BRIDGESTONE EJ-R3 1966

[reed]

Bridgestone ej-r3 50 cc
In the day Bridgestone produced some of the most beautiful racing motorcycles in the world.
I can look at this picture all day long,I would love to own one!
Thanks.
Steve 

[Sno Jet]

Do any of our members own one like this?    Great piece of Bridgestone history.

[ztnoo]

It is a beautiful bike, but it's interesting to me to see how over time, design and chassis theory has changed.
Everything now, at least in the way of street/road racing bikes emphasizes a very low center of gravity, centralized mass, and moving the motor as close to the front wheel as possible.
This Bridgestone is the antithesis of that idea.
Note how virtually everything is above a horizontal center line drawn between axles.
Seems just glancing at it, it would be very top heavy.
These sorts of tiddlers were very lightweight machines, but nevertheless almost all the weight is above the axles of this BS.
Kreidlers and all the rest of the GP tiddlers followed that basic design of the era.
If there were still classes for these small displacement racers, I'm sure they would look much different today.

[reed]

More engine parts.
Thanks.
Steve.

[reed]

More engine parts last one.
Thanks.
Steve.

[Toystoretom]

If you had one of those you would just put your eye out.....

[paul]

Thanks for the pictures.Was this magazine shown on the jungle scooters web site? I dont think I have seen these bikes called EJR-3. Wish I could read Japanese.

[kotarojungle]

Thank you for introduce the magazine "The Motorcycle Classics Vol. 006" to the Bridgestone group.
I'm happy that you had enjoyed the article.
It published in this January.
I wrote about this EJ-R article for the magazine and about BS factory MX racers in Vol.004 issue too.
I hope to write this article in English....

If someone in this group have interesting this magazine, I can send it to your address.
Magazine retail price is 1,785 yen and postage from Japan to USA by EMS (3-5 days)  is 1,860 yen, total actual cost to send a magazine is 3,645 yen ($44.00-).
If you send the amount to my Paypal account, I will send it to you soon.

Thank you,

Kotaro

[coxy]

how much would one of these be worth

[old smokey]

tomo....
my old man was a turkey junkie

[Bikenstein]

Tom, how would you put your eye out riding one of these and Harry, what does a turkey junkie have to do with this thread?  I must be workin too hard. At least I'm rich. I only work a few months a year and still make over 3.5 million.......yen!

[coxy]

i make more in rupees

[old smokey]

Bikenstein,
The reference about shooting your eye out and the old man being a turkey junkie are "A Christmas Story" released back in 1983. Not sure why Tomo started it, but thought I'd add to it...

[Bikenstein]

Thanks Smokey, I would believe most anything at this stage. I appreciate you clearing that up for me. These shutdowns are pretty tough mentally after a couple of weeks. Strange Christmas story, though and I apologize for calling you Harry.

[old smokey]

Sorry, back on topic here...
So this is a single cylinder, but it was necessary to have dual expansion chambers?

[disc_valve]

No, Smokey,

It's a watercooled twin, 14 speeds (I think) and around 17hp at 17,000 rpm. The previous EJR2 was also a 50cc watercooled twin, but I think the first racing model (the EJR1) was a single. Perhaps somebody can confirm that.

Graham.

[ztnoo]

Video of EJ-R3 warming up:

[old smokey]

Okay, guess I should have enlarged the engine picture first and counted the 8 cylinder head bolts standing there.