Well, there are some differences.
The roads are packed with the most
unlikely groups of bikers. A typical
group consists of three sportsbikes, a
chopper, two scooters, the odd adven-
ture bike and a monkey bike chasing
at the rear.
Bikes don’t club together here.
And you can forget the subtle biker’s
nod, the Japanese throw hilariously
huge waves and even bigger smiles
at each other. It’s brilliant and the
biking culture is incredible. You’ll
find classic bike shops everywhere,
groups of friendly riders cruise the
coasts and campsites are packed with
them. Ride into a quiet little town
and there’ll be a bike bar. We rode
through the mountains, slammed on
the brakes and turned around to see
a Kenny Roberts Café … which he has
even visited! You can stroll into any
of the Big Four Japanese motorcycle
museums, ride with whoever you
want and know you have a million
friends around any corner.
Japan is bursting with the weird
and wonderful. It’s an intrinsic,
beautiful balance of unique culture,
stunning scenery, fascinating history
and a seriously cool bike culture. The
longer you spend the more addictive
it gets. Have a go, you’ll love it. AD
Andy and Alissa gave up their lives in the
UK to travel round-the-world indefinitely.
They left on January 1 2018 and have so far
ridden 25,000 miles to Japan. Follow their
adventures at www.madornomad.com or on
social media as Mad or Nomad.
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