Motorcycle specifications KawasakiMeguro S1 2026 A huge little souvenir

Meguro! A name rising under the sun. Some may think it's a new Japanese player in the world of motorcycles. But it's an iconic brand: nothing less than the central pillar of Kawasaki's first bikes.

Before that, Meguro was founded in 1924 to produce transmissions. The company was then one of the first in Japan to start creating motorcycles. It began with a 500 in 1937, the Z97. Some thirty models followed, before Kawasaki consigned them all to oblivion after absorbing the brand - in October 1964.

But in Akashi, nostalgia brought Meguro back to life at the end of 2020. A K3 model was cloned from the W 800 to revive the name founded by Nobuji Murata. Then a small S1 presented its wheels in 2023. A short wait and she was allowed to show her face here.

This little classic bike is as cute as a button, inspired by the 1964 250 SG. A real W 800 in miniature, like a runaway from a museum and the size of a 125. In fact, it's not much bigger. The Meguro S1 is powered by a 233 cm3 single-cylinder engine. A displacement almost impossible to find in our country.

With 18 hp and a mini-torque of 1.9 mkg, the S1 doesn't claim to be nervous. Nor does it want to be. Look at its '60s damsel look, its little air-cooled engine with 2 valves, a compression ratio worthy of the post-war era, the single camshaft, and its flimsy exhaust line ending in a sausage. You'd almost want to take out a screwdriver to adjust the carburetor - but there isn't one, it's an injection.

The Meguro is made for strolling, as if time had stood still. A bike on which you'd put a time convector to greet your great-grandparents and share a slice of chicory. But underneath its vintage look, the S1 complies with a certain modernism, with disc brakes, ABS and an LCD screen hidden in one of the two needle meters.

kawa offers its little protégée a few elements to enhance the look, such as spoked wheels, the old Meguro emblem in 3D on the sides of the tank, a chrome finish and steel mudguards. But what's that strange 170-like logo? It's neither speed nor displacement. It's the name Meguro written in Japanese characters .

All around and underneath, the technical side is identical to that of the W 230. Engine, double cradle steel tube frame, 37 mm fork, dual preload-adjustable shock absorbers, light weight (143 kg) and low seat height (only 740 mm) all announce simplicity and lightness of ride.

Meguro was born 100 years ago, and disappeared exactly 60 years ago. History buffs have not forgotten the marriage with the compatriot.
In the middle of the last century, the first Kawasakis were none other than Meguro models, slightly revised following an agreement between the two brands. Shortly afterwards, Kawa bought Meguro, and the adventure began in earnest, culminating in the successes the brand has achieved throughout its history.
Today, the Meguro S1 is a rebadged Kawasaki. It shares almost everything with the W 230 (little sister of the iconic classic W 800). We may not see many of them on the road, but they're sure to be the first thing on everyone's mind - in dealerships or under balconies.

M.B - Manufacturer's photos