Life of an addicted rider

Take the test. Tell me about yourself. Things you never knew about me. Have you changed in the last 10 years? All of these are personality tests. They tell us a little about yourself, or a lot about yourself depending on what test you take, how many you take, and how many you give to your friends. Reading posts on the bulletin board, blogs, and those pesky spam e-mails got me thinking. I’ve recently had training and a realization that we do indeed fall into 4 major catagories of personality.

1. Driving
2. Analytical
3. Amiable (controlled, for those too lazy to look it up)
4. Emotive

You may say to yourself, HEY, I’m more than one of these personality types. Dru is completely lying or full of it. I used to have a similar feeling until I really “analyzed” it. As implied, I’m fairly analytical. Probably the second toughest to please. If you ever have a chance to interview or meet hundreds of people, you will definately discover how true this is. Let’s discuss the personalities first, in brief.

1. Driving
This is a person who craves control. They are either natural born leaders, or they think they are. Think Bill Gates, or Steve Jobs. They run their own companies for a reason. They don’t get along will with authority, or direct authority, and they work very hard.

2. Analytical
This is a group generally regarded as scientists. They look at data, be it in life or in the lab, and they can analyze anything. They may even over analyze things. Just ask the local nerd who gets straight As because they study. They can understand many things. Languages may not be a strong point, but if they work hard at it, they can.

3. Amiable
This group is very easy to manipulate. They require someone to hold their hand. If you are a momma’s boy, or you can’t make a single decision on your own, you could be Amiable. A good example may be George W. Bush. Everyone says he’s just a puppet. If true, he’s pretty Amiable.

4. Emotive
This group can often be confused for being conceited. They love to talk about themselves or anything. They can just talk your ear off. No, not Oprah. Think Roger Moore. He has an opinion about anything and everything. He loves to talk and get his point across. He may be Driven, but he works very Emotively.

This is where things get confusing. Draw a square grid and on each side, place one of the personalities in order. You can be Driven, but not Amiable. You can be Analytical, but not Emotive. Get the idea? What does this have to do with life? In life, we meet people every day and we talk to our friends and co-workers. Ever wonder why some people are easier to get along with? Maybe it’s because they have the same personality type. Maybe it’s because they have the opposite personality. Imagine the arguments 2 very driven people have. How about making 2 Amiable people decide on something to do? Make 2 Analytical people talk about personal things? Get 2 Emotive people to SHUT UP! Exactly.

Here is where things really get messed up. A person who is Driven can also be Emotive and Analytical. Get the idea on this one? You can have a bit of the neighbouring personality trait. A driven person is, by nature, required to analyze a situation, and give their opinion. Analyitical people must allow others to control things, but at the same time, control the situation to gain the needed information. Amiable? They are just push overs and can talk about themselves or analyze things as you speak. Emotive? If they can’t talk about themselves, they control you. If you let them talk, they’ll let you decide where the conversation goes.

What does this say about me? I’ve been told that I’m very mysterious. I believe that is true. I rarely, if ever, give out all the information about myself. I challenge any of my friends, even the close ones, to really tell me everything about my life. Sure, people get to know me over time, understand who I am and can guess what I’m thinking. Those who never truely got to know me, only understand the surface. Can my closest friends truely understand the inner workings of my brain? You tell me. Being a friend of mine, I ask for more input. I’ve received a lot of input from my students over time. My style is very Analytical as I ask a lot of “why” questions. I listen intently and analyze everything said. I do my best to be a perfectionist (probably due to my blood type but that’s a different story). So, am I correct or am I just stupid?

As for yourself, take a moment and really think about your personality. Get to know these 4 types of personality. It can really help you understand yourself, your friends, and anyone you meet. Whether you know it or not, you can use this to your advantage. Salespeople who know this have an upper hand at helping you and getting a sale. Amiable people need that push while Driven people need time and persuasion. Analytical need a good reason to buy, and Emotive needs to know they will love it. How about a manager? Knowing these 4 types helps you pair people when forming groups for projects, or even manipulating people into doing what you want them to do. I’m by no means an expert, but I do believe that the more you know, the better you’ll be in daily life. Give it a try and please let me know how it goes.

