Kawasaki riders claimed podium finishes in all three race classes yesterday as the racing at the NW200 commenced – including the first International Road Race victory for the all new Kawasaki 650.

In the Supersport class, JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider James Hillier achieved the first Kawasaki podium of the evening after battling for the race win, he crossed the line in an impressive third position.

In the Superstock class, Dean Harrison showed his Silicone Engineering Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR had the pace to fight at the front as he battled hard with Lee Johnston, finishing in third place as the chequered flag was waved.

The last race of the evening was the Lightweight race, in which it was a clean sweep for Kawasaki, taking a top-ten lock down as the race ended.

Lightweight race winner, Martin Jessop, was aboard the brand-new 650cc machine which meant the 2017 model took its first win in this competitive class. Powered by a compact 650cc parallel twin, liquid-cooled engine both the Z650, and its sporty-faired brother the Ninja 650, are brand new for 2017.

Racing Co-ordinator for Kawasaki Motors UK, Ross Burridge, said: “What a great evening for Kawasaki! The Supersport class isn’t even James’ strongest, so to get a podium finish is fantastic. Dean is also continuing to prove he is a force to be reckoned with in all classes, so we can’t wait to see what they can both do on Saturday. The highlight has to be the Lightweight race though, a great win for Martin on the new 650, and taking a clean sweep of the top 10 places is awesome. We are now expecting to see many more new 650 Kawasaki’s – especially the Ninja 650 – on the Lightweight grid at the upcoming TT in June.  For now, let’s hope the weather holds for more great NW200 racing on Saturday.”

For more information on the Kawasaki range, visit: www.kawasaki.co.uk