aftermarketmotorcycleseats-blog

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The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.

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1982 Seat Ronda

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Goodbye Roadster

Unfortunately the time has come to sell my Roadster. Not because there’s anything wrong with it, and not because I don’t like it anymore, but because the time just feels right. I’ve been thinking about it for a while now, and a friend of mine recently told me he was looking to buy one as a second, hobby car. So I finally made the decision and we made a deal. Selling it to a person that I know will take care of it makes the decision a lot easier.

You see, I got married this year and i’m turning 30 in a couple of months, and I just feel like i’m outgrowing this car as a daily driver. Those kind of milestones in your life can change your mindset a little. The reality of driving a hard, noisy, modified, 26 year old, two-seater everyday for three years is not a bad thing at all. In fact it’s really fun, but at times it isn’t ideal. Not when I want to take a weekend trip with my wife and I can only fit one small rucksack in the boot and the LSD is knocking its nuts off round the tight streets and the exhaust is blaring and me and my wife are trying to have a civilized conversation…and it’s sweltering hot because it’s summer in Japan and the old air conditioner is sucking all the power from the engine. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, I’m fully aware that those are all compromises you make when you buy an old, modified sports car. It’s just not ideal in certain situations. As a second car it’d be perfect, but unfortunately I can’t afford the luxury of keeping two cars on the road here in Japan where tax and inspection costs are so expensive. I toyed with the idea of taking it off the road and just keeping it as a track car, but for various reasons I don’t think that would be the most sensible decision right now.

I’ve owned the car for three years now. I bought it when I came to Japan. After a few weeks of living here I called up my bilingual mechanic friend (as I didn’t speak much Japanese at the time, not enough to negotiate buying a car) and said “I want something cheap, sporty and manual” and he found this. It was perfect. It had been tuned at a local Roadster specialist shop called Oyama Autos with Koni adjustable suspension, Cusco LSD, upgraded exhaust and intake, a roll bar, aftermarket rims, Mazdaspeed seat and lots of aero goodies.

After 3 years of ownership I can honestly say this has been the most fun car I’ve ever owned. If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know that I’ve driven it everyday to work, I’ve driven it in the Gunma mountains, at Ebisu Circuit, through Tokyo countless times, in fact all over Japan and it’s never skipped a beat (except that one time at the top of Mt. Akagi when the clutch went, but that’s it). 

It breaks my heart to see it go. But I’m happy to pass it on to my friend Kazuya who I know will take care of it and make some new memories with it. And of course i’m going to be buying something else, and yes it will be something sporty and Japanese, but it’ll be a little bigger and a little more practical.

Thank you all for following Rapid Japan through the Roadster years. It’s been really fun sharing the memories with you guys.

Joey

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This subsequently ensures a very successful aftermarket base. Canada and Australia also boast of over C$19 billion and AUD$5.2 billion in the automotive aftermarket respectively.

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It is sad not to love, but it is much sadder not to be able to love. Miguel de Unamuno

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Seat Cowl

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BMW 1000 Cafe Racer | Cowl Seat

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