Report From Japan
REPORT FROM JAPAN
W. B. SWIM
SUZUKI'S hot new 250cc has really shaken up the rest of the industry in Japan, and everybody seems to be jumping on the research and testing trail to try to come up with something to match it. The 29 hp, 100 mph and 15.1 second standing start quarter-mile claimed for Suzuki's Super Sport 250 model T20 (X-6 Hustler in the U.S.) is quite a high mark to aim for. Yamaha was quickest on the draw, boosting their YDS-3 250cc sportster up to 26 horsepower and 95 mph and the Yamaha YM-1 305cc up to 27 hp and 100 mph. Now the Tokyo rumor mill is buzzing that Honda is doing something to its 250 Super Sports model CB-72, which at present has 24 horses and does 96 mph. It's pure guesswork, but the most obvious thing to do to this overhead camshaft machine would be to add another and make it dohc like the 450cc. While they are at it, they'll probably do the same to the 305cc. Meanwhile, Kawasaki has been testing a new 250cc model at the Fuji Speedway which reportedly will be a match for the Suzuki. The 250cc seems to be the class to watch this season.
Although none are on sale in the United States, Honda manufactures two models in their Belgium factory which have bicycle pedals to conform to laws in some European countries. They are powered by de-tuned "nifty fifty" engines to hold the hp down to 1.5 measured by the DIN method. Now the word is slipping out that Honda is going to produce 30cc-engined motorcycles with bicycle pedals, apparently for sale in Japan although there is certainly no obvious market demand for such a machine here. Still, when it's Honda it makes a man tend to stop and give the idea serious thought no matter what pops up. The word from parts makers in Japan is that Honda has ordered parts for an initial production run of 5,000 of these 30cc machines with pedals, and if Honda is buying the parts in Japan it's a pretty good bet they'll manufacture the machines in Japan, and if they do it is most likely they'll sell them in Japan as well, although it is just possible they may make the engines here and ship them to Belgium to be put into frames there. Until now 50cc has been the lower limit on motorcycle sizes in Japan, although Tohatsu had just begun to produce a 36cc machine when it went bankrupt two years ago. None were ever sold. The first genuine European type scrambler has arrived in Japan. An American serviceman, Richard Westphal, ordered a brand new 500cc Matchless Metisse from England and had entered it in two classes at a moto-cross race near Tokyo recently, but he was unable to make it to the track that day because of military duty. Scrambles followers are anxiously awaiting its first appearance.
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Suzuki has incorporated posi-force lubrication in its 80cc series, and made several changes in the machines at the same time. The separate lubrication system is the same as on the 250cc and 120cc with oil being fed to the crankshaft bearings and big ends under pressure. The new model designations are K10P for the standard, K11P for the sports and K15P for the trail versions, the "P" standing for "posi-force." This leaves only the 125, 150cc and the 50cc machines without the separate lubrication. The 50cc series will probably continue to use a fuel mixture for the present to keep the price down. The K10P has 7.5 hp and the K11P 8 hp and top speeds through 4-speed transmissions of 56 and 60 mph respectively. The single-cylinder two-stroke engines are aluminum alloy with cast-in iron cylinder liners, and a slim gasoline tank, buffed engine and hubs, chrome nuts, bolts and washers and several other nice touches result in a good-looking, modern-looking machine. On the mechanical end, the engine has needle roller bearings in the con rod small end, a larger carburetor, strengthened crankshaft and an extra disc has been added to the clutch. A winding type "quick" throttle and rubber shock damper inside the rear hub, making the wheel much easier to take off, round off the improvements. The new series of Suzuki 50cc machines, reported last month, come in two versions, one for sale in Japan and Southeast Asia and another for the U.S. While the Japan versions have 4.5 horsepower as reported last month, the models intended for the American rider have 5 hp @ 8,000 rpm and top speeds through a 4-speed gearbox of 50 mph for the model M15 Mark 2 and 53 mph for the M12 Mark 2 sports machine. Slim fuel tank, and generally the improvements listed above for the 80cc models, are incorporated on the new fifties.
The next thing to expect from Suzuki is a trail version of the 10 hp 118cc model BÍ00. Suzuki's 79cc model K15 trail machine has been one of the company's best sellers in the U.S. The K15 will be continued with posi-force lubrication added to make it the K15P, but company officials have decided to make a large, more powerful trail model as well, and settled on the Suzuki 120 as the one. The new Suzuki trail model will probably be designated B105P.
Honda has made some changes in its popular street scramblers, the 250cc CL72 and 305cc CL77. They now have the racing-type double leading shoe brakes from the super sports series on both front and rear wheels. The front fork has also been strengthened, and the speedometer/ tachometer unit is changed.
Japan has decided on a single driver's license for motorcyclists regardless of what size machine they ride. Previously there were four licenses. The easiest to get was a "permit" good for anything under 50cc but not good at over 25 mph or for riding double. No riding test was required for this. Next in line covered 50cc through 250cc with a speed limit of 38 mph, and the top license was good for anything over 250cc and any legal speed. Fourth was for sidecars.
Suzuki's export manager, K. Iizuka, has left for the United States, where he is expected to work with U.S. Suzuki for a year or so. He took over Suzuki's export department when the firm had practically no sales at all overseas and supervised foreign marketing development until the company grew up to its present impressive export rate of around 100,000 per year. His presence in the United States is expected to boost Suzuki sales there, where the company still ranks third behind Honda and Yamaha. During his absence, assistant export manager Tatsuji Genma will be in charge.
