Size makes a difference
01/16/2016
In 1975, Kawasaki (and not Volkswagen) carried out a large-scale campaignin the United States to communicate the advantages of motorcycles to motorists. There were good reasons for this, as Kawasaki had recently become the first motorcycle manufacturer to set up a factory in the USA (Lincoln, Nebraska) and naturally had a keen interest in selling its motorcycles in the States. The two-cylinder Kawa KZ400 clearly outperformed the Honda competition in those years.
With a series of advertisements, Kawasaki tried to communicate that a motorcycle was cheaper than the VW Beetle, which was certainly also cheaper than the large American cars, precisely because of its smaller size. At the same time, a motorcycle is much more fun to ride than a car, which is a further advantage in addition to the low running costs and low maintenance prices. The Kawasaki KZ400 cost just USD 995.00 in 1975.
The idea of selling motorcycles as a cheap alternative to cars would probably not occur to anyone today. Until the sixties, two-wheelers were actually regarded as an entry-level motorization if you couldn't buy a car.
Here is the complete advertisement:
