Roly Baker, head of parts and aftersales at Kawasaki Engines, makes sure that when you need a part for your engine, we’ll do all we can to get it to you – even if the engine hasn’t been manufactured in twenty years or more.
Because Kawasaki engines are built to last. And when you purchase a machine with a Kawasaki engine, our support is made to last with it. We choose quality above all – earning the trust of professional landscapers requires more than performance; it needs to be proven.
We spoke to Roly to discuss how we’ve proven the performance of our engines over the years, sharing stories of supplying parts for engines that are now decades old, and the support that sets us apart.
With an engineering legacy that spans over six decades, and a drive to continuously innovate and improve, Kawasaki engines have evolved over time – and many older engine series are no longer in production.
But in a testament to the quality of Kawasaki engines – a cornerstone of our company that has never changed – we still get requests for genuine parts for engines that are 20, 30, or even over 40 years old.
Roly fields many of these requests as head of parts and aftersales; “Last year, we sold over 1000 air filters for our FA series of engines, which were launched in the 1970s and produced until 2004.
“For the FD series – which hasn’t been manufactured in 15 years – we sold more than 1500 air filters. 25 and 15 years on, respectively, we’re still producing the air filter, and they’re still being used. We know our engines are excellent, but nothing confirms this more than knowing they’re still active after decades.”
Though Kawasaki Engines largely manufactures engines to power professional landscaping equipment, pre-2000, this included other machinery, such as cultivators and generators.
We still receive requests for parts for a long discontinued series of generator engines – some of which are over 50 years old. Roly explains, “We’ve had some enquiries about very old KT engines, dating from the late 60s and 70s.”
“You can’t approach a request for an engine of that age in the same way. For these, despite our extensive back-catalogue of technical PDFs online, we have to go analogue, finding the original paper catalogue detailing the parts. We then supply this to the distributor that received the request, and scan and publish it online in our database as well.
“Even if we don’t have the original part in stock, or a part that’s superseded it, providing the guidance can help the owner source the part they need elsewhere – and we’re always happy to help.”
A Kawasaki engine is designed to go the extra mile, and with regular maintenance, can last for many years. You can rest assured that in those years, whether it’s two or 20 after purchase, you can rely on our support. Though there’s no guarantee a part can be sourced for long-discontinued engines, we do all that we can to help – like our engines, we go the extra mile to support you and your business.
For performance and longevity, following the correct maintenance schedule and sourcing the right parts for your engine is essential. This information is all available on our website in our technical downloads section.
If you need to find a particular part number, or simply want to find out more about your engine, you can explore our extensive Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC), going back as far as 1978 – all freely available, no login required.
“It’s almost open-source,” says Roly. “We make all this information public on our website, you don’t even need a login. We’ve got EPC data for engines going back as far as 1978. It’s phenomenal, really. If someone has their model number, they can look it up on our website and find all the information they need.”
“Our attitude is, if the information’s there, let's make it available. We’ve converted so many files to digital – it was a decision made when the EPC was first created to get the back catalogue on as well. And if a catalogue is requested, we put it online. Some go back to the 60s, which is truly impressive – we only manufactured our first engine in 1957.”
Helping professionals keep their engine operating at its highest level for years is our priority – making this information readily available is part of that commitment. To recap your maintenance schedule or find a specific part number, find your engine’s technical information here.
Kawasaki stands for engineering quality to exceed your expectations: never cutting corners, always prioritising reliability.
This is true of our engines, and true of genuine parts. All are made to an engineering standard, for safety, quality, and longevity – and tested under extreme conditions to know they can withstand the demands of a professional landscaper’s schedule.
Our commitment to quality is the reason we only manufacture a single line of genuine parts.
“There’s no cheaper alternative,” Roly says. “We make all our parts to the same high standard. If something seems expensive, it’s because it’s built to engineering tolerances – not to a price point. It’s a philosophy I respect; Kawasaki stands for quality, and we won’t offer an inferior part. If you’re purchasing a Kawasaki engine, you want the best.”
“We won’t cut corners,” Roly adds. “If a part is changed, it’s due to quality improvements or compliance requirements – never to reduce cost. We won’t compete with low-cost imports, or ‘engineer down’. Quality is non-negotiable for us.”
Kawasaki genuine parts are designed to maximise performance and extend engine life; professional landscapers shouldn’t have to compromise on either. To find out more about how genuine parts benefit your engine, read our comparison with aftermarket parts here.
When you’re busy running a business, it’s important to know you can access replacement parts when required without delays. To make sure parts are where you need them, when you need them, we hold significant volumes of stock and work diligently to provide an efficient supply.
Roly comments, “We stock over 3,500 different parts; the range has increased in recent years. In our European warehouse to support our network, we hold 1.2 million Euros worth of stock. This is supplemented by additional stock from the US, Japan and China.”
“It’s our aim that when a request for a part comes in, we can fulfil it as quickly as possible. We have a 94 percent rate of success, which is fantastic – but we’re always aiming higher.”
Supplying parts for older engines is a slightly more complicated process, but we do all we can to provide support. As Roly says, “It’s not unusual for us to have parts in stock for engines that are 25 or 30 years old. Even if a part is no longer manufactured, we still may have stock – not for everything, but in many instances.”
“Some parts have also been superseded – and the new part still functions with the older engine. If we’re looking at an engine that dates back to the 80s, for example, we can see if the part has been replaced and provide the newer version. If all else fails, we can provide part numbers and cross references, so people can try to source the part themselves.”
If you’re getting your engine serviced, or looking for a particular part, our extensive network of Kawasaki Engines Authorised Dealers can help – backed by our distributors across Europe and supported by the excellent work of Roly and his team. To find your nearest Authorised Dealer, click here.
A Kawasaki engine is an investment in your business, and powering your livelihood is a responsibility we take seriously. With exceptional engineering standards and a fantastic support network, you can trust Kawasaki power to deliver day after day, year after year.
Kawasaki Engines are built for professionals that follow our own philosophy – a refusal to downgrade, or compromise on quality. To get the job done to the best of our ability, never to cut corners.
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