2007 Kawasaki Tour - 1 Photo Gallery

Strangers in a strange land, our Kawasaki Japanese adventure continues with a trip to the Good Times World and the Maritime Museum, as well as a tour through the Akashi Works motorcycle plant. Check out the full story in Touring Japan with Kawasaki Part 1 and Part 2.

This Concours gets put through the wringer to check if its got what it takes to be a Kawasaki - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

This Concours is on its way to the dyno room for a final check-up - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

A few Concours 14 and Z750 wait their turn at the final inspction station beofre being herded towards the shipping department - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

These Concours 14 are in a state of suspended animation - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Don't despair, there are hundreds of excellent photos that will be revealed during the next installments of the Kawasaki Tour so make sure to check the gallery out on each one.

A row of black Concours 14s are headd our way - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Look at the shiny new bodywork, untouched tires and perfect paint - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Which color do you prefer? Silver or black? I like silver - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

The product is closer and closer to being complete. Just a few more pieces... - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Toss on the wheels and move on down the line. More Concours assembly line action - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Imagine a time when pneumatic tools were merely a dream. I bet she takes this technology for granted! - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

How long would it take to remember which part goes where without a diagram? Yikes! - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Women and men work hard to make sure that the Kawasaki motorcycles are put together correctly and if you have ever routed cables and wires on your own bike even one time, you can have sympathy for this gal and her co-workers who do it 1000 times per day! Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Concours' on the assembly line - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Here's the frames with wiring harness' installed and ready to move onto the next stage - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Concours motors were arriving by the truckload - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Kawasaki Concours 14 motors wait their turn at being mated to a freshly painted monocoque frame - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Inside out and top to bottom the quality control is always on the prowl in this facility - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

The endless supply of frames and hard parts seems overwhelming to outsiders but the workers know exactly what is going on here - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Here's more Concours 14 swingarms than you can shake a stick at - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

We may be wrong but these look like unfinished 650R frames to us - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

A Kawasaki employee inspects what appears to be a ZX frame as they return from the coating booth on a conveyor - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Freshly painted Concours 14 frames await the next step in their transformation from raw alloy to rolling chassis - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

These transports were miling around Akashi Works, loaded with hard parts like this endless supply of fresh-picked headers.

Workers assemble these bikes by hand every day. Their amazing effort results in about 1000 units being produced at this plant every single day - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

In the motor assembly area the nearly finished motors get inspected one final time before going on to be installed farther down the line - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

An endless stream of brand-spanking new Concours 14 motorcycles were rolilng off the assembly line like hot cakes baby - yeah! - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

A few hundred raw Concours 14 frames await their turn in the paint booth - Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

Before entering the plant we were informed that we would be punished accordingly is we dared to take video or photos without permission. And we did not have permission so we didnt do it.

At last we had arrived at the Kawasaki motorcycle plant. We had our blue hats on and we are ready to see what all the fuss is about.

That looks like a Dangerous dude on the right of this picture doesn't it?

On the way to the Akashi Works facility where tthe Kawasaki motorcycles are churned out at a rate of 1000 units per day. Are we cute in our little blue hats or what?

The Kawasaki Tour of Japan 2007 included a who's who of motorcycle media. We even tossed in a few automotive editors for good measure. Say cheese!

The viewing area for the Akashi Bridge included this massive ferris wheel with air conditioned cars so you could get a safe and cool look at the big bridge.

The suspension cables utilized on the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge are massive. This display is a cross secion that shows the individually wrapped steel rods that make up these amazing cables.

The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge is also known as Pearl Bridge in Japan. At 12,831 ft it is the longest suspension bridge in the world.

Here's a shot out the window of the bus as we crossed the Akashi Bridge. Check out the ferris wheel in the distance. That woudl be our next stop.

Crossing the Akashi Bridge was cool. It is only the longest suspension bridge on the planet.

Shu-san, you look so happy in this picture. That's because he hasn't really got to know us yet! Muah-ha-ha-ha...

The Yamato-1 is the first superconducting watercraft in the world. With no moving parts in the propulsion system it uses electrmagnetic energy to pull itself through the water. It is on display in front of Good Times World.

Kawasaki Tour - Japan 2007

On the waterfront was the Kawasaki Good Times World and Maritime Museum. Everything is big in Japan!

When we arrived at Okura Hotel we were greeted by Shu. Little did we know that Shu and I were going to become friends later on as we forced him to do things he didn't want to do. We were the people his mother warned him about.

The view from the Okura Hotel was amazing.

We finally arrived in Kobe after flying fromTokyo after flying overseas from the USA. Then we had to get on a bus to the hotel. Want some cheese with that whine?

One thing about a tour of Japan: You have to spend a lot of time in the sky. Thank you to Kawasaki for flying us business class to Tokyo!

The infamous Kawasaki KR350 Grand Prix racer was piloted to the last 350cc Grand Prix class title in 1982 by Anton Mang of Germany.

The Japanese Superbike round at Autopolis featured the most colorful paddock that we've seen in quite some time. After watching the races on Sunday, we got to actually ride on the track the following day. Sometimes, life is very good.