The Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club was founded in 1982 by a small group of enthusiasts who just loved early Japanese motorcycles. They spotted, early on, that Japanese bikes were stylish, well designed, economical, practical and reliable - what's not to like?  Since its inception, the VJMC has gone from strength to strength, getting together in the early days when twin shock, air-cooled 4 cylinder bikes were the order of the day with the middleweight bike likely to be a 350-500cc bike.

Run by a team of volunteers, the club aims to unite fans of Japanese bikes and promote enjoyment of their favourite motorcycles. That includes a great diversity of machines from mopeds to larger bikes and anyone with any Japanese motorcycle over 15 years old is welcome to join! The Japanese bikes which were new 40 years ago and inspired the formation of the club, are now collectable bikes and prized alongside their older 1960s brothers and sisters.

The VJMC currently has around 6000 members and rising, which makes it one of the larger classic bike clubs in the UK. Running a programme of Bike Meets, Classic Shows, Races and Ride Outs and offering support to members across the UK, the VJMC aims to help fellow enthusiasts make the most of their bikes with like minded folks. The Club operates local sections and runs events to give members the opportunity to meet up every month to socialise and share knowledge and enthusiasm with other Japanese bike owners in their area. This is a great way for motorcyclists to exchange knowledge, get a few useful tips or pass on information they have learned through trial and error.

The VJMC also keeps an eye on automotive legislation as it comes out in case it is relevant to owners of classic machines. It belongs to the FHBVC (Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs) which voices the concerns of motorcyclists about legislation which seems to be ill informed or possibly detrimental to club members and their machines.

Membership of the VJMC includes a members magazine (Tansha) which goes out six times a year and is packed full of useful information, articles and great pictures of classic Japanese bikes. There is also a directory with specialist motorcycles services, local information, bikes for sale and a section where members can advertise for anything they need.

The VJMC is a helpful friendly and inclusive organisation 'run by motorcyclists for motorcyclists' which offers a lot of benefits, support and shared enjoyment to its members.

Are you a member? If so we'd love to see a picture of your bike and how you find being a member of the VJMC. Get in touch via email at [email protected] or drop us a message on Facebook