Pictures from Nagasaki

In Japan for work at the moment. Had a stroll around and took a few snaps. Other blogs may bring you artful pictures of fastidiously crafted old school customs from legendary Japanese builders and images of Land of the Rising Sun vintage motorcycle style fetishists. Not here baby, here're some amateur snaps of strange mopeds and a knackered old bicycle.....

Honda Gyro Canopy delivery tricycle.

Honda Gyro X. Folks in the UK scoffed when Honda brought
out the Stream three wheeler model in 1981 after the fiasco of the
ill-fated Ariel 3. The relationship between the two designs is in
the patent - the concept was from G L Wallis and Son in Surbiton,
Surrey, UK. Both the Ariel 3 and the Honda three-wheelers share
the same concept but that is where it ends. Not that there was too
much wrong in the basic Ariel 3 design, the problems lay in the
manufacture and marketing. The Gyro has a 50cc two stroke with a
continuously variable transmission and limited slip diff for loose surfaces.

This old delivery cycle was a prop outside a shop. It's way different
from British designs and shows a different approach to the design
of a simple concept. Whereas British delivery cycles carried the weight
of the load through the frame the whole of the luggage carrier
on the Japanese cycle is attached to the forks and the load
steers with the wheel. The design will allow for a far greater
weight to be carried (check out the extra heavy duty motorcycle size
 front wheel) but the flipside is it will steer like an absolute pig.

Another Gyro X but a newer model.

Yamaha YB1. The update of the old 'Fizzy'. Very similar to the
old model but with a four stroke motor, looking very similar to
the Honda Cub unit.