PS: I wrote this after 3am. Boy am I tired

Today’s post is a little different from my usual postings. It’s about a new drink that I’ve had the luxury to be introduced to. It’s the stereotypical Japanese drink. Sake!!!

A little history on Sake would be the best way to understand what it is and how to best enjoy it. Like any liquor, you can either drink until you pass out, or savour the flavours with your meal. I have enjoyed a few different sakes in my time here in Japan. Because I’m not so social with others, mainly they aren’t the priority compared to my girlfriend, I’ve had few opportunities to actually savour and truely test the different types of sake. Sake, as you can research on wikipedia, is closer to beer than wine, but the alcohol content is much higher. It is similar to vodka, yet very distinct. It is a drink that you can enjoy hot, lukewarm, or cold. I prefer cold as the aroma tends to stay in your mouth longer. Sake is also a bad translation that was started around the end of WWII. Sake is a translation for “alcohol”. The official Japanese word for “sake” is nihonshu. However, unless you are traveling in Japan, don’t worry about it as you’d only confuse the Chinese waitress at the sushi restaurant.
Sake is heavily based on region, and it shouldn’t be confused with shochu. Shochu is, for a lack of a better word, a derivative of sake, but made with different fruits. The best sake drunk is pure rice sake. You should also look for the “spicier” sakes, if possible. I had the luxury to try a sweet sake recently, and it wasn’t my favourite. A spicy sake has a kick to it, so if you aren’t a fan of strong liquors, I recommend a sweet tasting one. Of course, tasting is all relative, so the best thing to do is try both out. I also suggest avoiding places that sell sake out of the box. It’s like drinking wine out of the box. If you are fine with it, by all means, give it a try. Since I have a guide with me whenever I get sake, I recommend the “junmaishu” which is pure rice sake. I also suggest you try picking up a bottle at the liquor store, chill it to your desire and enjoy.

More often than not, sake is served in a glass, the same size as a single shot, or a double shot if you are up to it. The old school drinking from a wooden box cup is not common except in special sake only bars around here. You can always buy a special sake bottle/carafe. I haven’t noticed any difference between getting the sake from the bottle, or a carafe. One nice way to serve it is to buy a small “appetizer dish”. You can place the shot glass on the dish and pour the sake until it overflows. You sip the top and drink as much as you want and pour the remaining back into the glass. It’s mainly for effect and the shop wanted you to know that you got your full serving, plus a little extra. Ultimately, you can drink it out of the bottle, but that’s not what sake is all about.

Within culture, sake is not a popular drink anymore. Shochu has taken over, but even shochu isn’t as popular as beer. Beer is probably the number one drink in Japan. Mixed shochu drinks, wine, and then whiskey/sake probably comes in last. This is my informal poll from my students, so it’s probably either bang on, or completely off. Sake is seen as the “old man” drink. Your parents are the only ones to drink it. Sake may seem “exotic” to you, but rest assured, there is nothing truely exotic about it. It’s a great drink and one that is not as popular as it should be. Many Japanese people are overly Westernized, so they need some help remembering exactly what sake is and how good it is. In Canada, it only exists in sushi restaurants and liquor stores.

I recomend sake with almost any heavy meal. Sushi tends to be a light meal, and while it’s a good complement to sake, many people forget that sake can be enjoyed with anything. Even a steak. How about pasta? The next time you are in a Japanese restaurant, order lots of yaki-tori (chicken skewers), and drink lots of sake. It’s a very typical thing to do. If you are in Richmond, or in a big liquor store, pick up a bottle, chill it, and have a nice night with some friends. Just be careful as sake can take some time to like. Give it a bottle and you may end up liking it a lot.

