My first motorbike was a 50cc Yamaha Pasola. Although it was more of a bicycle with a motor, it sparked an interest which eventually became my way of life. With a stroke of random luck, I stumbled into the motorbike business about 8 years ago. After having lunch with a friend in Roppongi, a man approached me in the street and asked if I knew where he could buy or rent a few motorbikes for a group of about 30 exchange students. It just so happened that I had some connections, so I agreed to help him out.

Before I knew it, I was an agent for this group of students and it became a part-time job. I was able to develop my interest in motorbikes and enjoyed learning how to repair them, through books and with the help of a close friend who owns a garage. Although martial arts is my true passion and the reason I came to Japan, buying, selling and repairing motorbikes was a way for me to make a living doing something which genuinely interests me.

Officially, I work from 10am to 10pm, but actually I work 24 hours a day. I do business with a lot of people overseas, so I often make and receive phone calls at all hours of the night. I spend most of my day out of the office to meet with customers personally, leaving the showroom and repair shop in the hands of my eight employees. When I have a little free time, however, I still take pleasure in the physical work of repairing my own bike.

It' very important that my customers are happy, so I never do business unless they are completely comfortable, and I never pressure them to buy. They must believe they are getting an honest deal and I never sell a sub-standard bike. As a rider myself, so I know how important it is to feel safe and secure on a motorbike.

Now I ride a 900cc Kawasaki ZX-9R to get around Tokyo and keep up with my busy schedule. One thing I love about living in Tokyo is the rush of city life and the endless possibilities. If you work hard and put all of yourself into something, you can achieve anything here.

Info. Space Motors at 3954-6176.