Ibaraki Touring

Every time I take the bike out of Tokyo, a few things become very obvious.  The first is that no matter what time of day, all the logical, well throught our road systems in Tokyo have yet to find a way to reduce the horrid amount of Traffic.  The second is that once you get into some nice country like Ibaraki you realize that Japan is soo beautiful and more wide open than you had imagined, in its own way of course.  I guess just about the only good looking thing in all of Tokyo is the women....past that you can have the concrete jungle.  Leave this country boy in Ibakari.

New Bars for the shovel

These bars were made by Eric Barnett of the famed Speed Junkie Cycle works.  Check him out!  I've also got a cool little master cylinder that'll get installed tonight as soon as I get my hands on some smaller banjo fittings.

Getting Excited

Need to finish the import, wires, oil, and Shakken....then this little kitten will be putting all over the nice curvey mountain roads of Japan....and hopefully Hokkaido by summers end.

Just can't stay away from a shovel

For christmas I decided I'd get my self a new shovel.  I have mine back in the states but it is registered as a 2009 special assembly and as such, makes it nearly impossible to get legal in Japan.

So the executive decision was made to get a facotry shovel at a reasonable price and make it cool.  Here is the before and after so far, I'd say Fab Kevin is doing a reasonable job :)

I intend to use this bike for the complete tour of Japan before my time here is complete. Hopefully no one in the Shaken office tries to hold that up...at least not for too long.

Before

Currently

Super cool! Thanks Dan R!

Some new stuff in the works....

Its been a while, young children have a way of keeping you off your bike.  Got a new bike coming to Japan soon but not before it gets the proper Michigan treatment.  I do belive the engine is in good hands with Dan R.  Next up Fab Kevin hard tail.  It's going to be a keeper.

Ride today you might not be here tomorrow....

Is not just a saying, it's a fact jack.  Chris Price had brain cancer and rode the stampede in 2011, I'm sure somewhere in his mind he thought it might be the last chance...and it was.  He passed away from brain cancer recently.  Either way you slice it, the dude IS an inspiration to all and we should not wait to do what we want in life.

RIDE FREE BROTHER CHRIS!

Next month....going to pick this up....

Been in storage in NC for near 1 year.  It'll be interesting to see what a float bowl full of gas looks like.

To all potential Stampede would be's....

Come getcha some!

San Francisco

Went to San Francisco this last week for some business meetings.  I happened to fly in 1 day in aadvance so I rented a Harley and drove around the bay.  I hadn't been to this part of California before but I thought it was a really nice place for riding, good weather, and just an overall good feeling.  Oh yeah, a picture of the stampede bike...Miyagi is doing a great job on that one.

Bike X

I can't say much about this bike at this time  If you know who is building it you'll recognize the style.  It's designed to tackle a little race going down next June in the USA.  Laugh at the front fender all you want but I am over having water thrown in my face.

Cleaning up a bit....

Drilled the bars, ran the wires internal, changed out from the ugly stock brake line, removed the stock mirrors and added a cool lollipop version, and re-located the turn signals.  Small stuff but it makes the bike look so much better.  Biltwell risers are awesome, I recommend them to everyone!  Also got a kick ass side mount tag holder that tucks in a bit tighter than before.  Thanks Black Chrome san!

3日間休み

It was a 3 day weekend in Japan, we rode out with some friends and went camping on Saturady night.  Sunday morning woke up and rode toYamanashi to see Dan san.  Shot the breeze with him for a bit and installed the new plate mount he made for me.  Apparently Tomo san (心ガラジの友さん）did the welding.  Dan of course being a stubborn American wouldn't take a dime for it.  タンさん、友さん、ありがとうね！

Afterwards Maiko and I had famous Yamanashi fat noodle, namely 豚ほうとお and then made the 100km trip back to 新百合ヶ丘。

On the way to camping, letting my friend Said take his first stab at a Harley...don't worry Said, you'll get it!

Dan Woosley and the midget garage

Good to see you Dan, now get that Kunck of yours fixed and let's go for a put!

New plate holder not only looks good, but cleans up the fender a bit and would allow for a bag to be set there if need be.

Sunday ride to nowhere

Maiko san wanted to go to the onsen today and I had every intention of making that happen....it's just that on the weekend we don't exactly have the proper "wake up early skills".

We left around 1PM and rode down to Ebina, up through Hakone, and then past Fuji ending the night with some shopping in Gotenba since she HAD to go to the outlet center.  All around a good, destination free day with no pressure to be anywhere or do anything in particular...only to clutch, gas, and go.

This is a picture at the end of daylight in front of Fuji.  He attracts every cloud in the sky so to see the whole mountain is quite rare....just like today.

Fuck the system!

Rules are rules....blah blah blah....I'm so sick of traffic lights, tickets, and safety safety safety......Riding a motorcycle is supposed to be about freedom but I'm just not feeling it.  It's my blog so I can gripe if I want.  To all traffic police around the world.....FUCK YOU.  It's hard to put coherent words on.  I can see ticketing me for going stupid fast, but tickets for going the wrong way on a one way street or for spitting lanes when traffic is at a standstill for MILES is just riduculous.  Go eat a fucking donut you pig motherfuckers.  Everytime I get a ticket can only hear the words of Tyler Durden in my head "I want to kill every panda who won't fuck to save it's own species....... I want to blow smoke in the face of an infant".  A life lived in absolutely security and safety is crap.  We need a bit of danger.  I'll stop with this:

- FUCK THE COPS!

- FUCK THE SYSTEM!

- FUCK CONTROL!

- FUCK PEOPLE WHO DRIVE CARS AND PUSH HELMET LAWS!

Getting some saddle time in...

Forecast calls for rain all week, but last week I did go for a ride on power saving day at work.

Right around a 200K ride.  Lot's of scenery, and lots of curves.  What there wasn't alot of (once you get out of the city is cars and stop signals).  Totally worth the hassle to get the bike legal.

Japanese Motorcycle Culture

If I had to choose a picture that describes Japanese vintage Harley culture it'd be this one.  You've seen a million shovels but you hadn't seen one like this!  Just the same the Japapnese builders take ordinary Harleys and build them in such a unique way that each one looks like nothing you have seen before.

The Harley is finally legal to ride in Japan

Jumped through a bunch more hoops yesterday and finally got through shaken.  Yesterday I arrived to the pot of gold at the end of an 11 month rainbow.....my license plate.  Freedom at last!

Special Mufflers

I hear you saying, Nick, what are special mufflers?  Well don't fret, I will tell you.  Special mufflers are not those that come on USA Harleys, but rather those bikes imported into other countries that have strict emissions regulations.  They must say "E4" on the side to make the bike quiet enough and smog free enough so that the rear fender is then made stronger for the license plate you are eventually given.  In my case I will be installing these not so shiny babies tonight and going out to try for my　排出ガス tomorrow.  Once I have that little magic paper I can proceed to 車検.  Oh yeah, I also got　自賠責保険 (compulsary insurance) so I can get a temp plate tomorrow (which means I actually get to ride, WOOHOO!).

Moon Eyes Swap Meet Photos

http://www.network54.com/Forum/13357/message/1312713505/Moon+Eyes+Japan+Swap+meet+pictures....