Cabton was built by Mizuho Motor in Japan, dating back to the '30s when the company built large single-cylinder motorcycles. As with many Japanese manufacturers of the time, Cabton borrowed heavily from English and American design. As the Japanese manufacturers climbed out of World War II, Cabton became one of the most expensive and prolific manufacturers in Japan, outpacing its chief rival Rikuo. Cabton was also the first manufacturer to introduce telescopic forks to the Japanese market. They were also among the most expensive, and given the average salary in Japan, it would take a year’s salary to purchase one. The RTS was the top-of-the-line model with a 600cc engine capable of 5,000 RPM and produced 19 HP from its 6.4:1-compression pistons. One must remember postwar gas was of a very low octane.

The Cabton’s engine borrowed heavily from Indian’s postwar parallel twins. They utilized the same style of external, exposed pushrod tubes and inspection caps on top. Like Indians, they also utilized the Amal 276 carburetor with its characteristic remote float bowl. The transmission was also a copy of the popular Burman gearbox, a 4-speed with the gear shift on the right-hand side; the clutch was also evidently a copy from Burman too. While foreign motorcycles were typically less expensive, they were difficult to import, unless you were a manufacturer, in which case you could import freely to backwards engineer. Hence Cabton only had domestic competition and Cabton motorcycles were known for their speed. Some say Cabton almost created a “hoodlum” culture since the motorcycles had a reputation for their ability to outrun police Rikuos. Production is believed to have wound down about 1958, though some say because of their popularity among speedway riders (Japan had parimutuel betting at speedways) that there was still some production until 1960. Regardless, Cabtons are rare today not only in the U.S., but also in Japan.