Japanese Saddle Sore

[Ignacio]

I just saw a picture of a recent Saddle Sore in Japan and looking at the details at least one of them is an FJR. Not sure if they're a forum dweller or not, but it's cool to see one in the pack.

The pictures highlightt spending 38,300 yen...which I presume is road tolls. If that's per person...that's like $350! That's a serious committment to get a certificate!

 

[airboss]

Yes, Japanese toll roads are expensive, but if you want to go use them. National speed limit 30mph unless other wise posted, expressway 45 mph. :dribble:

 

[Fred W]

Yes, Japanese toll roads are expensive, but if you want to go use them. National speed limit 30mph unless other wise posted, expressway 45 mph. :dribble:

That's just plumb CRAZY! I assume that everyone breaks the law wantonly? How does one cover the required distances for these LDT marks and still stay legal?

This past weekend we got another dumping of the evil white stuff. As I was on my way home from beantown he slick roads were holding speeds down and I was driving along at 55mph. I felt like a god damn tortoise. I glanced down at the speedo and reminisced back to the 70's when the national speed limit was 55mph. How on earth did we survive that nonsense?

When I first saw Iggy's post I was thinking this would be some nasty pictures of some Asian guys butt, but no... Thank goodness.

 

[Ignacio]

I assume that everyone breaks the law wantonly? How does one cover the required distances for these LDT marks and still stay legal?

Don't assume because it's not true. It's easy to do 1000 miles in 24 hours easily within posted speed limits. 1000/24 = 42 mph to start with and if you confine yourself to efficient gas stops and quick pictures it's quite doable.

National speed limit 30mph unless other wise posted, expressway 45 mph. :dribble:

While I'm sure that's true in metro and congested areas I'm sure there also significant stretches of expressway in Japan posted 100kph with traffic flows higher than that. Take a look at the picture and these guys don't look squidly...they look to be riding as a group and are probably just not lolligagging at gas stops.

 

[Fred W]

I assume that everyone breaks the law wantonly? How does one cover the required distances for these LDT marks and still stay legal?

Don't assume because it's not true. It's easy to do 1000 miles in 24 hours easily within posted speed limits. 1000/24 = 42 mph to start with and if you confine yourself to efficient gas stops and quick pictures it's quite doable.

Without falling asleep? I'd have a hard time going 24 minutes at 42 mph, never mind 24 hrs.

 

[Ignacio]

Without falling asleep? I'd have a hard time going 24 minutes at 42 mph, never mind 24 hrs.

That's why only about 20-30 thousand people have done it. Not everybody can....or wants to. And those that still want to can even take a nap along the way. If they take a 45 minute nap...they would only have to go 1 mph faster over the period to keep pace.

 

[airboss]

Sorry, should have noted in first post, tollways are posted up to 60mph/100kph. That's why they use them in spite of the expense.

And Fred in the home market all cars are equipped with an over speed buzzer, kicks in at 100kph, and does not stop until you slow down below the ton. If you ride in Tokyo traffic wear your earplugs the buzzing will drive you nuts! :lol:

The guys that did that ride earned a lot of respect. That was a tough nut even on toll roads.

 

[gypsy]

We do have a board member in Tokyo....Colin is that you doing the SS?

gypsy

 

[JamesK]

I just saw a picture of a recent Saddle Sore in Japan and looking at the details at least one of them is an FJR. Not sure if they're a forum dweller or not, but it's cool to see one in the pack.
The pictures highlightt spending 38,300 yen...which I presume is road tolls. If that's per person...that's like $350! That's a serious committment to get a certificate!

Iggi, the FJR in the picture is mine, i did this SS1600k with my friends in Tokyo just before moving to the US. That same '06 FJR1300A also did two more (previously) IBA rides in and around Japan. Both were SaddleSore in terms of distance, but one was really for the record books.

The "Tokyo Shuto SS1600k Insanity" (that's it's official IBA name) was a so called LOOP ride were you go around in big loops around a major city (modeled on Mike Kneebone's DC-1000) - done on two FJRs (an '06 & an '05).

This ride took months to plan, and was extremely hard, since we (JamesK and Colin) effectively split lanes for about 15 plus hours of the 23:45 hours that it took to complete the ride. At least you were never boared because for around 20 hours of the ride, other then the "dead zone" period b/w 2-4:30 you were always surrounded by lots of traffic. I did take a 20 min nap about 16 hours into the ride.

Oh yeah, and this one cost around $500 per head

Basically we spent ~24 hours doing this :dribble:

 

[colin]

Yes, the Shuto ride finally got through! Like in this past week....

Unfortunately I couldn't make the run that is being posted.... Though I'm looking at it doing the 2000km with some others this coming May....

But yeah, the Shuto gig was pretty cool. Pretty nuts too! if you've ever seen vids of bikes filtering through traffic on japanese highways....that's probably the Shuto! So two FJRs only on that ride. hehe.... quite the poster ride for 'em!

-colin

 

[colin]

Here's some pics from the Shuto ride....

checking the records....

Finish line....

start:

end:

 

[colin]

Found a couple links....



of course James did a ton of research to avoid this type of traffic....but it gets tough to avoid sometimes.... !

 

[airboss]

Watched the videos, I can't believe I rode in that mess for better that 10 years and never got ran over. :dribble:

 

[JamesK]

Watched the videos, I can't believe I rode in that mess for better that 10 years and never got ran over. :dribble:

I love it, I suffer every time i'm on the roads here (except CA) when the damn traffic grinds to a halt and i can't filter, at least most of the time, the damn cops in the US really get pissed when you filter through traffic. :huh:

 

[bigdolma]

wow good stuff...

more pics if you have them. Love to see FJRs in Japanese Countryside.

Good work!

 

[JamesK]

 

[JamesK]

Dynamic GIFs

 

[airboss]

Watched the videos, I can't believe I rode in that mess for better that 10 years and never got ran over. :dribble:

I love it, I suffer every time i'm on the roads here (except CA) when the damn traffic grinds to a halt and i can't filter, at least most of the time, the damn cops in the US really get pissed when you filter through traffic. :huh:

Luckey, I moved back to a area that filtering, lane sharing isn't necessary, heck we can't even scare up enough traffic for a full rush hour, best we can do is about a half hour on a good day.

 

[colin]

Sorry, should have noted in first post, tollways are posted up to 60mph/100kph. That's why they use them in spite of the expense.
And Fred in the home market all cars are equipped with an over speed buzzer, kicks in at 100kph, and does not stop until you slow down below the ton. If you ride in Tokyo traffic wear your earplugs the buzzing will drive you nuts! :lol:

The guys that did that ride earned a lot of respect. That was a tough nut even on toll roads.

never seen a road at 100kmh. haven't gone too much outside TK though. 80 is normal, I think 90 I've seen (variable speed limit gigs where the LED screen says 90.... I've heard there is some new bypass road that allows 100....

really though, up to 120 is pretty OK, at least in my experience. Over that may or may not be 'normal' for some of us.... ahem.....

never had a car buzz over 100.... maybe that was something that happened a while back.... I rent a lot of cars and haven't had that. (and yes, i hit over 100...)