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!