Report From Japan
REPORT FROM JAPAN
W. B. SWIM
JAPAN HAS A NEW motorcycle manufacturer concentrating on road racing machines only. The racers are aimed at U.S. and European riders. Japan Racing Motors recently completed a prototype of its first model, a two-stroke 125cc single, at a cost exceeding $20,000.
Plans are to begin production of the JRM in September and enter a factory team in the Japan GP in October. A full factory team will contest all of the Grand Prix races next year, a company spokesman told CYCLE WORLD.
Initial production will be 10 machines a month, but if enough orders are received, production can be expanded without much trouble to a maximum of 100 racers monthly without extra investment in facilities, JRM reports. Only road racers will be made at first, but later the company intends to market a slightly detuned version in the United States for street use. It will have mufflers and lighting equipment. The price has not yet been announced, but is expected to be a bit over $1,000 for the racer. Spark behind the JRM is Kazuo (Johnny) Honda, former Tohatsu factory racer and U.S. representative, who in recent years has built up a roaring business exporting racers and parts. Kazuo started with Tohatsus (he bought the whole racing department, lock, stock and barrel, when the company went out of the motorcycle business), branching out into Honda and Yamaha road racers, as well as Kyokuto flat track machines. Now he has decided to build his own.
The first JRM is a 124cc single cylinder 2-stroke, giving a reported 28 hp at the rear axle and having either a six or an eight-speed gearbox. As tested with Fuji Speedway 6-speed gearing, the bike clocks 128 mph. It has a rotary disc valve and the exhaust port in the rear of the cylinder head. A breakerless ignition system is installed and the engine is red-lined at 13,000 rpm. A contact breaker model will also be produced on order. The engine can be run on a fuel mixture or with direct pressurized lower end lubrication by pump using the detachable gearbox as an oil tank. With more than 30% of the engine cast of magnesium alloy, the maker claims the JRM is lighter than any other factory racer in its class. The frame is a steel pipe double loop cradle type. Tires are 2.50-18 front and 2.75-18 rear. As good racing tires and drive chains are not available in Japan, the racers will probably be sold without these two items. No pictures were available at press time, but CYCLE WORLD hopes to have exclusive photos of the JRM in next month’s issue.
Suzuki has marketed two new rotary disc valve 70cc motorcycles in Japan. The Suzuki 70 model K30 is a pressed backbone frame motorbike, while the model K40 is a step-through underbone type. The K30 has 7.3 hp @ 7,500 rpm and a claimed 59 mph top speed through a four-gear transmission, making it the fastest in this class. The step-through model has 6 hp @7,000 rpm and a top speed of 53 mph with a three-speed rotary shift gearbox and automatic clutch. Bore and stroke are 46 x 42 mm (1.78 x 1.64 in.) for 69cc. Both models have Suzuki’s Posi-Force lubrication system, known in Japan as “Suzuki Selmix CCI” as perhaps can be seen in the photo. The motorcycle style model has 7:1 compression and the step-through 6.7:1. Maximum torque is 5.62 ft-lb @ 5,000 for the K30 and 5.48 ft-lb @ 4,500 rpm for the K40. Suzuki claims 12.9 seconds for the standing start Vs mile for the K30. Dry weight is 172 pounds for the motorcycle and 165 pounds for the stepthrough. The former has a telescopic fork, 2.25-17 front tire and 2.50-17 rear tire and the latter, a bottom link fork and 2.25-17 tires on both wheels. The company has no plans to market either of these two new models in the United States at present.
Honda began punching out its popular OHV model Cl 00 step-through “nifty fifty” in 1958 and this one model has sold more than any other in the history of motorcycles. Until shortly before this column was written, when the assembly lines ground to a halt, Honda turned out exactly 3,986,800 of these machines, of which 619,200 were exported for close to $80,000,000.
A few days ago, the lines were retooled, and this all-time best seller putt-putted into the history books. Honda switched over to an overhead camshaft engine for the “nifty-fifty,” making their line complete with OHC engines in all models from the new 50cc up to the 450cc.
