Land of the rising sun

[wingnut]

Just arrived in Japan for a week or 2 for work. May is a beautiful month here. I'm down south in the "country" and noticed these folks have some of the best roads to ride a bike on. One thing I have noticed is that there are a ton of scooters but very few bigger bikes. I've only seen one out on the streets and it was a V Max. Of course if you want to go fast here its best to just ride the trains. We must have been doing a ton and 1/2 a foot away from the tunnel walls. That got my attention real fast. Anyone know if they sell the XJR here or is it just in Europe? I'd love to see one in person.

[TopCatGr58]

Ah...the memories!

Hey Wingnut,

I was there back in the early 80's while in the NAVY, and even back then, the biggest bike that most of them had were 500's, because all of the larger displacement machines were actually NOT MADE THERE, but in the US or such, and had to be imported to Japan. ALSO, part of their licensing process was that they had to ride the bike, stop it and lay it down, and then pick it back up! IF they weren't big or strong enough to pick it up, they could not get a license for that size a bike. Fortunately, being a "GAIJIN"=foreigner, I was exempt from this licensing process, and found a wonderful XS850 triple while I was there, and rode around Japan, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, and Yokosuka proper. Doing 180 kph was rather fun!

The bike was a sleeper, not bagdes saying 850 on it, but it had the obligatory license plate with the letter "A" on it instead of just the Japanese characters...again, not for "A"merican, but just non-national! But the locals knew what it was. Splitting the lanes at stop lights was permitted. I would be stopped at a light, and then I would hear this "zinnggg-da-dingg-ding" coming from the next lane, would look over and the fellow would be nodding his head wanting to RACE!! I would "CLUNK" it down into 1st, and "Vroooooom" the throaty 850 triple, and walk away from them when the light would change!

The White nights(Japanese Motorcycle cops) are very skilled, and they frown on speeding severely, will impound your bike for just 20 clicks over the limit! Be careful, have fun!!
T.C.

[BigDick]

being in the military myself, and having the option of putting in for orders to take me overseas (for the specific purpose of buying an xjr ) I asked my supervisor about this. He said that there's so much you have to do to a vehicle to make it legal stateside before you bring it over that it costs several thousand dollars. He said that makes it almost not worth it. JAT

[cueball]

XJR"s down under

Go for a fuel injected 1300. Sold in Oz for years. I have a 1200 with pods, free flowing pipes and jetted, can not get near fi 1300.