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