Christchurch Classic Japanese Motorcycle Show. 17 March 2013

[HenryDorsetCase]

I thought it was excellent. One bike in particular I think is worthy of a writeup on Bikeexif. (the H1 Kwaka cafe racer. That is beautifully done).

I have many ideas for a new project. My vote for best in show went to the CB750 sandcast. Absolutely as if it had just been uncrated in 1969: HM300 pipes, vented side covers, four throttle cables etc. Loved it but would not want to own. Someone needs to bookend that with a CB750F2 next time, and then a CB750 Rolladoor, to show the progression over 12 years or so.

I'll let Allan put up the proper pics, in the meantime here are a couple:

[HenryDorsetCase]

Here is one of the bikes in the show I could see myself owning:

[HenryDorsetCase]

something you don't see everyday...... the mightly LILAC

cool as fuck, and there was a CX500 outside (for sale: best offer over $2200) which would have bookended it nicely.

[pete-blen]

Great selection of bikes... My tick went to the SL350 those were rare in the day & to have one
in show room condiction now...
seeing the Suzuki RE5 & Kawa S3 400 triple... now wish yer had kept them..

[HenryDorsetCase]

nice CBX with six into six pipes (no photo).

I have this thing for big drum brake front ends at present.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Beautiful bit of moto-jewellery: Honda CB350F

[AllanB]

There was a 350/4 chopper on display.

Now about 30 years ago when I was 18 I remember going to a friend of a friends place to help pick up some motorcycle related part/bike (that part is very foggy) and that bike was there freshly finished. Looks just the same - pretty sure it still has the 30 year old tyres!!!!!

I was disapointed not to see a 1st edition Katana (wire wheel please) but it has been ages since I have seen one on the road in CHCH.

GT750's are still large!, The Rotary Suzu still looks odd.

Loved the Z900's - on several occasions I almost purchased one of them way back ........

[AllanB]

That 350/4 spins out to 10,000 rpm - way back in the day!!!!

It was a exciting period of motorcycling where the Japanese were experimenting with different engines and moving away from old Brit design copies.

Bring it back I say!

[HenryDorsetCase]

Next time, if you have anything on the following list, it would be good to see it there:

Honda CB400F. Honda CB550F. Honda CB650 SOHC. A black bomber. (CB450). CB77, CB92. CB750F (Bol D;Or, or 900)

Kawasaki Z1R, (the pale blue one with the fairing) (that 350 Avenger was the sex though...)

Yamaha RD400A,B C D E F or G. (seriously..... not one? heaps of beautiful RD350's but not ONE 400?).

Suzuki GS550, 650, 750 and some original (not wire wheel even) Katanas

To complete the set of 80's turbo weirdos: the GPz750 Turbo, the XJ650 Turbo. Mr Scumdogs XN85, and a CX650 T to go with the 500 T that was there. And if some has one of those Z1 TC's that would be cool.

The other thing I wondered was how many of these bikes are dry, just for show, and how many get ridden? My personal view (I know others differ) is that it is not a motorbike anymore if it can't or isn't ridden. Particularly Jap ones: they're reliable.

My favourite bikes were the ones with patina, showing a bit of history (the Toad Racing RD350 say, or the Suzuki T350 that was original and unrestored). Sure the obsessively restored ones are great and beautiful to look at, but I'd be a bit scared to ride some of them (esp given their value).


Anyway, Great show chaps, and I hope to be joining you next time.

[HenryDorsetCase]

There was a 350/4 chopper on display.

Now about 30 years ago when I was 18 I remember going to a friend of a friends place to help pick up some motorcycle related part/bike (that part is very foggy) and that bike was there freshly finished. Looks just the same - pretty sure it still has the 30 year old tyres!!!!!

I was disapointed not to see a 1st edition Katana (wire wheel please) but it has been ages since I have seen one on the road in CHCH.

GT750's are still large!, The Rotary Suzu still looks odd.

Loved the Z900's - on several occasions I almost purchased one of them way back ........

apparently owned by the guy who had the two fabulous CB350's. Bookends!

[Oakie]

Loved the Z900's - on several occasions I almost purchased one of them way back ........

You mean these ones ...

[mulletman]

Beautiful bit of moto-jewellery: Honda CB350F

My dad used to take me for rides on one of these except his was a green one, always remember him polishing that chrome and cursing about rotting mufflers, his had crash bars on em till my uncle crashed them off ! Ins comp repaired it and it lived again.

[toycollector10]

The Kawasaki H1R won Best in Show and also Best Kawasaki. Well done! The story of the bike will be put on the CJMG website within about a month or so. As for what bikes make it into the show we take bikes that are offered as long as they meet our criteria but we don't actively seek out any particular model as there's enough work involved organising everything without chasing people. Thanks for your support.

[pete376403]

Great display and I went left field and voted the Green Kawasaki 350 Bighorn trailbike as best in show , why ? it looked like it'd only been ridden yesterday, dripping with patina, bought back some memories ...my mate's big brother had a new one back in '71 and that's exactly how it looked back then. I used to drool over it.

Any pictures of the F9? I had one in '72 and it was a real love/hate thing. (loved it when it was going, hated it when it blew up (as it did several times) As others have noted, wish I had enough sense (and money, and space) to have kept it