| Author | Message | ||
     Vampress |
So a few weeks back Chili gets an email from out of the blue. Some guy down in Melbourne was just putting the word out that a bike was up for sale. He had scoped around facebook and found us, thinking we may be interested, or know someone who was. After an odd turn of tales, it turns out the bike belongs to a Buell racer in Japan who is also in the business of motorcycles. Chili was his enthusiastic self, but politely declined the purchase of *another* new bike, and it ended there. A few days ago we get a call from mystery Mr Melbourne (whose name it turns out is Sean). "Remember that odd email a few weeks back" Chili says to me..."The Buell racer from Japan is coming to visit" I have not an early-bird bone in my body, therefore Chili got up at some insane hour this morning (for a Sunday) and went out to the airport to pick up our visitor Kimitaka Koike. Pulling into the drive on arrival home, there was an extra guest, as Kimi-san had brought a team mate-Masagi (I hope that's spelt right?)for his first visit to Australia.  We took the Val and headed up the coast to a little town called Eudlow, where Kimi-san had arranged to stay with a business associate and friend. We took in the local markets, lunch and the sunshine, before letting the poor sleep deprived visitors finally turn in for some rest.    The language barrier was a little frustrating for everyone, but Kimi-san has been here before many times, and is a good communicator. There were lots of hand gestures, sound effects and photos shown (which I might add conjured up a few gasps and sighs from Chili too!). Some great stories went back and forth and I learnt a few things in between. We recieved a welcoming invite to visit in future to Tajimi (which we would love to take up) Short term though, Chili is hoping to get a ride up the coast in while they are here, but we're not sure what work will think of that as yet...? These guys are not only epic racers, that have done a LOT of circuit time (and won!...a lot!) but outstanding people. It seems that Buellers are just naturally that way the world around?! Who knew   | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Yep, Buellers are like that everywhere. (Message edited by mr_grumpy on September 12, 2010) | ||
| Tepiddeath |
wow! That is very cool! Thanks for sharing with us! | ||
| Blake |
Nice story, thanks for sharing. Would be very cool to learn more about their Buell racing in Japan. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
It's been a very cool day  Kimi has been racing for a long time, but first got involved with Buells in '96 on an S1. He has also raced X1's, XB's and an XBRR. From what I could pick up today the Japanese Buell racing community seems to be very strong, with their own championship, which Kimi has won four times! I will find out more this week I hope | ||
| Court |
Super cool ! | ||
| 86129squids |
SWEEEET!!  | ||
| Whatever |
Take lots of photos!!!  | ||
| Blk_uly |
Wow thats great. You guys are lucky to have hosted visitors from Japan! We jokingly call Japanese bikes rice burners here. I wonder what the Japanese call our bikes. | ||
| Blake |
Gaijin-moto? | ||
| Blk_uly |
Burger burners? LOL | ||
| Jaimec |
CORN BURNERS. | ||
| Nevrenuf |
ya'll get to have all the fun. | ||
| Brinnutz |
Ask them if they know Aki (pronounced Ah-kee, not sure on spelling), who was at the 25th Homecoming...I'll dig up a pic if I can. | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
I spent a few hours today with Kimi, Masaji and Peter. Not much talking, but lots of riding  . I had a *great* day and feel very fortunate to have had the chance to meet them and just hang out. I'll post more, and pics, later this evening. "Would be very cool to learn more about their Buell racing in Japan." In some ways it seems no one told them Buell has been shut down... http://www.buell.jp/forum/archives/2010/06/xbrr.ht ml (That's Kimi-san on the XBRR) | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
This is where I met up with Kimi, Masaji and Peter this morning. Just a humble shed, it's the home of Peter and Garry's "Classic Bike Locators", and being the '80's freak that I am I was drooling the moment I walked in the door...  | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
    I will post more pics and details tomorrow when I'm a bit more alive. G'night | ||
| Pwnzor |
Want... this... car....  | ||
| 86129squids |
More pics PLEEEZE of the old vintage bikes! Looks like one of youn's was riding a vintage Duck- digging the old Airhead too- heck, we rarely see those old Hondas either, what, an NT650?  | ||
| Boogiman1981 |
what a cool adventure!! love stuff like that it is so much fun | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Thanks Pwnzor, it's a fun car The Duc was a *really* sweet 600 Pantah, almost totally standard, and the Honda is an early Transalp, the 600 version. I will post some more pics soon, just been a little busy in the last few days... | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
A couple of pics of a 1929 Ford restored by a friend of Kimi and Peters. He'd turned it into a Woody wagon, I wish I'd taken a pic of the body work.  The engine purred like a kitten  | ||
| Ustorque |
The simplicity of that motor is pure beauty! | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Ok, so where was I before I got rudely interrupted by silly things like sleeping and going to work? Well, as briefly mentioned above, I was "working from home" on wednesday, and got to spend a fair bit of the day with Kimi, Masaji and Peter. It was a lot of fun drooling over classic bikes, overcoming language barriers and getting to know new friends, and riding some really nice roads. I got to know a little bit more about Kimi and Masaji, though with the language barrier I cannot guarantee I got everything quite right, but along with a little bit of internet digging... Kimitaka Koike lives in Gifu, which is outside of Nagoya. He runs YDS Vritz, an import/export firm, including exporting bikes to Peter and Garry in Australia. He raced in the 250 GP class in the mid 90's, and was at one stage a team-mate of Noriyuki Haga (who I believe he is still good friends with). He sponsored and raced a Yamaha R1 in the Suzuka 8-hour in 2002 and 2003 with Masaji Yamamoto, and they finished 41st in 2003. Kimi is a very successful Buell racer - there is a class called Battlefield for Buell's and H-D's (a couple of XR1200's from what I could see), and he won the championship in 2006, 2008 and 2009. You catch a glimpse of Kimi on the yellow XBRR at the start of this race... He has also written for a japanese bike magazines, and ridden in classic racing in Japan and Australia. Kimi on the Irving Vincent at the Honda Broadford Bike Bonanza in April this year:  | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
Now for some more pics from wednesday, 'cause I know you're itching to know what else was in the shed... Getting the Pantah ready:     I was drooling when I spotted the 851 Tricolor...  ...not realising it was one of two!     Peters MHR, though he said it's a little neglected these days:   Wolf in wolf's clothing - Ducati 750F1 running gear in a TT600     | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
  We rode some great backroads, most which were new to me, along the Sunshine Coast up towards Noosa with Peter leading. In all black leathers on an R100RS, Pete rode in the classic Beemer style. Upright, knees tucked in, very smooth, and though he didn't seem to ride that fast, he never slowed down either! I think I saw his brake light come on three times all day!      I want this house:       Overlooking Tewantin, and the Pacific...  We stopped at some friends of Kimi's and Peters, and this little gem was in the backyard:   I got a message on facebook tonight that Kimi and Masaji arrived back home safely last night. Kimi will be back next Easter to ride at Broadford again, hopefully we'll get to catch up with him again. I'm hoping to catch up with Peter again and go exploring those backroads some more, as well as checking out the bikes they have at the shed. If anyone wants any more info on the bikes pictured let me know, most of them will be for sale shortly to make space for a new shipment. cheers, chili | ||
| Whatever |
Way too cool! I like that video, but you don't see the yellow bike for very long... there he goes!  | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thank you for the great photos! Quite the visual treat... | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks Chili for the pics- Gawd I LOVE old machinery like that!!! Old Ducks are way sexier than the newer ones- reminds me of old Bimotas... |
