HANG OUT VOL.5

In Love with the GOD OF SPEED.

Chapter 05

2025.1.22

Photo：Yuta Kinpara

Text：Suzuki Yusuke

Edit：Suzuki Yusuke

HANG OUT VOL.5

HANG OUT VOL.5In Love with the GOD OF SPEED.

Racing around the circuit on a vintage bike.

During the weekdays, I go back and forth between my office and home. On weekends, I spend time with my family, and sometimes I relax alone, but it's boring to have every day pass by in the same way. I want to forget about the good and the bad, and do something that will make my mind go blank and make me engrossed. So, what about racing a motorcycle? And a vintage motorcycle. All I want is speed and romance.

Chapter 05 | In Love with the GOD OF SPEED.

The fast ones are impressive, that's all.

For motorbikes, racing is the highlight. In a world where you compete for tenths of a second on a circuit and keep improving yourself while interacting with your machine, it's all about genuine numbers such as time and ranking. In society, numbers are one of the standards for evaluation, but human relationships and things that cannot be expressed in numbers are considered just as important, if not more so. But racing is simple. The fast ones are amazing, that's all.

Among the various types of racing, Hangout recommends the AVCC (American Vintage Competition Clubman Roadrace), a road race for American-made motorcycles, which uses vintage bikes.

AVCC (American Vinatge Competition Clubman Roadrace)

It started in 1996. Currently, races are held three times a year at Fuji Speedway in Shizuoka and Tsukuba Circuit in Ibaraki.

HP https://www.avcc1996.com

The tension of the circuit where serious competition is taking place is sure to be felt by the spectators. In the Reiwa era, where electric cars and other vehicles are on the rise, the opportunity to see vintage bikes, especially racers, is a special one.

There are four classes for the race: Modified-A, Modified-B, Stock-A, Stock-B, FSCR and CSSC. In addition to the rules common to each class, such as "Participating vehicles must be in a condition that allows them to be safely driven on public roads, and AVCC racers must have all safety equipment removed," and "Clothing must be leather racing suits, gloves, and boots that fit the body well and ensure safety," each class has its own regulations, and only racers who meet these rules can enter.

A team of mechanics and racers.

The sight of modified Harley Davidson and Indian Motorcycles manufactured over 50 years ago racing around the circuit in the Reiwa era is extraordinary. The sensation of the racer racing the bike in tandem with the mechanic and the stimulation of the five senses is something that only those who have experienced it can understand.

At the race held at Tsukuba Circuit in November of 2024, Takamine Tsuyoshi of the US-based team BRATSTYLE returned to Japan temporarily and participated in the race with the INDIAN 1937 Sport Scout, which became a hot topic. Finishing in 4th place with a 750cc engine is an impressive feat!

Racers adjust the carburetor, footpeg position and length, handlebar position, and other fine settings within the bounds of their respective regulations. Everything is about going even tenths of a second faster. In this world where simplicity is best, there is no time to think about or visualize anything else.

The sight of Harley Davidson and Indian side valve motor racers racing at full speed makes you feel as if you have traveled back in time to the racing circuits of the distant past. It is a truly special experience that can only be had at AVCC.

To be honest, the world of racing takes time and money. However, the experience you gain once you step into it is something that cannot be replaced by anything else. Finally, we asked Takeshi Funamizu of TOKYO INDIANS, who has been participating in the AVCC for eight years since 2017, about the race.

Driving around town and driving on a circuit are completely different things.

Takeshi Funamizu

Born in Aomori Prefecture, currently living in Tokyo. Representative of "WARLOCK", which manages interior construction sites for stores and apartment renovations, and a member of "TOKYO INDIANS", an Indian-riding only group. Aside from his busy work and motorcycles, his son's baseball is his biggest interest.

Instagram @ indy47

HP https://warlock.jp

-What class are you taking at AVCC?

Funamizu: It's 900cc, so it's Modified B. The base is a 750cc (engine), but it's been upgraded.

-You also own a 1947 and a 1953 Indian Chief, and the car you raced was a rare Big Bass factory racer that was only produced for one year in 1948. Did you buy the Big Bass to race?

Funamizu: I didn't have that intention, but I thought that (big bass) might not be found anywhere other than in races.

A rare 1948 INDIAN 648 BIG BASE SCOUT. Almost everything has been modified since he acquired it, and the iconic tank and fenders were painted by his close friend LOVE EAR ART.

