Riding a large air-cooled V-twin motorcycle in the scorching heat has finally reached its limit!
Summer 2025. People walked on the melting asphalt, leaving their footprints behind. It was terribly hot…
It’s a scorching heat wave. Since August began, we’ve been experiencing one heat wave after another. When it’s this hot, it’s a hassle to even go indoors, and when you do go out, it’s only natural that you don’t want to ride anything other than an air-conditioned vehicle. However, as a certain motorcycle manga says, “Only idiots can ride motorcycles!”, so even though I have a few screws loose in my head, I still travel from east to west on my beloved Moto Guzzi V11.
I currently own a 1999 Moto Guzzi V11 Sport. During the first summer since I bought it, the bike started to run poorly when I rode it under the scorching sun due to the heat emitted by the large-displacement, air-cooled, vertically mounted V-twin engine. This means that it’s a bike that can’t be ridden in the summer.
However, this has now reached its limit. The amount of heat generated by the 1100cc air-cooled, vertically mounted V-twin engine is beginning to strain not only the rider, but also the engine itself, which is the heat source. Riding under the scorching sun causes the engine to become less responsive and the idling to become unstable due to overheating. In other words, the temperature is so high that the air cannot function as a cooling medium. Pushing the Moto Guzzi too hard in this heat could soon lead to serious problems, which is not something I want to happen.
What do you think of a 25-year-old Italian car? | I sold my bike on Kachi-X and bought a 1999 Moto Guzzi V11 Sport. | Motor-Fan is a media platform that distributes automotive-related articles.I fell in love at first sight with a used Moto Guzzi on display at a familiar shop. It was a completely unexpected encounter. One day in mid-October 2024, I went to my usual motorcycle shop, CLUB CIRCLE, and there it was, sitting quietly on display in front of the shop. […]
Click here for the Moto Guzzi V11 Sport Owner’s Report.
The only other bikes I own are a Yamaha Grand Majesty 250 that hasn’t been ridden for about three years due to a malfunction, a Honda Super Cub 110 (class 2 moped), and a Suzuki GN125H. In my home in northeastern Chiba Prefecture, if I don’t take the Keiyo Road to get into Tokyo, I’ll have to use the national highway, which is full of traffic lights and congested. Just thinking about plodding along public roads in this heat on a minibike is enough to make me gloomy.
The Yamaha Grand Majesty was purchased as a one-year-old used car in 2008. It had over 110,000 km on the odometer and had been left dormant for about three years due to a malfunction.
The Suzuki GN125H that I own is a Chinese bike, but it’s economical, tough, and highly reliable. I’ve owned it for about 14 years, but it’s still going strong. I don’t plan on letting it go anytime soon.
While I was casually browsing a used car website, I discovered that Bike King, the largest motorcycle buyer and seller, was running a limited-time “0% Loan Interest Campaign” from July 4th to September 11th as part of its 30th anniversary celebration.
Bike King’s 30th anniversary celebration “0% Loan Interest Campaign” is being held for a limited time from July 4th to September 11th. This is a great service that allows you to make up to 60 payments with zero interest on installments up to 2 million yen. However, you will need to pay the compulsory liability insurance portion in cash as a down payment.
Bike King is well known for its used bike buying service, thanks to its TV commercials, but it is now common knowledge among riders that it sells used bikes at 76 stores nationwide. The company carefully selects only those bikes that meet its own standards from the bikes it buys and sells them in its stores.
This company has an extremely large inventory. I’m sure they have the model I’m looking for in stock. I immediately accessed the Bike King website and did a search…and there it was! What’s more, I found a vehicle that met my requirements at the Bike King Kashiwa store, which is not far from my home. Now I just had to go and see it.
The Suzuki V-Strom 250SX was in excellent condition!
When I visited the Bike King Kashiwa store, I found the bike in a prominent spot by the window. It was a 2023 Suzuki V-Strom 250SX. It had only 135km on the odometer and was painted Champion Yellow No. 2, the bike’s image color. There were some small, inconspicuous scratches on the handguards, muffler, and carrier, but other than that it was in such pristine condition that it could be mistaken for a new car. The base price of the vehicle was listed as 528,000 yen.
The Suzuki V-Strom 250SX that I decided to purchase was originally registered in 2023, with only 153km on the clock. Was it a display bike at a shop somewhere? Or was it owned by someone who bought it but didn’t ride it much?
“Would you like to straddle the bike?” asked a middle-aged female sales staff member. I took her up on her offer and sat on the bike. “You can start the engine,” she said, so I pressed the push start button and, of course, the engine started right up. Considering the mileage, it was no surprise, but the idling was stable and the engine seemed to be in good condition.
