Tansha article from 2013. Bridgestone 350 GTR.

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I copied and pasted this article here, it's ended up all shoved together which makes harder reading so well done to anyone who actually manages to get through it.


Bridgestone 350 GTR

First a brief synopsis of Bridgestone Motorcycles, a 60s Japanese motorcycle manufacturer that many never knew existed yet they built possibly the most advanced motorcycle from that era, the 350 GTR. To quote Motorcycle Mechanics, April 1968.

                                “All other motorcycles were now out of date”.

In addition to the more familiar Japanese tyre manufacturer we all know today the Bridgestone company first started in manufacturing by producing rubber soles in the late 1920s along with other rubber products then later bicycles beginning in 1946 which inevitably led to powered bicycles later in 1949, sounds familiar? This developed into motorcycle production from 1958 to 1971 from the automotive side of the company that was run by Soichiro Ishibashi. The company name is actually taken from a literal translation of his name in English -- Ishi - stone, Bashi – bridge, the English sounding name was adopted as it was very fashionable pre-war and possibly helped with marketing over the competition at the time.Exports of motorcycles to America began in 1963 via Rockford Scooter Company of Rockford, Illinois (later renamed to Rockford Motors) with many models being sold alongside lawnmowers and from store catalogues. Small-scale exports to other countries followed with the bikes not reaching the U.K. until 1968 but as always the vast majority of motorcycles exported were destined for the U.S. market. The later larger displacement models were virtually unseen elsewhere even in Japan but a small number have found their way back.Several Japanese motorcycle manufacturers went under in the early sixties but Bridgestone was doing well and absorbed former employees of failed companies like Tohatsu and Lilac. Out of this came their most well known series of motorcycles based on rotary inlet valve engines ranging in size from 50cc to 350cc. Bridgestone’s now established catalogue of motorcycles began in 1964 and were so advanced for the day they continued generally unchanged through to 1971 with build and engineering quality reaching a high standard.Bridgestone had become one of the most successful names on Japanese racetracks in the small displacement categories during the mid-sixties and also celebrated wins in Europe and America, they also drew considerable attention from American dirt track riders and this prompted the highly acclaimed 'SR' models in the 175cc class which were slightly modified race-only versions of the road-going models and could be raced straight from the crate, the road-going 175 was enlarged to 200cc in 1970.Many of the cutting-edge engineering features found on Bridgestones were not exclusive but nowhere else could so many advanced features be found in one package. So why did production suddenly grind to a halt? Many reasons are cited but possibly Bridgestone became a victim of their own success. The advanced engineering and quality came at a price and when the 350 GTR was introduced at over $900US in 1967 at a time that a basic new Ford or Chevrolet family car could be purchased for $2000 it was on a sales slippery slope, it also didn't help that a Honda or Yamaha of similar displacement could be had for around $700US, a big saving and though this did nothing to kill the desire to own a Bridgestone it did inhibit sales. In the U.K. the marque was sold by Bill Smith of Chester who imported and sold only 1200 Bridgestones over three years with around 30 being GTRs, few have survived. The cheaper products are easier to sell to the majority of buyers when the differences in quality is not so apparent on new machines just sitting on the showroom floor and why buy a 350 GTR when a Triumph Bonneville cost hardly any more?While production at the Bridgestone site was busy the motorcycle production side was more of a side line to the tyre manufacturing and profits earned didn't stay within the motorcycle division but were absorbed by the tyre division. Unconfirmed rumours spread that other Japanese motorcycle manufacturers made it clear to Bridgestone that if they pursued their competitive attitude in motorcycles on and off the track they would find themselves with no home market for their tyres, the big four had the view they were putting money into a competitor by buying their tyres. Both tyre and motorcycle production took place in adjoining sections of the same crowded factory and expansion of one would be at the expense of the other, the alternative was heavy investment in a new factory, also the increasing value of the yen against the dollar was cutting into profits and didn't bode well for the future either.It soon became apparent that corporate interest in continued motorcycle development was slowing with late sixties "new" models that were merely painted over variations of earlier ones or given high pipes, chunky tyres and called scramblers i.e. the 350 GTO. Dealerships began bailing out and then there was the environmentalist pressure against two-stroke engines in the U.S.Following the 1971 model run Bridgestone closed the motorcycle division at Ageo with most of their tooling sold off to a Taiwanese firm named BS Tailung which resumed production of replacement parts for previous models and introduced a series of small motorbikes distributed by Rockford Motors; the Chibi, Tora, and Taka. BS Tailung ceased operation in 1975.Forty odd years on and Bridgestone is a household name, not known for their motorcycles or push bikes but for their premium tyres and their association with motor sport. Mention Bridgestone at any bike show and usually one would think tyres not motorcycles.
Bridgestone 350 GTR.So where is all this leading? Well as a restorer of the rare Japanese classics I've recently restored a number of quality machines to a high standard, a Kawasaki KH400A3, Suzuki RE5A, Suzuki Stinger T125 and Suzuki RE5M in that order. You may have seen the Suzukis displayed at Stafford, Bristol and Uttoxeter and also featured in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics or my KH400 on the front cover of The Kawasaki Triples Bible? But that’s enough trumpet blowing for now.Anyway always on the look out for something interesting as my next project I thought along the likes of Kawasaki W1, Samurai or Avenger but nothing suitable surfaced on e Bay. I did miss out on a Japanese market Kawasaki W1 S-A that was advertised in CMM but it had sold, I would have liked that, later a Samurai came up on e Bay but it was already restored so that was no good to me as I wanted something to put my name to. I kept searching on e Bay under rare, classic and collectable motorcycle headings when something unusual caught my eye, Bridgestone 350 GTR, freshly imported from the States and a runner although a little rough but the main things like exhausts, petrol tank and side pieces looked to be in decent restorable condition. Now I knew about the existence of Bridgestone motorcycles but was not familiar with the models but had seen a GTO at Uttoxeter and thought highly of it and I'd also read there was a GTR but had never seen one in the metal, so what was this GTR? It looked like the perfect restoration project and had a number of days to go so I clicked the 'add to watch list' button.I had time to research the GTR model and discovered that there were about 8,000 produced which is roughly the same number as Suzuki’s RE5, anyway a quick look around e Bay U.K. for parts came up with nothing so not a good start I thought, a look on the U.S. e Bay site revealed a good number of NOS parts and that took me by surprise, NOS parts almost out numbering used parts for a bike nearly forty five years old, how odd is that?More internet research within the U.K. came up with very little just an old magazine article about someone named Dennis, a then thirty five year old from the North West of England with an interest for the older Japanese machines who had a particular fondness of these models and restored one to a good standard but later sold it to a gentleman in