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Fellow motorcyclist friends,
here is an original series written by Webike staff. Webike is from Japan and we get tons of brands whether from japan or not, but actually there are some Japanese brands that non-locals may not know well. We really don't wanna see you guys miss out on any of all the great stuff available to you or your bike just because you don't know the brands. We update articles of "BWK" regularly, so stay tuned.

Table of Contents

Story
Products

Story

A legend in the history of Suzuka 8 Hours

What many Suzuka 8 hours viewers still can't forget is the "NJ" machine in the late 1990s. It is still hailed by many veteran Japanese riders as a pinnacle in the history of ZRX customization.

NJ-1(ZRX1100) by Nojima Engineering, from 1998

Originally, Nojima Engineering wanted to participate in the Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance Road Race with a naked model, so they chose the ZRX1100 (1997-2001) which had just been introduced at the time, as a base and sought to enhance its fighting power.

The result was the ZRX-NJ-1, with a chromoly steel frame and a link-type mono shock rear suspension, which was raced for several years starting in 1998. Dozens of ZRX1100/1200 series bikes were built and delivered to owners around Japan (there were also NJs based on the XJR1300 and ZEPHYR 750).

Seek the ultimate in Super Naked

After participating in the Suzuka 8 Hours, Nojima Engineering chose the Z1000 as its next naked racing machine. Unlike the ZRX racer, which had been thoroughly modified, the Z1000 was modestly modified to take advantage of its good qualities, while the carburetor was used to expand the range of settings. Nojima Engineering participated in the "TASTE OF FREE-LANCE" and other races with this Z1000, achieving good results and making the appeal of the Super Naked known to the world.

z1000 by Nojima Engineering

Compared to the NJ-1, the modifications of Z1000 were less, but according to Nojima, the reason was that the stock bike was well made. The frame was too rigid, and the wall thickness around the pivot was reduced. Also, no matter how much they set up the injection system, they could not get the engine characteristics they wanted, so they decided to go with a carburetor.

The front forks are from the ZX-6R, and the top bridge is stock. Nojima said, "The head pipe of the frame is very rigid, so we were able to keep increasing the load."

Feedback to Street

In 2002, Nojima Engineering launched the NJ-2 service to bring the technology gained from the development of the NJ-1 to the street. By changing the rear shock to a mono shock, the limits of twin shocks are broken down, and the performance of naked bikes is greatly improved. Many users have taken advantage of this service so far, and orders are still coming in.

ZRX1200R

The technology and know-how gained from the NJ-1, such as the mounting position of the rear shock and the link lever ratio, has been fully incorporated into the NJ-2, taking the naked bike to a new level.

NJ-5, ZRX1200 DAEG, can pass the Japanese motorcycle inspection and be ridden on the road

A Mechanic, a Miracle Maker

Hidetoshi Nojima joined Moriwaki Engineering in 1976 and began his career as a mechanic. During his tenure at Nojima, he worked on the machines of Graeme Crosby and Wayne Michael Gardner at the Suzuka 8 Hours, and achieved good results. After leaving Moriwaki, he established Nojima Engineering. He excelled not only in Japan but also in the world GP track.

Back in Japan, he raced mainly on Sundays where he achieved brilliant results, but it was the Suzuka 8 Hours in 1999 that made the biggest impression. He chose a naked motorcycle, the KAWASAKI ZRX1100 as his base machine rather than a supersport bike. We know that was a disadvantage. His theme of the race was "How close can a steel frame machine come to an aluminum frame machine?" It was a challenge from the rebellious spirit of Nojima.

Exhaust artist

Nojima Engineering is also a well-known motorcycle parts manufacturer, their ace products are the exhaust systems, there are many veteran riders use them in Japan. The technology and experience developed on the race track is also applied to the development of their products.