For a list of stores with good sake, click here:
http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/627703?region=5

For the real information on sake, click here:
http://www.sake-world.com/

Tonight, at 1am Japan Local Time, I recieved horrible news. To say that I am shocked or stunned is an understatement. I feel mortified. This is the only time that I’m happy for Google Desktop. I recieved an e-mail from my Mom and the first sentence that I read was, “Very sad news. Chris was killed”. For anyone who remembers, or looks in my archives, I lost a friend last year as well. She was an angel. A real angel. My friend Chris wasn’t an angel, but he was a good guy. He is even closer to me than Julia. What he did when he crashed and why is not the point. Rather, it’s what we learn and remember that’s the most important.

I met Chris in a wierd way. In fact, the way he came into my social circle was a completely random event. My brother and another friend were riding a local mountain, Cypress, when Chris just showed up. He came up to my brother and said something along the lines of, “I like the way you ride. Let’s ride and get to know each other”. Okay, so that last sentence just sums up the conversation, but that’s the basics. I met Chris on a ride up to Squamish with my brother. To say that I wasn’t impressed was true. He rode okay, but not the best. I rode a little better than him. Not much, so we were all a good group. Relatively the same level and great partners. Over time, we rode a little and got to know each other. It wasn’t until we did the Westcoast Superbike School together that we really got close. He is the type of guy who can talk your ear off, show the cash, but never make you feel unwelcomed. He shared his wealth through generosity and an openess that would shame Bill Gates. He gave me so much encouragement and he never said a bad word. Okay, never is pushing it, but almost never. We would go to parties and just hang out often. The last time I would see Chris was a great night.

My last night in Vancouver was a bash. My brother, being the good man he was, wanted to celebrate like it was my last day of freedom. I don’t like clubs, so we went to the special shop to see some… dancing. We did a good job drinking for most of the night and enjoying the scenery. To say that I didn’t get drunk was not true. To say that I was pissed, is not true. He helped me celebrate my last night in Vancouver, and I’ll never forget it. The last time I talked to him was just days before he fatal accident. We were talking about my return to Vancouver. He asked me if my stay in Tokyo would be extended forever. I told him, probably for a while. Heck, even I don’t know when I’ll return. We talked about how he would take a week off to ride with me. He even offered me a place on his race team in the future, if I took him up on it. Who would say no to that. I feel horrible that I had to take off, but I had to get ready for a lesson and had to go. Being as busy as I am, I am always taking off for work every day.

There is only one thing that I hate the most about Tokyo. When something bad like this happens, there is nothing I can do!!!!! I am thousands of clicks away from home. My friend has past away in a tragic event and I can’t even pay him the proper homage he deserves. Talking to my brother, he and Chris’ other best friend were drinking to him. So, I joined them, albeit over the net. Whenever I grab a Scotch or Rum, I’ll be drinking for you Chris. When I come back home, I’ll be visiting you. If anyone is thinking about riding, know one and only one thing. Know your limit, and never ride near it on the street. Get safer on the track. He craved the track, and now it’s claimed him. Rest my friend and ride up there with Rick, Julia, Bog, and the rest of our family.

*Note: I am not completely lucid, sobre, or coherent when I wrote this. It’s a little messed up at the end in terms of thoughts. Guess it’s very much the way my mind feels right now.

The following are exerpts from a post at an internet forum for my riding buddies. Just a glimpse into the life of a teacher in Japan and what I’ve learned in my short time here:

Working has allowed me to understand a lot of things about people in Japan. One, they can’t say the word Vancouver. Can’t happen. Each person is different, yet the same. When you talk to a Japanese person, ask them to say Vancouver and they’ll say “Bancouba”. Many don’t know Canada from America, but that’s where education comes in. Lastly, the riders. A typical Japanese thing is that they take their time to learn. Practice involves riding around the city for a few hours for a year…. weekends only. They aren’t too happy with sportbikes, but they love their rat bikes and cruisers. They’ve also got a wierd sense of humour… then again, they probably say the same about us.

A tip for some of the guys: If you ever meet a girl from Japan, and she likes movies, 80% of the time she’ll say her favourite actor is Johnny Depp. Don’t ask why. They just do. Maybe it’s the wierd quirks or the funny style. As for the guys, they seem to like airplanes more than cars, but it could be the sample I meet. Keep in mind, most people are paper drivers. Liscence, but NEVER drive. Aside from getting their permit to drive, they never drove beyond the initial training. It’s also a Tokyo thing.