the South West who has it to this day only it’s now blue rather than flamboyant red. I later discovered another article in a more recent motorcycle magazine that sang praises for the GTR and showing a very good restored one being road tested and in glorious colour, oh how things have come on since the article with Dennis.Further searching on the internet and I discover a website forum for Bridgestones in the U.S. and things start to become a little clearer concerning the NOS parts. It's a top quality site http://bridgestonemotorcycleparts.com with hundreds of members from around the world but mainly U.S. citizens all chatting about their Bridgestones or Stones as they like to call them but the one section that interests me the most is obviously the GTR section. I join and introduce myself and tell the readers of my ambitions regarding owning a GTR. I'm welcomed and we chat.Fumbling my way through the site I discovered the reason for the NOS parts on e Bay, it would seem that in the early seventies a large Bridgestone dealer shut up shop just when Bridgestone stopped producing motorcycles when the owner sadly died and it stayed closed for almost forty years with a complete basement containing various Bridgestone parts still in bags and boxes and on shelves hidden from the world collecting dust. The parts were eventually purchased by a Mr Richard Clarke with most of the rarer most wanted spares selling first but many parts have found their way onto U.S. e Bay via the Bridgestone site owner, yes you guessed it Richard Clarke an established Bridgestone enthusiast as well as a business man, most of his stock is available directly from him. Reading about this gave me confidence that I could restore one of these motorcycles if I got a decent one to start with. As with most restorations of rare machinery certain things are no longer available especially with the late sixties models, the usual things like exhausts, chain guard, engine parts, barrels, r/h engine covers and clutch plates for the GTR I learned have all gone but what is or was still available at the time encouraged me.The 350 GTR twin cylinder two stroke has a dry clutch, chromed barrels, twin rotary inlet valves, lubrication points on the cables and boasted six gears, you can even set up the bike to change gear or brake on your preferred side with a dealer supplied kit. Build quality was also noted in early test magazines as being of a very high standard. I just had to have one.Days later I'm sat at my computer with my heart thumping as I'm watching the bidding for the GTR and I'm going for it. It seemed to have settled at a lower price than expected so with about eight seconds to go I banged in a bid £700 higher than the previous one. I'm the highest bidder and feeling quite smug but only briefly as seconds later the tables were turned as I was out bid, screams could be heard by neighbours as I'd no time to place another bid, it had gone to a higher bidder who was possibly using a ‘sniper’ bidding tool program, I'd lost the GTR.I was so confident that the bike was to be mine I'd even been making a list of NOS parts needed off U.S. e Bay as part of this bike's restoration, would I ever come across another one to restore? I’d never seen a GTR never mind find a second one for sale so what was the chance of another coming up? I trawled through the internet and on e Bay with more determination than ever, not a sausage. This went on for days and I'd had a couple of offers from the guys on the Bridgestone site but the bikes were in the States and to be honest I was very nearly tempted to import one, so much so that I'd even been studying shipping costs but then decided against the idea for the time being. So back to e Bay but nothing, laboriously searching the internet again and just about giving up all hope when suddenly there on the screen Google had found a GTR for sale in the U.K. with three tidy photos on a site called 'Preloved the joy of second hand'. Sounded dodgy and my heart began racing again but negative thoughts did run through my head, had it been sold? How old is the advert? Is it a scam? As I calmed down I learned the advert was in fact new, the photos showed a tired looking GTR that had stood for too many years, it was a non runner with a big asking price at £1000 more than the one sold on e Bay. It looked to be complete though, an imported bike from the States. I know photos always make a bike look better than it actually is but I decided to contact the seller straight away by email for any information regarding the GTR.No reply that evening and I began to lose heart but the following morning a reply, now to cut out the email chat between us we agreed on a lower price but still a lot more than the one I missed on e Bay, also got a little bit of information regarding the bike's history but it was located on the outskirts of the Lake District and that’s one hell of a drive up north and back. A few more emails and an agreed deposit was paid via PayPal and I was now the owner of a 1968 Bridgestone 350 GTR unseen and not even a runner, gulp. Commitments at the 2011 Oct. Stafford Show meant it was two weeks before me and Jan (the wife) could travel north to collect the bike so to save time I bought a good number of items from Richard Clarke who remember runs/owns the Bridgestone site, parts I knew I'd definitely need during a restoration just as I’d done before. Stafford came and went with a 1st place win in the 1970’s section with my Suzuki RE5M but sadly no Bridgestones were on show and when the weekend eventually arrived to pick up the GTR we were blessed with lovely October weather that made the journey pleasurable. On arrival at the seller's home I gave the bike the once over, no not as good as in the photos but a really good original bike that still had the original Bridgestone tyres fitted and with 12429 miles on the clock it was exactly what I wanted a restoration I could put my name to. I did notice the sprocket cover had a small piece missing as well as a number of screws but the seller said he'd never noticed and had no explanation. He told me that the bike was laid up in an old Bridgestone dealership in New York for a good number of years but he didn’t know exactly why or for how long? He brought it into the U.K. four years ago with the intention to restore it but never got round to it and never attempted to start it although the engine was free and did have good compression, the reason it was for sale on 'Preloved' was that there were no fees to pay. Yes we all know e Bay can work out expensive for sellers but in support of e Bay you do sell to a larger group of potential buyers all looking in the same direction. The paper work was checked, title yes and import duties paid so money exchanged hands before securing the bike on the trailer and making our way home. Stopping midway at the services I kept guard over the bike while Jan went inside for refreshments and stood back to admire the GTR in the evening sun but couldn't stop wondering why it had been laid up for all that time back in the States? Am I missing something here, is there something I can't see? Am I viewing this bike through rose tinted spectacles? Am I paranoid?  