Shimizu Cycle Eight-Four '06
While the luxury car division of Shimizu Heavy Industries languished for over a decade after the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble, its bike manufacturing division in turn saw an uptick in sales as a result of increased demand for more affordable personal transportation. After ten years of mostly producing small-displacement motorcycles and older models, Shimizu stepped up its game with the Eight-Four in 2006.
Hot on the heels of the litrebike craze of the early 2000s, the Eight-Four was a modern take on the classic “Universal Japanese Motorcycle” (UJM), a type of inexpensive, dependable, and mostly-unfaired general-purpose motorcycle with an engine displacement of between 400 and 750 cc. Nestled within its tube frame was a 797 cc liquid-cooled, fuel-injected DOHC inline-four that produced both plenty of low-end torque and smooth power at higher revs. Intakes on either side of the fuel tank fed the engine and contributed to the bike’s muscular character, while an antilock braking system made stopping easier and faster. The seating position was engineered for both rideability and performance—useful, given that the Eight-Four was more agile and better-handling than its displacement would suggest.
The Eight-Four’s retro styling, modern technology, and riding dynamics made it a hit amongst riders young and old. In addition, one doesn’t need to be an experienced rider to enjoy all that it had to offer.
Eight-Four
SPECS
Displacement 797 cc
Peak Power 67 kW (90 hp) @ 8800 RPM
Peak Torque 82 Nm (61 ft-lb) @ 6700 RPM
Weight 213 kg (470 lb)
STARTING PRICE
¥1,030,000
JDM
$9,900
USDM
COLOURS
Space Blue
Deep Red
Titanium Bronze
Brilliant White
Piano Black
4 Likes
Shimizu Cycle Eight-Four Racing-Modified '06
With its single round headlamp and lack of an aerodynamic fairing, the Shimizu Eight-Four street bike served as a modern take on classic Japanese motorcycles from the 1970s. This special racing version, itself taking after racing bikes from the same decade, has been turned into a pure competition machine through extensive modification and tuning.
While the aluminum block remains stock, the engine uses performance-spec internals, including a machined crankshaft and more aggressive cams. The pistons and conrods, despite being of the same forged construction as the stock pistons, use a specialized racing-oriented design, and the stock cylinder head has been modified for better flow. The radiator, airbox, and exhaust mufflers have also been replaced.
Numerous modifications have also been made to the bike itself. A total of 18 kg (40 lb) has been shed thanks to lightweight body panels and wheels, as well as the removal of unnecessary components, such as the lights and passenger seat. While the street manners of the Eight-Four have all but been abandoned, the resulting motorcycle is one that undoubtedly punches above its weight.
Eight-Four Racing-Modified
SPECS
Displacement 797 cc
Peak Power 76 kW (103 hp) @ 8600 RPM
Peak Torque 91 Nm (67 ft-lb) @ 7300 RPM
Weight 195 kg (430 lb)
STARTING PRICE
N/A
(modification cost approx. ¥838,497)
COLOURS
Fiery Red/Brilliant White
5 Likes
Splash Rinkai Magari Time Attack '20
With the experience gained from tuning multiple Mizuiro models under their belts, the Splash tuning outfit began their most ambitious project to date—a silhouette car geared towards all-out performance in corners. Using the tiny Rinkai Magari (曲がり; curve) kei car as a base and a custom carbon fibre tub as a starting point, the car's body panels were painstakingly constructed from carbon fibre over the course of almost two weeks. Aluminum subframes made from scratch allowed the Splash team to use existing double-wishbone suspension from another car, and the convertible top on the original Magari was emulated by a fixed unpainted carbon top. A list of aerodynamic components, consisting of dive planes, an undertray with a rear diffuser, two wings, and other aerodynamic improvements completed the package. Only the lights were carried over from the stock Magari.
Since such downforce was likely to impact the car’s top speed, and excessive turbocharger lag would undoubtedly affect acceleration, the decision was made to use a custom 2.4-litre DOHC inline-six dubbed the “Splash Six”. Feeding it was a single turbocharger protruding from the hood, with a fine mesh screen directly in front of the compressor serving as a rudimentary filter; directly behind it was a short, upturned exhaust that all but negated any possible flow problems past the turbine. This unique powerplant, the majority of which was machined from aluminum and steel billets, produced in excess of 447 kW (600 hp), helping the car accelerate to 100 kph (62 mph) in a mere 2.2 seconds.
The custom Splash Magari would set a test track lap time of 1 minute and 42.86 seconds on Fujisaki semi-slick tires, and was capable of pulling 1.9 g in high-speed turns. It ultimately fulfilled Splash’s goal of creating a no-holds-barred cornering machine, one where few expenses were spared.
Magari Time Attack
SPECS
Layout F4
Engine Name "Splash Six"
Aspiration TB
Displacement 2399 cc
Peak Power 455 kW (611 hp) @ 7700 RPM
Peak Torque 602 Nm (444 ft-lb) @ 6600 RPM
Weight 702 kg (1548 lb)
Weight Distribution Front/Rear 60/40
STARTING PRICE
N/A
(development and production cost approx. ¥75,497,496/unit)
COLOURS
Splash Blue
3 Likes
I’ve updated the title post to announce my future plans for this thread. I do intend on leaving it around as a sort of archive, and may look into locking it when the time comes.