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Author Topic: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?  (Read 9903 times)

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Offline Tahitian_Red

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First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« on: May 13, 2012, 06:32:32 am »
What were the first Japanese "purpose built" Scrambles/MX bikes sold to the public?

I don't mean factory add-on or hop-up kits (out the door ready to race).
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The "Factory Novice"
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'74 Suzuki TM100, '75 Bultaco 250 Pursang, '77 Honda XR75, '77 Suzuki RM125B, '77 Yamaha YZ400D, '79 Honda CR250RZ Moto-X Fox Replica, '83 Honda ME480RD Mugen

Offline Iain Cameron

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2012, 11:57:45 am »
As a Yamaha freak I hope Im right in saying the dt2mx
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Yamaha tragic ; dt1, rt1, dt2, rt2, dt2mx , rt2mx , mx250, mx360,sc500, 74dt125, yzx125, yzc250, yzc400, yzd250, yzd400, yzh250, yzh80 , dt100 , xr75 ko xr80 03 , it175 82 . Not a member of any club

Offline EML

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2012, 12:24:15 pm »
Prob even before DTs came along the YD Yamahas and CL Hondas had to be taken into consideration. Built to take on the Triumphs and CZs, Huskys, Monarks, Maicos etc.... but a long way from them.
The Yamahas that went to Catalonia were pretty much proddy bikes.??
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Offline JohnnyO

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2012, 12:30:40 pm »
I think the DT2mx was Yamahas first real mx bike in '72. Was Kawasakis first MXer the G31m in 1970? Then there was also the '71 TM Suzuki and '73 CR Elsinore.
« Last Edit: May 13, 2012, 01:40:11 pm by JohnnyO »
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Offline VMX60

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2012, 12:34:22 pm »
Good Question

Over here in the west

TC250 twin Suzuki were raced in MX

The first pucka MX model was RTIMX Yamaha black tank yellow stripe all the 250cc DT1 were kitted std models I took the very 1st RT1MX out to a demo day as a Yamaha saleman and blew the kick start idler gear though the crankcases it kick back that hard  :P  lucky  my leg was OK   :D

Cheers
« Last Edit: May 13, 2012, 12:43:16 pm by VMX60 »
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Offline JohnnyO

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2012, 01:01:06 pm »
Some info i read claims Yamaha's first purpose built MX bike was the DT2-MX.
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Offline EML

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2012, 01:07:34 pm »
so was it the DT1 or the Kawasaki-too long ago for me -I am a late baby boomer so I was only 10 in 1969.
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Offline Stan S

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2012, 01:24:05 pm »
Maybe the 1963 Kawasaki B8M

In 1963, the B8M Motocrosser took the top 6 positions in the Hyogo Prefecture Motocross Tournament.
The Fearsome "Red-Tank Furore"
With all the Kawasaki bikes completing the race, the race team proved that the "Kawasakis are strong machines in tough circuits". Later at the Fukui Prefecture Motocross Tournament, the Kawasaki machines won all the race events and at various motocross tournaments held in West Japan, Kawasaki machines were victorious in most of the events – despite not competing the past year. The outstanding achievements of the "Red-Tank Furore", named for it’s red fuel tank, earned it a fearsome reputation.

Stan.
 
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Offline pancho

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2012, 01:24:35 pm »
 far as I know it was the DT1 with  the GYT kit
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Offline firko

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2012, 01:25:44 pm »
Yamaha.The DT1MX and RT1MX were released in 1970 but thery were basically kitted trail bikes so the first proper Yamaha motocrosser was the DT2MX in 1972.

Honda. The CR250 Elsinore was Honda's first effort in 1973.

Suzuki It's arguable just how available the RH67/TM67 (same bike, different names) was to the public but it's accepted that they were sold to some worthy buyers. The first TM Suzuki mass sold was the '71 TM250/400.



Kawasaki. The F21M 250 was released in 1968.



So, it seems that both Yamaha and Honda were stragglers in the race to get a proper MXer to the buying public. Granted, the RH67 was a pseudo 'works bike' and therefore only sold in limited numbers, while the Kawasaki F21 'Greenstreek' was sold through dealers to anyone who wanted one. They were short in supply (as all pre 80s Kawasaki's were) but they were available so I'd say that the Greenstreek was the first production purpose built motocrosser.  
« Last Edit: May 13, 2012, 01:27:44 pm by firko »
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'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline JohnnyO

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2012, 01:30:01 pm »
Nice homework Firko :)
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Offline JohnnyO

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2012, 01:30:58 pm »
Quote from: pancho on May 13, 2012, 01:24:35 pm
far as I know it was the DT1 with  the GYT kit
The question was purpose built MX bikes not kitted bikes...
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Offline EML

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2012, 01:36:02 pm »
What year did the Hodakas come out and would they be classed as Japanese??
Looks like Kawasaki had the jump on them all-way back in '61
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Offline firko

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2012, 01:36:55 pm »
Maybe the first Japanese production motocrosser was the YA11 from 1957 ;D. I've no idea how many were sold to the public though.
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'68 Yamaha DT1 enduro, '69 Yamaha 'DT1 from Hell' '69 DT1'Dunger from Hell, '69 Cheney Yamaha 360, 70 Maico 350 (2 off), '68 Hindall Ducati 250, Hindall RT2MX, Hindall YZ250a , Cycle Factory RT2MX flat tracker, Yamaha 1T250J, Maico 250 trials, '71, Boyd and Stellings TM400, Shell OW72,750 Yamaha

Offline huskibul

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Re: First Japanese Dirt Bikes?
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2012, 03:33:26 pm »
    Geez if that ain't a bantam it'll do til' we get one ! :D
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