I would venture that Japanese craftsmen tend, or tended is better, to be more discipline craftsmen then the French, English, Americans, etc. That is the ability to do repetative work well, is/was much inherent in the nature of the people. With the average craftsman, throw a little design dilemma into the job at hand, and the smooth process comes to a grinding halt however. A person working under a bare lightbulb and doing magnificent workmanship daily for forty or fifty years, such was once as very commonplace as a guy geting up in the morning and throwing on his trousers. When doing "copying" of work that originated elsewhere, the tidyness in the details may have been better, but some of the original mojo was lost in the humid air. This with the touring bikes as well? A imparting of ones "personality" into the work was not a desirable quality. Individuality was generally not viewed as attractive. There were also exceptions.
Dennis Young Hotaka, Japan
> You speak often for many of us,you state it better than I am able.I
> agree!!!!!!!!!!!
> Harris Spracher
> Waynesboro,Va.
>
> "richardsachs@juno.com" <richardsachs@juno.com> wrote:
>
> snipped:
> What I meant by my comments about the Hirose and Toei bikes is that I've seen
> fewer building mistakes/blunders in their work than I've seen in the French
> bikes that these Japanese builders are paying homage to.
> Curt Goodrich
> Minneapolis, MN
>
>
>
> to surpass the master is to repay the debt.
> hey - i'm SERIOUSSSSSSS...
> e-RICHIE
> chester, ct
>
>
> __