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  • Junk Motor

    Hopper Mag made a trip out to Saitama to hang with Tom Hayashi of Junk Motor. The first thing you are greeted with is a big smile and a really cool welcome. Tom goes out of his way to make sure your set up and enjoy your visit in his corner of the biker world. There’s a lot to see and a lot to understand. Tom takes his time to share and explain this and that about bikes and parts.

    When you see Junk Motor for the first time it is both a crazy kid’s biker bedroom and well organized biker boutique. Your eyes wander everywhere, catching glimpses of a myriad of old parts and sand castes. An attuned on-looker will see right away that Junk Motor carries some of the best parts and the toughest parts to get a hold of in Japan. Walking through this shop is an amazing history lesson and a journey into the past.

  • Tom Hayashi

    Out of an old Izakaya bar came Tom’s dream of Junk Motor. He wanted to make it easier for people in Japan to access old Harley OEM parts and create a better experience for old Harley owners. Supporting Knuckle Heads and Pan Heads is a tough job and Tom will tell you, “you just got to have a drink sometimes to deal with it all”. Amen my brother.

    There is a raw enthusiasm in Tom. He really enjoys what he does and you can see it in his face. He has chosen a life that is not easy; working steadily day in and out wears out any man. Bikers in Japan are a lot like bikers in the US: Some ride everywhere everyday, some wrench all day and night on a project, some write about the scene, while others are the scene.

    But no matter what part of the biker scene in Japan you see yourself in, Tom Hayashi of Junk Motor is there to support it. He cares about what products he puts out on his floor; it’s not just about throwing down what he has a good deal on, its more about the purpose of each item.

    Tom works closely with Hiro Kawaguchi at OLD BIKER to bring products to Japan that meet the needs of old Harley bikers. Working with Hiro brings an even deeper experience to Junk Motor. Hopper Mag will be running a feature very soon on Hiro, and the connections and history between him and Tom Hayashi run deep and long.

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  • Junk Motor Video

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    Tom and the USA

    Tom has been pluggin’ away on his website and blog for about 10 years now and has spent many many days combing the garages and swaps in the US. Tom brings a lot of experience to the game. Be sure to check Tom’s photo blog because even if you can’t read Japanese you’ll appreciate the photos. And who knows…you might learn a thing or too.

    Back in the day Tom spent a lot of time living in the USA and learning. Having been long time friends with Izumi Shirase, from Hot Bike Japan and Dog Town fame, you quickly can see how connected Tom is to street culture. For instance, you can talk to Tom about the difference between living and riding in Glendale vs. living and riding at the beach. Tom is very much in touch with the vibe of US culture.

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  • In an interesting twist, Hopper Mag was speaking with Izumi Shirase about Tom. We learned that his home town is Kasukabe, the sister city of Hopper Mag HQ, Pasadena. I guess it was meant to be. You can guarantee that a Hopper Mag and Junk Motor collaboration will come around soon for all to enjoy.

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