Author Archives: Dan Hsu
SHOWA SNAP: Happy Civil Engineering Day from JNC
Today, November 18, is Civil Engineering Day in Japan, when the work of people who build the country’s massive infrastructure is celebrated. Since we marked the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year (and last) it’s only fitting that we mention another … Continue reading
Yamaha XSR900 joins 80s-inspired retro motorcycle craze
Yamaha has unveiled its new XSR900 ahead of the Milan Motorcycle Show later this month. The sports heritage model is a throwback to the 1980s, when Yamaha’s Grand Prix road racing bikes were vying for world dominance against the likes … Continue reading
BIKES: Kawasaki revives the 1976 Z650 with retro Z650RS
Kawasaki has introduced a stunning new retro bike inspired by the 1976 Z650. The new Z650RS follows two other throwback bikes that Kawasaki has introduced in recent years, the Z900RS and Z900RS Cafe. The addition of the Z650RS lets those … Continue reading
MINICARS: Here’s the cars from the upcoming Hot Wheels Toyota series
We got an extraordinarily positive response about the Hot Wheels FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser yesterday. As you can see from the packaging, it’s part of an all-Toyota premium series. We promised there would be some new castings in it, and … Continue reading
After 53 years, Honda announces the end of air-cooled inline-four bikes
After over half a century, Honda will end production of its iconic air-cooled inline-four motorcycles. It’s a lineage that began with the seminal Honda CB750 Four, a bike that reshaped the motorcycling universe when it debuted in 1969. The announcement … Continue reading
Happy Bus Day from JNC
Do you dream of a 1980s Nissan that is rear-wheel-drive, is powered a turbocharged and intercooled straight-six engine putting out 325 horses, and has a one of those super-evocative model names that could have only emerged from the Bubble Era? … Continue reading
Happy 910 Day from JNC
Here’s a photo from one of the best classic car events out of Japan, the New Year Meeting (RIP). At the 2012 show, a 910 Bluebird was parked among the vendors, unassuming but with evidence of having lived a full … Continue reading
Happy National Dog Day from JNC
There once was a time when the nose of a Honda was lower than the eye-line of a medium-large dog. Maybe there’s some weird camera angle thing going on here, but the truth is not too far off. It’s no … Continue reading
Happy 8/6 Day from JNC
Cars that were once plentiful for under $1,000 are now worth big bucks. For those that have them, congrats. For those that don’t, hopefully you’ll get the chance to drive one someday. Happy 8/6 Day from JNC!
Happy Sevens Day from JNC
Today is the day when Mazdafarians celebrate the RX-7, and by extension the rotary engine at large. While there may be a new rotary engine on its way after a long absence, it’s not quite what sports car enthusiasts were … Continue reading
Suzuki’s COVID project was a stunning retro Katana
The year-long lockdown due to COVID gave all of us a lot of downtime to catch up on back burner projects. Hopefully, you used that time as wisely as Suzuki did. The company has just revealed a stunning, one-off, road-going … Continue reading
Yamaha’s YZR-M1 MotoGP race bike livery is a throwback to the 1960s
Yamaha’s 2021 MotoGP race bike has debuted with a throwback livery that pays tribute to 60 years of Grand Prix competition. The YZR-M1 is finished in a white with red chain block stripe that can be traced back to some … Continue reading
Happy 323 Day from JNC
Picking up on this week’s near-extinct normal cars theme, when was the last time you saw a Mazda 323 in the wild? These were practical but loveable cars in their day, equivalent to a Toyota Corolla or Honda Civic. And … Continue reading
Happy 310 Day from JNC
All we can say is, square fenders are awesome. Happy B310 Day from JNC!
Happy Year of the Ox from JNC
Today is the first day of the Year of the Ox according to the lunar calendar. If this were Italian Nostalgic Car we’d be on easy street, but Japan doesn’t really have any cars named after cow-esque animals. The closest … Continue reading
Happy Datsun B210 Day from JNC
Everyone’s obsessed with Zs and 510s, but the Datsun B210 is the true hero of the post-oil crisis 70s. This 1977 ad brags about its 50 mpg highway rating, but that didn’t mean the economy car skimped on features. It … Continue reading
R31 House now sells inexpensive tires for vintage Japanese cars
The seventh-generation Skyline specialty shop R31 House has entered the tire business. Sales have begun on Shiba Tire, a line of performance rubber for older cars. The company campaigns cars in Japan’s D1GP and D1GP Lights drift series, and was … Continue reading
This collection of 1,200 motorcycles proves it’s better to hoard bikes than cars
It would probably be inaccurate to call Brad Boyle’s warehouse of motorcycles a collection. It’s more of an obsession. Boyle owns 1,200 motorcycles, and estimates that 300 to 400 of them are Hondas. When you’re asked how many Hondas you … Continue reading
BIKES: After 43 years, it’s the end of the road for the Yamaha SR400
After over four decades of production, the Yamaha SR series is coming to an end. These days, Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are rapidly churning out throwback bikes that hearken back to their heydays, but the Yamaha SR400 and SR500 actually existed … Continue reading
Let’s turn our Bride racing seats into rocking chairs, since we’re all old now
If you’re into Nihon steel, it’s hard not to feel like an old geezer these days. The cars we grew up with are now being lauded and collected as classics, and their parts are getting ever scarcer. Many of us … Continue reading