I get the bike safely home and take a couple of photos while it's on the trailer then it's off the trailer and onto the drive for another photo session, it's dark but I get a few good shots. One thing that is very obvious when moving the GTR is it’s weight, or lack of it as it’s so much lighter than a Suzuki RE5 that I'm so familiar with but its as tall if not slightly taller. I'm left standing alone on the drive studying it and noting more detail all the time but I'm frustrated by the lack of light so I push it into the garage and call it a night.The following morning I'm up at a decent time and push the bike back onto the drive and the light is good, I'm fresh and in control of my paranoia. Standing not too far back I look at the chrome first and can see a haze effect and the rust is starting to break through in specks on just about every faded chromed part, not serious hazing or rust but just enough to spoil it so everything chromed will eventually have to be re chromed. The paint is showing specks of rust as well mainly on the petrol tank so all that will need doing in fact looking at the bike’s aesthetics there appears to be a lot more work needed than first anticipated as is the usual case.I take a closer look at the sprocket cover with the top piece and screws missing and notice there is another piece missing from the underside, further examination as I'm now down on my knees reveals a piece missing from the front casing as well, now I’m really concerned and conclude something quite serious has happened here. I'm now thinking drive chain damage and it looks like the chain has become sloppy or broke then jumped the front sprocket and snagged therefore breaking the casings and cover, this is usually associated with neglect or lack of maintenance so I’m quite concerned. I examine the rear sprocket and notice chain marks on the hub but more worryingly I see the bottom L/H eye of the rear suspension has twisted where the bolt goes through to the swinging arm flange, which in turn is also twisted and all seems to have been caused by the chain, whatever happened it's a bit of a mess that I never noticed when stood talking to the seller and now I couldn’t help wondering if he knew about it but forgot to mention it? I photograph the bike from every angle then go in closer and photograph just about everything else for future reference as nothing apart from the front sprocket cover seems to have been disturbed during it’s life before or after storage. Happy with that I push the bike back into the garage and onto the hydraulic bench lift where it's positioned to work on as the first job will be to get a spark for each cylinder before making any attempt to get it running. I removed the engine side covers before going any further to gain access to the carburettors and discover even more drive chain damage, also there is a neat hole about 30mm in diameter punched straight through the engine casing outer wall forward of the front sprocket, fortunately this goes into a void where there are still bits of aluminium inside which I removed, no panic as this is a comfortable repair but then I notice that the outer casing flange forward of the gear change shaft has cracked badly with a section ready to fall off, this will not be so easy to fix and was not expected, it’s now become a challenge. The R/H engine cover was removed with no problems found, what a relief. I then go back and have another closer look at the L/H front engine cover damage and notice that the cover is cracked where the clutch worm screw insert lives, I feel an impression of Victor Meldrew coming on as I say aloud '’I don't believe it’'. Studying these problems I know I can fix them but they were not expected and will take time to put right. Was this the reason the bike was laid up? Could this have been the reason the seller never bothered with the restoration? Beginning to think so.There were two recently new spark plugs fitted which I found odd and can’t think why other than maybe someone has recently tried to find a spark? I clean all the necessary electrical connections and also clean and reset the twin points and check the ignition timing that is found to be correct, I fit a new battery, lube the cylinders, switch it on then kick it over to see if I have a spark? I do, next I mix some petrol with two stroke oil at 20:1 in a small satellite fuel tank (tin can) I'd made for such start ups and connect the fuel pipes, after a good number of gentle prods on the kick start I replace the plugs, switch on the ignition and attempt to fire it up. With just a few kicks it bursts into life possibly for the first time in well over thirty years filling the area with smoke, blipping the throttle gently the engine responds but not cleanly and revving high at times, after a couple of minutes I switch it off as I now have a runner and a bad chest.  The next step is to strip the bike down taking photos of everything as I go along, the way the cables are routed, wire connections, pipe routes, screws and fasteners, everything and I do mean everything is photographed. After removing the exhausts, side panels, seat and tank in that order it reveals dust, dirt and light rust that has accumulated for over forty years and I think if only it could talk as every restorer does.  Again everything is photographed paying special attention to the wiring loom and it’s connections, this in turn is removed and will be checked over for damaged or loose connections later. Cables, coils, horn, ignition switch and anything else that’s fastened to the frame are removed and placed in bags or boxes for safe keeping although my plan is to change all the electrical parts for new if possible and judging by what was on the U.S. e Bay site at that time there was a good chance of doing that, remarkable.Back to the engine and the carburettors are removed along with the rotary side valve discs not forgetting to mark their position before removal as they are 180 degrees opposed and the manual isn’t too clear on this. The dynamo is carefully removed followed by the oil pump, clutch and other components from the engine, all photographed bagged and boxed. With the gearbox oil drained the inner R/H engine casing is removed and a number of photos are taken of the drive gears showing what fits where and which ‘timing dots’ need to be realigned when it all goes back together, a bit of white paint shows the dots up better.Removing the rear wheel and both suspension units I have a go at straightening the bottom eye on the L/H suspension unit, it’s welded on and is easily persuaded back into position when secured in the vice, I check it visually for cracks but it all looks good. Turning my attention to where the suspension eye fastens to the swinging arm this one is going to be difficult to align, I try various methods without any joy and decide to apply heat from a butane gun in an attempt to get it to twist back into position. As it heats up all is looking favourable when suddenly something falls to the floor, picking it up with the pliers and not my fingers I see that it’s a bush that was brazed into the flange I was working on but under the paint and chain flung grime I’d never noticed it. I persevere to try and straighten it but can see I’m loosing the battle and end up making a right pig’s ear of it.I’m not that bothered as fortunately I know there is a used swinging arm on e Bay U.K., it’s been there quite a while and looks to be in good condition, what were the chances of that? So I down tools and sat in front of my computer I hit the ‘buy it now’ button before sod’s law sets in and someone else buys it. It arrives a few days later from DKs and I’m pleased that it’s in very good condition, great service and a fair price too, full stars to D.K.s. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/dkmotorcyclespares Removing the front wheel, suspension and yoke I’m now left with the engine sat in the frame, its removed without too much hassle and lifted onto the work bench.The frame, swinging arm and centre stand were then prepared for powder coating locally, I used old screws and bolts to blank off the threads or holes where I didn’t want the paint to adhere to and wrapped tape around the bearing surfaces on the yoke. I took the three pieces to the local powder coating company in Swansea that I’d used before with good results but even so I felt compelled to explain just how rare this bike frame was so please don’t loose anything. I got it back within a few weeks as they were busy, all there and a great job at a competitive price. http://swpowdercoating.co.uk/The rear suspension units were also in need of a little work so I sent them away to Rob Davis-Evans who also did the work on both my RE5s rear suspension units, what he does is refurbish the units finishing them as per original. In a couple of weeks they were returned looking virtually like new, even a small ding was removed from the upper shroud.  