Doland wrote; <<BTW, what exactly is the obsession with Japanese collectors and French-style touring bikes? Is it a reliving their childhood type thing?>>
f you can imagine physical condition of Japan, having 5 to 6000 people in each SQ-mile, squeeze 120+ million people in island size of CA, OR, ans WA states, also 90 % is mountain. Touring bike is their classic car as US. There is no room for Autos to collect and store, and gas cost 4.50 to 5.00 per gallon.
We American put perspective of transportation as automobles while Japanese have motor cycle or bicycle. I used to pay 250.00 to 300.00 per month to garage car in Japan, and you will not be able to BUY a car unless you have a garage to store it.
French raundnuer is Artistic Machine, while Motor cycle is regarded as POWER thurst, mean people's trasportation, therefore; naturally, they put their BUCKs in touring bicycles. Price tags as 5K, 10K, 20K are very cheap while a car collector has to pay 3 to 4000.00 year to store it. They can store bikes in their living room or hall way even though their home are usually high rise condu's.
The fender/mud gurds also almost necessity. It rains a lot in Japan avarage 50 inch+ per year, not like in California. Their street bikes are usually made of S/S or aluminum, moisture in general is very very high, rust will eat up any older steel bikes.
Hope you can visit Japan sometime to get see and fel those ideas I tried to explain.
Best Regards,
KEN TODA, Record heat in North Carolina, 89' summer is here!