NOTE: All names of Japanese people on this website are given in the western style, ie, family name last.
Following are shots from the Japan Lilac Owners Club meetings:
The first Lilac Meeting March 20-21, 1977, photo © Yosiaki Hioki.
4th Lilac Meeting April 1979, photo © Kenji Numasaki. Mr. Ito is in the center.
5th Lilac Meeting November 1980, photo © Yosiaki Hioki.
7th Lilac Meeting October 1982, photo © Yosiaki Hioki.
19th Lilac Meeting October 1994, photo © Michihiro Itoh.
20th Lilac Meeting September 23, 1995. Four photos and souvenir sticker. The photo in the center includes Lilac's styling designer Mr. Eiji Hayashi (2nd from right) and engine designer Mr. Mizobuchi (center). The photo at upper left includes a rare SW Lancer opposed twin. This is a large (93k) image. Photos © Michihiro Itoh.
23rd Lilac Meeting October 10, 1998: Participants, photo © Katsuyuki Inoue.
23rd Lilac Meeting October 10, 1998: Participating motorcycles including LS-18/2, CF-40 and rare C-103 prototype, photos © Katsuyuki Inoue.
Here are souvenir stickers from 6 of the Lilac Owners Club's meets.
And a shot of a Lilac Riders' Meeting about 1960. Photo donated by the Japan Nirinsi Club, credits unknown. This may have been a factory-organised affair rather than a club event.
Photo made 1961-62 showing Masaharu Machida and his brother with their two Lilac SYs, photo © Masaharu Machida.
Eiji Hayashi was the main designer for Lilac's V-twins. After Lilac's bankruptcy in 1961 he went to Bridgestone to design their bikes, and still works for the company as of 2009. In 2006 he enlisted Kotaro Furuta of Jungle Scooters in Tokyo, and White House, a Japanese restoration firm, to restore one of his creations, a Bridgestone 350GTR, and to make the changes that he would make if he were designing the bike now. Furuta san writes a series of articles on the history of Bridgestone motorcycles for Motorcyclist (Japan) magazine, and was kind enough to send me a copy of the July 2008 extra edition. On pages 116-121 is his story "Re-born Bridgestone 350GTR by the Hands of Original Designer Mr. Eiji Hayashi". The three photos below are from that article and are of interest to fans of Lilac history.
First, here is the team that worked on the project, with Hayashi san standing on the right and Furuta san in beige coveralls in the center, behind one of the first 100 1967 model 350GTRs.
Next we see Tuneo Araki, engine designer for both Marusho and Bridgestone, riding in the sidecar of a 1923 Triumph, shot taken at Hayashi san's 77th birthday celebration in 2008.
Finally, here's Giichi Ito, nephew of Masashi Ito, president of Lilac, in the blue vest. This was also taken at the birthday celebration.
