Softypapa's New Bicycle - Japanese Mamachari

[acomasters]

I wish they sold this type of bike in the US...

Seems like we have something against bikes that are actually practical for everyday transportation.

[Disanne777]

wow, I paid 5 000 for mine and it was strong as a horse, only one basket though...

[WXB1973]

i hope you're safe there in japan bro.

[tbone1143]

Well Kurt, its a year and a half since you did this video, but I never saw it b4. Very nice bike, how is it holding up for you after all this time? Doug =)

[camry5sfe]

I'm a big fan of mamachari bike, too. I wish they sell it in the US.

[fuzzypaws17]

haha it's a girl's bike

[randomnekokid]

dude, i love your bike and your videos. i'd like to get one of those bikes and i'd love to take a trip to japan. is it nice all year round or just in the summer or spring?

[trinoma88]

very nice bike!

[welwisher]

0:22

I have to say that I wonder about the safety of your camera during these kinds of shots, or how many times you double back to retrive it, or just how many cameras you have in general. :)

[softypapa]

@welwisher Thank you for your concern. I have so far only lost the camera one time though I was thankfully able to find it after only a short search. ~Kurt :-)

[p0611010]

white guy wearing helmet and riding a bicycle is almost mormorist in japan.

[trx1961]

that is sssooo awsome! wish they built those for us in the USA!

[ooMATTiAoo]

hey dude!! im going to japan this coming october, and ill have to live in tokyo for at least a year. i heard that the locals use bycicles to travel around, how much is it for a mamachari?? (ill be searching for a cheap one, i need the rest of the money for more important stuff, like beer and sigarettes for example.. :D)

[thaihungthinh]

where I can buy a mamachari bike like this one here in So California?

[manudo]

That's awesome.

[idkyoo]

i want one.... if possible you can buy a cheaper mamachari and put it on ebay i can buy? ;D

[nilcouak]

Hi and thanks you very much for this great video. Have a nice and safe ride.

[c00lb0y10]

mamachari was nv my thing -_- but man you're so lucky being able to ride home looking at a countryside surrounding! im jealous

[nakajima21]

do you know how to ship that kind of bicycle...I'm a jitensha collector,and im from the philippines...im hoping to have one soon...

[idkyoo]

nice bike and awesome locking system. by any chance you would know if there is a similar model of mamachari in the US? would be really helpful if you knew a name. thanks!

[diamencik1]

How much You pay for this Bike?

[softypapa]

Hello diamencik1, This bicycle cost roughly 55,000 yen (about $600.00 USD). -Kurt

[toddatron]

Thanks for wearing a helmet !!! Nice vid.

[AgentWD40]

I've just moved to Japan from Canada and I have a bike that needs it's tires pumped. I saw that someone else alredy asked how to do it and you've replied but unfortunately it didn't help. The tire stems are different here me. I've tried 3 different pumps and have managed to release more air then pump into the tire. Actually, the tires are now worse. I get the Europ and N American style but not the Japanese style tier stem. Could you post a vid of you pumping the tire so we can see?

[softypapa]

Hello AgentWD40 (great name by the way), I'm sorry that you have experienced some trouble putting air into the tires of your Japanese bicycle. When I do this I open the stem until I begin to hear air coming out. I then attach the pump and put in air. When I am finished I must quickly tighten the stem or air will be lost quickly. I hope that this helps. -Kurt :-)

[fuzzers95]

Hey softypapa! I also am very interested in Japanese culture and hope to move to the countryside also (not big on cityies) I love and enjoy all of your videos. I am recentley learning Japanese not that good yet a lot of confusing things. When did you decidde to move to Japan and why. Also recently I've become obsessed with tanuki and tanuki legends they're so cool.

[softypapa]

Hello fuzzers95, Thank you for watching and commenting. I hope that you have a chance to come live in the Japanese countryside. I first became interested in Japan in college and decided to move here after my wife (Japanese) and I had our little girl, Emily. I share your interest in Tanuki and hope you will have a chance to see some real Tanuki when you come to Japan. Please let me know if you come to Shizuoka as I will be happy to give you a countryside tour. -Kurt :-)

[WaruiTanuki]

@fuzzers95 Yes!  We are! :D

[softypapa]

@WaruiTanuki Great! If you would like to go on an outing in the countryside here then please let me know ahead of time an I can try to work out a good day to meet. I hope we have that chance to go exploring in the countryside! ~Kurt :-)

[REXMARX003]

Nice bike, I wish these were more available in USA

[saab1255]

it is so chrome. I want one & covert it to Dekochari!!

[penfolduk78]

how the heck do you pump the tires?....please

[softypapa]

Hello penfolduk78, This bicycle has a stem for receiving a pump head just like most other bicycles. Therefore I just use a regular household bicycle pump. I hope that this answers your question. -Kurt :-)

[maxv]

the bike looks plain and classic but really high-tech! awesome

[buzzard5000]

I wouldn't mind taking a closer look at the inner workings of that rear hub in the bicycle.

[22heloise22]

Thanks for post. It will help me assemble my bike in the US that I took on the plane with me.

[XOXOhiroXOXO]

Your bycicle is a nice mamachari!!

It has a more modern steering than mine.;p

[allgoo19]

As far as utility bicycles go, Japanese mamacharis are the best, beat Netherland's version hands down!!

I hope rest of the world start using utility bicycle more.

I love the idea of power assisted bicycles and am hoping it encourages un-fit people to start using bicycles the way they can.

By the way, excellent ending, sotypapa. ^_^

[hlhover]

Hey Kurt, really cool new bike. Can you believe Greg and I still have our Schwinn bikes that we bought over 20 years ago. You'll have yours for many years to come!!

