Report From Japan
REPORT FROM JAPAN
W. B. SWIM
WHAT SIZE motorcycle do you ride? And what would you like for your next machine? Japanese makers can probably provide it among the 83 models and no less than 19 different piston displacement sizes currently on the market. It is practically impossible to count the total number of models made by Japan's manufacturers, as there are many which are basically the same machine with only the addition of an electric starter or dual seat or automatic fuel mixing device, etc. But, as counted by your reporter, the seven makers are now producing 83 basic models (not counting the variations). These range in size from 500cc down to 50cc, including a model every 5cc from 90cc down to 50cc. Here's a list of engine sizes by cubic centimeter: 500, 450, 330, 305, 260, 250, 160, 150, 130, 125, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55 and 50. By makers, Honda leads with 23 models, followed by Yamaha 19, Bridgestone 14, Suzuki 12, Kawasaki 11, Marusho 3 and Hodaka with one.
The only obvious gaps are between 90cc and 125cc and from 160cc to 250cc. Because of a tax break for machines 90cc and smaller, it is doubtful if any Japanese maker will come up with anything to fill the smaller gap, but it is quite possible to imagine someone marketing a machine between 160cc and 250cc.
Although neither has been announced yet, the next new machines to expect from Japan are a 350cc from Honda and a 90cc by Yamaha. It has been rumored for some time that Honda was developing both a 350cc and a 500cc machine, and now that the Honda 450 Super Sports (instead of a 500cc) has been put on sale, insiders expect the 350cc to be unveiled in time for this year's season. Yamaha's 90cc is reportedly nearly ready, already being in the road test stage of development. Something new is also expected from Suzuki before too long, but the word hasn't leaked out yet. No news yet from Bridgestone about the large machine, labeled a 125cc but looking more like a 175cc, which was displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show last year.
Yamaha will soon market racing kits for its sport machines. Company officials expect sales to be good in Japan, but terrific in the United States, where there is a strong demand for parts to wring even more performance out of the Yamaha sportsters. Prices have not been announced, but are not expected to be cheap, although competitive with items produced by independent American makers.
Honda has installed the third largest die-casting machine in Japan in its factory near Tokyo. The huge outfit, which can be used for large items such as crankcases and automobile parts, has a locking pressure of 2,000 tons.
Suzuki is putting more and more emphasis on exports, and recently had to reach outside the company through newspaper advertisements to add to the staff in the firm's export section. Export section employees have been upped by about 50 percent since late last year, from around 40 to more than 60.
The outlook for sales of the Honda 450 in Japan are bright, according to Tokyo dealers. They foresee a steady 500 machine per month market for at least the rest of this year. Honda's main target for this 43 horsepower machine, however, is the United States, and local sales are being regarded as just an added bonus.
Both Bridgestone and Kawasaki appear to be rushing headlong toward the international Grand Prix races. Suzuki's top Japanese GP rider, Isao Morishita, who ranked 4th in the world in the 50cc last year, has quit, probably to ride for Bridgestone. Kawasaki has reportedly completed a second 125cc road racer and rented a circuit for flat out tests. It is said to be a vast improvement over the first prototype. It would not be surprising to see this firm enter the Malaysia Grand Prix or some other major race in Southeast Asia later this year. It has two riders with GP experience on the payroll already.
Success of England's Rickman brothers with their Metisse specialized competition frames has inspired a Japanese businessman who is very familiar with the motorcycle business as well as the racing scene. He is contemplating establishing a factory in the Tokyo area to manufacture Metissetype frames designed to cradle Japanese scrambler engines being used in local moto-cross races. His feeling is that while it would be difficult (financially, if not technically) to improve the engines, putting out a better handling, lighter frame might prove a commercial success and a boon to Japan's moto-cross riders. He expects to visit England shortly, where it is assumed he will take a look at the Metisse factory and bring back a sample or two.
