Japanese Motorcycle Test - Take 2

Fuck this test.

Seriously, I have been riding exclusively sport bikes for the past 7 years and they expect me to pass the test using a cruiser. I practiced for an hour before taking the test with my own bike and guess what? I could drive that course with my eyes closed. At the actual test? I drove by the fucking bridge.

The proctor insists that I am having trouble because of the bike's extra weight. Wrong. I am having trouble because the seating position is completely different. Give me a ZX1400 and I'll pass that test with flying colors. How big the engine is doesn't matter at all when you're going 20km/h the entire time. He even told me that he wouldn't be able to pass the test without first practicing using the test bike! Let me practice on the test bike! It's so stupid!

What I know how to drive

What I'm forced to drive

The Japanese dude before me BOUGHT a Honda VFX750 (the bike we have to use for the test) and practiced with that. He still didn't pass!

I was told that if I went to a different testing center to take the medium sized motorcycle test, I would have to pay upwards of 200,000 yen ($2500) to take the classes!

To top it all off, I have to take an entire day of vacation and spend 6 hours driving to the testing center and back. It's only 80 miles away but because Japanese speed limits are so goddamn slow it takes forever.

On the bright side I didn't get rained on...

Mmmmmm. Sushi for lunch!

It was a great birthday lunch

Lake Saroma

Ai Land Yubetsu

A train I found

No trip is complete without a visit to the Monbetsu crab claw

Japanese Motorcycle License Test - Take 1

I took today off work in order to try and get my motorcycle license. My international permit expires on August 1st so I need to get it soon. It was a beautifully cold morning drive all the way until I hit Kitami where the sun came out. I blame Monbetsu. Always blame Monbetsu.

I had lunch at a small ramen place called Kura because they had a sign out front for tsukemen! The last time I ate tsukemen was during my study abroad in Tokyo at the worlds best restaurant ever, Yasube. My lunch of course was not as good as Yasube but it satisfied my appetite.

I spent a good 2 hours waiting at the license center for them to get ready. There were 2 Japanese men in their early 20's also taking the test. I watched the first fail and the second pass but they had to drive a different course than me. When it was my turn, everything went smoothly until I fell off the bridge. Instant failure. Come again next week. I really wouldn't mind, except it's a 3 hour drive to Kitami!

Here is what makes the test difficult.

1. I have to take the test for the "big" bikes (over 401cc) because they don't have a testing motorcycle for the "medium" bikes.
2. I have to use their motorcycle, a modified Honda CBR 750 with protruding bars on the side to protect the bike in case of a crash. <-- This part doesn't bother me as my prior bike was 1100cc but...
3. I can't use the test bike to practice the course, but instead have to use my own 250.
4. The Bridge - A 10cm wide raised section that you must cross without falling off. The kicker is you must spent at least 10 seconds on it.
5. The Bumps - A series of 10cm tall bumps that you must go over while standing on the pegs. Again, you must spend at least 6 seconds crossing them.
6. The S curve - Go around the small S.
7. The Cones - Go back and forth around the cones without bumping them.
8. The Crank - Back to back 90 degree turns with little room to maneuver. 
9. Also if you put your foot down at any time other than the designated stopping points, you instantly fail.

To be fair, I did practice on my own bike for 30 minutes a few weeks ago after I obtained my car license. I was able to do everything with my own bike (after a few slip ups.) I think this will just take trial and error until I get used to that damn testing bike.

Mmmmmmm... Tsukemen...

A brief stop by Lake Saroma to catch my breath.

I made it to the testing center!

Flat Tire 150km

After my last post I went for a little ride and what do you know, the front tire was completely flat. I took it to the local service station but they said they don't work on bikes and the one guy in town who does was gone for the weekend. I called up my dealer and they picked it up. Apparently there was some garbage between the rim and the tire when it was initially put on which caused a bad seal.

Now it's 1000km later and she's running great!

Next up, getting my Japanese motorcycle license.

New Bike

My old Kawasaki is currently being stored in my mothers garage while I'm teaching in Japan. Unfortunately I wasn't able to sell it before I left. At least I'll have a vehicle when I return.

Spring is beginning to roll in so I decided to get a new set of wheels during my stay in Japan. I have a bunch of reasons for getting another bike but first and foremost are the amazing mountain roads here in Hokkaido. I can't wait to get out touring the countryside! Other reasons include using less gas (with it being $8-$9 a gallon here!) my lack of expenses (my workplace provides a car for me,) and the amazing resale value of bikes over here. Of course let's not forget the fun factor in commuting back and forth to work.

After much debating about what size to buy, I decided on a 250cc. Originally I wanted something bigger but the Japanese government has made owning more powerful bikes a pain in the ass. First, anything larger needs an inspection once every two years. This inspection costs upwards of $800 and they check very basic things like fluid levels, tire tread, exhaust cleanliness, and errors logged by the computer. If they decide anything is amiss it will cost even more to get it fixed. Second, bigger bikes require an additional license test. The license tests here are nothing but throwing money at the DMV and hoping it was enough for a license. Third, overall Japan has the slowest speed limits in the world. The limit on regular  roads is a whopping 37mph while speeds on the highway top out at 50mph, but only during the summer. Finally, with gas prices tipping the scales it's nice to get 60mpg+ when travelling.

I looked at the local bike shop and found 3 choices: Honda, Kawasaki, Hyosung. The Honda CBR250 received the best reviews that I found online. I didn't like the color or design that they offered. The Kawasaki had the best ratings for acceleration and top speed but also uses more fuel and was the most expensive by far. Hyosung is a fairly unknown company from Korea and I had a hard time finding information about it. However it was the largest bike (using the same frame as the 650cc model) and had the best seating position for my size.

I ended up going with the Hyosung. It was a tough decision because it's such a big investment. My biggest worry isn't about the performance or issues I have with the bike, but with the resale value. Since it's such an unknown brand I'll probably get a lower percentage back compared to the other Japanese brands.

I've ridden it about 150km so far and I like it. The V-twin has a nice sound (for a 250,) it has plenty of power for riding on the highway, and accelerates surprisingly fast. I don't have to worry about grabbing too much throttle like with my Ninja 1100; the front tire won't lift off the ground without a lot of effort from me. I need to focus more on which gears I use going around corners and up hills. The only thing that bugged me was a screeching sound from the front disks when coming to a stop. I think changing the pads or swapping the lines for braided steel will fix that.

This is shaping up to be an exciting summer if the weather cooperates!