E-mail: kernowshocks@live.co.uk The lightly corroded nuts and bolts that I’d been removing from the bike were tossed into a tin as my intention was to replace them for new but it was only when I’d picked up the wrong spanner a couple of times that I noticed the odd sizes of the nut and bolt heads. Normally the common M8 nut or bolt head on a 70s Japanese bike is 12mm across flats but these were 14mm, M10 and M12 were also bigger A/F than standard, this meant the nuts and bolts would all have to be reused, literally a true nut and bolt restoration as every fastener would have to be thoroughly cleaned then bright zinc plated and reused. Another thing I discovered later on was that the M5 screws were not 0.8mm pitch as with the International Standards Organization (ISO) but 0.9mm from the Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) and you simply can’t get them so none of the M5 screws were replaced, this also applies to 3, 4, and 12mm screws but I had no problem with them. Unbelievably all the original fasteners had still been on the bike when I bought it and would help to make this the perfect restoration but I think only those who have this knowledge would appreciate the commitment and dedication involved in retaining the original JIS fasteners, this hopefully includes you now.With the engine on the bench I removed the heads and barrels to measure the ring gap, I have a NOS set of rings but the ones fitted were found to be well within spec when replaced in the barrels for measuring so I decided not to change them. I then took the barrels and heads to the local vapour blasting company for cleaning, a quick turnaround and a good job but I thought it was a little expensive for what it was, I know it’s time consuming. Concentrating on the cover damage to the engine casings I fabricated repairs using a fine aluminium mesh and an industrial strength steel impregnated putty and finished using a final light skin of car body filler, this was then rubbed down with various grades of wet or dry emery paper to get a smooth finish. I repaired the punched hole on the inside engine casing in a similar fashion and just smoothed it over as it can’t be seen but it had to be done in two halves along the ‘X’ axis as the hole punched through where the top and bottom horizontal engine casing faces butted together. Working on the cracked flange in front of the gear change shaft the inevitable happened and the piece fell off. Using two pairs of surgical scissors to hold it back in place I felt like a surgeon as this was glued precisely back into position using an industrial strength bonding epoxy rather than aluminium welding which meant no heat to distort or damage anything and just as strong if not stronger after building it up on the inside and underside were it can’t be seen.Positioning the returned newly powder coated frame on the hydraulic lifting table I was ready to replace most of the parts that had been removed, NOS electrical components and other pieces had been delivered from Richard Clark in the States and were eagerly awaiting fitting. Meanwhile I’d been busy spray painting the engine covers with a professional filler paint, then smoothing it down and applying an undercoat before finishing off with a few coats of Audi metallic silver followed by a couple of coats of lacquer. I’d also painted the front fork sliders in the same colour as this looked to be as original. As this was all happening my new seat cover arrived that I’d bought through e Bay so Jan and me set about fitting it to the seat that night with unexpected excellent results, for those that don’t know the GTR seat cover it’s a little bit different from the norm with a suede like material patched into the seat with the idea to stop you or your pillion from sliding forward or rearward, I think the early Suzuki Cobra sported a similar one? http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Pit-ReplicaBack to the engine on the bench, using new cylinder base gaskets the cylinders with pistons already fitted, lubed and facing the right way were lowered down the studs individually onto the connecting rods with the needle bearings already in place, a new inside circlip had been fitted to both pistons and it was just a matter of lining up the pistons with the connecting rod eye and getting the wrist pin to gently push in, all hampered by the generous use of two stroke oil during assembly then not forgetting to fit new outside circlips before pushing the cylinders home. I always like to coat the studs with a fine smear of anti seize as well and then finally using new cylinder head gaskets the heads were fitted and tightened to the correct torque setting. Bridgestone like to use tall nuts on the cylinder heads and the exhaust manifolds, I can only think it’s to save on wear and less strain on the threads by using a larger area.I now had the time to do other little bits and pieces like polishing the aluminium outer covers, levers and wheel hubs but found it difficult to achieve as good a finish that I’d achieved on my Suzukis, probably due to the quality of the aluminium? A surprise was to discover that the front mudguard is made from a stainless steel of the magnetic type with both mudguards factory painted by hand in a thick black under seal substance on the underside for protection.The brakes were stripped down with the shoes having plenty of life left, I removed the bearings from the hubs and cleaned out all the old grease and found them to be fine so just repacked them and pressed them back home, while on the subject of bearings the swinging arm bushes/bearings were also in very good condition and just needed cleaning and again packing with grease. The front suspension got the next bit of attention as I rebuilt it using the freshly painted tubes and NOS gaiters, the fork seals appeared to be good so I didn’t replace them at this time even though I did have a NOS pair. I also cleaned up the splines on the clutch hub to help the plates move more freely, have I mentioned the GTR has a dry clutch? I measured the clutch plates and they are within tolerance according to the manual but these are items that are unobtainable to date. Another thing I looked at was the air filter housing that sits in front of the dynamo, originally inside was a fine wire mesh with two steel pressings at either end filled with a type of wire wool filtering the air for the carbs, this gave problems in the early days with the engine sucking in pieces of wire wool or rusted mesh. To resolve the problem it’s best to use a NOS fine wire mesh if available but without the end steel pressings and wire wool and use a piece of common foam air filter material secured unseen to the mesh and lubricated.The carbs were stripped and checked over and cleaned using ultra sonics and all looked good, the petcock got the same treatment and a new expensive seal kit fitted. The dynamo looked it’s age so I stripped that down and checked all was intact then cleaned up it’s aluminium casings using fine grades of emery paper, pleased with it’s looks and condition I reassembled it. The twin points run off the dynamo on the near side and are protected by a disc cover from the elements, this got a simple polish and looked good before being refitted. I also stripped the oil pump just to be sure nothing sinister had happened in there in the past, it looked like new internally and was reassembled with the aid of the service manual as there are a number of timing positions to the cam. As usual photographs were taken along the way. The engine was now ready to be put back into the frame, this done I fitted the drive gears with their timing marks aligned properly, next the rotary side inlet valves, carbs and clutch were fitted and not forgetting to put oil in the gearbox. I made special tools to remove the clutch (copied from the service manual) and the same were used to refit it, these are simple tools to stop the clutch outer drum from revolving during assembly or disassembly and another to tighten one of the two centre nuts. Having the engine back and all timed up and the NOS electrical components fitted along with all the other bits and pieces it was time to see if it would run again after first checking there was a spark to both cylinders, there was and the timing was reset. Using the same method as before to get it started it fired up with a couple of kicks but started to rev too high, adjustment sorted this but on restarting it again started to rev too high, seems the sliders within the carbs were sticking and I discovered petrol was leaking from the carbs. I played about for days with this problem, the sliders