MISSING the big Japanese four-stroke twins
IF YOU USE THE WORDS ‘JAPANESE’ AND ‘motorcycles’ in the same sentence, chances are many classic enthusiasts will be visualising either large air-cooled four-cylinders or frenetic, smoking two-strokes. And even if that genuinely is the major part of the picture, it’s empathically not a complete image by any means.
Sometimes in your face but more often tucked away in dusty, rarely visited alcoves of the Japanese History of Motorcycles, there are numerous examples of the lusty four-stroke parallel twin.
Some are almost blatant copies of British machines, others are sport considered revisions, and a few are very obviously contemporary Japanese in the concept. One or two demonstrate amazing left-field thinking. Almost without exception, the end products were – or have been – variously mocked, vilified criticised, and/or derided. Some, arguably, merit the odd drop or two of scorn if, for no other reason, than the appallingly naïve product planning that saw such machines launched onto a market that really didn’t want them.
However, the vast majority represented considered engineering approaches to what is an undeniably attractive lusty big twin. Some time ago, bike journalist Dave Minton gave an enlightening talk at a Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club event. He covered in some depth the Japanese industry’s examination and evaluation of the archetypal big British twin.
The consensus was that the oriental engineers immediately saw the attractions of the instant drive and urge of a Norton Atlas, Triumph Bonneville, BSA A10, AJS G12, etc. However, they were almost at a loss as to understand
