THE JAPANESE MOTOR INDUSTRY: RACES & 'BOSOZOKU'

Daijirō Katō

Yesterday, The Jones visited four of the most important companies of the world automotive industry, all of them Japanese: Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki. They have been talking about occupational hazards and safe riding on motorcycles.

The family enjoyed a wonderful day in the Suzuka International Racing Course driving some of the quickest motorbikes with the last technology and meeting old friends like Aleix Esparagó, Francesc Mataró, Marc Márquez and Maverick Viñales. The Jones wanted to remember Daijirō Katō, one of the best Japanese pilots who will be always admired. 

Download Guide to Safe Riding on Motorcycles

The family knew what was Bōsōzoku, a Japanese youth subculture associated with customized motorcycles and they could customize their own motorbikes. It was an unforgettable day full of memories and happiness that they will never forget.

Today, The Jones are visiting the Amida Buddha in the Kōtoku-in Temple in
Kamakura.

More information: Moto GP

Honda Motor Company, Ltd. is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles, aircraft, motorcycles, and power equipment.

Claudia Jones & Marc Márquez

Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959. 

Honda was the first Japanese automobile manufacturer to release a dedicated luxury brand, Acura, in 1986. 

Aside from their core automobile and motorcycle businesses, Honda also manufactures garden equipment, marine engines, personal watercraft and power generators, and other products. 

Since 1986, Honda has been involved with artificial intelligence/robotics research and released their ASIMO robot in 2000. They have also ventured into aerospace with the establishment of GE Honda Aero Engines in 2004 and the Honda HA-420 HondaJet, which began production in 2012.

More information: Honda

Joaquín Jones & Francesc Mataró

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (KHI) is a Japanese public multinational corporation founded by Kawasaki Shōzō (1837-1912).

Kawasaki is primarily known as a manufacturer of motorcycles, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships. It is also active in the production of industrial robots, gas turbines, boilers and other industrial products. The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki, and has dual headquarters in Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.

Prior to World War II, KHI was part of the Kobe Kawasaki zaibatsu, which included Kawasaki Steel and Kawasaki Kisen. After the war, KHI became part of the DKB Group (keiretsu).

More information: Kawasaki

Paqui Jones & Aleix Espargaró

Suzuki Motor Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, that manufactures automobiles, four-wheel drive vehicles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines.

In 1909, Michio Suzuki (1887–1982) founded the Suzuki Loom Works in the small seacoast village of Hamamatsu. Business boomed as Suzuki built weaving looms for Japan's giant silk industry. In 1929, Michio Suzuki invented a new type of weaving machine, which was exported overseas. The company's first 30 years focused on the development and production of these machines.

More information: Suzuki

Yamaha Motor Company Limited is a Japanese manufacturer of motorcycles, marine products such as boats and outboard motors, and other motorized products. 

Michelle Jones & Maverick Viñales

The company was established in 1955 upon separation from Yamaha Corporation and is headquartered in Iwata, Shizuoka. The company conducts development, production and marketing operations through 109 consolidated subsidiaries as of 2012.

Led by Genichi Kawakami, the company’s first president, Yamaha Motor began production of its first product, the YA-1, in 1955. The 125cc motorcycle won the 3rd Mount Fuji Ascent Race in its class.

The company's products includes motorcycles, scooters, motorized bicycles, boats, sail boats, personal water craft, swimming pools, utility boats, fishing boats, outboard motors, 4-wheel ATVs, recreational off-road vehicles, go-kart engines, golf carts, multi-purpose engines, electrical generators, water pumps, snowmobiles, small snow throwers, automobile engines, surface mounters, intelligent machinery, industrial-use unmanned helicopters, electrical power units for wheelchairs and helmets.

More information: Yamaha

Bōsōzoku, literally running-out-of-control, is a Japanese youth subculture associated with customized motorcycles.

The first appearance of these types of biker gangs was in the 1950s. Popularity climbed throughout the 1980s and 1990s, peaking at an estimated 42,510 members in 1982. Their numbers dropped dramatically in the 2000s with a reported number of under 7,297 members in 2012.

The Jones and their new Bōsōzoku motorbikes

Bōsōzoku style traditionally involves jumpsuits similar to those of manual laborers or leather military jackets with baggy pants, and tall boots. This uniform became known as the tokkō-fuku and is often adorned with kanji slogans. Typical accessories to this uniform are Hachimaki , surgical masks, and patches displaying the Japanese Imperial Flag.  

Bōsōzoku members are known for taking a Japanese Road Bike and adding modifications such as over sized fairings, lifted handle bars shifted inwards, large seat backs, extravagant paint jobs, and modified mufflers. Bōsōzoku styles take inspiration from American Choppers and Greasers.

More information: Jalopnik

The word 'Bōsōzoku' is also applied to motorcycle subculture with an interest in motorcycle customizing, often illegal, and making noise by removing the mufflers on their vehicles so that more noise is produced. These Bōsōzoku groups sometimes ride without motorcycle helmets, which in Japan is illegal, also engage in dangerous or reckless driving, such as weaving in traffic, and running red lights.

Many, if not most, Bōsōzoku members came from a lower socioeconomic class and may have used the motorcycle gang activities as a way to express disaffection and dissatisfaction with Japanese mainstream society.

More information: Japan Times

To be a great motorbike racer,
the most important thing is passion for the bike.
 

Valentino Rossi