Some months ago, Honda began producing a new OHC 50cc engine to power the new model S-50 sports bike. They bored it out to 65cc to fit in the S-65 sportster and detuned it for the C-65, a step-through version. This 50cc engine has now been mounted in the “nifty-fifty” frame and the new model is dubbed the C-50. While swapping engines, Honda took the occasion to make several other improvements in the old C-100. Most obvious is the lighting, with a headlight which lights an area 3.5 times as large as the old model. Huge turn signal lamps, much larger than even those on the CB-450, are also fitted. The headlight is mounted on the handlebar. now, and turns when the handlebar is turned. The headlight switch is located on the handlebar instead of the headlight case or under the tank as on other Honda models.
The 4-stroke OHC single cylinder engine inclines forward 80 degrees and the cam is turned by an automatically tensioned chain. The maker claims it is much quieter and has less vibration than the C-100 OHV. Power is given as 4.8 hp @ 10,000 rpm with torque of 2.67 ft-lb peaking at 8,000 rpm. The kick-started machine claims a top speed of 47 mph with automatic clutch and three-speed gearbox. Bore and stroke of 39 x 41.4 mm (1.48 x 1.61 in.) gives a piston displacement of 49cc. Fuel consumption of 212 miles per gallon is claimed. The handlebar has been lengthened to nearly 24 inches for better handling and one other new feature is a one-piece exhaust pipe and muffler. With the release of the C-50, the C-65 engine was mounted in the new frame as well.
Suzuki has incorporated their posi-force lubrication system in four more models, at the same time making several improvements in both engines and frames. Latest to get the modernization treatment are the two 80cc models, the street version now becoming model K10P and the sportster, the K11P, and the firm’s two trail machines, the Hill-Billy now designated as the K15P and the Bobcat as B105P. The “P” on the end of the model numbers indicates posi-force lubrication.
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While they were at it, Suzuki put out a new model of the step-through 55cc Suzi, which now becomes model M31.
Japan’s national legislature has passed a new law making it compulsory for all motorcycles of the 125cc class and larger to carry a minimum of $4,000 in accident insurance. Until now, the law only applied to 250cc and larger motorcycles and the amount was $2,800. At the end of 1964, which are the last accurate figures available, there were some 6,720,000 125cc motorcycles registered in Japan and they were involved in 94,000 accidents which caused injuries during that year.
With legislation to regulate the amount of exhaust smoke produced by cars and motorcycles threatening in some parts of the United States and in Japan as well, Suzuki has come up with an anti-smog muffler on its new 360cc four-wheeled delivery truck. The first chamber of the muffler contains alumina-pellets, which get white hot and retain their heat even at low engine rpm. When unburned exhaust gas is expelled from the engine, this heat from the pellets burns it off, resulting in a smokeless exhaust.
More than 5,000,000 motorists and motorcyclists were indicted, tried before a court of law, found guilty, punished and the procedure recorded in their criminal record for various traffic offenses in Japan last year. In Tokyo’s busiest traffic court, more than 2,000 cases are tried every day. The poor motorcyclist who gets nabbed for buzzing along 5 or 10 miles over the speed limit learns an expensive lesson. In the first place, he has to get a full day off from work to attend his trial, as the wheels of justice grind very slowly in this Oriental nation. In fact, the traffic offender who manages to get through in only one day is pretty lucky. One and a half to two, is par for the course. Next he has to pay a fine, in the case of speeding at the rate of $2.78 per kilometer over the speed limit, which comes to $44.44 every 10 mph. And he ends up with a criminal record to boot. Now the national legislature is in the process of making things simpler. Future traffic offenders in not so serious cases will have their driver’s license taken away by the policeman, receive a ticket specifying the fine, date on which it must be paid and police station (not court) at which to pay it. When he pays the fine he gets his license back, and since he wasn’t convicted in a court of law, it doesn’t go on his criminal record. For the lazy rider, there is even a provision for mailing in the fine or paying it through his bank and getting his license back by mail, so he won’t even have to take a day off from work.
Of the 182 offenses listed in the Road Traffic Law, 120 will be handled under the new streamlined system. Last year, some 3,500,000 of the five million traffic cases fell under this minor infractions category.
The MCFAJ’s 14th All Japan Motocross Championship races drew 331 entries to the foothills in back of Fuji Speedway and a few thousand spectators as well, even though it was pouring rain. TV newsreel coverage, big play in sports newspapers, as well as smaller stories in the national newspapers, are an indication of the increased general interest in motorcycle sports here, which has been very small up to date.