were polished and that made it better with no sticking but they still leaked petrol. The float height was adjusted many times but to no avail so I ordered new float valves but these made no difference, I also noticed that one cylinder was stronger/hotter than the other so I decided to swap the carbs over and the problem followed, where the left was the strongest/hottest it was now the right and it returned to the left when I swapped them back. I spoke to my new Bridgestone friend Steve in the States and he advised I fit new carbs as he’d experienced this before. NOS carbs for a GTR what chance have I of getting those? Unbelievably I managed to get a pair from R.C. but it would take a couple of weeks coming from the States.I’d already done a compression test at 120 p.s.i. to both cylinders and that’s just within spec, Steve suggested a leak down test but I told him I’d noticed another problem when the engine was running, I could see minute air bubbles coming from between the two engine casing halves in one small area so there was no need for a pressure test it as it was visually leaking. A sit down and a rethink came up with a fresh plan of attack or should I say restoration, build the GTR as a ride and show bike rather than ride this summer and show the following year.Right I know I have a runner but it just needs tweaking, the NOS carbs are in transit from the States and fingers crossed should solve the carb problems but the engine casing seal has failed and needs to be resealed. It’s sadly obvious, engine out again only this time I will have to delve deeper, a full engine strip down and rebuild so why didn’t I do that in the first place?With the engine back on the bench again I stripped the bike down once more and segregated all the chrome parts ready for re chroming, I knew this would be expensive so I asked for estimates from a number of platers after sending them photos of the parts to be re chromed and the prices varied wildly but with cost and turnaround time a key factor I had to change my plan from using a recommended plater that I would have been more than happy with to one that I’d used before with acceptable results but a lot cheaper, yes I have to admit cost was the main factor here as the GTR  had turned out to be another expensive restoration. All the parts to be re chromed were photographed, boxed up and loaded into the car ready to be taken up to Birmingham for the attention of Saj at http://www.chromefix.co.uk/The strip down also gave me the chance to note any further parts that would need replacing or restoring if I was going to show the GTR, I’d already spent big money with Richard Clark in the States but being the purist that I am more money would be transferred to make this Bridgestone correct. Most items for replacement were a reasonable cost but a small number did take me by surprise and I chose to restore or repair where possible if the cost was considered too high, sometimes one has to bite the bullet and pay the price regardless if there is no alternative and while I’m on about cost I always like to have a poke at the government that seems intent on spoiling our fun and draining my bank balance with their unreasonable import charges, handling charges and VAT @ 20%. Makes me wonder at times if it’s worth the trouble and expense of restoring a Japanese classic when you can only get the parts from the U.S.So with the chrome parts now in the hands of Saj I concentrate on stripping the engine, not unfamiliar territory until I get to separating the upper and lower engine case halves as I should have done the first time around when the engine was out. Everything comes apart nicely with no problems but with the top half removed I notice a selector fork very badly burnt and worn, so bad that I can’t risk reusing it and it must be changed. The corresponding part in the gearbox is fine, what a relief. But what caused this? Looking in the shallow oily sludge puddle in the bottom half for clues I discover what has happened, there is a special machined bolt from outside of the lower engine casing that screws through into the gear selector hub channel to locate it and stop it moving to either side, this bolt had sheared at the tip where it had been machined and hardened and that’s what I found in the sludge. This meant the hub was able to float slightly either way and that may have been enough for the fork selector to possibly jam in position when an attempt was made to change gear. Could this have been the reason for the chain damage to the casings and covers as the gearbox possibly locked up and broke the chain? Could this be the reason for the long stay at the Bridgestone dealers? Some time later it seems that it was freed but whoever freed it may not have known the reason why it locked up in the first place only that things seemed to move freely now. Again unbelievably I managed to get a NOS selector fork and machined hub bolt and I also took the opportunity to order all new engine ‘O’ rings (includes the labyrinth ‘O’ ring) and oil seals some unique to the Bridgestone 350 engine, the main bearings were checked and found to be in good condition as were all the gears. Phew! I now had an engine in pieces waiting for parts from the States so this gave me an opportunity to use a piece of kit that had been sat under my bench for a couple of months or more, a bright zinc plating kit (BZP kit). Reading the instructions and then the safety sheet on the hazardous chemicals was enough to put anyone off going any further but I was determined to use it and re plate all the original fasteners and other items that were originally zinc coated using this kit. I’d heard mixed reviews about these kits but wanted to try it for myself and be the judge of just how good it was so setting up my plating apparatus exactly as in the instructions and powered by a car battery, I bought matching rectangular bowls with sealed lids and hydrochloric acid from Wilkinsons and then went ahead re plating the engine case bolts after first preparing them (preparation as in cleaning and polishing is the key) and following the instruction to the letter, as I watched the plating process taking place I must admit I was a little sceptical regarding the final result but within thirty minutes I was smiling all over my face when I removed them for rinsing as they looked like new. As I went along plating all the other items I noticed that the ‘bling’ was slowly fading so I added a little brightener from the kit as per instructions and this improved it but not as good as my first batch of engine case bolts. I then discovered that a little polish with Autosol and they were as good as the first batch so I added this to my procedure, if you polished even more you could achieve a chrome like finish. These finishes do dull slightly after a few months but just a little rub brings them back, it’s amazing, I should have bought this kit years ago. http://www.gaterosplating.co.uk/With the engine cases on the bench stripped of all internals I set about cleaning them by hand inside and out using an industrial degreasing solution and they come up very good, old sealant was removed and all internal threads cleaned out. I checked that I had the correct ‘O’ rings and oil seals and set about rebuilding the engine. One thing I did find was that the centre ‘O’ ring on the labyrinth was worn and not wanting to split the crank to replace it I again spoke to Steve in the States about this problem, he encouraged me to stretch the new ‘O’ ring over the crank and into place then leave it for a few days as it would return to it’s normal shape, nothing to loose I tried it and yes it worked but I also added a thin smear of Blue Hylomar gasket sealing compound to be sure, I’d read about this being used on the ‘O’ rings in Mazda RX8 rotary engines with good results.Bottom half engine assembly was no problem, the crank, gears, new seals, selector fork and drum bolt all went together nicely and was looking good but I did have to remove a little material from the back of the NOS selector fork as it rubbed on the engine case. Sealing the engine casing halves I used Three Bond grey gasket sealant as it has a good reputation for doing the job very well. Rebuilding the top half was uneventful as I was quite used