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!

70 Degrees

It's the first time it has been warm in Cleveland with NO RAIN! I got out the bike today and checked all the fluids. Everything was good except it was a little low on oil. I also adjusted the chain tension and oiled it up.

I went out for an hour ride and it's running just like last year again. I'll probably ride it a lot more this summer with gas prices the way they are.

New Battery

I tried to go for a ride today and the battery was dead. The old one can't hold a charge for more than a few days so I decided to replace it.

New Forks - 32,752

I got my bike back yesterday and cruised home. The very last think I need to do for it is change the front brake pads and fluid. Once that's all done I'll probably total up all my expenses until now and see how much money I put into it. The new forks seem good. They are more stiff than previously at the same settings which is probably a good thing. I'll need to test it out more and play around with the spring preload and dampening. More to come!

Shop

I took my bike to the shop today to have the forks rebuilt. I hope they do a good job!

First Ride of the Season - 32,652

I rode to Willoughby and back for 14 miles. What a difference the rear shock makes! I had gotten used to putting pressure on the pegs when I anticipated a bump to minimize the impact. I still found myself doing it without needing to. The bike rides so much smoother now it's like brand new! I scheduled to have the forks redone hopefully in the next week or so. That should make it even better!

Wow my writing sucks after taking a few months off!

Almost Done with the Repairs! - 32,638

Maintanance Log Entry:
Oil Change (minus the filter) - Amsoil Synthetic 10W30
Antifreeze Change
Rear Shock Absorber Rebuilt
New Rear Tire - Dunlop Roadsmart 190/50-17
New Rear Brakepads/fluid (Front ones come after the fork rebuild) - EBC Sintered HH
Greased Fittings
Oiled Chain

Winter Repairs - Rear End

I started working on my winter repairs this week. I know it's a long time coming and I should have done a few things sooner (like taking the battery out,) but better late than never.

First things first, I took the battery out. I also ordered a trickle charger to keep it charged the rest of the winter. Next I took the seat and rear fairings off (one on each side) in order to gain access to the fuel tank bolts. After pondering for a while on how to get the fuel out, I decided that I needed to get a hose. Here ends the first day of repairs.

On the second day I stopped by home depot on the way home from work and bought two clear hoses--one for the fuel and another for the brake/clutch lines. Unfortunately when I got home the hose for the brake lines was too small. The fuel line was the right size so I got back to work. I turned the fuel off, removed the top hose, and put on the hose I bought. Then when I turned the fuel back on, the gas went into my gas can. Success! It took about half an hour to drain the fuel. When that finished I turned the fuel back off again and proceeded. Well there was still one more hose connected to the fuel tank, so I took that one off too.

Bad idea. The remaining fuel in the tank spilled all over the garage floor. I realized my mistake as soon as I saw gas coming out of the hose. The tank has a hose from the tank itself to the on/off switch that I don't need to remove in order to take the tank off.

Now that that was settled, I removed the 4 bolts holding the tank on and took it off. The fuel in the gas can was nice and clear (no crud in it like I half expected) so I emptied it into my car. I havn't got a chance to look for rust yet, but I'll make sure the tank is clean before putting it back on.

The third day I decided to get the old shock (or steel bar) off to make sure it matched my newly aquired one. I was looking at the service manual, looking at the bike, looking at the service manual, and I could not figure out how to get the shock off. Finally it dawned on me that I have the manual for the D model ZX11 instead of the C model. After throwing the book back in the car I decided the best course of action was to take off the rear tire and get at the shock from behind. A few hours later I had the entire back end of my bike tore off (minus the frame and wires) and finally had access to the shock. I got it off fairly easily and took all the parts back inside.

So now I'm looking for a dealer that will rebuild the shock I bought off ebay. I found one in Akron that will do it for about $150. If they do a good job I'll probably take my forks down there to have them rebuilt too.

I plan on getting the entire back end finished before I start working on the front end. That includes the new shock, new tire, frozen caliper piston, new brake pads, and fixing 5th gear. I'm also thinking of getting a new chain (this chain looks a little rusted) but I'll probably do that after I get everything else fixed and back together. I'm keeping a running total of the cost of repairs as well which I'll post when everything is said and done.

Last Ride of the Season

It was a beautiful day last Sunday, so I decided to take the bike out one last time. The plan was to go on a date with Emily and play putt putt. We drove to the place and found out it was closed for the season.

Bummer.

We ended up eating at a nearby Denny's and driving home. It was a good drive at least!

Winter Sale

bikebandit.com had a closeout sale last weekend and I jumped at the chance to pick up some equipment.

I dropped $400 on a jacket, pants, gloves, new brake pads, new turn signal, and a cargo net. Because of the sale, I saved $200 total on the clothes. Nice.

The ZX11 - 32,500 Miles

I bought my Kawasaki ZX11 in August, just two months after I started my new job at Progressive. I wasn't planning on buying a motorcycle anytime soon, but this one caught my eye and the price was right. Previously I had been riding my sister's Kawasaki 250 Ninja every summer since I got my license.

I totaled the thing 2 days after I got my permit, on a country road when a bear ran out and attacked me.

Yes, a bear.

The bike was fixed partly through the dealership and partly from my brother's handywork. I was left with two scars on my right arm.

My sister told me when I was in the ER "When you get better, get back on that bike and go out for a ride." And that's what I did.

I put a lot of miles on the 250 puttin' around town. Minus the rides to Defiance and back (20 miles), I only went on 2 long trips. One was to Ft. Wayne with my dad (50 miles). The other was to Port Clinton (110 miles).

I learned a lot on the 250 and owe my brother and sister for all the support they have given me.

So I ran across the ZX11 for sale while picking up some hay for my bunny. I stopped by and had a look at it, talked to the owner, and got his number. I stopped by a week later for a test drive and put down a price of $2800. He took it. I had just bought my first vehicle.

The bike is a 1991 and it had 31,910 miles on it when I bought it. It runs well. Starts up everytime, idles around 1200, and has more power than you can shake a stick at. It is a giant leap from the tiny 250. The ZX11 is also really heavy, something that I both like and dislike. While it makes it more difficult to corner, the bike feels really solid and tied to the ground.

Since I bought it I took a trip home and back (180 miles), but mostly I've been running around Cleveland. I got a flat tire just before the end of the riding season which put me down for the winter. My bike is currently in the garage waiting for me to winterize and start working on it. I've got a huge list of things to go through this winter (change brake pads, oil/fuel filters, tires, change tire, clean carbs, ect.) so it will be a fun experience. I'm looking forward to learning all about keeping a vehicle running smoothly.