No helmets! No blinkers! Weird" rules for motorcycles that were OK in the Showa era

In the Showa period (1926-1989), the rules and safety regulations for motorcycles were somewhat more lax than today. For example, it was not illegal to drive a moped without a helmet, a motorcycle without turn signals could pass vehicle inspections, and large motorcycles could be driven with only a car license. Here, we will introduce some of the strange rules for motorcycles that existed during the Showa period.

Helmets were not mandatory

Nowadays, it is a matter of course to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle. If you ride without a helmet, you are in violation of the "helmet requirement. However, there was a time in the Showa period (1926-1989) when riders were not required to wear helmets when riding motorcycles. It was first stipulated by law in 1965, but at that time, the law only applied to highways, and it was an effort requirement without penalty. Later, in the 1970s, the regulations were gradually tightened step by step, and penalties were established. The main flow is as follows. 1965: Helmets became compulsory on highways (no penalties) ・1972: Helmets became compulsory on roads with a maximum speed limit of over 40 km/h (no penalties) ・1975: Helmets became compulsory for motorcycles 51 cc and over on government-designated road sections (with penalties) ・1978: Helmets became compulsory on all roads 51 cc and over 1986: Helmets became compulsory for all motorcycles (including mopeds) and on all roads (with penalties). In particular, in the case of the author, who was born in 1965, his memories go back to his high school days in the early 1980s. At that time, motorcycles were booming, and many high school students, including the author, obtained a moped license and rode 50cc motorcycles when they turned 16, riding without helmets as a matter of course. Because it was not a violation.

Thinking about it now, though, it is scary because a fall or accident could have resulted in serious injury or even death. Nowadays, not only helmets but also protectors and other equipment are recommended, as well as airbags for two-wheeled vehicles. Riders' safety awareness and equipment have evolved, and this can be attributed to the fact that laws as well as riders' awareness were reformed to deter motorcycle accidents during the Showa period.

Some motorcycles did not have blinkers.

In the Showa period, some motorcycles did not have turn signals as standard equipment until the late 1960s. This was because at that time, blinkers were not recognized as a basic means of giving directions, such as turning right or left, and hand signals were commonly used to signal.

Hand signals, as you may have learned in a driving school, are signals such as, for example, when turning left, bend your elbow vertically upward with your right arm outward or extend your left arm straight outward This is the signal to turn left. For a right turn, the right arm should be outside the right side of the car and extended horizontally or the left arm should be extended outward and the elbow should be bent vertically upward. Even today, in driving schools and other such places, riders learn to use these signals when their turn signals malfunction, but it seems that riders in those days, when turn signals were not required, used these signals as a normal part of their daily routine. For this reason, some older models made in the early Showa period did not have turn signals as standard equipment. However, from around the late 1960s, as road traffic safety standards became stricter, motorcycles began to be equipped with turn signals. Some models produced before 1969 still pass vehicle inspections without blinkers, but basically, around 1970, blinkers were widely adopted as standard equipment.

You could ride a large motorcycle with only a car license.

Currently, to ride a motorcycle, a driver's license is required in one of the following seven categories, depending on the displacement and other factors. Large motorcycle license (over 400cc) ・AT limited large motorcycle license (over 400cc AT) ・Normal motorcycle license (under 400cc) ・AT limited standard motorcycle license (under 400cc AT) ・Small standard motorcycle license (under 125cc) ・AT small standard motorcycle license (under 125cc AT) ・Moped license ( As you know, nowadays, motorcycle licenses in six categories, excluding moped licenses, must be obtained separately from regular licenses and other licenses for driving cars. However, this rule was established exactly 60 years ago, in 1965, when the law was revised. Prior to that time, a car driver's license allowed one to ride any type of motorcycle, regardless of displacement. In other words, like today's moped license, a motorcycle license for all displacements, including large motorcycles, came as an "extra" with a four-wheel license. This is the reason why some senior drivers in their 80s sometimes boast that they can even drive a Nanahan. Incidentally, it was not until 1995 that the license classification became the way it is today, and large motorcycle licenses could be obtained at driving schools. Before that, in the 1980s, when I first started riding motorcycles, it was necessary to cancel a medium-sized limited motorcycle license in order to ride a large-sized motorcycle of 400 cc or more. This motorcycle license was called a "limited cancellation" license. Moreover, the test could only be taken at the police driver's license examination center, and it was extremely difficult. Some people even took the test more than 10 times without passing. Therefore, those of us from the generation that came with a motorcycle license with unlimited displacement as a bonus to a four-wheel license were the envy of our generation at the time.

Anyway, the rules and regulations related to motorcycles have evolved since the Showa period and have led to the present. These changes were essential for a safer and more comfortable motorcycle life. The rules for wearing helmets and installing turn signals as standard equipment are now commonplace, but it is important to recognize the importance of observing them and to be aware of the importance of safer driving. Go to  (3)