to it now and without fuss the engine was persuaded back into the frame, always easier when you’ve done it a number of times. Now with the side gears fitted and all timed up and the rotary valves aligned we were really making progress. With the dynamo fitted as well my attention was now back on the R/H outer casing, clutch, oil pump and pipes with NOS check valves, NOS carb and then similar to the L/H side. I did have a slight annoying oil leak from the gear indicator switch cover on the L/H side of the engine before the strip down as it was full of hair line cracks but with a NOS one fitted and supplied courtesy of Ray Oliver at Redimport in Ireland http://alternateways.ie/bridgestone that has now been sorted.Meanwhile back on the Bridgestone forum there was plenty of activity as Richard Clark and Ray at Redimport announced plans to the community to have a batch of 350 con rod kits re manufactured, the kit would consist of con rods, pins and bearings as these items had dried up over the years and held back many engine rebuilds. Pre orders were being taken to see if the exercise was worthwhile as a certain number of orders had to be taken first before it was to be financially viable. Enough interest was created to get the go ahead and orders came in from all over the world and their deposits followed. Personally I didn’t feel the need for a kit but obliged anyway with an order and think a number of other members did the same. Progress of manufacture was posted regularly and within a few months the kits were paid for in full and orders despatched.  An email from Saj tells me my re chromed parts are ready so I book a day off work and drive back up to Birmingham to pick them up. On arrival at the platers everything looks good with all the parts wrapped ready for collection, a quick examination and I’m pleased with the result and quoted price so they are placed carefully in the car for the journey home. Once home and a closer inspection of the parts I notice a few little problems, the threads on a number of items had not been protected properly and had some copper plate on them making it impossible to start a nut on the thread, I did manage to clean this off using a die of the correct size run down the threads but this had also happened to a number of other parts that fit together but this time the platers had done the full process and fully re chromed them so they just didn’t mate, a little grinding with a cheap alternative to a Dremel and some final polishing sorted this out but it was time consuming work that should have been unnecessary. A typical example was the headlight bucket and rim no way would they fit together and I didn’t really want to start grinding with a Dremel alternative around this area in case I marked anything externally so I decided to try a rim that I’d bought as a complete NOS headlamp rim assembly and offered this to the bucket and it fit really well, a bit of luck there and about time too. Now looking at the finish on the re chromed bucket against the original NOS rim there was virtually no difference other than the bucket had been better prepared before re chroming but you have to look very closely to see it. Anyway next time I have anything re chromed I’ve learned from my mistakes but let it be a warning to others going down this route. With my original re chromed DID wheel rims and fuel tank I could now make more progress, I’d already visited Llandow Classics with my wheels prior to re chroming so they could measure the off sets, now returning with the re chromed rims it was just a matter of rebuilding the wheels with new stainless steel butted spokes, rim tapes, premium inner tubes and Avon tyres, yes it would have been good to use Bridgestone tyres but they don’t do the correct size for the rims anymore. Chris also cleaned up my hubs as he had done this for me before with my other restorations, for what he charged and the turn around time it just wasn’t worth doing myself, an excellent job. http://www.llandowclassics.co.uk/Painting the tank and side panels brought up a problem as I couldn’t contact the painter who did such a good job on my RE5M but Chris from Llandow Classics put me in touch with a painter he used just down the road from his shop called Willis so I called in to see him for a chat. Yes he got the job of painting the GTR and a fair price was agreed but first I had to seal the inside of the tank, I like to use POR-15 tank sealant as I’ve used it several times before with good results. Once applied and cured after a few days sat on top of the central heating boiler I returned it to Willis who did a great paint job in flamboyant red and a decent turn around time, he also applied the stickers and GTR badge to the side panels, note there are no badges or stickers on a GTR petrol tank. Willis can be contacted on 01446793700, Llandow, South Wales.With all the re chromed and freshly painted parts stored in a spare bedroom the GTR restoration became a GTR assembly, everything was prepared ready either in the bedroom or in the garage. First to go on the frame were the front forks all built up ready with painted tubes and re chromed tube nuts fitted with new fork seals, gaiters and fresh fork oil, then the wheels and main stand as it would now be easier to work on. Fitting the exhausts for the first time after re chroming was exciting, routing the cables and connecting the wiring loom is always a challenge but with all the photos I’d taken before the strip down this made it clearer. Now without boring you about setting up the front leading twin shoe or why the kick start was floppy and not returning under spring tension or why the brake light didn’t work or how the seat and tank fitted that’s just how it progressed, I added component after component and problem solved as I went along. I find this to be the most enjoyable part of any restoration with NOS parts fitted alongside restored used parts, professionally painted items with items I’d painted myself, re chromed parts with pieces I’d bright zinc plated and that ultra rare part that I found by accident on e Bay adds to the satisfaction of the restoration. Did I mention earlier about being a purist? Well I lost an M8 lock nut measuring 14mm A/F from the footrest and again a U.S. forum member came to my aid by sending me a couple, sweet.  So the GTR is fully assembled, little finishing tweaks here and there and it’s finished. Or is it? I’ve not had the engine running since the change in direction regarding the restoration. The gearbox has oil as does the two stroke oil tank and I can see the oil going to the check valves on the engine through the transparent tubes but the petrol tank is dry, now do I put petrol in the tank to start it up or do I use the satellite tank as before? Well eventually I’ll have to pour petrol in so I decide to go for it and pour about three litres of fresh petrol with a bit of two stroke oil mixed in for safety into the tank. Checking the petrol pipes there are no leaks, no leaks from the NOS carbs but I notice the fuel tap is wet at the bottom, can’t understand why as it has a new kit fitted, nothing obvious and I check the tightness of the fuel bowl with a 10 mm spanner, it’s loose but I can’t remember why so I nip it up and that cures it. Setting the throttle and oil pump cable is a breeze as I’ve done it so many times recently so with the battery charged and a good spark I’m ready for the first start up after the full engine rebuild.After a few good kicks on choke it comes to life filling the area with that thick two stoke smoke we all know then after about ten seconds I ease off on the choke and it sounds good as I lightly rev it to warm it up but with the throttle closed it’s running too fast but not by much so it’s no problem just now. What is a problem as I look down at the engine is the oil voids in the two stroke oil pipe as air is being pushed along so I open up the oil pump manually and raise the revs slightly to push it through, after a while it’s gone and the pipes are a good colour of ruby red. A little bit of tweaking and I get the tick over correct, I confirm that both exhaust manifolds are very hot with my calibrated blistered right hand and not as before when one cylinder was stronger and therefore hotter than the