YAMAHA SRX ride with the creator himself! Mr. Ichijo!

I started to ride this now ultra-rare but still loved by hundreds of riders all over the world, “Yamaha SRX” six months ago, and found out that there was a solid reason why this bike is still so timelessly beautiful.

It was designed by Mr. Ichijo@ GK Design. That's why.

Thanks to Facebook, (yes, there is still something to thank Facebook every now and then) and Mr. Takita who owns a red one, I had a chance to hang out with the creator of my amazing bike over the weekend.

Story was simple enough. He and his team set out to built a bike they wanted to buy and ride themselves. NO compromise. Not a copy of British single-piston bike design and had to reflect the art of Japanese sensibility. In a nutshell, It had to be new, original yet beautiful in a sense that will become a future single-cylinder sports bike heritage originated in Japan.

All this against the backdrop of the usual Japanese corporate bureaucracy, and the racer-replica craze that was going around that time, It is simply amazing that Mr. Ichijo managed to convince people at Yamaha by his vision and design that this bike HAD to be made.

Here is a short clip I made from the trip. Didn’t have much time to shoot and it rained all day the next day so couldn’t shoot much but I decided to add the phrases from the original Japanese catalogue, along with the principles they had when they were working on this project. Some of the sentences were bit tricky to translate not just because of the language, but because it is so 80s😝,

I personally like the last line from the catalogue, “ For the few who feel the same...” 😊

Shot on Osmo Pocket and Edited on Luma Fusion on my iPad mini.

[tomk]

Wonderful! I have two SRX's and they are my favorite bikes to ride...and to look at!

[neilb]

Uncle preordered his and passed it down to me. Wonderful bike to learn and grow on. The first time I actually overtook my pop on his 900ss on a twisty was special. Of course we later traded bikes and he got me right back!

[R-bobo]

A beautiful ergonomically designed & wonderful machine to ride.

[bashi]

最近のお気に入り動画です。
朝出かけ前に見ると気分上昇します、
バックに流れる音楽いいねー。
最後にエンジン音で動画が消えていくのもワクワクする。
ありがとう。

[motourbananet]

Great. Regards from Mendoza, Argentina. Thanks for sharing.

[aurorebaron]

From France …. I love this machine….Many thanks Mr Ichijo

[ooo.coreltd]

I have SRX4, 1986 year. It is rusty and old, but it is very excellent, durable and safe.
Many thanks to its creator!

[hugodeckers]

Hundreds ? Thousands ! Had two.. loved them..

[jmileshc]

For the twisting bends in the roads ahead.

[desmonddevoughn]

Im from Phillipines 38yrs old i have restored srx 400 amd im happy to build it fully restored 😊

[purebloodheretic]

What a Legend - The SRX is a sweet little Thumper! 🤍🇦🇺👍

[joelmedalloii]

wow! i am so glad to have 1 for myself, i am currently restoring a SRX-4 1JL model. yamaha bikes are tough and cool

[stevelake]

wow!, love it, i have 3 srx's, and have owned a total of 9, the one thing i'd really like to do is meet the creator (of the srx :-) )
tell him what a great job he made of my favourite machine.

[ianr]

I have restored/rebuilt 8 (or is it 9?). What a wonderful machine. Still love to ride my present 3VN at every opportunity 😊

[hugodeckers]

Fun bike! Had two of them. Onenew bought in 1991 (twin shock) -1994. Second one 2011-2020

[marioalbertocubillovega]

I have the srx400, excellent motorcycle but as it has gone with the vibrations they vibrate too much exceeding 100km/h

[PanamaSticks]

The guy who kicked the bike over with all the weight on the kickstand is going to wind up with a bent kickstand. Get on the bike, raise the kick stand, put your weight on your left foot ON THE PAVEMENT, and kick start the bike with the right foot. (Unless of course, you are left footed.)