Lastly, some typical Japanese problems in speaking. Some fun words that Japanese people have problems with:

sit/seat: becomes shit or sheet
election: becomes erection
city: becomes shitty

All in all, teaching English can be done by anyone with a quick mind. Teaching the difference between should and could is hard at first, but the BS just rolls off the tongue. You also have to be part psychiatrist as well. Some people just bitch and moan about their boss. Seams like everyone does it. Not just us.

It’s past 1am and I can’t sleep. Maybe it’s because I slept in past noon. That’s fine, Tourist Trophy awaits me after this post… maybe. It’s been just over 6 months since I came to Japan. I’ve grown accustomed to every aspect of life here. Transport, food, and even the pollution. However, the one inevitable thing must happen, I need money. No, food. Wait… Tim Hortons. Okay, so I’m sidetracked here. If you are Canadian, I mean truely Canadian, you can never imagine how much you’d miss a good Tim Horton’s donut. Damn Homer Simpson! I don’t drink coffee, so the donuts are what I crave. Oh well. If you do read this, and you wish to send a care package, send a Tim Hortons franchise for me.
Okay, back on track. I am finally employed. I work for the 4th largest English school in Tokyo. Why am I proud to say the 4th largest? Because the company doesn’t suck. That’s why. If you ever think of teaching in Japan, get a working holiday and go to my company, Gaba. Geos does a lot of child training. Aeon, Nova, and Berlitz will probably treat you like crap. The pay is pretty much the same across the board. Currently, I’m paid 1400 Yen a lesson. 40 minute lessons plus 5 min of prep time. So about 1700 Yen an hour (if I am booked for a lesson). That’s still more than I make at the bank. You aren’t paid if you have a break or no one is coming. That’s fine. You don’t get paid for taking a lunch, but I do miss paid breaks. Gaba is also a one-on-one teaching ground. You don’t have to teach 5-10 people at the same time. You get a cubicle and that’s it. The only problem is, you have a lot more work with just one person. No rest. Trade offs. The other thing is, they are the most expensive school in Japan. At 5000 Yen a lesson, it’s EXPENSIVE!!! Then again, the clientel is mostly business men and women and fairly rich young people. Almost no one under 18. Largely 24-40 year old women. Although there is a fair number of 30-45 year old men too. So what’s the problem? The people are nice, the clients are nice, so what’s the problem? Gaba is still a large corporation at heart. About to have it’s IPO, profits still take priority. I’m not an employee. I’m a contracted instructor. Go figure. It’s fine as I don’t really care. I just want my money! So, I’ve worked 4 days (11 hour days at that) and I’ve made over 50000 Yen. That’s about $500 CDN. Not bad. Too bad my pay cheque isn’t until next month. Paid once a month. That’s right. Once a month. Not twice a month or bi-weekly. Once a month. Plus, it’s a month late. Damn Japanese labour laws. Oh well. Next time you think about extended travel to Japan, think Gaba. At least you can decide when you want to work. Want the 15th off? Just tell them a month in advance and it’s fine. Want an extra shift? Just ask and it’ll probably be okay.

FYI: Next update? Who knows. Maybe never. I doubt I’ll visit often.

So now that some of you are scared off from riding, here is how to protect yourself even more. Depending on how hard you ride, and how scared of other drivers you tend to be, you can go from nothing, to full body armour. Here is a quick rundown on the styles and types.

The basics is a back protector:

The back protector got it’s start in racing. It was a bunch of visors glued together. Now, they come in all shapes and sizes. Dianese is a good example of the variety. They have lower back, upper back, and 2 types of full back protectors. Some provide flexibility from left to right, while others are very firm. They form to your back. Putting it on is similar to a tight backpack. This is a very basic piece of armour. Some jackets come with foam back protectors, but they do nothing to prevent a potential break.

