Tenth WA Jap Bike Show

A WONDERFUL display of more than 100 outstanding Japanese bikes provided a visual treat at this year’s West Australian Japanese Bike Show, pulling a crowd of better than 1,000 people to Perth’s Burswood Park on Sunday.

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The event honoured Suzuki’s much-loved and hugely-versatile superbike, the GSX1300R Hayabusa, and attracted a great crop of the ‘Busas ranging from unmolested first-edition originals to heavily molested late-model customs.

The Hayabusa was released in 1999 and was the first mass-produced production bike in the world to exceed 300kmh out of the crate, sparking a global outcry by safety boffins and leading to an industry-wide agreement to limit motorcycles to 300kmh top speed. (Some of us have been a bit cranky about it ever since.)

Sunday’s event seemed to have a bunch more sports bikes on show than usual, perhaps tempted out of their sheds and man caves to honour the mighty ‘Busa.

We’ve published the full results of who-won-what-trophy down the bottom of this post but, first, here are some of our pics from the day.

CAPTION: As always, the eye candy show began before you even paid to enter the event. Carpark action included this schmick Honda Fury …

CAPTION: … and this beautifully executed Yamaha TRX850 cafe racer.

CAPTION: We might get into trouble for saying this, but does that girl have the longest legs on the whole planet, or what? Nice Z650, too.

CAPTION: Have you ever wondered how much power can actually be extracted from a big motorbike motor? Well, this turbocharged 2012 Honda CBR1000 drag bike manages 520 horsepower and 305 Nm of torque, propelling it down the quarter mile strip in 7.18 seconds at 298kmh.

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CAPTION: Peter Watts (on the left) with his spotless ’75 Z1B.

CAPTION: And the award for fastest-looking pram goes to …

CAPTION: Ah, we remember the YZ80C. It was so much faster than our XR75s, they had to give us our own ‘four strokes’ motocross class to stop us all from crying. This one was a beauty, as was the KX250 alongside.

CAPTION: Nathan Judge came across an old dirt bike in the corner of a mate’s shed and used it as his pit bike while racing motocross. Eventually someone enlightened him that the bike, a 1975 Honda XR75, was a true classic. He decided to restore it back to its original glory, and did a fine job. It won top spot in the sub-150cc class.

CAPTION: We’re not sure that the creators of the Suzuki Katana would have envisioned it with a sidecar but, then again, why not? Very nicely done, too.

CAPTION: Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that unmolested first-generation silver/copper Hayabusas are as rare as hen’s teeth. But not on Sunday, or not at the Burswood outdoor theatre in metropolitan Perth anyways.

CAPTION: Custom bodywork came in many shapes and sizes.

CAPTION: Wonderful Honda NSR250 from the glory days of two-stroke road bikes. (We know where there’s one for sale, by the way. You can find it here.)

Results

Best Stock Hayabusa Gen 1 (1999-2007) Sponsored By: Peter at The Bike Shed Times

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		1999 COPPER/SILVER	BRAD MARSSEN
2nd		2007 BLACK	EVELYN KEALEY
1st		1999 COPPER / SILVER	TRISTAN SCALMER

Best off Road Sponsored By: Michael at Moto Loom

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd	01M	SUZUKI TS185	LINDSAY JACKSON
2nd	03M	HONDA CR250	JOHN LEMON
1st	14M	SUZUKI RM465	CHRIS DICKINSON

Best Sub 150cc Sponsored by: Cahoots

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd	09L	Suzuki Stinger 1970	Mike Brennan
2nd	07L	Honda 90 1966	Daniel Archer
1st	01L	Honda XR 75 1975	Nathan Judge

Best Retro / Custom Sponsored by: Rex at Himalayan Heroes

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd	08K	Yamaha SR400 2012	Andrew Fooks
2nd	02K	Suzuki GS1000E	Todd Teasdale
1st	06K	Suzuki RG250 Gamma 1983	Daniel Archer

Best Metric cruiser Sponsored By: Shane at Addicted 2 Detail

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		KAWASAKI VULCAN 1500 CLASSIC	ROB FITZPATRICK
2nd		KAWASAKI VAQUERO	CHRIS KEED
1st		KAWASAKI MEANSTREAK	RICK COLDAN

Best Custom Modified Post 2000+ Sponsored By: Brett at Pace Motor Sports

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		KAWASAKI ZX12R	EVELYN KEALEY
2nd		HAYABUSA -HYBRID -BLK/RED	JIMMY GONTRAN
1st		SUZUKI GSXR 1000 – BUMBLE BEE STREETFIGHTER

Best Custom / Modified 1970 – 1999 Sponsored by: Joel at Custom Bike Electrics

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		HONDA CBR919	HAMISH BOYD
2nd		KAWASAKI H2B	ALED EVANS
1st		KAWASAKI GPZ1100	WAYNE McHUGH

Best 2 Stroke Naked Sponsored by: Aled at Resto Welding Services

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		SUZUKI GT 750	ROB PARRY
2nd		YAMAHA RD400	TERRY REYNOLDS
1st		KAWASAKI H1 500	DANIEL ARCHER

Best 2 Stroke Race Bred Sponsored By: Peter at Mobile Motorcycle Dyno

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		HONDA NSR 300 JOEY DUNLOP TRIBUTE	STEVE HARKNESS
2nd		HONDA MC21	ROBIN FANIN
1st		YAMAHA RZ500 SPECIAL	DANIEL ARCHER

Best Suzuki GS 1000 S Sponsored By: Dave at the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		GS1000	DAVID WILLIAMS
2nd		GS 1000	THOMAS WHITEOAK
1st		GS 1000 RED/WHITE	PETER ‘SHEDMAN’ WHITEHEAD

Best Stock 1980 – 1999 Sponsored by: Norm at Planet Honda, Melville

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		SUZUKI GSXR 1100	THOMAS WHITEOAK
2nd		SUZUKI GSXR 750	STEVE FRASER
1st		HONDA GOLDWING	‘ROWDY’ ROBERT PIPER

Best Stock Pre-1980 Sponsored by: Shannons Insurance

Place	Number	Bike	Name
3rd		HONDA CBX 1000	NORM LARKIN
2nd		HONDA CB 750	GREG HELAND
1st		KAWASAKI Z900 A4	LEE McIVER BALL