Perhaps I shouldn't call my new Honda VTR250 a toy... but I've been excited about it all week, just like I would feel in the days leading up to Christmas when I was a little boy. And it's as much fun as I was hoping for.
Last summer while in Okayama I was looking to do something a little, um, out of the ordinary. The result - I ended up going to driving school to get a motorcycle license (school is required here). It was a little expensive, and at first more stressful than fun... but in about a month's time I finished all the classes and even passed the final test. I exchanged my graduation papers for my new license when I returned to Hirao in September.
So in July I started saving up my money, and looking online and in magazines to find my bike... I decided on the Honda VTR250 pretty early on, but wasn't ready to put down the money until now. So a couple of weeks ago I went to Iwakuni with Shobu-san and we looked at the blue VTR we'd found online. No problems with the bike, and they promised to change the battery, tires, brakes, plugs, chain and just about everything else... so I bought it!
This Wednesday I hopped on the train and headed over to the bike shop to pick it up. I was a little nervous on the hour ride home, and the farther I went the more comfortable I felt, and whoa, I was having so much fun!
Each day I've gone out a bit, and I'm getting used to it. Now I've got to plan my first tour! :) There are plenty of great places to go around here with the water and all the mountains... To tell the truth, I'm just looking foward to going back and forth between here and Nijigaoka - following the water much of the way!
Just be careful. I don't know about in Japan -- but in France, motorcyclist are INSANE!!! Passing cars at high speeds, driving on the left (perhaps that is normal in Japan?), etc. It seems like they all have a death wish.
ReplyDeleteSo Be Safe.
Haha, yeah, we all drive on the left here, so that's not a problem :)... But yeah, I'm gonna be safe. There are many more people on motorcycles and motorbikes here than in the States, and even though you have some crazies out there, the old gradma ladies on the little scooters are actually much scarier! You just never know what she's going to do!
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, they are scary. The old grandma ladies on the scooters, the high school students on the bikes, and the old granpas -EXclude grandpa Jonathan- on the KEI trucks.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a great toy!
I'm sure it feels so good when you ride along the sea on Route 188!
Say hi to Shobu san from us, too!
It's the best! And yes, you are right... the only thing scarier on the road than grandmas is the momiji kei truck that ojiisan is driving (or rather trying to drive)!
ReplyDelete