Kawasaki history

Does anyone know when Japan relaxed their CC restrictions and allowed bikes with more than 750cc to be sold in the homeland?

I know that my 1974 W3 650 Roadster was the largest bike permitted for publik consumption that year. I know that because John Robinson purchased it that year, in Japan, and later sold it to me, in the USA.

Bill

PS:

One of the testing requirements was that you had to demonstrate your ability to lift your fallen bike.

id rather demonstrate my ability to keep it upright myself! :laugh: if somebody told me to lay my bike on the ground to get a license we'd have us a brawl!

Last time I was stationed in Japan in 1981 all that was allowed for sale in the dealerships were 750s and smaller. However there were plenty of BMW 1000s and Harlies on the streets. I am not sure how the laws worked. I wanted to buy a tail light lens for my KZ1300 while I was there because they were not available in the stated, and I had to prove that I owned the bike, before they would or could order the part for me in the Kawasaki dealership in Iwakuni.

It was actually a voluntary restriction self imposed (commonly called "the gentlemen's agreement") by the big 4 following the introduction of the Sandcast. Although I've heard, but never been able to confirm, there was some heavy govt pressure to do so. The agreed limit for domestic sales was 750cc. Which is why when Kawasaki launched the Z-1 worldwide in 1972, they had to field the 750cc Z-2 for the domestic market.

Wiki Japan says the agreement was in effect 1969-1988. I really hate to quote Wiki as a ref, but in this case I sort of have to because the restriction was voluntary and therefore anything official or academicly credible is really hard to find.

Thank you, gentlemen. I appreciate the info.

One thing government had done was change motorcycle license structure. up until 1975, there were moped license for 50cc and under and motorcycle license for over 51cc. In 1975 (I think), motorcycle license was separated into 3 limitations. Small for 51cc to 125cc, medium for 125cc over to 400 cc and large (no limitation) for 401cc and over.
To get unlimited license was extremely hard. Passing rate was lower single digit %. So many got only medium limited license and all manufactures went focus 250-400cc in domestic sale.
I missed the change by one year and rode 400 cc in those days . (my mom got car license long time ago. In those days motorcycle license come with car license. So she still has unlimited motorcycle license this day while she can't even ride moped :lol: )
Honda CB400F was originally 408cc. After the license change, Honda changed to 398cc so majority of people can legally ride. 408 version had side cover that the same color as tank and 398cc version had black side cover.
During that time, all larger KZs and others were exported and imported back to Japan and sold very high price tag.
Now they changed and made it easier to get license to ride larger ones. Sales of Harley is strong in Japan lately. I heard.
i also saw motorcycle sales in Japan for last year was only 10% of its peak in 80's. Manufactures are trying to grab female rider and return riders (who used to ride in 70's and 80's like some of us).

This is very interesting history. One thing that has developed from this restriction "IS" the very rare Z2. I would love to get my hands on one. I could have bought one from my commanding officer back in 1979, but I have just bought KZ1300 at the time.

tybolt99 wrote:

I missed the change by one year and rode 400 cc in those days . (my mom got car license long time ago. In those days motorcycle license come with car license. So she still has unlimited motorcycle license this day while she can't even ride moped :lol: )
Honda CB400F was originally 408cc. .

Same here! I missed the change by four years, so I was stuck with a "chuugata" as well. My Mom can't ride a bicycle but she has the unlimited motorcycle license which came along with her car license.

Where do you live? I grew up in Kamakura.

I grew up in Tokyo where most of speed limits are 30 km (19 m/h) and 40 km (25m/h).
I used to ride to Kamakura and around.
I have been in NC since 1884.

Hi Tybolt99
You must be a pretty old fellah if you have been in NC that long:lol:

Mcdroid wrote:

Does anyone know when Japan relaxed their CC restrictions and allowed bikes with more than 750cc to be sold in the homeland?

Don't know how valid this is, but here's an excerpt from bikerpat.blogspot.com/2007/06/history-of...400cc-superbike.html

(Old) Japanese laws on power and speed restriction:

Prior to 1993 the maximum horsepower were the following:
250cc class: 45hp
400cc class: 59 hp
750cc class: 77 hp
over 750cc: not allowed

The new limits for the models built in 1993 and after, were:
250cc class: 40hp
400cc class: 53 hp
750cc class: 77 hp
over 750cc: allowed, but restricted to 100 hp.

All motorcycles for the Japanese home market is restricted to 112mph. Bikes with more powerful engines and unrestricted topspeeds are made for export only. However, a Japanese person is allowed to import an unrestricted bike from another country for private use.

Sources:
Used Motorcycle Guide, UK
Bike UK, August 2001, “GSX-R: The cult”
www.suzukicycles.org
The Ultimate Motorcycle Encyclopedia, Roland Brown and Mac McDonald, 2002, New York
Tourist Trophy Playstation Game

---

Good Luck!