Having spent almost five decades immersed in the motorcycle industry, Nick Morgan and MSS Kawasaki have played a vital role in Team Green’s evolution here in the UK. From starting as an apprentice at a Kawasaki dealership to running the brand’s official British Superbike Championship entry, it’s been an incredible journey to date.

We caught up with him to look back on where it all began, the bikes and riders that inspired him, and why his passion for Kawasaki is as strong today as it was nearly 50 years ago.

"My love affair with Kawasaki really began back in 1979 when I started my apprenticeship with Daytona Kawasaki in Hornchurch," Nick explains. "It was a fantastic time to join the industry because I got to work on some incredible motorcycles, including the Z1300, Z1000, Z1000 MkII, Z400B and Z750."

Working alongside dealership principal Malcolm Gentry also opened the door to another side of motorcycling. "Malcolm was heavily involved in drag racing, and that coincided with the arrival of the Z1000 Turbo. Being around that environment sparked my interest in motorcycle tuning and performance, and from then on, I was hooked."

It wasn't long before that fascination developed into racing himself. "I started racing in 1982 when I was around 18 years old. Most people would probably begin on a 250cc or 400cc machine, but I jumped straight in at the deep end on a GPZ1100 B1! It was a big, heavy, powerful bike and certainly a handful, but back then, it was an iconic motorcycle. Looking back now, it's probably the equivalent of starting your racing career on a modern Ninja ZX-10R."

I've ridden other brands over the years, but I've always come back to Kawasaki. For me, they've always been innovators. Even in those early days, they were introducing technology like fuel injection on bikes such as the Z1000H and GPZ models, and they were never afraid to push the boundaries. That willingness to do things differently is what has built such incredible loyalty around the Green Team. Even today, you only have to look at bikes like the Ninja H2 or, more recently, the new KX327 two-stroke to see Kawasaki is still prepared to be bold."

As someone who's spent much of his life around Kawasaki race bikes, there are naturally a few standout machines that remain close to his heart. "The ZXR750 and later the Ninja ZX-7RR will always be favourites of mine. I raced both the K and M models at the Manx Grand Prix, and they were fantastic motorcycles. They had brilliant handling, a superb chassis, great reliability, and they were genuinely competitive for privateer riders.

That whole era was special. You had gear-driven cams, dry clutches and legendary tuners like Rob Muzzy developing some incredible race bikes. I honestly believe those motorcycles helped create the racing DNA that eventually led to successes like Jonathan Rea's domination of WorldSBK on the Ninja ZX-10R."

With so many legendary riders having represented Kawasaki over the years, choosing a favourite isn't easy. "There are so many great names because Kawasaki has always attracted special riders," he laughs. "If I had to choose one, though, it would probably be Scott Russell. He seemed capable of winning anything, whether it was Daytona or World Superbike, and he really took Kawasaki to another level.