Buying a motorcyle in Japan 2014

Hello everyone,

I will be in Japan in July as a tourist for one month. I would like to tour Japan in motorcycle and therefore buy one as I arrive.

I have got everything fixed, I just need to know if I can buy a motorcycle as a tourist with a translated motorcycle driving licence??

I was not able to find the answer to this question so far but I am sure this would help many other people.

(There is already a thread on this subject, however this dates back from 2009, and since the alien registration system has changed in 2014 the thread is obsolete so I wanted to start a new one).

Why in the world would you waste all that money just to have it for a month? And at the very least, you'll be looking at 3 or more business days just to get the thing, then you'll have to figure out what to do with it before you leave. Sounds like a huuuuuuuuge hassle to me! Rent one and be done with it; it wont be any more expensive than trying to buy, in terms of both time and money!

The system changed in 2014, but the basic information in that thread is the same. You'll need an International Driving Permit with an unlimited motorcycle endorsement, a juminhyo, and insurance. I don't think you have to prove a parking space like you do for cars, but you'll have to check on that as well.

Hello ScaredDragon,

Thanks for your constructive answer. You seem to have visited most of Japan! Also, I like your cat. Do you make money out of blogging and posting you pictures?

Anyhow, I will stay in Taipei after my ride in Japan, so I figured out that I could ship the bike there. Also, if you consider the cost of renting, which is anywhere between 2300 and 4600 € for the 23 day I would be using it, it is clearly more expensive than a used bike that will do the trip. I have seen decent 2nd hand motorbikes in Japan for 1000 - 1500€.

I understand it is a hassle, but I would like to research the option of buying as well.

The insurance and the driving licence are not an issue in my case, it is the juminhyo. I thought that it could be obtained in just one visit to the prefecture, is that correct?

bfm, I WISH I've visited most of Japan! I'm still getting to many places that are further from where I live, like Kyushu and Shikoku. My goal is to visit every prefecture, but I'm not there yet! And I don't make any money blogging... actually, I'm trying right now to keep my blog out of search engines and the like because of privacy while I'm still working. Once I finish my job, I can publish more openly.

I think it will still be cheaper to rent. Every service through getting a temporary resident card to juminhyo to getting the bike to registering it to sending it home will cost you money, and more importantly, time. Are you willing to spend so much of your vacation dealing with bureaucracy and boring waits in offices? That time is more precious to use sightseeing! What you MAY save in money buying is going to cost you ALOT of time... several days on each side of your vacation. Rent it!

I too recommend you rent. Have a few day or two day trips to here and there. Not the entire trip.

Here's a rare English website of a motorcycle rental shop. However, you will need to bring a translator to the shop on the day you actually rent the bike.

https://www.rental819.com/english/

However, if you must have a bike to tour the country on a motorcycle, well I understand that wish as well. I have been a rider myself for the past 30-several years and I have done long trips on motorcycles.

If you must do it, send me a personal message and if we become friends I might be able to help you.

Hello,
I think you are right, I will rent the motorcycle, and buy one in Taiwan once I reach Taipei.

I am going to record my trip and make a video blog. After I spent one year in Seattle, I created www.objectif-usa.fr, and now its bringing some money in, so I am going to replicate the work for Japan and then for Taiwan.

What is your job in Japan? Is it not to hard to adapt?