Aomori and Hokkaido, Japan ride report, July 19-23

[MattW]

Great report Guy - thanks for taking the time

 

[Mike L]

Thank you for sharing I enjoyed that The Skyline looks fantastic!
Why would anyone want to put a gate at the bottom of it?

 

[davidgibson999]

Nice report... Enjoyed it

 

[Loiq]

top pics thanks

are JDM bikes restricted to 180 kmh like cars?

1300 kms in a day - nutter - worse than me

20 or so years ago they stopped the whole restricted thing, all they did was increase the fines if you get caught.

the biggest thing in japan is the MOT it's mega money, which is why you get so many japanese exports. my brother in laws fireblade was JDM sourced and had nothing done to it!

the speed limits are really low even on motorways 100KPH is about it, south of Mt. Fuji it's so busy it's hard to get the throttle fully open.

Hokaido (northern most island) is considered a bikers paradise for the simple reason, it's got a low population and therefore there's the perception of more space. Then there's heaps of islands each has it's own thing going for it, it's a place I never grow tired of.

Why would anyone want to put a gate at the bottom of it?

there has to be order....

 

[Mike L]

there has to be order....

When you were a mellon farmer there, was there order? For some reason I suspect you may have caused a little bit of chaos just to provoke a reaction!

 

[NeilF]

Thanks for posting, Guy. That's a very different ride report and makes great reading.

I loved that skyway photo - like having your own Alp!


Cheers,

Neil.

 

[Gizmo*]

nice report from a trip I'd love to do. I've done some travelling on the western side, Osaka to Arai mountain ski resort but always wanted to go further north. Only problem I've had is that english isn't commonly spoken outside of the big cities and whilst I can speak/read basic Chinese and thus can read bits of Japanese its always put me off oh, that and £/¥ rate I should of done it 4 or 5 years ago when it was at 220 doh

 

[Loiq]

When you were a mellon farmer there, was there order? For some reason I suspect you may have caused a little bit of chaos just to provoke a reaction!

I was my job to cause chaos... only westerner on the whole island...

I dream back to the simple days of mellon farming in japan.... nice.... nothing like a early morning march to my mellon patch in the hills... with a brief bit a quantity surveying (basically counting mellons)

then wander back down, BBQ some eels and vaccum pack the little beauties and send them off ... then...clean the place up.... go the JAA (Japan Agricultural Association) as a farmer I was allowed to join their social club... (cheap bar) talk about my latest ideas of increasing mellon production while cracking into a few beers.... (being me was a full time job back then)

then wander back slowly buy some BBQ chicken and a mellon from the cos I was way too hammered to make it to top of the hill again...

 

[Tom]

I dream back to the simple days of mellon farming in japan.... nice.... nothing like a early morning march to my mellon patch in the hills... with a brief bit a quantity surveying (basically counting mellons)

then wander back down, BBQ some eels and vaccum pack the little beauties send them off... go the JAA (Japan Agricultural Association) as a farmer I was allowed to join their social club... (cheap bar) talk about my latest ideas of increasing mellon production while cracking into a few beers....

then wander back slowly buy some BBQ chicken and a mellon from the cos I was way too hammered to make it to top of the hill again...

I can see the Lo-IQ bit coming into play ... you left that to move to where you are today

 

[Loiq]

I can see the Lo-IQ bit coming into play ... you left that to move to where you are today

well.... yeah...

Oh and I was a delivery driver in my mighty suzuki pickup (990cc of raw power...) which I bought for the mellon harvest.... over the Christmas break (well they say christmas but it's really new years cos they're not christians are they...but they still like to give and get presents!...especially when it's being delivered by the round eye devil in town...)

 

[Tom]

Anyway, are you seriously asking me to justify my choice of a GS... in a GS riders' forum?

Yes

There are many of us who don't ride GS but are here to tell GS riders how much of an overkill their bikes are for their trips to the supermarket

Lovely scenery and report, would have like to see the food you had on your trip. How it varied as you moved up the country. Or what a regional small Ryokan room looks like.

 

[Tom]

well.... yeah...

Oh and I was a delivery driver in my suzuki pickup 990cc of raw power... over the Christmas break (well they say christmas but it's really new years cos they're not christians are they...but they still like to give presents!...)

Maybe that's why she stabs you every now and then

 

[Loiq]

Maybe that's why she stabs you every now and then

she only stabbed (wounded me) cos I've hidden my life insurance documents...

that was my thread...
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=196426

 

[Guy Jinbaiquerre]

There are many of us who don't ride GS but are here to tell GS riders how much of an overkill their bikes are for their trips to the supermarket

Well, I guess everyone needs a hobby.

 

[MattW]

Well, I guess everyone needs a hobby.

And Tom's hobby is trolling on bike forums

 

[Loiq]

And Tom's hobby is trolling on bike forums

I genuinely think he just lacks social skills and an ability to blend in... it doesn't make him a bad person just more of a target...

 

[Kenny]

Excellant read....nearest I'll ever come to riding/seeing Japan. Big thanks for the posting

 

[Guy Jinbaiquerre]

The Skyline looks fantastic! Why would anyone want to put a gate at the bottom of it?

Sometimes they close the road due to weather conditions or road conditions at the top of the mountain, which can be completely different from how things look at the bottom. I was freaked out by the strong winds at the top when I got there... and that was on a perfectly nice day. Could have been much worse. They don't want people riding up most of the way and then getting into trouble.

They also open the road only during daytime hours, since it is unlit and I guess they don't want people taking the risk of all those cliffside hairpin curves at night.

FWIW, though, Japan does seem to take a very conservative view on when mountain roads need to be closed.

 

[iandavid]

I have been living in Kobe for the last 18 months and because I've got a GS1200 in the UK we decided to buy a Harley for Japan. Actually it makes perfect sense when you consider the low speed limits and the "no overtaking yellow centrerlines" on nearly all the non-expressway roads in West Honshu.

The bike licence was a real surprise though. I went to the centre in Akashi to get my car part changed to Japanese (as a Brit they recognise the UK licence, so I just did the eye test) and then expected to get the "up to 400cc m/c" part also. On the advice of one of my Japanese work associates I took along my UK log book, for an RT1200 at the time, obviously my DL showing I passed my test xxx years ago and pictures of the RT. The police were most interested in the bike and after a lot of talking together gave me the m/c stamp. When my associate looked at the form they'd actually given me the "full unlimited" endorsement based on my UK history and documentation, so no test needed.

Japan is a lovely country to tour in and very surprisingly, down in my area the most popular makes we see on our ride outs are Harley, BMW and Ducati. FYI with the current exchange rate a Fireblade, ZX, GSXR etc is cheaper in europe than it is here.

Next April we're doing a 3 island trip - western Honshu, Kyushu and Shikkoku in 10 days.

 

[Duchess]

How long have you been/lived in Tokyo?

Maybe if I shout a bit louder you'll be able to hear me ......