Letter From Japan

LETTER FROM Japan

ROUNDUP

A festival of Singles

To further acknowledge the current trend in Japan toward large singlecylinder streetbikes, the third Sound of Singles race was held recently at the Tsukuba Circuit. This is an unusual race and gathering, because it is the antithesis of the more common type of roadrace involving multi-cylinder and two-stroke engines with lots of horsepower.

What made this race meeting even more unusual was that it was an amateur event that drew 260 entrants. The race had seven classes, with only one class for riders who hold a racing license. The most popular bikes were the Yamaha SR500s, the Honda FT500s and the Yamaha SRX600s. There was even a classic-bike racing event modeled after C.R.M.C. (Classic Racing Motorcycle Club) races held in England. Some of the machines entered in the classic event included a Norton Production Racer, an Aermacchi 250 and an NSU Max, as well as a rare, West German Münch and a Norvin (a Norton featherbed frame with a Vincent V-Twin engine).

All of the races were exciting, especially the B Class of The Sound of Singles, the class which allows professional racers to compete. In the most-popular A-3 Class, there were too many entries, so four preliminaries had to be run, with the

top six machines from each preliminary entering the finals. This was an extremely competitive race for an amateur event, but the participating riders all appeared happy and satisfied by the end of it all.

Next year looks to be even more

exciting, with an even greater number of participants and a greater variety of motorcycles expected.

And even more spectators should be enjoying a day on the circuit, filled with racing spirit and riding both big and classic Singles. Koichi Hi rose