What's going to happen to the 4th Japan Grand Prix road race scheduled for October 15 and 16? As of this writing, nobody knows. There could be one at Suzuka Circuit with all Japanese makers participating. There could be one at Suzuka Circuit with only Honda racing and all other Japanese factories taking a day off. There could be one at Suzuka Circuit with Honda and only one or two more Japanese makers fielding teams. There could be one at the new Fuji Speedway near Tokyo with all Japanese makers except Honda participating. There could be one at Fuji Speedway with both Honda and Bridgestone taking a day off. Or there could be no 4th Japan Grand Prix this year at all.
The story is a long and complicated one. Honda was the first to take up the G.P. championship race, beginning by buying (for cash) a federation and persuading other makers to join it. This is the FIM-affiliated Motorcycling Federation of Japan (MFJ), which hosts Japan's GP race. Next Honda decided Japan needed a circuit and a GP race so the winning could be done in front of the home market, and since one wasn't available, set up a company controlled by Honda executives and dealers to build Suzuka Circuit. Next came the 1st Japan GP in November of 1963, but by this time Suzuki had won the 125cc Championship and was fighting for the 50cc crown as well, and this one was so close it would be decided at Suzuka Circuit, the last GP on the calendar.
Suzuki had been taking movies of all the races all year to combine into a film showing how they won two World Championships. They vitally needed the Suzuka footage where the 50cc championship would be won. When they approached the circuit management, however, they were shocked by a demand for a fee of nearly $150,000 to permit them to take the movies. An approach to MFJ did no good. They ended up without the film, and swearing never to race at Suzuka again. And boycott it they have, except for the Japan GP when titles they were after were still up for grabs. After the 3rd Japan GP last year, however, Yamaha, Bridgestone and Kawasaki joined with Suzuki in suggesting that the GP be dropped this year, giving as the reason the current recession and the fact the race does not have enough publicity value left in Japan to justify the large donations necessary to hold it. Honda still wanted a GP at Suzuka Circuit, and the MFJ members split 4 to 1. Now MFJ has approached the new Fuji Speedway near Tokyo to hold the GP on that 6 km (3.7mile) circuit. The Speedway said okay, but when Honda got wind of this maneuver by the other four, they started putting pressure on Bridgestone, which is primarily a tire maker and from whom Honda buys a mountain of tires. If Bridgestone sticks to its guns the GP will be at Fuji Speedway with Honda not participating. If Bridgestone backs down, it will be difficult for the other three to hold a GP at Fuji Speedway. Honda might hold a GP at Suzuka Circuit with only its machines plus invited foreign entries, or persuade Bridgestone to race as well. Or it is still possible that the makers will get together again and agree to let bygones be bygones and everyone run at Suzuka, although it is hard to believe Suzuki will participate there unless they have a world title at stake. (Editor's Note: We have just learned at press-time that the Japanese GP will be held at Japan's Fuji circuit. Major Goode of the FIM has announced from Geneva that circuit approval will be taken care of by observing car races during the summer.)
The MFJ has announced, a sports calendar of 56 events for 1966, including moto-cross, cross country, flattrack, road racing and an endurance race as well as the GP, which significantly has the column for "place" left blank. The Federation itself will run the GP, a junior class road race, a 24-hour endurance race and a moto-cross championship event, and sanction the other races to be run by various districts. Meanwhile the Motorcycle Club Federation of All Japan (MCFAJ) has increased the number of its sanctioned events to 68 this year.
Yamaha riders turned out with a new scrambler pipe frame housing the 125cc YA-6 engine at the 8th Speed Scrambles. It made a very good showing for the first outing, and the riders praised the light weight and good handling. If it holds up well in scrambling the frame could well be the basis for a pipe frame for Yamaha's 125cc street machines at some time in the future.
Expert Tadao Suzuki, riding a Yamaha 250cc, was the only double winner at the 8th Speed Scrambles. The novice 125cc was also won by Yamaha, with Seiji Honma aboard, while Suzuki also won three events, Bridgestone took two and Kawasaki nabbed the last one. The Kawasaki win was by Kazuyoshi Hoshino in the senior 125cc. Suzuki got its wins with Yasutoshi Sugaya in the senior 90cc, Tateo Enomoto in the senior 50cc and Mitsuo Mezaki in the novice 250cc. Toshihiko Otsu won the novice 90cc and Takinori Kaneko won the novice 50cc for Bridgestone. There were three finishers among the 21 entries by American riders. Marshall Barton rode his Honda to 10th place in the novice 250cc and took 15th in the Open, while Cecil Robison was 11th in the novice 250cc, also riding Honda. This race drew 312 entries.
Some 200 entries showed up for the 14th Kanagawa Moto-Cross, and one of them hit the winner's circle four times. Yamaha-mounted expert Tadao Suzuki won every race he contested, the senior 250cc, 125cc, 90cc and Open. Yamaha's Masaomi Makabe won the novice 250cc, to make the total five for that firm. Suzuki took three races and Honda one, the senior 50cc with Hidenao Ogawa aboard. Kunio Iida won both the novice 90cc and 50cc events, riding Suzuki machines, and Suzuki rider Moritaka Shimada copped the novice 125cc.
