Justifiably a yearly pilgrimage for Kawasaki fans - plus those who ride other brands - the fun, family atmosphere at Rockingham was challenged by rain early in the day as Simon Riches explained.

“I set the MULE and ATV experience up on the Saturday at the far side of the circuit and the ground was cracking with the heat. To be honest a little rain was a good thing and I was busy all day on Sunday giving people their first taste of Kawasaki four wheeled off-roading.”

On the track itself, the first few customer riding sessions were conducted with some understandable caution but as lunchtime approached the rain ceased and the track was dried by a gentle breeze. Just as well as one lucky Kawasaki facebook page winner was being strapped into a Maxxis drift car for a couple of intense laps of 600 horsepower drifting.

Paul Malone of Notts entered the free draw via Kawasaki News UK facebook and his experience did not disappoint.

“A truly fantastic day both for me and the family”, exclaimed Paul.”The Kawasaki representatives were so generous with their time and put me at ease, and were so kind to my boys. Paul Smith who drove the drift car was an absolute gent and a fantastic driver. The nerves had gone by the first bend and I just wanted to enjoy the experience to the full and Paul made that happen.“

Doing a great job of “laying some rubber” on the by now dry surface, the next track event was  a chance for Ninja H2 owners to ride Rockingham and unleash their supercharged Supersport bikes with the added bonus of track time alongside Ninja H2R mounted James Ellison and Chris Walker.

In impressive sight, Ninja H2 owners paraded their machines along with the booming echo of two Ninja H2R machines on the track at once.

“It was a great chance to see the Ninja H2R and Ninja H2 in their element”, commented National Sales Manager for Kawasaki, Craig Watson who was on hand to offer help and advice. “The sound of the Ninja H2R warming up drew crowds at the NEC show so the noise of nearly 3000 combined horsepower certainly made the track a focal point”.

As booked track sessions continued for those that had arrived on their bikes, others enjoyed the attractions around Rockingham including BSB and TT rider interviews plus an impromptu celebrity Mini-moto race, a live band and displays by riders taking part in the European Stunt Championship including Kawasaki’s Lee Bowers.

“Not only did we have a showroom in the main building but people could also book a test ride on local roads”, commented Marketing Section Head, Gill Jockel. “If that did not appeal then the Maxxis drift cars were in tyre smoking action all day and there was a chance to visit the Dickies stand and enter the Dickies Worker of the Year competition with a Kawasaki motorcycle as a grand prize.”

Dickies also sponsored the oldest Kawasaki prize which was awarded to Russell Brown of Kings Cliffe with his immaculate 1974 750 H2B. “I’ve only replaced one brake hose and the tyres, the rest is totally original”, said Russell joking that; “If I could have saved the original tyre air I would have!”.

Adding the final element to the day, Mick Extance was on hand to give tuition for aspiring off –road riders. As a former Paris-Dakar rally competitor there was no better tutor according to Kawasaki’s racing coordinator, Ross Burridge. “Visitors could either book a Lee Dunham schooling day at his stand near the stage or go along to the off road area and have a go right there. Both Mick and Lee said that visitors had enjoyed the day and their eyes had been opened to off-road sport.”
According to Kawasaki’s head of marketing in the UK, Mark Spiller, World of Kawasaki is going from strength to strength.

“It's difficult sometimes to live-up to clichés that so easily role off the tongue, 'like bigger and better than before', but this was the aspiration for the 2015 World of Kawasaki and I think we achieved it! Some 2920 visitors passed through the gates to participate in a jammed packed day. 

Honestly speaking, the only thing I would have done differently is add another day and order nine hours of sunshine rather than four, but there's always next year!”
 
And from the crowd, the comments were equally positive:
 
Mark Gipps – Ninja ZX-6R owner from Dover:
 
“The stunt show was really impressive. This is my first time at a Kawasaki event since joining the KRC”.
 
Janine Binley – of Corby
 
“It was great to see so many bikes all doing different things – there was always something going on”
 
Jessica Parrish – from Cheltenham
 
“Bloody incredible – all the stunt riders were egging each other on, it’s so entertaining”
 
And of the exclusive KRC hospitality area:
 
John Asthorpe – Southampton
 
“Everyone was so helpful and friendly”
 
Mick Lucas – also Southampton
 
“It’s amazing to actually speak to riders like Ian Hutchinson and Chris Walker, to have that access is incredible”
 
Joe Allison – KRC member from Portsmouth –
 
“We organised a meet up point on the KRC forum and rode up together – it’s great to meet up at World of Kawasaki”.
 
Dick Dews – of Selby, Yorks
 
“Thoroughly enjoyed it. I’ve been for three years now and I am looking forward now to next year’s event.”