1964 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1964 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit - 3-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, Vintage Magazine Article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Japan’s first grand prix motorcycle
race, held at Suzuka Circuit last fall,
proved to be a most rewarding and en-
tertaining experience, thanks to partici-
pation by four teams, sporting the best
and fastest machines and men in the
world in their class. It was the case of
Japanese machines racing on a Japanese
track, and thus became a matter of
prestige for the makers involved: Honda,
Suzuki, Yamaha and Tohatsu.
The race also saw entrance of such
famous names as Taveri, Robb, Redman
and Anderson, to mention only a few.
The best of the Japanese riders were also
there, and almost succeeded in winning
one race.
There was, however, one unfortunate
aspect to the race, which cannot really
be blamed on anyone: participation by
non-Japanese teams was limited to a
token contingent from Kreidler (in the
50cc class) and the Moto Morini team,
with a 250cc and 350cc machine, but
more important, with the all-fast Tar-
quinio Provini. Since the 50, 125 and
350cc team and rider titles had already
been decided, other foreign teams
obviously didn’t feel it merited the ex-
pense and trouble of sending their ma-
chines all the way to Japan (especially
considering the obvious superiority of
the Japanese team — if only in num-
bers). The vast array of machines and
men made practice look like rush hour
in downtown Tokyo.
Practice was held during the two days
preceding the race, and was very fast
and uneventful, the second day showing
slower times due to strong, gusty winds
(which proved especially unnerving at
mountainous Suzuka). Luckily there
were no spills or injuries during prac-
tice, which can probably be attributed
to the skill of the men riding. The new
twin-cylinder 50cc Honda and the four-
cylinder Honda 125 were a joy to hear,
and turned extremely good times, pi-
loted by Luigi Taveri and Tommy Robb.
The four-cylinder Suzuki 250, sound-
ing like Chinese New Year in San Fran-
cisco (the Rice Crispies machine: snap,
crackle and pop), ran fast but not fast
enough to keep up with the Honda fours
and the phenomenal Yamaha twin (what
makes it go so fast?).
Both the Honda and Suzuki teams
took extreme measures to keep their
new machines hidden from prying eyes,
even to the extent of keeping them cov-
ered with tarps during inspection and
right up to the time they got onto the
track.
Several interesting features were,
however, quite easily seen: the Honda
50 was equipped with twin carburetors
of the Keihin type (which looked as big
as the ones on the author’s 250 Hawk),
and sported (hold onto your hats!) a
21,000 rpm tach, with the red-line
around 18,000, which puts it some-
where in the class with my little broth-
er’s .049 airplane engine. It was also
equipped with rubber-pad caliper-type
front brakes, which completes the cir-
cuit from motorized bicycle to racing
motorcycle and back again, it seems.
The saving on weight is considerable, a
prime consideration in a 50cc machine,
and it probably sports enough gears to
do all the slowing necessary. In any case,
the Taveri twin 50 was turning over 100
mph down the straight, and it can be
reasonably assumed that the brakes were...
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