The Rest:

Okay, so I’m cheating. The rest of the armour is similar to that of any skate boarder/mountain biker. They consist of knee guards, shin guards, elbow pads, and shoulder pads. They have hard plastic. Not just high density foam. Recently, there are extra hip pads (no plastic, just foam), chest armour, and full jackets. Motocross guys tend to have just a plastic shell all over.

If you think you don’t need armour, I highly suggest you think again. If you are a “hardcore” rider, consider the following examples and story:

One man in Vancouver was riding home from the shop. He wasn’t speeding! He was involved in an accident where a car clipped his rear wheel. He was sent flying into the curb on the side of the road. He was lucky as he had a back protector. It saved his back from being broken. Now, think of what would happen if it was one of those big centre medians or a guard rail.

One of my friends will never ride without a full face helmet, even on his harley style cruiser. However, he has worn open fingered gloves and a jean vest. He feels that a back protector is mandatory. Many of my experienced friends ride with back protectors. It’s considered essential! It will easily hide underneath a simple T-shirt. Even stunt riders will wear a back protector over their T-shirts. Maybe nothing else, but they value their ability to walk. You should too.

As for the other gear, there is a lot of valid reasons to wear it. No one wants a busted knee or elbow. It’s just common sense that no one wants to get hurt. However, it’s inconvenient to put on the protection every time. Elbow pads, back protector, knee pads, etc.. It’s a big pain. Plus, if you wear a leather suit, you have enough protection. True, but there are still some things that need to be worn. My leather suit doesn’t have back protection. So, I wear a back protector. I’m too lazy to put anything else on. I do want to get a full jacket style armour. It goes on underneath the jacket. However, it’s still too expensive and I can’t afford it. Oh well. In the end, it’s still your choice.

It is a grim day when a new rider realizes what can happen to him/herself. It’s a scary reminder of just how fragile we are. I won’t show pictures as they are just too gruesome. However, you can just imagine. Riding is extremely dangerous. When someone gets into an accident in a car, what happens? Usually just bruises, concussion, etc. Bad accidents leave the car a total mess. What about a bike? No gear? You aren’t called a “road crayon” for nothing. You know how a crayon will just disintigrate into nothing really fast? You get the idea. How about that full face helmet of yours? Think it’s impenetrable? Think again. Going at the top speed of a 600cc motorcycle or bigger and the helmet is uselss in a sudden stop. Even slow speed accidents have major concequences. If you search for it, you’ll find it.

So, what’s the lesson for everyone today? While motorcycles are dangerous, know the risks. People skydive and climb mountains even though it’s dangerous. People die doing these sports. Same with motorcycles. I encourage everyone to get out there and try it. It’s fun. However, it’s still not for everyone. Sometimes, the risks outweigh your happiness. If you love motorcycles, but too scared of the road? The track is the only viable option. Buy a dirt bike and go to some dirt tracks. Buy a track bike and go to track days. Motorcycles aren’t just for the road. Enjoy life and do what you love to do. Everyone knows I’m doing it.

Well, back to bikes. I have a bit of inspiration for this installment of “want to get into motorcycles?”. There are several types of bikes out there. Generally, people think of only 2 types. Cruisers, defined clearly by any Harley Davidson, or Sportbikes, defined by any Asian import (while this is no longer true). New to the arena, in terms of stereotypes, are Dual Sports (they look like dirt bikes), Touring bikes (think of a Honda Goldwing), Standards (pretty much a mini cruiser but better handling), Scooters (vespas are the popular look now), and super-scooters (if you know what a Suzuki Bergman looks like, you know what it is). The last 2, scooters and super-scoots are the same.

1: Cruisers

These are extremely popular today. They style is a V-twin engine (2 cylinders in a V shape) that is exposed, round headlight, and a metal gas tank on the top. They are popularized by the Jesse James era on Discover Channel with their custom bikes. They may look different, but in terms of genre, it’s a cruiser. Cruisers are meant to do nothing more than cruise. They go up and down the popular strip. It’s a bike that is usually modified to be LOUD. They are generally big, heavy, and full of horsepower. The sizes range from 250cc to 2000cc. While they lack top speed, and handling, they are very comfortable bikes. If you have a big bike, you don’t have to worry too much. 1000cc is not a lot for a cruiser. However, 1000cc is a problem because you have a lot of weight. When you sit on one, you’ll notice how much the bike screams to be ridden slowly. It asks to be treated nicely. It’s good to start for any size, any level.

