Vintage Motorcycle Decals — Reproduction Sets for the Classic Kawasaki

A '72 H2 didn't leave the factory with the same red as a '74. The KH series ran with different decal positioning year to year. The S1 and the S3 share a model line but carry different graphic weights. The spec changes more often than people expect.

That's the level the reproduction has to land at. Get the colour wrong on a '72 H2 and you can see it — the shape can be right while the red is off, the typeface a weight too heavy, or the gloss fighting the lacquer underneath. We work to the model year, not the model line.

Three things give a wrong vintage motorcycle sticker away under a careful look:

• Colour — the red on a '72 H2 isn't the red on a '74. The KH series ran with at least three different reds across the 250 / 400 / 500 lineup. Get one wrong and it shows alongside an original tank.
• Typeface weight — the model badges on the S series carry a slightly heavier stroke than the same script on the KH. A reproduction that's too light or too heavy reads as a re-draw rather than a copy.
• Gloss level — the original decals had a specific gloss that worked with the factory clear coat. A flat or extra-glossy reproduction fights the surrounding paintwork once the bike is finished.

We work to the model year, not the model line. That's the only way to keep all three of those right.

The range covers Kawasaki's classic two-stroke road bikes, the trail and enduro line, and the early singles. 1970s through to the 1990s.

• Triples (road) — H1 500, H2 750, S1 250, S2 350, S3 400, KH 250 / 400 / 500
• Trail and enduro — KE, KT, KX, KD, KDX, KMX
• F series — earlier two-stroke singles and trail bikes
• KS — street and commuter singles

Fifty-four sets, model-year specific. £55–68 per set. UK and Europe shipping.

We print on gloss self-adhesive polymeric vinyl with a white permanent adhesive (low initial tack). Print machines are large-format Roland TRUEVIS, running solvent inks — waterproof, with proven longevity.

Once on the tank, the decal should be clear-coated with a 2K product. That protects against petrol spills, sun, and the general handling any well-used bike picks up. Every order includes a free printed sample so you can test your clear-coat before committing it to the real decal.

A lot of restoration paint isn't original — it's been re-shot to current spec, often in modern 2K. Modern 2K is harder than the original lacquer and lays down with a different gloss profile. The good news: our vintage kawasaki stickers sit on either surface fine. The thing to test is the clear coat you plan to spray over the top.

Always test on the free printed sample we send with every order. Some clear coats can react with the solvent ink — better to find that out on a scrap than on the real decal. Once the test is clean, you're set. Vintage decals aren't meant to look new. They're meant to look like the originals did, on the paintwork they sit on now.

A vintage kawasaki sticker that's been clear-coated properly will outlast most paint jobs. Solvent ink under 2K clear is a tough, long-lasting combination — UV stable, petrol-resistant, not bothered by the weather. The thing that shortens decal life isn't usually the decal itself, it's what gets put on top of it.

A few practical notes for the long term:

• Let the clear coat fully cure before exposing the bike to fuel. A few days minimum. Some 2K systems need a week to reach full hardness.
• Avoid chemical cleaners on the tank — even years after the build. Solvent-based cleaners and some bug removers can react with the underlying ink if the clear coat has worn or chipped through.
• Wipe down with soap and water for routine cleaning. The bike paint will thank you and so will the decals.
• For a bike going into long storage, a soft cover is better than a tarpaulin pressed hard against the tank. Long-term contact pressure is one of the few things that can dent vinyl over time.

If a piece does start to fade or lift years down the line, we keep printing files for the full range — a replacement single is straightforward. Send us the bike's model and year and we'll match what's on the tank now. There's no time limit on this — the artwork files don't expire just because a few years have passed since the original order.

If we haven't reproduced your set yet, send us the model and year. We'll quote a custom set, or let you know when this one's coming. Custom enquiries get a reply within a working day, and we won't quote a set unless we're sure we can hit the spec — if it's not viable for us we'll say so directly.

For custom sets or anything not listed: send us a message.

• Classic motorcycle decals — the full Kawasaki range across road, trail, and enduro.
• Restoration decals — the final step on a long build.
• UK-made motorcycle decals — shipping from Norfolk, no import duties.