Richard Paine is a big fan of Kawasaki's – so much so that if you cut him he’d probably bleed green!
That makes him ideal to be our new Kawasaki ambassador to help promote the brand and dealership.
Richard, 58, has owned 22 motorbikes altogether and half have been Kawasaki's.
He has 41 years’ experience of the marque since his first motorbike, a KE175 trail bike, when he was 17 (FS1E first of course!).
He then moved on to road models with two KH250 triples, a KH400, GPZ550, ZXR400 import, Z1000 MK1, Z1000 MK2 Eddie Lawson Rep and he’s currently riding a bright green Z900RS Café to which he’s adding his personal style touches (Eddie Style).
“It really started with the KH250 after the KE175, I remember it exactly,” he enthused. “It was bronze with a three-into-one handmade Piper exhaust, a half Dunstall fairing, ace bars and it did 100mph… allegedly! I was sold on Kawasaki's - they just seemed better than the rest.
“At one time I had three or four Kawasaki's in bits in my parents’ garage,” said Richard and the hoarding still goes on… “I’ve still got a 1985 GSX-R750 Slab-side in bits, also a 1991 GPZ550 Brat/Café Racer and a 1959 Mobylette moped. I’d have more if I could store them!”
Richard also runs a website – maximumbiker.com – and linked Instagram account @maximumbiker all about his passion for bikes.
He’s looking forward to his new role. The ambassador works with the dealership to organise at least four events a year for members of the Club Kawasaki community.
“I want to build awareness of Orwell Motorcycles and see these guys do well. It’s a great business and there’s a community here that needs to be accessed by more people,” explained Richard, a friend of director Dave Willis and Rob Walters and a customer here for many years.
“This business, and the people who run it have the right attitude and aptitude to build a community. It isn’t just about sales, it’s everything that goes with it. It’s friendly and very helpful.”