2: Sportbikes

These are death machines. They scream for speed and power. They scream, take me to the track. I am a victim of these awesome machines. They are typically personified as a machine that looks like it’s to be for racing. Here, more power isn’t a good thing. Being an “expert” (yeah right) on these bikes, the standard starter bikes here are the Kawasaki Ninja (250 and 500cc models), Kawasaki ER-6r, the Suzuki Katana 600, Suzuki SV 650, and the Suzuki GS 500. All are capable machines. Where a cruiser would stop cornering and start to crash, a sportbike will go even faster and tighter. Here is the last part. You have a lot to learn from a small machine. A race bike at 600cc is a lot to handle. Not impossible, but definatly not recommended as a starter bike. It requires a LOT of discipline. It takes a lot of courage and stupidity. Going to 1000cc sport bikes is too much for any newb. Even for experienced riders. I hear stories of guys who stop riding “litre” bikes because it’s just that hard. It’s too easy to go fast. You don’t realistically need the power. However, they make good bikes to dress up and show off. Needless to say, you aren’t stupid for choosing a smaller bike.

3: Dual sports:

These are a newer, unpopular, method of transportation. Typical sizes are sub-600cc. They are great starter bikes. They have enough power, they corner extremely well, especially at slow speeds, and they suffer minimal damage. No major fairings to destroy, no major chrome and steel either. They are built like tanks, but look like jeeps. When you go over 600cc, you tend to jump to the super-motard genre which is very similar to large sized sportbikes. Dangerous for the starter rider.

4: Touring:

These are a hit with older riders, and the sane. They are similar in weight to a cruiser, but handle closer to a sport bike. They are meant to be taken for the long haul. They can be heavy for the new rider. However, several sport touring models have shown up on the market that offer the comfortable seat and the agressive handling that many people crave. With and experienced rider, they are just as fast as a sportbike. Pure touring bikes, while they can carve corners just as well as a sportbike, tend to require more power to get up to speed, due to the amenities. These are expensive bikes. Upgrades include CB radios, full CD and radio systems, automatic windshield, heaters, and even 12V plugs.

5: Scooters

This is a city bike. While many people shun them as not a real motorcycle, they are slowly gaining acceptance. They are all excellent starter bikes. Most of them don’t even require a full motorcycle license. If you are in BC, and have your regular drivers license, you can buy a 50cc scooter and be on the road in no time. Great for inner city commuting. Cheap to repair. Easy to maintain. They are the essential twist and go machines. I do recommend a motorcycle school for these bikes regardless. You’ll learn a lot on how to ride in the city from a school. These bikes are probably hard to learn to ride properly due to their slower speeds. However, it isn’t impossible, and it’s probably just as enjoyable. The bigger the bike, the more expensive to repair. They are all great bikes.

The freedom of 2 wheels and no cage around you is intense. You learn a lot on your bike. You learn a lot about YOUR bike. For the new riders, treat your bike with respect. Going a year without an accident, you’ll likely be good. My completely unrational thought is, if you crash in your first year, you should be okay. Otherwise, you should be fine too. The first year is the worst. Regardless. Please also be careful when you change bikes. It’s not a bicycle. They don’t feel the same. Nor can you modify it to feel the same. Every motorcycle has characteristics. It’s important to learn them in a controlled manner. Work your way up slowly. Do not push it. If you want to push it, check around for local track days. They offer you a night, or a day, to get intimate with your bike and push your limits. Do this with all your bikes and you’ll be happy.

Side tip: Be careful when you start again in the Spring. Taking the winter off is dangerous. You lose a lot of your skills. Treat yourself as a new rider for a few months. Good luck, and ride safe.

