It’s heartwarming to hear President Suzuki Toshihiro talk about his love for Mametan.

The talk show was held in a friendly atmosphere.

The president and vice president of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association gathered together for a frank discussion. From left to right: Akira Matsunaga, Toshihiro Mibe, Koji Sato, Masanori Katayama, Toshihiro Suzuki, Ivan Espinosa, and Motofumi Shitara. (Titles omitted)

The biennial Japan Mobility Show (JMS) was held in 2025. This was the second time the show was held, and it attracted 1 million spectators, over 500 exhibitors, and plenty to see. The rich exhibits were well-received by the visitors. Meanwhile, on the official day (October 30th), top members of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association gathered on the specially set-up JMS Stage in the atrium on the first floor of the West Exhibition Hall at Tokyo Big Sight for a talk show where they shared their love of cars and motorcycles.

Having just finished the JMS Opening Ceremony, the seven speakers changed from their formal attire into casual attire and appeared on stage with relaxed expressions.

While each speaker expressed their love for mobility, President Suzuki Toshihiro’s remarks about his love for the Mametan were particularly striking.

Looking back on his youth (as a teenager), he recalled his first motorcycle and car ride, and the Mametan was a bike his younger brother bought for him to ride to school. He hadn’t been interested in motorcycles before, but the realization that there was such a fun vehicle that allowed him to feel the “breeze” inspired him to get his license. “I now drive larger vehicles, but (with the Mametan) I experienced the thrill and excitement of riding a motorcycle,” he said, gazing nostalgically at the green Mametan displayed beside the stage. Particularly interesting was Suzuki’s statement: “I don’t necessarily think that big vehicles are good. There’s something appealing about small vehicles.” This statement resonated with me as a journalist and raised my expectations for the company’s future.

He smiled as he recounted an episode in which, when he had a woman sitting next to him in the first-generation Alto, he felt excited and thrilled at how close their shoulders were to touching.

The special session of the Future Mobility Conference kicked off with a talk session entitled “What does the ‘Love of Mobility’ mean to the top executives?”

His calm and honest personality comes through.

President Suzuki smiles as he recounts playful memories from his youth.

The Suzuki Mamtan was this kind of bike.

The Mametan debuted in 1977. It featured spoke wheels front and rear and drum brakes. Its air-cooled engine hinted at the times, but it was a unique attempt at a new type of sports bike that adopted the American chopper style. Despite being a zero-handle (a moped), its relaxed riding position was refreshing. It gained popularity as a new genre of bike that could be ridden stylishly and coolly, and its contribution to attracting entry-level users was not to be underestimated.

Its unique, adorable and stylish form has made it very popular.

The American style adopted for a 50cc (moped) bike was very refreshing.

Equipped with an air-cooled two-stroke single-cylinder engine, Suzuki’s small-displacement engine led the competition with its smooth and refreshing acceleration.

The blacked-out muffler and rear shock with exposed coil springs are striking.

The single seat with a hip-up stopper can be easily opened and closed using the right-side hinge.

The front wheels were 15 inches in size, but from the S56 model in 1981 onwards this was increased to 17 inches.

The rear wheel was 14 inches, the standard size for what were then called minibikes.

Equipped with a bold up-handle that symbolizes American style.

The only analog meter is the speedometer on the left, while the right side is equipped with the ignition key switch and the blinker and neutral pilot lamps.

Main specifications when it debuted in 1977

形式：OR50
全長 / 全幅 / 全高（mm）：1,680 / 660 / 1,020
軸間距離（mm）：1,080
最低地上高（mm）：165
シート高（mm）：676
乾燥重量 （kg）：69

燃料消費率（km/L）：80.0（30km/h定地）
最小回転半径（m）：1.8

エンジン型式：空冷・2サイクル・単気筒
動弁方式：ピストンリードバルブ（パワーリードバルブ）
総排気量（cc）：49
内径×行程（mm）：41,0×37.8
圧縮比：7.2：1

最高出力 （ps）：5.5 / 8,000rpm
最大トルク （kgm）：0.51 / 7,000rpm
燃料供給装置：キャブレター式（VM16SH）
始動方式：キック式
点火方式：マグネット点火
潤滑方式：CCIS（分離潤滑）
潤滑油容量（L）：1.2
燃料タンク容量（L）：5.5

クラッチ形式：湿式多板コイルスプリング
変速機形式：常時噛合式5段リターン
変速比：
　1速…3.166
　2速…1.941
　3速…1.380
　4速…1.083
　5速…0.923
減速比（1次/2次）：3.842/3.307

フレーム形式：セミダブルクレードル
キャスター （度）：28°30′
トレール（mm）：60
ブレーキ形式（前/後）：リーディングトレーリング/リーディングトレーリング
タイヤサイズ（前/後）：250-15-4PR/300-14-4PR
舵取り角左右(度）：43
乗車定員：1名

価格：109,000-

The first generation Alto was talked about as a love for cars.

It debuted in 1979 at a price of 470,000 yen, which was affordable even at the time. It is a light car that pioneered the boom in the Bonban boom. With cumulative domestic sales of approximately 5.4 million units, it is known as a popular brand that represents the company. In 2024, it was selected as a “Historical Heritage Car” by the Japan Automobile Hall of Fame (JAHFA). The 10th generation model is expected to be released in 2026.

Its simple, lightweight design is still considered a model for car manufacturing today.

The first generation Alto was a three-door hatchback commercial vehicle.

What car (motorcycle) do you wish existed in the future?

Among the many different dreams expressed in response to the above question, President Suzuki’s answer was this: Even if steering wheels are eliminated (due to autonomous driving, etc.), I still want to be able to drive the car myself. He said he wants a vehicle that moves exactly the way he wants it to.