And, If the present life is petty, a man will escape to nostalgia. Japanese collectors are so.
Kenji Fusejima Tokyo Japan
At 2:42 AM +0900 01.4.12, kenji fusejima wrote:
>Follows are just my opinion.
>Most of thirties or fourties Japanese collectors are slightly poor. They
>have no money for buy a house. Japan are too small for one's population.
>Land and house are very expensive. Many of young Japanese are give up the
>idea of getting house. Since garage cost is too much expensive, they can
>not collect some automobiles. Thereupon, little money remain in their
>wallet. The money that they have are short for buy house or collect
>automobiles, but enough for collect vintage bicycles and components. They
>are very busy. They work hard till late at night. Poor Japanese are
>relieving their heart by devoting oneself to a hobby. Since they live in
>just small collector's society, they don't know about non-Japanese
>collectors are sad.
>
>Kenji Fusejima
>Tokyo Japan
>
>
>At 5:38 PM -0400 01.4.10, Huemax@aol.com wrote:
>>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!