Who Makes Kawasaki's Performance Oils & What Engines Are They Made For?

For decades, Kawasaki has been heralded by vehicle enthusiasts as a top-tier choice for riders seeking reliability and power above all else. While Kawasaki's array of capable ATVs, jet skis, and side-by-sides have garnered plenty of praise, it's their line of superb motorcycles that the company is most well-known for. Even if Kawasaki didn't start making motorcycles until the early 1960s, there's little denying the impact these mean machines have had on both the brand's reputation and the motorcycle industry as a whole. Whichever route you go down, picking a ride that suits your style isn't the only thing to consider — you'll also want to make sure you have the right oil to power it. 

There are plenty of performance oils sold with the Kawasaki name attached to it, but does that mean the company itself is responsible for manufacturing them? In short, yes, Kawasaki is responsible for the creation of its oil. While more general oil brands such as Costco's Kirkland and Amazon Basics are often made by less specific manufacturers, owing to their use in a wide variety of average consumer vehicles, Kawasaki claims to develop its performance oil in an effort to suit the specific needs of their high performing engines. This certainly makes Kawasaki oil come in at a higher price tag due to this perceived value, but it makes for a sensible investment for those who want their engines to perform at their highest capacity. 

With the strength and longevity that Kawasaki oil is said to offer, it might be tempting to pour it into any engine you have with the hopes that it will breathe new life into your machine. But given the specificity of how Kawasaki performance oil is manufactured and the variety of vehicles available under the company, there's no one-size-fits-all option. 

Depending on the power of your engine, there are different components that require specific levels of support. The Kawasaki Ninja H2R is among the company's most high performing engines, thus needing oil that can account for its particularly powerful valves, pistons, transmission, clutch, and more.  Meanwhile, a Kawasaki Mule UTV Engine runs on a lower RPM, but needs more oil and must be able to run for longer stretches of time. And a Kawasaki jet ski must remain protected from excessive moisture and rust building up during the times of year when it's not in use. 

Thankfully, Kawasaki has taken much of the guesswork out of finding your specific oil, with three lines to choose from between motorcycle, ATV/UTV, and jet ski watercraft, all available in a range of viscosities for different models. To best determine what oil works best for you, check the service manual that came with your vehicle or the Kawasaki website to see what kind of oil is best for your machine.