Recommendations for an Expat in Japan

Ideally, it would be naked, Japanese, have a nice rack and be under 20
years old.

Anyway, I just got my license transferred to a Japanese one and I need
a bike. I was a courier in Melbourne for a couple of years and got
quite attached to, and occasionally detached from, my VTR250. I figure
a Japanese make should also be easier and cheaper to get parts and
service for and I really don't need the latest and the greatest. 20
years old is pushing it if only because I want something with at least
a solid 10 or so years left in it.

My riding would be mainly to the city I work in about 60km away via
metropolitan roads plus about 4 or 5 200km trips up and back each
month. Those are mostly via highways going over mountains. Sexy and
fast I don't need; my wife is pissed off enough about my need to start
riding again anyway. But I do want durable, low maintenance,
comfortable and, of course, have a nice rack available. A Gearsack or
Ventura from OZ if I have to.

If I were back in Oz, I would probably go with a BMW mainly as they
seem near bullet proof. Here in Japan, I like the XJRs, CBs, GSXs.
Japan has pretty much all the same engine sizes as Australia plus a
few more. 400cc is quite common for example. Which ones are most
popular, least trouble, best value for money etc?

Arigatou gozaimasu in advance for your collected pearls of wisdom.

 

Get in line?

 

Good lick with that, you're never going to find it.

How do you find second hand bikes in Japan?

--
"The Labour Party is corrupt beyond redemption!"
- Labour hasbeen Mark Latham in a moment of honest clarity.

"Silly old bugger!"
- Well known ACTU pisspot and sometime Labour prime minister Bob Hawke
responding to a pensioner who dared ask for more.

"Well may we say 'God save the Queen' because nothing will save the governor
general!"
- Egotistical shithead and pompous fuckwit E.G. Whitlam whining about his
appointee for Governor General John Kerr.

 

Kwokka.

Theo

 

Hornet.

Fraser

 

Agreed , I have been watching the family across the rd ( Koreans)
learning about swimming pools

 

Sounds like you need Mr Gleeson for one of those.

 

http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/bargearse/xj750.jpg
Well it's not quite a naked and it's 26 yo but it is Japanese and just look
at this for a rack!!
http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/bargearse/rack.jpg

 

That rack has to be fake, it's too big to be real.

 

Everything about the knobless one is fake

 

I am so hoping you didn't mean that to read the way it does, especially when
taken out of context



Cheers

 

CB400 was my first choice while I was thinking I would only be
eligible for a restricted license but I lucked out and got an open
class one instead.

I brought my old leathers and stuff from home last time I was there.
All I need is my helmet which I'll go back and get next month.

Now I'm wondering which to get out of the Hornet, XJR, GSX and which
size. What naked bikes do Kwak make? Never thought of them. And what
do I need to look out for with any of these? Not sure if I'll buy from
a dealer or online auction.

 

Yeah, I'd hope it would be over 18. And why not Italian?

 

Naked bikes: Kawasaki make the ER-6n (650cc parallel twin), the Z750,
the Z1000 and the ZRX 1200R (in-line 4 cylinder motors) and the Versys
(650cc parallel twin in slighly motard clothes). Plus a range of
cruisers. All should last at least 100,000km before needing a top-end
rebuild.

Only the ZRX 1200R is a suitable two-up proposition.

Renntec (UK) make racks for all UJM.

 

Is the Versys AKA Bros 650? Couriers use them here and someone
recommended them to me. I had the Z1000 on a shortlist but can't find
it on the US, JP or AU Kawasaki websites. They aren't discontinued are
they? Not that I'd care as I'm definitely looking for used.

Only one of the ones you mentioned or the only one out of all the big
UJMs? If the CB900 to 1300 are good for two-up then those are still
what I'm mainly aiming for.

Nice. They have engine bars for the ZRX you recommended too! But their
racks don't have backing like the Gear Sacks or Venturas to support
soft luggage though.

Thanks for the tips Andrew.

Peter: I probably won't bring the bike back with me but that's a long
way off even supposing I do come back to OZ one day.

 

Versys: (new, you won't get one second-hand and its not a Bros 650)
http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=89

Z1000: (first released 2003)
http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=83

Z750: (first released 2004)
http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=84

ZRX 1200R: (dunno, 2003 maybe?)
http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=13

ER-6n: (new, you won't get one second hand)
http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=76

The Z1000 and Z750 are no longer sold in the USA. The ZRX 1200R is not
sold in Europe. Presently only the ZRX 1200R is sold in Japan, but I
couldn't tell you which of the others might have been sold there in the
past.

The only naked Kawasaki suitable for two-up is the ZRX 1200R. All of the
Honda CB range have proper pillion seats.