A V-Strom 250SX is waiting for delivery at Bike Ou Kashiwa store. There is a speedometer recall, but since it will take time to get the parts in stock, the issue will be addressed after delivery.
The V-Strom 250SX is my first adventure bike. When I straddled it, I felt it was light and easy to handle. I’m 170cm tall and could reach the ground with both my toes firmly on the ground.
Well, the reason why I chose the V-Strom 250SX as a potential purchase is because it has a 250cc engine that revs up well, has ample power performance even at 120km/h on the Shin-Tomei Expressway, and has the same heart as the “fuel economy monster” Gixxer, so it has a reputation for being extremely economical. Moreover, because it has Suzuki’s proud oil-cooled engine, it will likely emit less heat than a normal air-cooled engine, and above all, because it is a bike made in India, close to the equator, I expected it to be able to withstand the heat.
The speedometer of a V-Strom 250SX. The mileage is only 135km! It’s practically an unused vehicle. In the fall, it will be replaced with a speedometer that’s part of a recall, so the mileage will be zero again.
What’s more, it’s an adventure bike, which is popular these days. The design is modern and cool, and the body is light, so although it can’t compete with off-road bikes, it can run on flat dirt without any problems. What’s more, it comes equipped with a large rear carrier as standard, so it seems like it would be quite good at carrying luggage.
A large genuine rear carrier. There was some paint chipping, likely due to a top case being attached.
I have also traveled alone by motorcycle to disaster and crime scenes to report on events such as the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the collapse of the Kinugawa River levee in 2015, and the Kumamoto earthquake in 2016. These opportunities have become much less frequent recently, but when you consider such uses, there is no other motorcycle more suited to them.
There were some small scratches on the stock muffler, but they were the kind of scratches that would inevitably occur if the bike was used, so I didn’t mind. The exhaust sound was too quiet, and my heels would come into contact with the muffler when I stood, so I would like to eventually replace it with an aftermarket part.
There was also a small scratch on the right mirror.
After seeing the actual bike, I fell in love with it and decided to ask the sales staff member for a quote to confirm the terms of purchase.
What was the estimated price? Why did I choose a used car?
Looking at the estimate that was handed to me, I saw that the total cost, including miscellaneous fees, the ETC unit itself, and installation labor, was 633,000 yen. Since the price was within my budget and I was satisfied with the terms, I decided to purchase it on the spot and signed the contract.
In fact, if I had spent a little more, I could have gone for a new car, but for a self-employed person like me, the tax depreciation period is three years for a new car and two years for a used car, so I decided that a used car would be more advantageous in terms of tax savings.
The base price of the 2024 V-Strom 250SX is 591,800 yen. When you actually purchase it, you will need to pay various expenses such as tax and compulsory automobile liability insurance. Of course, with a regular loan, interest will also be added depending on the number of payments.
When I started reporting on the Fiat 500, some people asked, “Can’t you even buy a used car worth around 500,000 yen in one lump sum?” However, freelancing is inherently an unstable job, and people want to preserve as much cash as possible. Any self-employed person would understand this feeling. In other words, when making a big purchase, it is inevitable to take out a loan.
An ultra-rare car, limited to 600 units worldwide and officially introduced in Japan (50 units), for just ¥350,000!? Is a used Italian car with over 100,000 km still in good condition? [Fiat 500 PINK! Owner’s Report Vol. 1] | Motor-Fan, a media platform that distributes automotive-related articlesShould I trade in for a fuel-efficient compact car? In July 2023, I sold my Jaguar S-Type, which I had owned for four years. The S-Type was a 15-year-old used car I bought in 2019 for 450,000 yen. It was my first British car, and I also owned a Ford […]
[Fiat 500PINK! Owner’s Report] is here.
However, the problem is the interest rate. The interest rates on used car loans, whether for motorcycles or cars, are by no means low. Bike King’s regular interest rate is 9.8%. However, with this campaign, the installment amount is 0% up to 2 million yen, effectively eliminating the burden on the customer.
In my case, I paid 14,300 yen in cash as a down payment for five years’ worth of compulsory automobile liability insurance, and paid the remainder in equal installments of up to 60 installments (no bonus payments, etc.), so my monthly payments came to just under 10,000 yen. If I had taken out a loan with a normal interest rate, my monthly payments would have been 13,300 yen. The installment fee would have been 170,219 yen, but this would have been zero, so I think you can see how great a deal this campaign is.
In the case of the V-Strom 250SX that I purchased, the installment fee for a standard loan with an interest rate of 9.8% and 60 payments would be 170,219 yen. With this loan, that burden will be waived. With this difference in price, you can easily buy aftermarket full panniers and still have change left over.