-Did you always want to participate in road races?

Funamizu: I've always wanted to be on the show, and it's always been something I've always admired.

-When you were actually planning to race, what else did you prepare besides the bike?

Funamizu: It's a jumpsuit. I ordered it from Kadoya, designed by Nayu (Note: Shima Nayu, founder of TOKYO INDIANS, a true Indian lover). It's not a cheap purchase, so I started doing muscle training so that I could wear the jumpsuit properly and be careful not to show my belly (laugh).

-It's true that if your body shape changes, you can't wear leather jumpsuits anymore, so it feels like an unexpected by-product of staying in shape and staying healthy (laughs). How did you decide on the course when you first raced on the circuit? Was the qualifying session a trial run?

Funamizu: That's right (laughs). The basic rule of entering a corner from the outside and exiting from the inside is just what I had in mind, and it was a complete mess. I wanted to watch how a fast rider drove behind me, but I couldn't see them (because they were too far ahead). I could see the time on the meter, but I've never seen it.

-Eh, why?

Funamizu: I get so excited that I forget to check the meter (laughs).

-Even if you've been riding vintage bikes for over 20 years, that's what happens when you're racing (laughs).

Funamizu: Wow, the pleasure is just too intense.

The camera attached to the bike shows the rider's actual viewpoint while riding. Check it out to see the lines on the circuit, the timing of braking, and of course the engine sounds, a realism that can only be conveyed through video.

The wiring that prevents parts from falling onto the course and the stickers that are added each time the vehicle passes inspection are proof of the car's proud racer status.
Funamizu's Indian had the wheels changed to 18-inch and the neck raised, shortening the wheelbase and making the ride smoother than ever before.

-What's your fastest speed?

Funamizu: About 188 km/h on the straight at Fuji (Fuji Speedway).

-That seems scary with those front forks...

Funamizu: I'm not afraid of speed, but it's difficult to know how hard to pull and brake (before the corner). Also, my arms are sore after the race (because I have to hold down the front fork).

-But that fork is cool.

Funamizu: Yes, the carb doesn't have to be a Linkart, but I want to stick to the vintage look. Even if I change the carb (to something faster), it will only make the machine faster, but it won't improve my skill, so I want to be the best with my current carb first.

- It's a deep subject to not only improve the performance of the bike and make it faster, but also to ride it faster. Mr. Funamizu, don't you like tinkering with bikes? Do you think racers would like to try tinkering with bikes themselves?

Funamizu: I'd like to do it myself someday. After all, building and racing your own bike is the ultimate.

Heat countermeasures are essential for air-cooled engines. The side valves in particular are prone to heat up, so Funamizu installed an oil cooler. He also added his own unique design to the shifter.
The appearance of the racer, stripped of safety features such as headlights and blinkers, is almost beautiful. The clearance between the fork and tires is also an interesting point.

-Burt Munro (Note: the legendary racer who set the land speed record for motorcycles under 1000cc in 1967 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in a 1920 Indian Scout that he modified himself. He was also featured in the movie "The World's Fastest Indian").

Funamizu: That's right, so Jackie (Note: the mechanic who maintains Funamizu's bike, and who competes in Bonneville Salt Lake and El Mirage with his own Knucklehead racer) is truly amazing.

-How long does the race last?

Funamizu: It takes about 7 minutes in total for one race.

-So, the total time for the qualifying and final rounds is about 14 minutes in one day.

Funamizu: So it goes by so quickly. I wish I could make time to go and practice, but I'm so busy with work that I can't.

-That's true, if you can't practice, it's just a trial run.

Funamizu: That's right. The other day I really rubbed my knee for the first time. I was like, "Wow, that feels so good!" But I overdid it and fell over (laughs). It feels like the bones (in the fingers of my left hand) have finally joined together.

-Do you have any goals right now?

Funamizu: First of all, I want to be the best for the year. Then, one day, I want to race at Bonneville (note: a plain created by salt in the state of Utah in the United States. Bonneville Speedway is held every August, and is known for the "Speed Week" where the fastest cars on earth compete).

- Bonneville is definitely something to aspire to. Lastly, please say a few words to those who are interested in racing and are wondering whether to enter it.

Funamizu: You should definitely run. You can't experience the thrill of racing unless you race. You can't quit (laughs).