other, looking good I thought. I decide to leave it a while to see how it starts when cooled down some, so after about an hour I try to start it, it won’t. Puzzled I check everything over and can’t find anything obvious, I then look for a spark and discover the faintest of sparks and the more I kick it over the fainter it goes until nothing and all hampered by my sciatica that’s now giving me some pain. I switch the lights on and they are so dim, now with this battery being less than eighteen months old I’m thinking the dynamo isn’t charging, got to be the dynamo as all the other electrical pieces are NOS so I put the battery on charge and look on the internet for someone competent to repair it. I find a small company straight away that should be capable of fixing it so I email them describing my problem and attach a photo of it stripped down and then sit back expecting a positive result immediately but for some reason this happens very rarely. Battery fully recharged and back on the bike and outside of the garage it kicks into life no problem but after a while warming up the engine and with the headlight on I can see the headlight reflection in a window pulsating in time with the engine revving, convinced it’s the dynamo I switch it off. That evening I try again but it won’t start just as before. The following day I receive the email I’d been expecting to deliver good news but it was the opposite, a brief note saying they can’t fix it and that I should try another small company that did similar work. Looking at their website I wasn’t convinced but I’ll keep them in mind. Feeling down somewhat I suddenly remembered I had an old Suzuki RE5A battery somewhere in the garage and wondered if I could use that? I didn’t even charge it up after it has been sitting for about two years and just connected it, first thing I noticed was how bright the lights were, even the horn worked as it didn’t before and I got a really healthy spark at the points, switching on the ignition it fired up no problem and no headlight pulsation. Must have been the battery all along and not the dynamo, well I’m hoping that’s the case for the next morning I’m off to M & P’s for a premium maintenance free battery, once home I fit it and what a difference so it seems I was sold a dud battery and fingers crossed it’s not the dynamo.On the drive as it’s one of those rare occasions when it’s not raining I fire it up once again and warm it up gently, my intension is to try the clutch/gearbox. Selecting first which is one down it drops in no problem, the bike is on the main stand and I go through the box gently to sixth gear with the indicator light coming on as it should when in fifth (all the gears are straight down with neutral at the top) and back to neutral again no problem. I now try the same but with the rear wheel on the ground, I select first and give it some revs but as I release the clutch it stalls. I try again using more revs and it goes forward but makes one hell of a din from the uncovered dry clutch so I instinctively try to select neutral, no chance so I have to purposely stall it and it slips back into neutral again with the indicator light showing. I tried this a number of times trying various adjustments to the clutch as I go but it just won’t have it so it’s back into the garage to strip out the clutch. What I’m looking for I’ve no idea as Bridgestone made alterations to the clutch three times over two years and it’s a bit confusing to say the least as to what should actually be in there, the number of friction plates changed and at some time and a spacer was also added then later removed, I think? An email from a forum member in the States tells me to try different combinations of what I have until it works, I’ll go for that.GTR clutch plates are no longer available but last year I was fortunate enough to have contact with someone who had the friction plates re manufactured many years ago at great cost so he tells me, anyway I bought a set of seven off him. Discarding the spacer and using the new friction plates in order as you normally do I assembled the clutch once again and gave it a try. What happened next took me by surprise as it worked, selecting first with the engine running then back to neutral was no problem but I will have to build up the muscles in my left hand as those clutch springs are so strong. A little testing up and down the drive gave no problems from the clutch and I also managed to tweak the carbs as the engine warmed up before it started to rain.With the bike back on the hydraulic bench I checked that the oil pump alignment mark was correct and then refitted the polished aluminium outer engine covers but couldn’t resist a little bit of therapy polishing with the autosol. The brakes still needed a little bit of a tuning so as the weather was against me I spent some time on them ready for the first road test when the temperatures eventually rise, weekend came with no sign of a rise in temperature but a cold dry day gave me a chance to ride the GTR down the road for the first time, my first time on a Bridgestone and the Bridgestone’s first time on a typically neglected British pot holed patched road. A couple of prods on the left hand kick starter with the ignition off and choke on then ignition on and one kick fires it into life, I always warm up my bikes before riding and Bridgestone advises the same in the handbook, yes I have a genuine owners handbook. Mounting the GTR is not as easy as you would think as it’s quite tall with it’s 19 inch wheels, I find it easier to get my leg over when it’s on the side stand. Quite an uneventful first ride to be honest as everything worked as it should, I suppose I could have revved the engine higher than I did but I was being cautious and that dry clutch does snatch a bit in the lower gears. The all down gear change takes a bit of getting used to as you have to keep reminding yourself to press the gear change down to change up and up to change down, not what I’m used to but it worked well and I was pleased so not wanting to tempt fate too far from base it was back to the garage and I think the front brake performance could be set better. So the restoration is finished, all I need to do now is M.O.T. it and then register it but I’m in no hurry for that, I’ll wait till it’s warmer and be content with just polishing it and admiring it for now.As the weather improved I made an improvement on the front brake so I booked an appointment locally for the MOT, it took a while to describe what I was actually bringing over the phone but when I arrived surprisingly the staff knew exactly what it was and all came to have a look, must have Googled it. Yes it passed and the details were logged with the DVLA as the tester and me worked together describing the bike on line.The following day I’m at the DVLA to register the GTR, I took all my paperwork regarding importing it including the new MOT, all it’s details were on their computer from the day before when it was tested. I was surprised how simple it was and within a week I had my paperwork back complete with a local registration, a week later I had a number plate delivered and fixed to the rear.Taking the bike out for more final tuning runs I decided to have another look at the clutch, remember I’d discarded the aluminium spacer but the more I thought about it the more I thought it should be there. Anyway I decided to put it back and replaced the plates in order towards the pressure plate using two less but annoyingly the same problem returned as I couldn’t select neutral. I’d recently received a NOS pressure plate from the States so I thought I’d try that, on assembly I looked at the NOS clutch springs that I’d fitted and measured them against the old ones, they were 1 mm longer so I replaced them for the original ones and guess what? It worked, I could now select neutral from first gear with the bike ticking over. Taking advantage of the remarkable good second half of summer I’ve managed to spoil my NOS zero mile speedometer by clocking over 150 miles riding locally setting the bike up but loved every mile.                                                                                                                                                        






