This is the second part of the August '64 Cycle World ad by Ken Kay Distributing, the west coast importer of Suzuki. As with the previous post, the photo of the machine advertised has been cropped and blown up for your detailed examination. The actual ad was a two-page spread with a small photo and a few facts about the machine printed in very large text. All the facts noted in the ad are repeated below.
Ken Kay claimed this was the lowest priced 125cc with electric starter sold in the USA in 1964 at $435. The specifications included a rotary four-speed foot shift on the left side, turn signals, sealed beam headlight, and an electric gear position indicator. You can see from the photo that a luggage rack and whitewall tires were also included. The front fender was chrome and the rear was molded from the pressed steel frame. Note the unusual chrome downtube bolted to the front of the engine case.
The big story is that, as far as I know, this was actually the first Kawasaki imported into the U. S.! The Kawasaki moniker was not used on this machine. It was as if the company was testing the market. I have in my files a photo of a 1964 Kawasaki 125 imported into Canada. Of course I have no proof that that stated year is correct, but that machine is almost identical to this one. The tires are blackwall, there is no mudguard on the rear fender, the trim on the engine case and sidecovers are different, and the rubber knee pad is different, but otherwise it is the same. A photo of a 1966 Kawasaki 125 shows the same machine yet again, except the suspension styling has been updated with rubber gaiters in the front and exposed chrome springs in the rear. Brochures of other Kawasaki models in 1966 show machines with Superlube oil injection, so I assume that the 1966 125 has it, too, but this Omega does not. The other Japanese brands had obviously had time to copy Yamaha's Autolube for the release of their 1966 models.
See also: Kawasaki G3-TR Bushmaster
1972 Kawasaki 350 Triple
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