Until the 20th century, motorcycles were definitely a people’s vehicle. Easy to ride, easy to park…
Wasn’t that the image you had, gentlemen?
Year after year, it feels like motorcycles are losing their place in society.
Especially in urban areas, it really seems tough (；∀；)
The first thing that really hit me as tough was
parking violation crackdowns.
The problem is that two-wheeler parking areas simply don’t exist… it’s impossible to ride to stations.
In Tokyo, there are very few shops with parking lots or entrances, and even when they exist, they’re packed with bicycles.
Dining and shopping have become nearly impossible—it’s a harsh situation.
About ten years ago, I rode a scooter (250cc) to a fishing spot in Ichigaya and grabbed some ramen, and I still remember when the shop staff told me, “Hey buddy, you got a parking ticket!” I was so grateful they warned me.
Then there was another time
I rode my CB1100 to visit someone in the hospital.
The hospital parking lot is multi-level, so they asked me to park the bike in the bicycle parking area.
The bike parking was overflowing with bicycles, so I parked it sticking out just a little, and an hour later… I got ticketed. It’s really harsh.
Haven’t you noticed lately that the streets have gotten too quiet, and you can barely warm up your engine?
This is just my impression, but back in the day, when it got light out, people would just fire up their KERKER large cans and DEVIL exhausts without a second thought.
Even at early morning group rides, you’d start the engine and the street noise would drown it out—I remember not worrying about it at all.
Lately, early morning newspaper delivery has dropped off dramatically, and cars are either EV or hybrid, making a “whirrr” sound that’s very quiet. If you’re not careful, even a Hiace diesel or a stock sports car exhaust note stands out in this silence.
Riding a bike with a loud exhaust early in the morning? You’d get complaints even on main roads.
I really find myself thinking, what do I do? Many times (;’∀’)
Last is lane splitting.
Whether it’s good or bad depends on the situation—it can be a no-go. Even traffic police do legal lane splitting, so it’s worth checking that out sometimes (*´▽｀*)
I drive a car sometimes too. When a bike or scooter comes up from behind, I let them pass.
Why? Because don’t you think it’s riskier to have a bike around?
I find it really scary when a bike rides alongside a car for a long time. A moped only goes 30 kph… even with protection, it’s tough.
If I let them go ahead, they zoom off into the distance quickly, so both the bike and the car can ride stress-free. Visibility is better too.
Parking violations, noise, lane splitting, and it’s a dangerous vehicle—it’s a tough hobby to get general acceptance for. And things seem to be getting worse. ( ；∀；)