Two American riders trophied, with Cecil Robison of the Tokyo All Stars club taking 5th and James Christopherson of the Kanagawa Motorcycle Club, 8th in the novice 250cc championship race. Both rode Hondas. Nineteen Americans had entered.
Japan has only seven MCFAJ expert riders, and two of them are in Europe riding in international motocross races. Of the other five, the hottest, Yamaha’s Tadao Suzuki, fell in his first race and dislocated a collarbone, knocking him out for the day. All the other four experts won one race each. Ichiji Arai (Yamaha) took the open class, Kinjiro Yajima (Suzuki) won the 250cc, Kazuyuki Miyoshi (Yamaha) nabbed the 125cc and Tateo Enomoto (Suzuki) took home the 50cc trophy. Only senior race going to a non-expert was the 90cc, which was won by junior class rider Kazuo Shimizu (Bridgestone).
Although American riders stationed in Japan with the armed forces, don’t take home many trophies in the rough, rugged motocross races, they showed they were more at home at the 1st Sagami Flat Track races. Americans won two of the five races and ended up with nine of the 21 trophies awarded. Race winners were James Christopherson (KMC club, Honda 305) in the 251cc and Over class and Richard Allison (KTC, Yamaha) in the 90cc. Other winners on the half mile track were Yoshitaka Onishi (Honda) in the 250cc, Otokichi Hori (Suzuki) in the 125cc and Isamu Ikegami (Suzuki) in the 50cc. The other American trophy winners were: 251cc and Over, 3rd, Thomas Palko (AJMC, Honda), 4th, Ronald Pipher (TAS, Honda); 250cc, 2nd, Herb Cummings (AJMC, Yamaha), 3rd, George Spellman (AJMC, Yamaha), 5th, Chester Gandy (SMC, Honda); 125cc, 3rd, Ross Zaffino (AJMC, Suzuki); 90cc, 3rd, Chester Mullikin (AJMC, Yamaha).
The 14th Tokyo Motocross drew 209 entries. Suzuki and Bridgestone took three races each, leaving one for Honda. Only double winner was Bridgestone’s Masaru Akamatsu, who won the 90cc and 50cc senior races. Bridgestone also took the Open, with Kazuo Shimizu getting the checkered flag. Honda’s win came in the novice 250cc, won by Ryusuke Nakahira. Suzuki riders took the other three novice events, Kiyoshi Kojima in the 125cc, Riichi Suzuki, the 90cc and Jotaro Saito the 50cc.
Only 156 riders showed up for the 2nd Buso Motocross, including 20 Americans. They had one of their better days recently and won nine trophies. Four Americans trophied in two classes each. Ronald Pipher (TAS, Honda) had a 4th in the senior 250cc and 7th in the novice 250cc; Cecil Robison (TAS, Honda) took 6ths in both the 250cc races; Jack McCutcheon nabbed 5th in the novice 125cc and 10th in the Open and Larry Pratte (KMC, Honda) got the 8th place trophy in the Open and 9th in the novice 250cc. Richard Allison (KTC, Yamaha) was 11th in the Open. Takao Miyashiro won two races, the novice 125cc on a Yamaha and the novice 50cc on a Tohatsu. Other novice winners were Yasuo Hijikata (Honda) in the 250cc and Shigeki Kobayashi (Bridgestone) in the 90cc. Two brothers won races back to back, Tatekuni Iijima (Yamaha) taking the Open and Masao Iijima (Honda) winning the senior 250cc. Other senior race winners were 125cc Hidenao Ogawa (Suzuki), 90cc Tokuzo Hirano (Yamaha) and 50cc Toshihiko Saito (Bridgestone).
Less than 70 entries were present for the MFJ’s 2nd Kanto Motocross races. Two of the six races went to Yamaha’s Tadao Suzuki, who won the Open and junior 250cc. Yamaha riders also won two more, Tatekuni Iijima, taking the amateur 250cc and Tatsuke Kobuchi, the amateur 125cc. Other amateur race winners were 90cc Shigeki Kobayashi (Bridgestone) and 50cc Tamotsu Kosuge (Tohatsu).
