Report From Japan
REPORT FROM JAPAN
W. B. SWIM
JAPANESE MOTORCYCLISTS are walking on air following Suzuki factory rider Mitsuo Ito’s win in the Isle of Man T.T. 50cc race. This is the first time a Japanese rider has ever won this classic, although Japanese Hondas piloted by foreign riders have copped IOM races several times. There is great interest in the Grand Prix circuit this season, with the race between Suzuki and Honda machines drawing the most comment. In Japan, the feeling is that 1963 will be Suzuki’s year. Yamaha got off to a fine start at Daytona and with the 250cc race at the Malaysia G.P., and is fielding a team in Europe. Suzuki’s 250cc four-cylinder, which had been expected to compete at the IOM, apparently developed trouble somewhere, and it isn’t expected to make its debut until the Japan Grand Prix in November. But, from here, it looks like the race this year is between the hot Suzukis and Honda’s four veteran private entries.
With Japan’s first super highway due to be completed next year, it looks like motorcycles may be banned from it. The 300-mile freeway, linking Japan’s capital of Tokyo with the Osaka business district, is supposed to be built for 60 mph average speeds. Police in the Osaka area, where the first phase of construction has been completed, tested various vehicles to make sure they can maintain the 40 kph (25 mph) minimum speed. The tests showed that small four-wheeled trucks and three-wheelers of the 350cc-500cc class could not maintain the speed up the hills, and neither could a couple of old 50cc motorcycles and small scooters they tested. Now police have threatened to ban all motorcycles from the new highway. The Osaka Small Vehicle Association is pressuring to have the ban lifted. Motorcycle accidents have shot up in Japan recently, and on a newly-opened short piece of freeway in Tokyo a bunch of “cowboys” are getting the sport a bad name by racing back and forth, making illegal U-turns, etc. The Motorcycling Federation of Japan recently sent a letter to all its members warning that these fellows are liable to get motorcycles banned from all high-speed roads.
Honda’s factory in Belgium is scheduled to begin with à monthly production of 1,000 Honda 50 Mopeds in September. The engines and transmissions are being sent from Japan, with all other parts made or procured in Europe. The 50cc Moped, model C-310, is a single cylinder 4-cycle OHV /with a three speed constant mesh gear box. Top speed is announced at 40 kph (25 mph) @ 4,800 rpm, which ought to suit some European speed laws just right. The 49cc engine has a 7.7 compression ratio and flywheel magneto. It weighs only 71 kg (156 lbs) and has huge 232.25 tires front and rear. The maker claims over 200 miles per gallon of gas.
Suzuki announced a new 125cc sports model in Japan in June. It is the 125S31 with 4 gears and a top speed of 115 kph (72 mph). The 124cc twin is rated at 12.5 hp. It has handsome upswept exhaust pipes on both sides and a light front fender which hugs the tire. Bare springs front and rear and a tank sticking up well above the seat level add to the sporty look. Suzuki hopes this model will sell well in the U.S. Suzuki also upped the horsepower in its 125cc single, the SL model, from 8 hp to a hot 9.6 hp. This is one of the more popular of the Suzuki line in Japan, but the makers felt it would do even better with more horses. The 52cc Suzuki ME, on the other hand, was slated for major changes in late July, with gears being dropped to three from the former four, the fuel tank going under the seat and a slight decrease in horsepower.
Honda is giving a two-month test run to a 5-day 40-hour week in August and September, the first company in the industry in Japan to start action along these lines. The workers union has been asking for a five-day week, and the company on June 17 signed a contract to take a swipe at it from Aug. 3 to Sept. 27 in all three factories. If the experiment proves successful, the world's leading motorcycle maker may adopt the 40-hour week permanently. The company’s relations have been good with the union throughout the firm’s history, with no major strikes at all. In addition to a host of fringe benefits, Honda pays its young workers about 30 percent more than other manufacturers in Japan.
Races, races, races. Every week-end, and most week-ends at least two and sometimes more. The most interesting recent race to CYCLE WORLD readers was the Japan-U.S. Goodwill Moto-Cross held June 23. Seventy-four American riders were among the 224 entrants, but you would hardly know it from the winners’ list. Only three made it within the top six of the five events. The race was sponsored by Tamatech motorcycle sportsland and supported by U.S. Forces, Japan, which dispatched buses, an ambulance and a medic team. Some 500 American spectators, including a lot of wives and kids, were on hand for the races, which were watched by a crowd of over 2,000.
When the dust had settled, third place turned out to be the best any of the American riders could do. Tohatsu took the two small events and the Open, and Honda the two big classes. Kazuyki Miyoshi nabbed the 50cc in 11 min. 54.0 sec. for four laps around the rugged 2 km course, followed by a Suzuki and Honda. Miyoshi took the 5-lap 125cc race in 14m 37.3s, this time with two more Tohatsus behind him. He completed his day by winning the Open Class 8-lapper on a Tohatsu 125cc. Honda swept 2nd through 6th, with Americans Edwin Owens and Douglas Smith listed 5th and 6th. Triumph-mounted Bob Burns placed third in both the 250cc and over 251cc events. Yoshio Enomoto won both with Hondas, taking the 250cc 6-lapper in 18m 1.0s and the 5-lap over 251cc in 17m 32.5s. A Honda rider nabbed 2nd in both races.
Yamaha had a field day the same Sunday at the Fifth Kanagawa Moto-cross held about 30 miles the other way from Tokyo, near Yokosuka. Yamaha won four and Tohatsu riders grabbed two. More than 8,000 spectators cheered the 250 riders around the 1.6 km course. You would have had to see the Open class race to believe it: 50cc Tohatsu Runpets, racing against machines up to 500cc in size, took first and third places! The winner, Akira Hanazawa, who also placed second in the 50cc event, was awarded a special “Best Rider” trophy.
The first big dirt track races of the season were held at the Kawaguchi Speedway, where the professional racers hold out near Tokyo, on June 9. Mitsuo Tamura was the only double winner, taking the Open with a BSA and the 125cc on a Tohatsu. He also copped 2nd in the 250cc with a Tohatsu. His time for 8 laps around the Vi-mile cinder oval was 5m 09.6s in the Open. Triumphs were 2nd and 3rd. In the 350cc race over 4 miles Honda swept 1st through 4th, with Akira Muromachi clocking 5m 05.8s for the win. Muromachi also placed 5th in the 4-mile 250cc, which was won in 4m 58.1s by Honda-mounted Nobukazu Otsuki. Tamura’s Tohatsu was next, followed by Honda, Kawasaki, Honda and Yamaha machines. Tamura’s time in the 3-mile 125cc race was 3m 48.0s. Other Tohatsu riders were 2nd, 3rd and 4th and a Honda copped 5th. In the 50cc 2'/2-mile event Suzuki rider Matsuhisa Kojima clocked 3m 31.2s for the win, followed by Hondas in 2nd, 3rd and 6th and Tohatsus in 4th and 5th. 250cc winner Otsuki placed 3rd in the 50cc. •
