Anyone know about scooting in Japan?

[Keebler Dwarf]

I used to live in a few different Japanese cities, but I was always part of the bicycle/train/bus set. Now that I'm back in the states and riding my PCX150 it feels like it would have been perfect for navigating Japanese cities... aside from the high cost of getting a driver's license (since I'm American and we don't have a licensing treaty with Japan), shaken on anything over 50ccs, and being twice the age of all the orange-haired kids who ride scooters. Though apart from the orange-haired kids, I don't know that those last things are actually true. They're just rumors I've heard.

So does anyone here have any direct experience with riding in Japan? I hope to be on a trajectory that will get me back there in the future with a job that would allow me to afford something like this.

[Taz]

I know an Australian who used to live there and rode a Ducati 900 over there, but cant help any more with your Q. I lived in Hong Kong for 4 years and would have been handy there too especially when the wife and I went camping, which involved train/bus and a hike in the New Territories.

[Tristik]

~~
All I know is I want their Blue PCX's.
~~

[gn2]

Really?
You set your sights too low, you should be wanting a blue Faze 250

[maddiedog]

One of the members here, Haildamage, lives in Japan. You could try sending him a PM. Here's his forum profile: http://hondapcx.org/memberlist.php?mode ... ofile&u=71

[zoot]

I have been riding in Tokyo for years..what would you like to know?

[haildamage]

i live in japan and have a red PCX125 for commuting. i also have a BMW800GS and a DRZ400, btw.

in much of japan, motorcycles and especially scooters are a big part of life for many people. they arent so much for fun, but for practical personal transportation. that being said, plenty of people like to pimp them up to various degrees ranging to the extreme. motorcycles and scooter are easy to park, filter through traffic and cheap to insure and operate. a lot of scooter riders drive like complete morons with a death wish. i call them the kamikaze scooter pilots.

50cc scoots are the most common because its very easy to get a license and you can also drive one with a normal car license. i think they are much more dangerous to ride than a larger scoot because: 1. they are dangerous pulling into traffic because they are underpowered 2. they are supposed to drive in the gutter and not go over 30kph when traffic around them is moving 40-70kph. in addition, they are not allowed to make right hand turns (crosses oncoming traffic) on many busy streets and are supposed to get off and use the crosswalk

up to 125cc is a very popular category because they can drive like a normal vehicle and insurance is very cheap. you can add one to another vehicles policy for around $60 per year. this is also the largest size that a lot of parking will accept regardless of the actual physical size of the bike. 124cc bikes like the PCX are not allowed on the expressway.

125cc and above are allowed on the expressway but the insurance goes into a different category, and you might find your bike is not allowed in some parking because it is over 124cc even though it fits no differently than the 124cc PCX. this is why the 150 wont be so popular here. it would be allowed on the expressway though.

bikes and scoots under 250cc do not have to undergo the strict biannual inspection. this is why people can really get crazy with the mods!

[haildamage]

sure wish we had more than a few minutes to edit posts...


feel free to ask the question on the biggest english japan motorcycle forum, gaijinriders if you would like to get more input to your question:
http://www.gaijinriders.com/forum.php

of course i am also happy to answer any questions as far as i can.

[gn2]

sure wish we had more than a few minutes to edit posts...

Compose them in a text editor then once you have checked them cut and paste them in