Bosozoku 2020
- Dec 26, 2020
- 1 min read
Our friend, and contributor, Larry from New York City Motorcycle, recently moved to Japan where he has created a new business, exporting rare, desirable but affordable bikes and cars to the USA (see more in his @newyorkcitymotorcycles instagram feed, and check the stories for new stock). While in Japan he came across a couple of Bosozoku ride-outs. They remind me very much of superannuated mods in the UK, reliving their youths (or youths they wish they'd had but didn't) dressing up in the uniform for a ride out.
Larry, that's him belwo trying a bozo out of size, sent his thoughts.
The term bosozoku did not appear until the 1970s, when battles between biker groups and the police were a common occurrence.
The scene itself did not coin bosozoku 'Violent speed tribes'. The frequent gang riots created a social frenzy. The media, channeling popular outrage, began referring to teenage motorcycle gangs as bosozoku: violent speed tribes. Despite the attempts by the media to scare the public and push the National Police Agency, bosozoku participation continued to rise.
Along with two stroke-biased noise and smoke, another feature of bosozoku is style. Vivid colors, long and tall fairings and sissy bars are standard bosozoku, along with clothing, helmets and Rising Sun symbols from pre-war imperial Japan.
They ride in packs. You can always tell when they’re coming by the rat-a-tat-tat of their engines revving, before they appear.
Today’s violent speed tribes are a singularly unique mosaic of style, colour, noise and smoke. Without the riots.
The media's coining of "violent speed tribes" to describe the bosozoku shows how easily a label can overshadow the actual culture. It makes you think about how the same kind of narrative framing could apply to new technology, like an AI music generator, when it gets reduced to a simple threat. These riders are a vivid reminder that subcultures resist being defined by outsiders.
Great piece on the bosozoku — the cultural reframing from "violent speed tribes" to nostalgic style tribe is a fascinating arc. One practical note for anyone shooting ride-outs like these on the street: Japanese privacy law (個人情報保護法) is increasingly strict about publishing identifiable faces and license plates of bystanders without consent. Running street photography or video through a tool like blur face in photo — or specifically blurring license plates in video before posting — keeps the aesthetic intact while staying on the right side of it.
This is a really fascinating insight into Bosozoku culture! The unique bike designs and rebellious spirit are truly impressive. Great read for anyone interested in Japanese subcultures sso id
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The media's role in coining "bosozoku" as a term for these ride-out groups is a fascinating detail from this piece. I’ve been using an ai vocal remover to isolate engine sounds from vintage motorcycle videos, and it really helps capture that distinct two-stroke rattle.