Welcome to the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club

Welcome to the VJMC, the UK’s premier club for Japanese bikes fifteen years old and over. The club was founded in 1982 by a small group of like minded enthusiasts..

Read More

Join and Renew

Join the VJMC. Renew your membership. Pay by PayPal. Join for 1 year or subscribe.

Club Information

Find our more about what the club offers.

Club Events

From Section run events to the major shows. All the details here.

Sections

There are VJMC Sections all over the UK and Internationally. Find your local section here.

Machine Dating

Let us help with dating your machine from £25

Regalia

Regalia now available from Flying Colours

Tansha Archive Download

Now available to purchase and download as pdf documents

Book Reviews

Books we've read and enjoyed

Histories

The rise of Japanese motorcycles.

Bikes

See a selection of our members bikes. From tiddlers to the superbikes from the last few decades.

Tansha

Our bi-monthly magazine. View the latest summary here.

Find our full range of services, marque experts.

Buy and sell complete machines and parts.

Shop

Find a huge array of books, manuals, clothing, parts and accessories.

Insurance

Get a quote from our preferred insurers. Members receive discounts on insurance.

Trade Advertising

Advertise your business or service to 6000 members.

Much More . . .

Browse the pages on the top menu for much more

Welcome to the December edition of Tansha and festive greetings to one and all! Here’s to a peaceful Yuletide, Happy New Year and hoping Santa will bring you those NOS spares and shiny new tools you need.
This issue should appeal to our two stroke enthusiasts in general and the Kawasaki fans in particular; those who are fascinated by engines should also be in for a treat as well. We’ve been given unfettered access to the archives of Mortons Media who publish Classic Motorcycle Mechanics along with other classic two wheeler magazines. Over the coming months we’ll be running a series of CMM archive engine rebuild features covering motors from The Big Four. If you look closely you may even spot the odd well-known VJMC face! We’re kicking off with one of Kawasaki’s smaller triples along with front cover shot of the iconic S2 model. And to add a touch of genuine, period, feel there’s also a comprehensive and incisive road test of an S2 written by the late John Robinson. For those who don’t know him John was a commensurate journalist, analytical thinker and keen expert on all things two wheeled. His style was accurate and informative, open and critical yet always entertaining. The S2 road test, from 1971  details just how different and impressive the bike was from virtually anything of similar capacity and what an impact it made on JR at the time. Hopefully you’ll find it all an enjoyable and entertaining addition to Tansha.
Elsewhere in the magazine you’ll find various show and event reports from around the country. Three of our sections, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, have been at the Copdock show which has traditionally been a British bike event. Over the years the VJMC’s presence has been variously controversial, overlooked, ignored and derided but hopefully folk are becoming a little more open minded at long last. Well done and thank you to all those involved who continue to fly the VJMC flag at this event. Also featured in the December issue is coverage of the October Stafford which is essentially a spectacular show case for those within the club who carry out precise restorations then take the time out to display their hard work. Not everyone has the opportunity or facilities to restore old bikes and no one surely thinks those that do are in it for the money? If it wasn’t for the gallons of midnight oil burnt in numerous member’s shed, garages and workshops there wouldn’t be a VJMC stand at the event. Thanks to all those who bring their bikes to what many see as the premier event of the year and also to the Show Team and all their helpers who work behind the scenes, before, during and after the event. And to all of the sections and individuals who represent the club at events around the country thank you for all your hard work.
Looking to whet your appetite for the coming year we should be featuring a rare and unusual Japanese machine shortly and one that falls outside the remit of the usual major players. So on that note is there anyone in the club who has bikes made by Tohatsu, Lilac, Pointer, Cabton etc?
If so, please get in touch and let us know about the bikes from them, and other manufacturers that seem to have fallen off the radar.
As we move into what’s referred to as ‘shed season’ I’m hoping to finish off the street scrambler that’s still on the bench, sort out the loss of primary compression on one of my stroker tiddlers and, hopefully, take delivery of another machine. Yes, I know it’s a stupid thing to do when I’ve got others that need some TLC but you know how easy it is when you see that ‘special’ bike? Or is it just me then? If you’re similarly afflicted by random bike purchases, please share them with the members.
Have a cool Yule. 

Thanks, 

Steve Cooper  

VJMC Editor