The Kawasaki M1030 military motorcycle succeeded the earlier Kawasaki KLR 250 line which debuted in 1984. The M1030 was adopted by the United States military and has since served its various service branches including the United States Marine Corps (USMC), United States Air Force (USAF), and special forces groups. The M1030 has continued the trend of lightweight, fast-moving, robust military systems seen in past iterations of American military motorcycles for such vehicles are used in various battlefield roles - message delivery, fast attack, reconnaissance, etc... The M1030 is a militarized form of the civilian Kawasaki KLR 650 series.
The original M1030 model was powered by a 23 horsepower single-cylinder engine of 250cc mated to a six-speed transmission system and this was then followed by the M1030B1 mark which increased fuel capacity from 2.8 gallons in the original to 6 gallons. The engine was now a 48 horsepower system of 651cc mated to a five-speed transmission system. The latest incarnation of the vehicle is the M1030M1 which has brought along a 4.2 gallon fuel tank, a diesel-fueled 30 horsepower engine of 611cc, and a five-speed transmission system. Like the KLR 250 series before it, the M1030 is able to carry a pair of hard cases seated along either side of the rear wheel.
The formal designation for the M1030 system is "Motorcycle, Military, 2-Wheel, M1030". The M1030 entered service in 1991.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
Length
7.1 ft 2.15 m
Width
2.9 ft 0.89 m
Height
4.5 ft 1.37 m
Weight
353 lb 160 kg
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Kawasaki M1030 production variant. Length typically includes main gun in forward position if applicable to the design)
Powerplant:
1 x Kawasaki 1-cylinder engine developing 23- to 48-horsepower.
Speed
80.8 mph (130.0 kph)
Range
74.6 mi (120.0 km)
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Kawasaki M1030 production variant. Compare this entry against any other in our database)
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M1030 - Base Series Designation; 86 inch length; MOGAS fuel; 2.8 gallon fuel tank; 75 miles per gallon rating; 18" fording depth; 23 horsepower 250cc engine; six-speed transmission.
M1030B1 - 85 inch length; MOGAS fuel; 6.0 gallon fuel tank; 55 miles per gallon rating; 24" fording depth; 48 horsepower 651cc engine; five-speed transmission.
M1030M1 - 85 inch length; JP8/Diesel fuel; 4.2 gallon fuel tank; 96 miles per gallon rating; 30 horsepower 611cc engine; five-speed transmission.
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