国産二輪車の誕生から100年、最強の二輪車国となって50年 : 先駆者・島津楢蔵と戦後二輪車のイノベーション

概要

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Few people knows the fact that the first home-manufactured motorcycle with gasoline engine was produced by Narazo Shimazu in 1909. On the first part of this paper, I explain how N. Shimazu developed his gasoline engine from the technical point of view. The procedure of producing motorcycles, cyclecars, airplanes is discussed, introducing several episodes how he sometimes failed as a pioneer. I discuss N. Shimazu as a pioneer and as an owner of an automobile school and factory of motorcycles. After he became an engineer in a company, he began the study of combustion chamber. The first home-manufactured motorcycle was produced a century ago. Then a lot of small companies began to produce motorcycles. They were too small scale companies to call them industry. On the second part of this paper, motorcycle industry after the world war II is discussed. The innovation of motorcycle technology occurred from 1950's to 1960's. Then the motorcycle industry in Japan became the strongest in the world. I discussed case studies of Honda motor and Ymaha motor in Japan.