Photo ou archives : F-M. Dumas
4014
TOHATSU
125 PKD - 1957
The heirs of DKW
In the dynamic Japanese market of the 1950s, more than eighty motorcycle manufacturers were struggling for a place in the rising sun. Among them – apart from the great names which still exist – were companies like Abe Star, IMC, Meguro, Pointer and Tohatsu offering over thirty different 125cc models.
From Railroads to Roadsters
Tohatsu (short for "Tokyo Hatsudoki," "Tokyo Engine Factory") began as a manufacturer of rail equipment in 1922, and built its first motorcycle in 1950. Its involvement in the two-wheeler field lasted sixteen years before Tohatsu, outclassed, returned to general machine work.
A Diverse Range
Apart from its final model – a 125 twin – Tohatsu concentrated on lightweight two-stroke singles. During its three final years of motorcycle manufacture, the company made one last attempt to enhance its image by going in for racing with first a 50cc twin, then a 125. In 1957, the PKD, with swing arm rear suspension, joined the plunger-suspension PKS, and in 1958, Tohatsu offered no fewer than four different 125s: The all-new LA had an 8 hp engine suspended from a pressed- steel backbone frame and rocking-lever front suspension. Like the original Yamaha (and many other Japanese 125s of the 1950s), the Tohatsu 125 PKD was strongly inspired by the German DKW 125, from which it took the engine dimensions and the exterior styling, even if the kickstart pedal was no longer coaxial with the gear selector on the left, but on the right. The frame and styling were also more individualistic and modern.
SPECIFICATIONS
Engine: 123cc (52x58mm) air-cooled single-cylinder
Power Rating: 6 hp @ 5000 rpm
Valves: two-stroke
Fuel System: carburetor
Transmission: 3-speed, chain final drive
Suspension: telescopic forks (front); swing arm (rear)
Brakes: drum (front & rear)
Wheels: 2.75x24 inch wire (front & rear)
Weight: 265 lb
Maximum Speed: 53 mph
The Tohatsu 125, a Japanese copy of the DKW stood out from the crowd by virtue of its original styling and modern frame design.