The day started early. Super early. 5:30am early. You gotta eat before heading to the bus which is about 30 minutes away. Sucky. We were late, but that’s another story. We hopped onto the bus and off we went. I found out quickly that the Expressway is a parking lot. We got on, went a short distance, and stopped. Moved slowly, then went quick, then stopped. If you thought the #1 was bad, this is sometimes worse. The toll booth didn’t help either. I read the sign and it said, “20kms of congestion”. DAMN.

2 hours later and we pull into the break area. A nice big lot with some small food stands. An hour later and we are outside Motegi. Nice place. Super long lines to get in. Even though we are a bus, and don’t have to wait or pay to park, we still had to wait in line with everyone else. Add another 30-50 minutes waiting to get through the parking gate.

Once we got off the bus, all you can see is bikes. Hundreds of bikes. You name it, it’s there. Scooters, cruisers, sport bikes. All sizes. All colours, and replicas were there. I saw at least 20 Rossi Replicas. Half of them Repsol. I never seen so many replicas in one place. Maybe Laguna had more? NSRs and RRs were popular, but I did see a few Yami replicas. Really sweet. Tons of Ducati’s new and old as well.

First on the agenda was to walk around. I missed the 125 and 250 races because we were walking around. Who cares, I wanted to watch Rossi, not the other guys. Also wanted to buy some overpriced garbage. Add the heat and sun, and you just want to find the few A/Ced shops you can so you don’t get completely burned. Food wasn’t bad. It’s a MotoGP event, so expect to get your wallet cleaned out just for food. Not too bad though. I was expecting the prices to be more expensive. I picked up a MotoGP shirt. The Berik shirts were too expensive. Oh well. In the show, there were no freebies, but there were lots of bikes. Kawi had Shinya’s bike on display. Suzuki had Robert’s bike on display. Honda had Sete and Hayden’s bikes. Plus, I think you could sit on Hayden’s. They had an awesome Telefonica replica there as well. I’d buy that instead of the Repsol replica. Lastly is Yamaha. (side note, I didn’t really visit Ducati) They had all of their bikes from the start. All lined up. On the stage was 2 M1s. The standard blue, and the 50th anniversary edition. It’s beautiful when you see it up close. They also had an M1 you could sit on. I waited 20 minutes to be like Rossi.

Finally, the race itself. I was in corner 10 (I think it’s 10). The one after the hairpin and long straight. Better yet, the corner Rossi and Melandri had fun. I was at the 50m sign, and in the second row. Great seats. We got there early so we wouldn’t miss anything. Up first was the 2 seat Ducati taking some VIPs for a quick rip around the track. It is LOUD. I wish I could have an exhaust like that. Next up was the safety cars. It seemed like they were hauling ass, but going so slow. Then came the warm ups. Everyone was all business, except Edwards and Hopkins. Both waved to the crowd. Obviously, they cheered for the Japanese riders. Finally, the race started. I got a vid of the opening lap ride by. Nothing special. There were a few hairy passes, some riders going wide for no good reason, and the fans hated Biaggi. I clearly saw sparks come off the bikes as Rossi and Melandri had fun together. So dissappointing. The race kinda ended there for me. After the finish, I got a vid of the cool down lap. Biaggi and Tamada did a burn out for the crowd.

After the race, we had 2 hours to burn. We headed to the Honda Collection Hall. Some nice race bikes there. Old school (which I have no ideas on), and the new ones. Rossi’s Valencia bike is there, as well as his 500GP and 250GP bikes. Daijiro’s bikes are also there. Obviously. Saw some of the race cars too. The historic bikes and cars didn’t interest me at all. We then headed back to the bus.

The bus ride home was 5 hours long. The road into and out of Motegi is a single lane road. A few small farm towns along the way. Backed up for at least 20km. All stop and go. Bikes would pass on the shoulder and in the oncoming lane. You’d watch them do a crazy turn from oncoming, to the shoulder. Cars? Just cut them off. I saw some of the bikes at least 3 times. They’d pass us, head up to 7-11 or some other convenience store, take a 20 minute break, and continue. Needless to say, I was jealous, but thankful I didn’t have to use my energy to ride back to Tokyo. It was fun to watch the bikes. They may not be in the same group, but you could see 10 bikes traveling together. All in the oncoming lane. When one darted for the shoulder, you saw 10 bikes do the same thing at the same time. 10 cars buzzed by 10 bikes. When we got to the pit stop for “dinner”, we saw a ton of bikes. The same guys. It’s the last gas stop for a while. Better safe than sorry. The Expressway was backed up worse than on the way there. I passed out. Oh well. We finally got into town and I crashed when I got in.