Hand bending

One of them is the "spiral collector(Type-SC)," an ingenious assembly section for multi-engines. As the name implies, this is a spiral-shaped collector, and while it is a 4-1 collector, it also has the ease of handling of a 4-2-1. In other words, it provides sufficient torque in the low RPM range (a weak point of the 4-1), and in the mid to high RPM range, it provides the kind of power that is typical of a tube assembly. The exhaust flow has been redesigned to improve the efficiency of filling the cylinders by keeping the exhaust gas inside the exhaust pipe at low rpms. The new exhaust system is designed to improve the efficiency of filling the cylinder.

Inside of the spiral collector. At the collector, the exhaust is whirled and sent to the tail pipe.

Exhausts being made in the factory.

Products

I would like to introduce two of NOJIMA's most highly rated exhaust series.

FASARM Series

Penetrating power feel and traditional Nojima sound.
High cost performance titanium exhaust made possible by advances in machine bending technology.
Solid machine-bent titanium exhaust pipes and S-titanium silencers.
Spiral collectors are used on the main 4-1 models.
R TITAN tail-up type is available for some models.
Nojima's exhaust technology and recent machine bending technology have made it possible to create a super high cost performance exhaust.
The basic settings of the exhaust are based on those of the Pro Titanium, so while it is lighter than the Pro Titanium, the performance of the exhaust is close to the Pro Titanium.

➤ check all products of FASARM

FASARM PRO TITAN / PRO R TITAN

It sets the vehicle's engine characteristics, frame shape, bank angle, and many other things. The PRO TITAN and PRO-R TITAN are the pinnacle of Nojima's exhaust systems, combining traditional hand-bent titanium exhaust pipes with ultra-lightweight silencers that are made from titanium down to the smallest internal parts.

FASARM S TITAN / R TITAN

A super high cost performance exhaust was made possible by Nojima Engineering's exhaust technology accumulated through Pro Titanium and recent mechanical bending technology. By basing the basic setup on the specifications of the Pro Titanium, it is lighter than the Pro Titanium in terms of lightness, but is close to the Pro Titanium in terms of performance as a exhaust. The improved performance of the titanium exhaust pipe, combined with the increased power, will satisfy a wide range of riders, from rookie riders to experienced riders.

FASARM MIDDLE S2 / R2

"We want to bring Nojima's traditional thrusting power feel and sound to 400-class bikes!" The FASARM 400 class series was created with this concept in mind, while also taking into consideration the convenience of changing engine oil and oil filters. It delivers the power that only Nojima can deliver while meeting noise regulation values.

FASARM M TITAN TYPE S / R

Despite appearances, this is a serious theme that requires maximum extraction of limited power, Nojima Engineering is doing its best in the 4mini category as well. Not only the stock engine, but also heavy tuning such as big bore, high camshaft, and big carburetor can be supported.

Lock-on Series

A fusion of Nojima's tradition and new generation silencers.
Nojima's goal is to provide the best exhaust for the machine that Nojima thinks LOCK-ON is suitable for, regardless of the category such as naked, sports, or 400cc and below.
The LOCK-ON silencer is available in various specifications such as hand bent titanium (with burned color), machine-bent titanium (without burned color), and stainless steel, depending on the characteristics of the vehicle.
With Nojima's exhaust technology cultivated through the FASARM series, the LOCK-ON has high output characteristics and meets various regulations for vehicle inspection. (universal silencers are excluded).
Features of the LOCK-ON silencer
1. Unique and stylish design that gradually twists and spreads smoothly as it moves backward.
2. Slim, irregularly designed cross-sectional shape with sufficient capacity and bank angle for superior aerodynamics and reduced stress during handling and passing.
3. The silencer is as light as the Pro Titanium silencer, which is synonymous with ultra-lightweight silencers. The lightness of the silencer is comparable to that of the Pro Titanium silencer, contributing greatly to the improvement of riding performance.
4. Complies with various noise and exhaust gas regulations with Nojima's accumulated know-how and technology.

➤ check all products of LOCK-ON

Below I would like to navigate you through all the compatible parts by models.