Report From Japan

REPORT FROM JAPAN

W. B. SWIM

IT APPEARS that motorcycle production in Japan is well on the way to another record breaking year, after the first six months. Jan.-June was up a whopping 14.9 percent over the same six months of 1962, according to the official report of the Japan Small Automobile Industry Association. Japanese makers whipped out 877,557 machines during this half year. The biggest rise was in the larger models, with the over 50cc group jumping by 16.7 percent to 504,114. The 50cc and under class was up 13.8 per cent to 339,808 and 33,635 scooters represented a 2 percent rise over the 1962 figures. And things are looking better well into the future. There were 177,053 motorcycles made in Japan in June, which was 4.4 percent more than in May.

Part of the popularity of the Japanese machines must be attributed to the terrific showing they have made in Grand Prix and other major world races during the past few years. As those who read the other sections of CYCLE WORLD know, Japanese machines are the ones to beat in Europe this season as well, with Suzuki getting the best of it so far.

It was all joy, shouts and waving company flags when Suzuki’s victorious Isle of Man T.T. team returned to Japan on July 13. Led by the first Japanese jider ever to win this famous classic, Mitsuo Ito, the team returned triumphantly (or should it be Suzukiantly?) with a huge, handsome trophy. Part of the team, with individual riders yet to be named, will return to Europe soon to finish out the Grand Prix schedule. Some will remain in Japan to compete in the big local races here for the rest of the season.

There have been a couple of major rule changes for one of the biggest, the 9th All Japan Moto-cross on Aug. 17 and 18. The biggest, and one that had been expected, was the creation of a new 90cc class. The MCFAJ-run event will have seven races; 50cc, 90cc, 125cc, 250cc, over 251cc, open and team relay. A significant change in rules for the “over 251cc” class has also been made, and any machine with an engine capacity of more than 225cc can now participate. Results of this important event, for which all the makers run out their best equipment and top riders, in the next issue.

Exactly 537 of Honda’s 607 dealers in Japan showed up for the annual dealers’ conference, held in Kyoto on June 19 and

20 this year. The company foots the bill for the all-expense-paid confab. Much of President Soichiro Honda’s address to the gathering concerned a new 500cc sports car which Honda is putting on the market in August. He also explained that the company had decided not to send a factory racing team to compete in the Grand Prix events this season because the research and development institute was too busy with new models to devote proper efforts to racers. Managing Director Takeo Fujisawa assured the dealers that the firm will continue to give motorcycles first priority rather than jumping straight into all-out mass production of the sports car. He added that the sales network for the car will differ greatly from that of other Japanese automobile makers. One most significant difference is that dealers will not be permitted to repair the sports cars — all must be serviced by Honda factory personnel. Executive Manager T. Kobayashi revealed at the conference that Honda is developing tiny gasoline engines, including a 17.2cc job which weighs only I6V2 pounds but delivers 0.27 hp @ 4,000 rpm. He also said the company is working on a new 90cc motorscooter.

Suzuki has come out with a standard version of the 125cc sports model pictured in this column last month. With basically the same engine, the touring version of the model S-30 has 12 hp @ 7,500 rpm from the 42 x 45mm twin engine. A 4-speed rotary transmission delivers a maximum of 110 kph (69 mph), just three miles per hour less than the S-31 sports version. The finely finished 124cc machine has telescopic forks and a rear swinging arm, and an electric starter like most machines in Suzuki’s line. The two-cycle engine gives a torque of 1.2 kg-m @ 6,000 rpm, engineers have announced.

Yamaha has sent two of its directors on a three-week market survey of European countries with an eye to increasing exports. Business department chief Hisao Koike and technical director Furnio Nemoto left Tokyo on July 25 and were scheduled to stay in Europe until August 14. This is the first time the firm has sent members of the board of directors to have a look at the European market.

Yamaha also inaugurated an annual dealers’ conference this year. The first, held on June 21 in Tokyo, was attended by 120 dealers from all parts of the nation. Company executives discussed sales plans, publicity, new motorcycles under development and other items with the dealers.

Another Japanese maker is aiming at the American market. Kawasaki Motor Sales Company of Tokyo, which markets both Kawasaki and Meguro brand motorcycles, has named Kilani Sales Inc. of Hawaii as their agent, and an initial shipment of 27 machines has been made. More are in the warehouse ready to go. Meguro is the second oldest motorcycle manufacturer in Japan, but some time ago it got too far into the red and was sold to the Kawasaki Aircraft Industry Co., Ltd., which already was producing Kawasaki

brand motorcycles. The Kawasaki-Meguro line at present has nine models, ranging from a 50cc Kawasaki to a 500cc Meguro. The Kawasaki machines, one 50cc and

two 125cc models, are two-strokes and the Meguro motorcycles are four-cycle ma-

chines. The Meguro line includes the 500cc twin, one 250cc twin and two 250cc singles, and a 170cc lunger.

Pointer has dropped study on disc

brakes for their motorcycles, a company executive told CYCLE WORLD. The firm had experimented with disc brakes for about two years, including having some studies made in the United States. The decision was made to stay with conventional internal expanding brakes primarily for economic reasons, plus a doubt about how disc brakes would be welcomed by the customers.

Pointer has developed a new trail scooter dubbed the Pathfinder, and quite an unusual'beast it is too! It has TWO small rear wheels with a rubber caterpillar track running around them. The makers claim it will go anywhere, -including snowcovered mountains. Negotiations for distribution in the U.S. are reportedly underway with Harley-Davidson.

With sales of motorcycles zooming from one tip of Japan to the other, motorcycle sports are beginning to catch on even in the cold northern part of the nation which is blanketed under snow many months of the year. Recently the first motorcycle competition event ever held in Akita, one of Japan’s northernmost prefectures, drew a fine showing of both riders and spectators. Results in all races at the first Akita Moto-cross were divided into two categories with nice trophies for each — one for the first local Akita prefecture rider to finish and one for outof-prefecture entries. Suzuki seems to have the best riders in the prefecture, to judge by the races, as they copped first places in the 50cc, 125cc and open class events, with a Yamaha rider winning the 250cc race. In the winners from outside the prefecture it was half Suzuki and half Honda, with the former winning the 50cc and 125cc and the latter taking the 250cc and Open events. An American serviceman, J. R. Perkins, had a very good day, winning both the 250cc and Open races and placing fourth in the 50cc event, all on Honda machines. Other Americans riding well that day were Richard Gannon, third in the 125cc on a Suzuki; T. R. Murphy, 2nd 250cc, Honda; Richard Dennis, 4th 250cc, Honda; and Robert M. Parker, 5th Open, Honda. •