英文の後に日本語があります。
The YAMAHA TW 225 took Tokyo and the rest of Japan by storm in the late 1990s due to its comfort and easy rideability, and being the motorcycle ridden by the protagonist in a popular romantic TV series.
Even today, the TW 225 enjoys a deep-rooted popularity on the street.
There are many popular chopper or bobber styles customizations of the TW, where parts are stripped down and the swing arm extended.
Just when DEUS JAPAN was mentioning its belief that the TW harbored more potential, we received a custom-build request from a certain gentleman.
The order only specified two criteria.
First the customer wanted a motorcycle that offered easy maneuverability in both city streets and mountain roads. The second was that the motorcycle could be ridden tandem. Apart from those two points, the customer said he would leave the rest to the discretion of the builder, and this simple order sparked our urge to create as a builder.
The point a builder values the most when custom-building a motorcycle is the balance of the motorcycle’s body. Regardless of the motorcycle in question, the first step a builder takes is to attach the underbody, look at it horizontally to the ground and determine balance.
We never met our customer so all communication was via email.
We asked his height and weight via email to determine positions of the saddle, handlebars, etc. and began making the motorcycle’s frame, which is noted to be the most important factor when riding a motorcycle.
Numerous tasks were performed with great care on the TW. Most of the fruits of this labor are hidden with paint. The photo shown represents the delicate, beautiful work of a Japanese builder who supports from behind the scenes.
YAMAHA TW 225は、軽快で爽快な足として、さらにはラブドラマの主人公が乗っていたことで1990年代後半にTOKYOを中心に日本国内で一世を風靡したバイクである。
現在でもストリートシーンで根強い人気を持っている。
TWのカスタムといえばスカチューン、ロングスイングアームなど型が決まっているものが多い。
DEUS JAPANがTWにはもっと可能性があるのではないか。と話しているところ、1人の紳士からカスタムオーダーが入った。
オーダー内容はたったの2つだった。
一つは街中と山道どちらも軽快に走ることのできるバイクを作って欲しい。もう一つはタンデム走行も可能であること。それ以外はビルダーに任せると言うシンプルすぎるほどのオーダーに、ビルダーとして制作意欲がスパークした。
ビルダーがカスタムバイクを作る上で最も大事にしているのが車体のバランスであり、どんなバイクを作るときもまず足回りを取り付けて地面と水平に見てバランスを決めていく。
お客様と会ったこともなければ、コミュニケーションはすべてメール。身長、体重もメールで聞いてシートポジションやハンドルポジションなど決めていき、バイクに乗る上で最も大事と言える車両の骨格づくりが始まった。
TWに落とし込んだ丁寧な作業の数々。そのほとんどが塗装されるとともに姿を隠してしまう。ここに載せた写真は、影で支える美しく繊細な日本人ビルダーの仕事である。
Images by Keigo Kurematsu
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