 

[slawsonb]

Is there a link you could add?
...bert

[ziggy stardust]

There is no link Bert as it was in the Tansha magazine, I managed to convert it to PDF but the program I used then tried to charge me for it, I saved it to documents but they some how managed to delete it.

Can anyone on here copy it and convert it to PDF for all of us to read?

Z

[Steve S.]

A long, but fun read.  Thanks for sharing.

Steve S.

[slawsonb]

Guess I'll just gut it out. Thanks Z.
...bert

[reed]

Ziggy,
I bet that took some time i say it was a good read.
Thanks.
Steve.

[CL-100]

Very entertaining and informative.  Thanks for posting it Ziggy.

[ziggy stardust]

Yes it took a while, the article covered three bi monthly issues with photos as in my gallery.

I was awarded a years free subscription for my effort.

Z

[Harry]

Thanks for posting it.  I enjoyyed reading it and getting all the details or the resto.  Harr

[slawsonb]

Wow! That was a slog! 
I did not realize how paragraphs and formatting (and the occasional space or blank line) facilitates a read and keep eyes from crossing.
Nonetheless, a very well written and informative article, Z. I picked up a lot of tips. Much appreciated.
...bert

[ziggy stardust]

I read it myself yesterday, hard work I know as I couldn't focus my eyes for a few minutes after.

Z

[BRT-GTR]

Z
   Your 350 GTR and general Bridgestone history is the best overall article I have ever read on this subject and I've read everything I can find on it. I still have some (4) of the original magazine reviews from the 1968-70 period, 45 years ago, somehow they survived.

To add my twopenny worth. It's my understanding that it was not so much the 'big four' existing Japanese manufacturers that put pressure on Bridgestone to cease motorcycle production in the mid to late 60s but the big 3, namely Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha, probably in that order.
 Kawasaki at that time were not one of the major motorcycle producers but had started making bikes at about the same time as Bridgestone and both were actively exporting machines to the US in competition with the other 3. Like BS, motorcycle production was only a small side line for Kawasaki, probably to get their name better known and accepted in the US but and this is a big but, Kawasaki was a major Japanese industrial corporation, you name it, they made it, planes, trains, ships, buses, trucks  etc. They were probably bigger than Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha put together and there was no way they could or would be pressurised into ceasing motorcycle production!!
    Bridgestone was a different proposition, a much smaller company that could be challenged. Like all rumours, I now believe there is probably a grain of truth in it. 

   I know some parts were manufactured by BS Tailung, 40 years ago as stated in your article. I've often wondered whether any of the tool presses or casting dies could have survived and could be used to make those parts we are so short of. Does the firm still exist? anyone ever checked this? Companies would often keep expensive production tooling rather than scrap it. I was in Taiwan back in 2001, had I remembered I would made some enquiries but was doing other things at the time. How cheaply could parts be made in China? Some stainless rear mudguards, chainguards and  cast engine side cases would be a good start and help us to put a lot more bikes back on the road.

Brian the Brit.

[ziggy stardust]

Thanks for the praise Brian.

Yes you are right about the big four only being the big three at the time if you don't count Kawasaki as a major motorcycle manufacturer. I did think this over when writing the article and came to the conclusion that Honda were most likely the bully of the pack and the others just followed as it seemed a profitable move but maybe Kawasaki Industries were involved in some way using their industrial weight.

Who knows?

Z   

[OldSwartout]

I understand all the rumors, tales and some documented information on the reason Bridgestone stopped production, but I suspect there is another reason that doesn't normally make the discussion. Bridgestone had put great effort into designing and building the line of motorcycles, but, it seems to me, had apparently felt they had beaten the market with a great product and slowed or stopped the development process. There are some rumors/evidence of a 500 in development, but the bikes had stayed the same since 1968. Honda had introduced its 750 4 cylinder in 1968, Kawasaki had the H1, H2 and KZ900, Suzuki the Titan 500 and GS750, etc., all with disk brakes by 1969. Nothing I've seen shows BS having anything with a front disk brake or over 500cc on paper even by 1970, leaving them at least 3 years behind everyone else. Surely BS management was smart enough to know that they had no hope of catching up and simply threw in the towel.

[slawsonb]

The pace of development has to be constant (or accelerated) to stay competitive. While they had made a world killer in '68. They were not on a trajectory to stay ahead and didn't. I expect you nailed it Karl. They may also have decided that the investment was too much for the relatively meager sales.
...bert

[BRT-GTR]

Z, Karl,  Bert,
I am sure all the factors you've put forward as to why BS pulled out of motorcycle production are valid. We are probably repeating the thought process that BS themselves went through in 1969. Obviously, return on investment would have been the deciding factor.
The GTO review in the May 1970 edition of CYCLE Magazine doesn't offer much praise for the machine and concludes that the upswept pipes are a 'damned nuisance' (sic) and might have worked two years earlier but not in 1970. So even then they were seriously behind the competition. Rockfords, who were probably responsible for the GTO being produced  and having spent a lot of money setting up a dealership network across the States, did have enough influence to extend production through 1970-1971. Possibly an additional 1000 -1500 machines. We now benefit from this extra production. We have also benefited from all the spares stockpiles left behind at those dealerships. Every cloud etc. Ahhh,  what might have been !!
 B the B.             

[paul]

Its always enjoyable to speculate. If the addition of a disc brake is seen as progress a few facts might help. In the US, Kawasaki's H1 500 introduced in 1969, did not have a disc brake when introduced.. The H1 500 would not  have  a disc brake until 1972. The H2 750 had a disc brake from day one, but that would be also be  1972. The Kawasaki Z1 900 would have a disc brake from day one, but that would be late 1972, early 1973. The Suzuki Cobra/Titan 500 introduced in late 1967 , early 1968, would not have a disc brake until 1976. Bridgestone technology might not have been that far behind the others. But Bridgestone decided or Rockford decided to keep the same dated styling, year after year. Who wants to buy anything that looks old already? The dealer network was  small, not well known, not always focused on BS motorcycles, etc. Bridgestone is a tire company first, I think their focus in the US in 1967 was the establishment of Bridgestone Tire Company 0f America not the sale of a few thousand motorcycles.

[slawsonb]

Although we all have differing views, it is great to see the enthusiasm for the debate. We are all obviously passionate about our Bridgestones and that is what makes me come back here time after time. Thanks guys!
...bert

[ziggy stardust]

What I'd like to point out regarding my article is that when writing about my restorations and I've done a few is I try to keep the attention of the reader to the end. Myths, a bit of humour and a few little exaggerations certainly help to keep the reader from falling asleep or closing the page.
Start writing about part numbers, wheel rim dates or carburetor jet sizes and you've lost them.

Z