Vive La Difference

To fans of World Endurance names like Sonauto (Yamaha) and Japauto (Honda) conjure up visions of an era when motorcycle technology in terms of engine performance was way ahead of chassis structure.

The “driving force” of Japauto – quite literally- was Christian Vilaséca who, having inherited the successful family GM car business first branched out into Honda cars and then, seeing the potential for two-wheels founded the largest Honda motorcycle dealership in Paris.

Racing – especially Endurance Racing – is almost a religion in France so, understandably, Japauto prepared a very early example of the cb750 to compete in the 1969 Bol d’Or 24-hour race held not at Paul Ricard but Montlhéry, just outside Paris. Two 19-year-olds were given the task of riding, racer Daniel Urdich and a Japauto apprentice mechanic Michel Rougerie – yes that Rougerie! The duo scored an incredible win to deliver the Honda cb750’s first-ever victory in its debut race and the debut win for a four cylinder machine.

For the next few years Japauto regularly entered the Bol d’Or but with little success but that changed in 1972. With 946cc engines (based on the 749cc road bike unit) Sunauto patriotically entered three machines, one red, one white and one blue. It was the red machine that took honours and the colour was used ever after by Japauto who also produced the 1000VX road machine based on the rather idiosyncratic styling of the race machine.

A 1000VX with its unique fairing in original condition is a rare beast indeed and has looks that perhaps only a mother could love. But with a quoted top speed of 222kph that’s not bad from a mid-70’s machine. Just remember, the brakes were not rated as good even then and the looks you get may just be more quizzical than admiring. Vive la difference, vive la 1000VX!

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