Because this campaign seems too good to be true, some people may be suspicious and think, “There’s a catch to this good deal.”
To use the 0% interest loan, you must register as a Bike King member, which requires no annual or joining fee and offers a variety of special services, as well as many other benefits, such as email newsletters. In other words, it can be said that this campaign has absolutely no drawbacks for users.
We asked the manager of the Kashiwa store why Bike King launched its 0% interest campaign.
This time, when I took advantage of the campaign to purchase a V-Strom 250SX, I asked Katsuya Obayashi, the manager of the Kashiwa store where I purchased the bike, about the campaign in detail.
Katsuya Obayashi, manager of Bike King’s Kashiwa store. When it comes to purchasing a used bike, Obayashi and the other sales staff will be happy to give you advice.
“We aim to be riders’ ‘lifelong partners in the motorcycle life,’ and this campaign is part of that, being developed to support our customers in their purchases. Thanks to you, it has been very well received, with many customers coming to us every day to discuss business. It can also be used in conjunction with our ongoing ‘Motorcycle License Acquisition Support Campaign,’ so it is a campaign with many benefits for beginners who have just obtained their license.”
Bike King is currently running a “Motorcycle License Acquisition Support Campaign” as a regular customer service. This campaign can be used in conjunction with the current “0% Loan Interest Campaign,” so you can even go through the process of submitting your license to a driving school and then buy a motorcycle through Bike King during the campaign period until September 11th.
How many customers took advantage of this campaign between July 4th and this day (August 18th)?
“I can’t give you the exact number of business negotiations, but it has been a lot more than usual. Our customers were mainly in their 40s, but with the ‘0% interest loan campaign’ we’ve seen an increase in younger customers in their 20s. As a result, we’ve seen an increase in inquiries not only for large bikes, but also for mid-size bikes in the 250-400cc class. One customer even enrolled in a driving school to get their license as a result of this campaign, and ended up purchasing a bike from us. In that case, they could also use the ‘Motorcycle License Acquisition Support Campaign’, so the customer was happy, saying, ‘I was able to use the money I saved to pay for my license and buy riding gear.'”
Bike King’s Kashiwa store stocks a wide variety of models, including super sports, naked, American, and scooters. Models that are out of stock can be ordered from other stores, and vehicles purchased at other stores can also be delivered. As an example of the “0% interest loan campaign,” a 2023 Honda XL750 Transalp with 5,712 km on the odometer is being sold for 1,198,000 yen, and the installment interest fee can be reduced by 332,142 yen over 60 payments.
However, Bike King will be paying the interest that should be paid by the user, so won’t this result in a significant drop in profits for the group as a whole?
“To be honest, it’s quite tough if you only think about profits (laughs). However, we’ve talked with Sumitomo Mitsui Card Co., Ltd. and are running the campaign within our means. As I mentioned earlier, our basic philosophy is to be ‘your lifelong partner in the motorcycle life.’ We hope that this campaign will encourage more people to become interested in motorcycles, and that this will lead to a contribution to Japan’s motorcycle culture.”
In the case of a 2020 Ducati Scrambler with 2,965 km on the clock, which is being sold for 688,000 yen, the interest fee will be reduced by 146,337 yen over 48 payments. When purchasing a used car, it is important to pay attention not only to the vehicle price and various fees, but also to the loan interest rate.
In the used car sales business, the turnover rate of used cars is important. Perhaps the purpose of this campaign is to secure future inventory in the hope that the used bikes sold in this campaign will return in a few years due to replacement demand?
“I don’t deny that. However, we are sincere in our desire to offer bikes at a good price to many customers through this campaign, and we hope to build long-term relationships with customers who purchase bikes.”
In the case of the 2021 Honda CB1300 Super Bol d’Or SP shown in the photo, with 834km on the clock, for sale for 2 million yen, you can save 537,800 yen in interest fees over 60 installments. With this much interest difference, you could even buy a 125-250cc bike as a second bike. This is a specially selected model that’s like a new car, so we’re sorry if it sells out. If you’re interested, contact the Kashiwa store right away.
Furthermore, Bike King is considering various user-friendly plans in addition to the November “End of Year Sale Campaign.” Information will be posted on the official website , so those considering buying or selling a bike should check it regularly.
“Bike King” Kashiwa store
Address: 687-1 Kashiwa, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture
Phone number: 047-165-8190
Business hours: 10:30-19:00 (weekdays) / 10:00-19:00 (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays)
Closed: Tuesdays and the fourth Friday of every month
