To build an exceptional motorcycle you have to begin with an exceptional idea. This may mean a major improvement on an existing concept or a revolutionary new approach to achieve the demanding performance and durability specifications established for the American market by Rockford Motors, the U.S. importer and distributor.
We have listed a few of the differences that make Bridgestone ubeatable in performance and in value. These are the more obvious. There are many, many mroe on the inside -- the kind that have drawn lavish praise from the technical writers of the industry press. You'll probably never have occasion to see them but your first test ride will tell you they are there. They make the difference -- the unbeatable Bridgestone difference.
1. Bridgestone designed and built the first dual-rotary valve, dual carburetor engine ever used in a poruction motorcycle -- the 175+ Dual Twin. Cycle World acclaimed it "a design breakthrough in production motorcycles that all others will be obliged to follow."
2. Instead of conventional 2-cycle fuel induction, Bridgestone engines have rotary disc valaves. That's one of the main reaons for the incredible acceleration of Bridgestone cycles. Most experts agree that the rotary valve brought the 2-cycle eng ine to the peak of its efficiency and performance potential.
3. Bridgestone introduced motorcycle engines with aluminum alloy cylinders and hard-chromed bores, a Bridgestone exclusive. To you, this difference means better performance, substantially reduced maintenance for as long as you own your Bridgestone . And, Bridgestone engines are "clean"... everything is enclosed, including the carburetor.
4. Bridgestone designed and built the first selective four-speed / five-speed motorcycle transmission for economical overdirve cruising at highway speeds. This trnasmission is standard equipment on every Bridgestone 175+cc Dual Twin and Hurricane Scrambler.
5. Most competitive models place neutral half way between 1st and 2nd gears. You have to have a toe as sensitive as a surgeon's hand to find it. The Bridgestone full rotary shift igves it a spot right after 4th gear. When you come to a stop, jus t tap the shift pedal. You're in neutral without shifting back through all the gears and then trying to find taht elusive neutral. On 5-speed models, neutral is placed in front of first gear so you always find it with ease.
6. There are quick-change rear sprockets on Bridgestone's two off-the-road motorcycles -- the 90+ Trail and the 90+ Mountain. This permits you to change them from 60-mph street machines to mountain-climbing trail cycles in minutes. Only Bridgestone has the quick-change rear-sprocket.
7. Competitive models use the transmission gears and the engaged clutch as part of the kick starting system. Since the clutch must be engaged to turn the engine over, the machine must be in neutral to be started. If stalled in traffic, neutral can be hard to find. (Can you hear the horns blowing?) Because Bridgestone cycles have an independent set of starter gears, the cycle can be started in any gear. Just squeeze the clutch and kick. You ahve to have been stalled in traffic just once to appreciate this feature.
8. Every Bridgestone is equiped with special tires to match its performance (at no extra cost to you). We can afford to do this because Bridgestone also is Japan's largest tire manufacturer.
9. Bridgestones have special shock absorbers. As the wheels move up and down over a bump, the shock is absorbed first by a coil spring, then by an oil cushion, and finally by compressed air, which gives a smoother ride, without damping out the "fe el" of the road.
10. Bridgestone Oil injection not only eliminiates the need to pre-mix an oil-gas fuel mixture but it automatically adjusts the amount of oil mixed with the gas so that it is exactly right under any operating conditions. Bridgestone Oil injection offers FULL TIME lubrication since the oil pump is driven by a gear located on the end of the crankshaft. This means that any time the engine is running it is receiving an adequate supply of 2-cycle oil. (Some competitive models drive the oil pump off t he clutch shaft. This means no oil is pumped when the clutch is disengaged.)
11. The brakes on every Bridgestone are bigger than they need to be. We even waterproof them to assure you safe, sure stops in any weather.
12. Every cycle goes through a 27-point check on a dynamometer before it leaves the factory. In addition, a completed cycle is periodically picked at random from production, ridden under the toughest conditions, and then torn down completely. Each part is inspected and measured for wear.
All this has one purpose -- to assure you that the new Bridgestone you buy, like the thousands already built, meets Bridgestone's standard of excellence.
When you buy a Bridgestone, you have the satisfaction of knowing you own the best-engineered, highest performance production machine availalbe in its displacement class. And that's quite a difference, indeed.