As this book explains, the Japanese did not suddenly become proficient in the design and development of motorcycles when they first appeared in Europe at the end of the 1950s. Instead, the Japanese had been involved with motorcycles since the beginning of the 20th century. True, early Japanese motorcycles copied Western design - a trend that continued for several years after WWII. But soon they designed a succession of highly innovative machinery, not only to the Grand Prix world's benefit but to the paying 'over-the-counter' customer, too. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, plus Bridgestone and Tohatsu, have all built and sold racing motorcycles which the public could also buy and enjoy.

After World War II, the Japanese motorcycle industry sought to improve competitiveness in the export field against entrenched European marques and racing was seen as the obvious way to improve credibility and gain publicity. Walker looks at the men, the machines and the events.

Everything you need to know to restore or customize your classic Japanese motorcycle. Whether you want to correctly restore a classic Japanese motorcycle or create a modified, custom build, you need the right information about how to perform the mechanical and cosmetic tasks required to get an old, frequently neglected, and often long-unridden machine back in working order. How to Rebuild and Restore Classic Japanese Motorcycles is your thorough, hands-on manual, covering all the mechanical subsystems that make up a motorcycle. From finding a bike to planning your project to dealing with each mechanical system, How to Rebuild and Restore Classic Japanese Motorcycles includes everything you need to know to get your classic back on the road. Japanese motorcycles have been the best-selling bikes in the world since the mid-1960s, driven by the "big four": Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki. Of course certain bikes have always had a following - Honda CB750, 305 Hawk, CB400-4, Benly; Suzuki GT750, Katana, GS1000S; Yamaha XS650, RD400 Daytona, TZ; Kawaski H1, H2, Z1R - and these have now become the blue-chip Japanese bikes leading collectors to seek out more common (and now more affordable) alternatives. This is the perfect book for anyone interested in classic Japanese motorcycles, as well as prepping a bike to build a cafe racer, street tracker, or other custom build.

This is the definitive guide to identifying, buying and riding Japanese bikes from the 1960s to the early 1990s, concentrating on mainstream, affordable models from the `big four': Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. Fully illustrated in color throughout, the book provides a brief history of the Japanese motorcycle industry, its post-war rise and displacement of traditional British, European and American marques. Specific bikes are then grouped and discussed in detail, providing an essential reference for buyers and enthusiasts alike.

This book is the fifth in the Mick Walker Racing Motorcycle series. It covers the Grand Prix Motorcycles from Japan.

This is the story of the Japanese motorcycle industry which started from scratch after World War II and grew to make most of the motorcycles in existence today. It is told in a decade-by-decade narrative treatment commencing in the early 1950s and running through to the 1990s.

This authoritative book, elegantly written in highly digestible style by the foremost expert on the subject, provides in-depth analysis of classic motorcycle race engines spanning eight decades, from the 1930s Guzzi 500 120-degree twin to the latest Yamaha YZR M1 in-line four. Packed with technical detail, the book provides an absorbing insight into the technology employed in a wide variety of motorcycle engines, investigating the diverse approaches taken by various manufacturers over the years in the search for race-winning performance.