Moto-cross riders are happy with the separation of amateur and junior class riders into different races. Both the Motorcycle Federation of All Japan (MCFAJ) and the Motorcycling Federation of Japan (MFJ) have ranked riders into novice, junior and senior (MCFAJ) or amateur, junior and senior (MFJ) classes this year. Following the first major event where races were held for both amateur and junior classes, the MFJ 1965 Moto-Cross Japan Grand Prix, about 10 junior and amateur riders were interviewed and asked what they thought about the new system. Both groups were enthusiastic. The amateurs feel that now they have a chance at trophies, where before they were riding only for experience or just for the heck of it, as it was a foregone conclusion that the better riders (who are now classed as juniors) would win. The juniors, on the other hand, were happy to get the inexperienced amateurs out of the way, as they were cluttering up the courses and often causing spills and injuries to better riders because of their lack of ability or experience. Spectators seemed to like the new arrangement as well. In addition to more races being run each moto-cross day, those who came for the "thrills and spills" got their fill during the amateur events, and the more sophisticated who can appreciate real good, tight competition had a dream come true in the junior events.
Yamaha riders had one of their best days in ages at the MFJ 1965 Moto-Cross Japan Grand Prix, winning five out of eight events, with the other three going to Suzuki. Ichiji Arai nabbed two for Yamaha, the 250cc and 125cc races for juniors (which would be expertevents in the United States). Suzuki's Yasutomo Sugaya won the junior 90cc race. Amateur Yamaha rider Shogo Noguchi also notched two wins, the 251cc and the 125cc. Shoyu Watanabe rode his Yamaha in first in the amateur 250cc race while Suzuki riders took the two smaller classes, Hideo Atomura in the 90cc and Tadayuki Ichige the 50cc. Unlike the FIM, with which it is affiliated, the MFJ refuses to reveal the makes of machines winning or placing in its moto-cross events. And a single observer has a fit trying to note more than two or three in any one race, particularly if it's a tight one, and is completely out of luck if he's down at a thrilling jump, for instance, instead of at the finish line.
Top MCFAJ event since the last column was the 10th Tokyo Moto-Cross, which drew 268 entries and around 5,000 spectators with a five race program. This one was not divided into classes, and novices rode alongside experts. Suzuki's top racing club, the Johoku Riders, made a field day out of it, winning all five races and even squeezing all other brands out of the top three in all events with the exception of Shogo Noguchi's lonely Yamaha coming in 3rd in the 250cc race. Kenji Tohira won two, the Open and 250cc, as did Masahiro Hasemi, the 125cc and 50cc, which left the 90cc for Motoji Kurosawa. Kurosawa was 2nd in the Open and Hasemi was 3rd. Yasutomo Sugaya had a good day, with 2nd in the 125cc and 3rd places in the 90cc and 50cc races.
Another recent MCFAJ moto-cross worth reporting was the 5th Fujieda MotoCross, which had 215 entries and was seen by some 3,000 persons. There were four races for novices and three for juniors. Suzuki won four and Bridgestone three, with Bridgestone 90cc riders Tokichi Morio and Yasuo Shigeno coming in one-two in the Open event. Morio won the Junior 90cc, with Shigeno 3rd, and Koji Sano took the Junior 250cc on his Suzuki. Winners in the amateur races were: 250cc, Toyoichi Yumoto, Suzuki; 125cc, Tamotsu Kenjo, Suzuki; 90cc, Toshihiko Saito, Bridgestone; and 50cc, Tsamu Twasaki, Suzuki.
Japanese police are getting rough. In a recent one-day crackdown in the Tokyo area aimed primarily at two-wheeler riders, cons nabbed 3.929 motorcyclists for such offenses as speeding, riding without a license and drunken driving. •
Owing to a proofreading error, the Yamaha shown on page 93 of the May issue was mistakenly identified as a 350cc. The caption should have read "Yamaha 305cc Super Sports YM-1." The caption under the photo of the left side of the same machine on page 94 was correct.
Ed
