4 October 2020 Kawasaki celebrate new Chris Walker store with Billy Art commission

Kawasaki Motors UK has celebrated the opening of Chris Walker Kawasaki’s new showroom in Grantham, by gifting the racing legend with a unique commission by Billy Art
Originally intended to be handed over earlier this year, before the national lockdown, Sales & Marketing Manager Craig Watson was able to visit the impressive newly relocated dealership in September.
 
Opening at the start of the year, the new dealership has been designed to provide bikers in the local area and beyond with a unique destination to visit. Alongside featuring the latest Kawasaki machinery, the dealership also has a host of memorabilia from Walker’s incredible history as well as a performance centre, café and barbers!
 
To mark the new facility, Kawasaki Motors UK secured the original pencil drawing created by famous Fine Art creator Billy Art. The original artwork will now hang inside the dealership alongside other iconic images from Chris’ long and successful racing career. You can view the timelapse of the artwork being created here.
 
Speaking after gifting Stalker with the drawing, Craig Watson, Kawasaki Motors UK Sales & Marketing Manager added, “The new dealership is amazing and is the perfect blend of a retail environment and social hub. There’s a great atmosphere as soon as you enter and the showroom has some incredible additions from Stalker’s career, including old race leathers and even a few of his old race bikes.
 
Alongside the things you would normally expect to find in a Kawasaki Store, there’s also the Route 607 Barbers and even a tattooist! It really is a destination for all bikers in the region and we’re proud to have marked the opening by gifting Chris this stunning Billy Art commission.”
 
Chris Walker added, “Obviously this has not quite been the opening year we had envisioned! My goal is for Chris Walker Kawasaki to become a local landmark and before the lockdown it was phenomenal and we had so many bikers flocking in to the store and relaxing in our café. Even since we’ve reopened there’s been lots of bikers coming for a takeaway coffee or a socially distanced meet, and I’m really looking forward to when things can get back to some normality.
 
It was a mega surprise to have this artwork from Kawasaki. I’ve seen Billy’s work loads over the years, but to have an original is pretty special, so it’s an honour to have it hanging in the dealership.”