Scoop is wrong!
I cannot let Scoop’s comments regarding Edward Turner (Kawasaki B8S article, page 31, September issue) go unchallenged. By the late 1950s, the British Board of Trade had given the Japanese carte blanche to import bikes into this country, but had not asked for any reciprocal arrangement to protect the niche market Britain had established in Japan. Edward Turner made a fact-finding mission to Japan in 1960 to try and assess what this meant for the future of the British industry. Visiting Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda, his findings came as a deep shock and he tried to convince the heads of the British industry of the urgent need to respond. Finding Austin cars were made in Japan (for the Japanese), with low labour rates, he thought the same might be done with British motorcycles. He saw quality bikes of 250-300cc being produced and, granted, Turner also thought a customer base would remain in Britain for traditional, big, British machines. On his return to this country he prophetically declared that unless it changed its ‘head-in-the-sand’ attitude the British industry would be gone in 25 years. Edward Turner did know a thing or two about motorcycle manufacture… Alan Turner (no relation!)
Bertie says: “Fair comment, well made Alan!”