[softypapa]

Hello Heather, I can believe it as Schwinn has indeed made some good bicycles! I hope that I will have my current bicyle as long as you have had yours. I kinda doubt it though as I typically put on many kilometers each day and tend to beat my bicycles into the ground with hard (and fun!) riding. Here's to giving it the old college try though! -Kurt :-)

[Windowlicker77]

Wow great new bike you will enjoy this one it looks like! Nice features!!

[Jackmyster99]

Where in Japan did you film this? it's looks so beautiful.

~Jack

[softypapa]

Hello Jack, We live in the small community of Yada within the city of Shizuoka. Shizuoka is about halfway between Tokyo and Kyoto and very close to Mt. Fuji. The area gets lots of rainfall and the mountains are green all year long. Thanks for watching and commenting! -Kurt :-)

[allgoo19]

In addition to softypapa's explanation, omote Nihon(front side of japan, meaning Pacific ocean side of the Honshu mountain ridges) has lots of rain fall for about a month in May called Baiuki. In addition to this, the part of Shizuoka-ken, specially city of Numazu has year round supply of water from melting snow from Mt. Fuji. It's like the nature knows when to give the rain fall.

[Luminasita]

*giggles* Your call at the end is awesome. I never thought a bike could be so interesting, yours really has an impressive design! The lock mechanism was, I think, the neatest thing. Can't wait to see some adventures with it! :)

~Kat

[softypapa]

Hi Kat, It was fun making this little video and I'm glad that I had a chance to preserve an image of the bike in pristine condition before I begin riding it into the ground. My last Bridgestone endured my tourture for nearly five years and I hope that this one will last even longer. I promise to do my best to record and share any interesting sights I encounter while exploring on my new steed. -Kurt :-)

[Mihorin51]

Your mama chari looks wonderful and expensive. I too go out by my mamachari,

which is quite cheap, though.

Thank you so much for that interesting video. You are so cool! ^_^

[softypapa]

Hello Mihonrin51, Mamachari sure are fun! I hope that you have lots of fun riding yours. I needed to get a strong one because I ride so much and I ride very hard. I hope that this bicycle will last for many years. Have a great day! -Kurt :-)

[davevegas03]

I was just thinking how you needed a new bike... and here you are with one. A very nice one. Hows Emily going to feel on the "Bumped Bump" road?

[softypapa]

Hello Dave, Thanks for reminding me! I actually have some new Bump-a-de-bump footage sitting around waiting to be edited. I'll do it now and upload this evening and you can see how things have changed (and stayed the same) for this fun little activity. -Kurt :-)

[yadsik]

Wow, that's nice SoftyPapa. It looked quite typical at first sight, but it's really quite an amazing machine once you know the details! Very nice! :)

[softypapa]

Hello yadsik, Thanks for this feedback. I too was impressed with the number and type of interesting features available on many new mamachari, and I can't wait to see how this interesting type of bicycle is further improved over time. -Kurt :-)

[kidzero22]

nice bike. i like the locking system. how much do they cost? And do guys ride Mamachari?

[softypapa]

Hello kidzero22, You can get a pretty nice new (used bikes are hard to find) mamacheri here in Japan for under $300.00 USD. I'm looking at the 2009 Bridgestone catalogue now and the cheapest mamachari is the "Decoretta" at about $300.00 while the most expensive is the "Albelt Royal" S-type (belt drive system!) at over $750.00. My bike the "Brave Star" is a mid-range model at just under $500.00. And yes, men do indeed ride mamachari. -Kurt :-)

[hapsap]

That bike looks like it's going to bring you to some great places, which in turn I hope to see in your video's.

Btw did you change your travels into a new segment on your video's? All I can say they look more and more professional, keep up the good work :D

[softypapa]

Hello hapsap, Thank you for your kind words. I did indeed makes some changes to the channel and have added some playlists to help sort the videos by type. I hope that this is helpful. You should be able to find most of the exploring and adventuring videos in the playlist titled "Walking in Japan". -Kurt :-)

[KUSANAGIJOY]

I love 'mama chari' also and have one for myself. ^^

Thats soooooo nice!!

Yokatta desu ne, sofytpapa ^0^/

[Skaijo]

You'd make a good salesman. xD

Well that's certainly by far the fanciest bike I've ever seen. I had a ten-speed growing up, but even that didn't have all the literal bells and whistles. Hoping you best of luck and productivity with it--you should name it too, as that'll make it last longer.

Is mamachari spun off of "Mama's Chariot?"

[DocGt21]

he IS a salesman :D

But you are right, even I thought: "how neat, maybe I should... no wait I have a good bike already. "

[Skaijo]

I may need to get a bike myself in the future--but I'll be living in a far more cluttered city. Plus I could use the walking exercise. :3

[softypapa]

Hello Skaijo, I'm glad that you found the video interesting and thank you for your suggestion that I name this bike. I like this idea and will be thinking this evening of a god name. As for the name mamachari my wife tells me that this is a shortened form of two words "Mama" and "Chrinko" with the first meaning mother and the second meaing bicycle. In short then, mom's bike. -Kurt :-)

[BusanKevin]

Sweet ride! :)

[6663000]

That's what I was going to say :(

haha

[softypapa]

Thanks, BusanKevin and 6663000!

It's nice to get a full size bike again after riding grandma's bike for nine months (grandma gave up bicycle riding some years back). Actually, I became rather attached to grandma's bike as riding it really caused me to slow down and take things in at a slower pace. A good lesson learned. -Kurt :-)