No. I haven’t left yet. It’s not for a few more days. Be patient. My job has ended, and I have nothing better to do right now. This is the last installment on what you can wear when riding. Remember, wear what you want. It’s your decision. Take my advise and do as you please.

There are 2 extremes when it comes to full gear. Either you are wearing shorts and flip flops, or full racing leathers made of Kangaroo hyde. Let’s start with the most economical. No gear implies you wear nothing more than what you currently own as a non rider. It’s at best, jean jacket and jeans. Maybe just a cotton t-shirt. I strongly recommend you avoid any synthetic fibres. They melt rather than rub away. Cotton and denim will rip and fly apart, but it won’t melt into your skin such as a drifit shirt or that polyblend pair of pants.

A level up from jeans is textiles. Textiles is a fabric/nylon/kevlar material that is meant to be more protective than regular clothing. It’s made with the rider in mind. They generally have extra padding around the hips, knees, elbows, and back. They are marginally better than regular clothes, but offers excellent protection at slow speed impacts. It is the most economical and versatile protection you can purchase. There are many excellent, and cheap brands out there. From what I hear, Belstaff is highly recommended. From personal experience, Joe Rocket is not bad, impact wise. The thicker and heavier, the better. Many textile jackets come with a removable liner. This is great when summer comes and you can be a bit cooler. There are also “mesh” jackets. These are very similar to textiles, except they are extremely breathable. While they may be better now than when they first came out, I’d still be cautious. Hopefully, you never have to test anything.

The top level in gear is leather. No. Leather chaps do not count. Thick leather. Cow hyde or better is what you should get. Sheep skin is horrid. Do not buy it. When looking for leather, brands to trust are Vanson, Alpinestar, Dianese, Nankai. The more expensive, chances are, it’s better. A great tip to look at is the stitching. Quality is a nice supple leather that has as few pieces as possible. Take a Tecknik(sp?) jacket and compare it with a Dainese. One has more pieces to make up the jacket. Fewer pieces means there is less of a chance that it’d come apart in a crash. Stitching should be on the inside of the seams, and double ply. If the seams are on the outside, it will fall apart. Thread does not hold up to road rash, and it will burn off. There are 2 kinds of suits when it comes to leather. 1 or 2 piece. For the average city rider, 2 pieces are ideal. It has great flexibility. 1 is best for the track as it is safer. You must make the call. Lastly, if you find kangaroo skin and cheap, it’s the best stuff out there. Flexible and light. Yet more durable than cow skin.

Foot protection is also vital. Ankle high boots are a minimum. Doc Martins are okay. A little duct tape on the foot for the shiter helps too. Real motorcycle boots have protection for the shifter. You’ll want something that is stiff. It will move up and down, but not left and right. Many have carbon or plastic “vertebrae”. These are the best designs. Anything less and you may need screws in your foot.

Please keep in mind that there are various combinations of all types of gear. Leather with Textiles. Jeans with kevlar. The more protection, the higher the price. When buying, do your research. If you are commuting to work, textiles are excellent. They work very well in the city. If you plan to take the open road, leathers may be in for you. You don’t have to buy power ranger colours. You can always buy standard black. The final question is, how much is your life worth to you. A simple 30kph crash in leathers is a simple, “get up, dust yourself off, curse yourself for a silly mistake”. In shorts and flip flops, it’s a 1 week hospital stay, wire brush to get the dirt off your skin, and at least a month of recovery and pain. Even I like jeans now. It’s just more versatile, and people don’t look at me funny. Silly answer? Yes. But who said I’m not silly.

Next report on bikes should be on lane position. Maybe. Next report on me should be in Japan in about a week or so. My life, the Moto GP in Japan, and more.