Mucas Clown: History Lesson

Now with 20% more size and 40% less of the focus you love!

No really, bigger then normal. So do whatever the hell you want with the top photo.

On the side cover of my bike, for the past couple years in sharpie marker, continually retraced, reads "Commodore Mathew C. Perry and his Black Steam Ships"

When I first got this bike, it hadn't been registered since 1991 (and most likely not started since then either). Sloppy Sin helped me get it running again, and I rode it in it's stock glory for a few months to work and around Ventura. Poor piston rings and sitting for years, made it pump black smoke out the exhaust and in 4th gear oil would come out of the head breather, much like a steam ship. Trust me, it was a lot of smoke!

Here's where Mr. Perry found his way onto my "Black Steam Ship".

Commodore Perry was the head honcho in charge of the large fleet of American Ships, which in essence, forced the Japanese to open up trade to the United States. At the time only the Dutch and Chinese were allowed trade with Japan.

I'm sure it went something like this,

"Soooo.... ya, we know you guys are a peaceful nation, and have beautiful traditions and a way of life so simple, efficient, clean and well designed it's really hard to rap our head around. And ya that's cool, do what you want, it works. I've been actually thinking about picking up a pair of those wooden sandals you guys have for Mrs. Perry. But anyway, you got cool shit, and we want in. I mean you trade with the dutch. Their flag is all orange. How boring. We want in on that shit. I don't even really know what you have, but we're America and this is the space race...I mean imperialism, I mean were just average guy's.... so you should trade with us. Or well blow you up with our magical bang bang bang thing. So I'm going to let you guys talk it over, me and my crew is going to go down and see what the Taiwan strip joints are like and well be back in a bit with more of your new friends who love flexing that second amendment thing we got in the states. Boys lets roll, and we out!"

By forcing Trade with America, Matthew C. Perry essentially started the modernization of Japan. (Trust me it wasn't Tom Cruise in that one movie) With modernization, comes technology. And with technology we have modern forms of transportation like cars, guns, and motorcycles.

In the span of 100 years Japan would have a full scale Navy and be a major player in WWII.

In Honda CB77 Superhawks of the 60's were some of the most technological bikes of the time. All this development in such short time, would never had happen were it not for the goofy looking man below and his black steam ships.

"The term "Black Ships", in Japan, would later come to symbolise a threat imposed by Western technology."

Below is the flag flown on Perry's ship the first time the black steam ships entered Japanese harbors. Flown from Annapolis, Md to the surrender ceremonies at the end of WWII.