follow the operator's manual and warning labels.

"The safety of the driver and passengers of ROVs is the top priority of the ROHVA member companies," said ROHVA Vice President Tom Yager. "ROHVA and our member companies strongly recommend that ROV drivers and passengers follow these important safety rules to avoid crashes and injuries."
ROHVA submitted its application for accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) on June 13, 2008 and received accreditation to develop a standard for ROVs on November 3. ROHVA will manage the standards development process and make certain that the final standard is in full compliance with ANSI guidelines. An approved ANSI standard for equipment configuration and performance requirements in this emerging product category will benefit consumers.
In addition, ROHVA will serve as the primary resource for information on ROVs. To coincide with its ANSI accreditation the association has launched a website, www.rohva.org, and has published ROV Safety Rules as well as a description of this emerging vehicle category. Further specific ROV educational materials are currently under development and will be posted to the site.
ROVs offered in dealerships across the country include the Arctic Cat Prowler, Kawasaki TERYX(TM), Polaris Ranger(R) and Ranger RZR(TM), and Yamaha Rhino models.
The Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association (ROHVA) was formed to promote the safe and responsible use of recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) manufactured or distributed in North America. Based in Irvine, Calif., the not-for-profit trade association is sponsored by Arctic Cat, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, and Yamaha.

SOURCE: Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association
Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association
Media Relations
(949) 255-2560, Ext. 3132

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