2019 YOSHIMURA SUZUKI Motul

Fujio Yoshimura / President

Does any of you know Suzuka Circuit hosted several motorcycle endurance races prior to the ever so famous “Suzuka 8 Hour Endurance Race” started in 1978? Suzuka circuit was built and opened in November 1962 and the first professional endurance race “Suzuka 18 Hour” was held two years later. I was a high-school boy at that time and still remember clearly how Yoshimura- tuned Honda Super Hawk (305cc) won the 18 hours race! It was a fierce battle between Honda R&D Team and Yoshimura Team until the end of the race! This inaugural victory made the “Yoshimura” name well known and motorcycle racing was becoming ever so important in Japan along with the growth of motorcycle industry. It pushed my dad, Pop Yoshimura to decide to move the workshop to Tokyo in 1965, where new industrial movements of motorcycle racing became popular.
It is already 55years since the first “Suzuka 18 Hour” and I am proud of what Yoshimura has achieved in the past and glad that we made a lots of memorable histories with Suzuka Circuit for motorcycle endurance races together. The first “Suzuka 8 Hour” in 1978 was a pure surprise for everyone in the world and it was a great “Triumph over adversity” story made by Yoshimura! We wish to get another victory at the Suzuka 8 Hour this year in front of our fans, and hope Yoshimura history and sprits will be know even wider.

Yoshimura Japan Co., Ltd.
President　Fujio Yoshimura