Honda VFR1200F launch: Even the toilet has ABS

Tue, 20 Oct 2009

Just touched down in Tokyo after a twelve-hour flight from Heathrow and, as a total Japan virgin, I can tell you it’s all as weird as you’d probably imagine. Check out my hotel room’s toilet with inbuilt electronic arse power washing facility. Going to check that bad boy out as soon as I’ve filed this copy. What could possibly go wrong?

We’re here for the launch of Honda’s VFR1200F and we’ll get our first sneak preview at tomorrow’s 41st Tokyo motorshow which is about an hour from our Hotel. Tokyo is ridiculously massive and what looks like a ten minute cab ride on the map is actually an hour and forty minutes.

Our itinerary for this six day trip is going to keep us busier than a one-armed wall paper hanger. After the Tokyo motorshow (Wed), we’re taking the bullet train up to Sugo where we ride the bikes on Thursday then on Friday we fly down to the very southern tip of the island for a Honda factory visit, then it’s back to Tokyo by plane for a day at the Honda museum and some sightseeing.

I’ll report back after the show tomorrow night. Oh and we’re nine hours ahead here so we’ll be going into the show on Wednesday morning just as you’re going to bed on Tuesday night….

By Mark Forsyth