A Debate Among Enthusiasts
A few years back, while perusing Motorcycle Classics magazine, I stumbled upon a heated debate: "Should Japanese bikes be considered classics?" There are certainly plenty of hardcore British bike and European art riders who would prefer to keep the terms "Classic" and "Bike" exclusive to their niches. Harleys, we'll leave for the farm tractor collectors to argue...
Overcoming Bias
I guess with enough peer pressure, the weaker-spined rider might get caught up in that mentality. Heck, I remember back in the '70s hearing the same old thing about Japanese bikes: the wiring is too complex, it's like a rat's nest. What do you need two cams for? Too many parts to remove. They hide everything. Yet, there we were, buying up those Japanese cycles like hotcakes. Many of them got left beside barns or parked in the back of garages because of that "It's too difficult" mentality.
The Rise of Japanese Motorcycles in the '80s
Yet as we rode into the '80s, things began to change. Those tiddler rice burners not only could smoke anything coming from the European markets, they could downright hand a Harley its proverbial ass, not only in backroad burning but in long haul touring as well. In the words of Marty McFly when Doc clamored about Japanese junk, "Whadaya mean doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan." And it was true!
The Realization of Superiority
It took many of us too long to figure that one out, but the reality was that Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and the other Nippon market bikes had been better-built machines from day one. Even my Dad, who had been a Harley man his whole life, told me before my first Harley purchase, "You know, a good 400 jap bike will outrun any Harley, won't leak, and stays together." OK, this was during the AMF years, but the logic was solid.
Japanese Bikes as Desirable Classics
As far as I'm concerned, not only are Japanese bikes classics, but they should also be the most desirable of classics. If you've ever been launched off the kickstart by a cantankerous big British single, cursed the heavens over impossible to find Italian bike parts, or lord forbid, tried to quell the puddles under your old HD or Trumpet, then an old Asian bike is an eye-opener. As long as they have good plugs and fresh gas – Well then, they are going to start and go.
Restoration of Japanese Engineering
95% of the work I do is bringing these old marvels of Japanese engineering back from long
slumbers. When you are up close and personal with these bikes, you really come to see how well built they really are. What were considered lightweight bikes of the time were really overbuilt in quality of material and solid designs. The engines were so well sealed off from contamination that I often find myself surprised to find completely trashed "cosmetically" bikes downright jewel-like and in perfect working order internally.
Timeless Classics Indeed
So the question: Can Japanese bikes be included as classic motorcycles to me simply shows the illiteracy in understanding the motorcycle. Period. Just think back for a moment. Probably the single most referred to motorcycle when we think about changes in motorcycle design was... Do I even need to say it? No, we all know which one it was. Would you even doubt that the original SOHC Honda CB 750 is not a classic?
A Selection of Classics
I'll include a couple of pictures with this post. Well before the CB750 came to town, you could have had a CA77 Honda Dream or a CL77 enduro bike. These bikes were essentially the same engine. The dream with a single carb head and the CL with a smoking hot two carb head. The dream had a pressed sheet metal frame while the CL had a heavy-duty trussed tube frame. Each bike was suited to a different type of rider and each bike was so well built that even today in original guise, they still emit a feeling of solid build and reliable road usability. These bikes would have to be considered classics. Who could disagree with that?
Final Thoughts
I was going to end this diatribe with a long list of Japanese bikes that could be considered classics. The problem is that I can think of way more Japanese bikes that fit the bill than I can of any other mark. So just think of one and plug it in. I bet it would qualify. In the end, though, does it really matter? We love these old bikes and riding them is what it's really about. So why argue the point. Just get out there and enjoy them.
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