Day 53

May 23rd

	In an early morning roll, I see my phone lighting up with a vibrant intensity.  It was a text from you, which was eagerly anticipated. For the last four days, I’ve been curiously debating what kind of meeting you set up for me. 

Is this music related? It can’t be. I just spent a week on a musical island.  Maybe travel advice? Again, your itineraries (and my phone) make that a moot point. At this point, all I can do is wait and follow your instructions.  Speaking of which, your series of texts is a not so subtle wake up call for this eventful day.

Ayden,

	I know that the initial message in the envelope was vague, but I wanted to leave this as a surprise.  As you know, my father worked for Sensu Motors in Hamamatsu.  As a long time mechanic, my father is still in close contact with many of their race mechanics today.  Shortly before your trip, he mentioned to one of them that you’d be making a cross country trip on one of their bikes.

They were tickled by the fact that you’d ride in all kinds of terrain in a carbureted motorcycle. Many manufacturers here make fuel injected bikes, which would have been ideal for your trip (their words, not mine). For that reason, a representative from the Factory Supermoto Team wants to meet you.  He lives in Osaka and will meet you for lunch at noon today.  

He knew that it’d be weeks before you made it down to Kansai, so he was gracious with his availability to make this happen.  I don’t know what will come of this meeting, but I’m sure that you’ll appreciate someone admiring your determination to do the trip this way.  

I can’t wait to hear about the details of the meeting and I hope it turns into something amazing ;)

-Setsuko 

Quite frankly, I was puzzled upon reading your texts.  Does he want to pick my brain on the DZed? I don’t even run supermoto wheels/tires on the bike, so I’m not sure what the significance of the meeting is to them. 

Regardless, I appreciate their time and waste little of mine looking up directions to the restaurant.  It looks like we’ll be meeting at a popular Izakaya (bar/tavern).  I’ll have to keep drinks to a minimum, as the last thing I want is a tipsy ride tainting my abilities.  With my morning routine out of the way, I started up the DZed and shifted towards the nearby Izakaya. 

Upon parking the bike, I see an eager observer waving me into the establishment.  From the rambunctious look on his face, you’d think that I was a supermodel.  Who would have thought that my tattered riding gear would be so sexy? 

The host was awaiting my presence, as she directed me to my table with the overzealous fan.  That fan goes by the name of Jinshu.  He’s a former mechanic and current team manager for Osaka Sensu, which is their Factory Supermoto Racing team.  Minutes after we exchanged pleasantries, he proceeded to pepper me with questions about the DZed.

How did the bike handle around the sharp corners of the Gunma hills?

Did it take more effort to cold start the bike in the frigid temperatures of Hokkaido?

Did the engine feel “buzzy” at highway speeds?

The questions seemed to be ongoing, like we were playing an enticing board game.  After answering the majority of his questions, he then offered me an opportunity that I didn’t expect.  Would you like to come to our test track to try out the new DZed? 

My boss over at Sensu Corporate was impressed by your conviction for riding one of our motorcycles across the country.  As you know, the bike has a Supermoto model that is nearly identical to the one you’re riding, which would be an easy transition for you to test with.  

The DZed is based off of an older engine technology, one that still requires carburetion. Because other manufacturers have quickly developed fuel injected dual sports bikes, the DZed has become less popular for adventure touring. While we, as a company, want to further develop our bikes into the future, the DZed is a bike that has aged well.  

What it lacks in its modern technology it makes up for is its universal appeal and versatility. The DZed can be used for a variety of purposes, one of which is racing Supermoto.  We would like to see your skills applied to one of our Supermoto bikes, as your experience and feedback could be valuable to our riders in the Supermoto Series. So what do you think? Will you come to the track and try out the new DZed later this week?

To be blunt, I was flattered by the gesture. I never would have expected a trip like mine would have gotten the attention of Sensu Corporate. To be honest with you, I’ve never been a fan of the brand (partially for reasons that Jinshu explained).  In the same token, it’s actually part of why I chose the DZed for this adventure.

Because it’s such a versatile bike, I knew that I could rent a DZed and fit it to my liking.  It doesn’t hurt that I also grew up on older bikes with dated technology, so the setbacks in that field were irrelevant to me.  One benefit to the bike being unchanged for so many years is the abundance of aftermarket parts for it, which makes it a lot easier to fix mid-trip. 

Fuel injected bikes are easier to start (in all climates) and tend to be more reliable, but understanding how to ride and re-jet a carbureted bike can wash away any demerits that kind of motorcycle has. 

This trip was never about taking “the easy way out”. Rather, it was a way to push my boundaries and see what I’m capable of.  For that, the DZed has proven to be a capable companion. Based on Jinshu’s offer, it also appears that it’s one that will reward me.  

We eventually parted ways, but not before he presented me with a business card and a time to stop by the test track. He reserved a time for me to ride on May 26th, which will be my last day in the Kansai region.  Until then, he told me to make note of my bike settings and to send them over to him.

I immediately mapped out a route with the most twists and turns that I could find in the city. I didn’t want to waste any time getting riding data on the bike, as this opportunity could be the spark that leads to something amazing.  

Weaving through the sparse highways proves to be a nice training ground for my upcoming date at the track. The mid-afternoon traffic is essentially non-existent, which allows me to accelerate through straightaways and sharp turns with a stealth like pace.  The biggest thing to keep in mind with the handling of my DZed is the tires.  

Unlike the wide rims and slick, street tires of the Supermoto trim, my version of the bike is set up for dual sport riding. That means it uses a mixed tire with knobbies.  Because of this, the tires tend to grab the pavement differently. That affects some of my riding techniques, as handling around corners is not as smooth as I’d like.  

Despite that, the bike feels sleek and efficient maneuvers around the outskirts of Osaka.  The low end torque on the bike has a nice grunt to it, as I don’t feel a sudden loss of power in lower gears.  Ergonomically, the bike’s suspension feels plush enough to fit my 5’7 frame, but springy enough to have ample amounts of suspension over bumps and obstacles. 

I didn’t keep track of how long I was on the road, but judging by the gas gauge (and receding sunline), I must have spent hours racing around the city.  With a few new bits added to my notes, I rolled back to my capsule hotel and took measurements of the DZed’s settings. Jinshu wanted me to measure the SAG, suspension and other ergonomic settings on the bike.  To keep it brief, those measurements just tell him how the bike is set up to fit me, or someone my size. 

As I watch my texts being delivered to Jinshu, I begin to reflect on an eventful day.  I’ve been a novice class racer and avid rider for most of my life, but I never thought that I would get the chance to test a Factory racing bike. This is usually a role reserved for former pro riders.  Things like this don’t usually happen to riders of my caliber, so I want to harness this opportunity with all of my might.  Until then, I have a few more sights to see in the region. 

That starts tomorrow, as I plan to head over to the old capital of Japan,Kyoto.  I’ll see if I can get my hands on a Samurai Sword, as I need a short term adrenaline rush to get me by until I test out the DZed later this week.  Here’s to new opportunities... and an elevated heart rate!  

Thanks again and I’ll see you soon!

-Ayden