Hillclimbing Fuji is always fun and often frought with weather challenges. September is typhoon season but still has a decently long day of sunlight at 12.5hrs. so with a long weekend to allow for prep and copious salutations to the Weather Gods on Saturday, riding on Sunday and recovering on Monday, it was go for the first Fuji 500.  32 signed up, but…

Started the day at the crack of dawn walking out the door at 4:15am and it was already 30° and muggy, but stars were visible overhead. Could be worse.

Took 40 minutes to get out near the start where I ran into Tada at the pre-start gas station. We ended up riding the whole day together. This was the recommended gas station before the start because starting at 5:30am on a Sunday and heading out into twistyville meant no gas till 8am or 160km into our long course route.

The Hypermotard Mono I was on and Tada’s Streetfighter V4 would be representing team Red. Our third ‘team Red rider’ had suffered a puncture on his multistrada and wouldn’t make it. Too bad Giuseppe, next time.

Getting to the start at @5:10, the sky was glowing magnificently and there were already several there including Tony and Keiji who’d make up our team of four as well as Neil, Mike and Sam and their team of thundering KTM Superdukes.

There were some new and known faces and as the rain started to fall, I forgot the usual ride intro and making myself known and instead, we all just kitted up and headed out.

They say you need a little rain to make a rainbow. We had some spots and drops here and there that scared a bunch of the field out of the run along with a couple of dead batteries and two down with the flu before they even left their beds.

Yes, I got your messages. Yes, I cared and lamented not seeing you there. No, I didn’t prefer replying to messages to riding. 😆 Sure you all understand. See you all next time. 👍

On the long course, we hit our first hiccup with a tunnel that wouldn’t open till 7am. So, we found another way to the Doshi and the run west.

Rain would hit us here n there, it got especially heavy as we headed up away from Yamanakako and south over Mikuni Touge. Wasn’t too bad though because it was warm.

First ascent was up the Fuji Azumi Line. The run up was awesome. Quite wet here and there with plenty of leaves testing the traction control but no rain falling and the HyperMono and I found our groove snaking on up to 19995m quicksmart.

We passed some short course riders who were ahead of us and coming down as we were going up which was great to see with all the nods and waves.

Nice and cool and our first panoramic view out over the tops of the clouds.

Really lifted our spirits to see all that blue sky and feel the sun on the face. Was only around 20°c though.

Was keen as to get twisting again on the HyperMono, but we had to go back down again and swinging around the south of Fuji, just as we were passing Fuji Safari Park, the rain started again. And it didn’t let up till we were well up Fuji again some 50-60km later.

We did catch Neil and Sam again just as we pulled in for fuel at the first recomnended fuel stop about 60km in. Always good to catch up to some fellow Twistybutters but as we pulled in to gas up, they turned north for the run up the Fuji Skyline and thundered aeay.

Back at the bowser, a quick calculation after filling the tank, suggested the HyperMono was managing somewhere between 23 and 25 kilometres per litre. With it’s 12 litre tank that meant potentially 250km between stops…but my butt was just starting to let me know that a stop every 150km would be more preferrable.

Seeing the 2100m marker on the snaking cholllimb up the Fujinomiya ascent of the Fuji Skyline had the HyperMono in full swing sailing out of the misty cloud and clinging moisture into sharp cold dry air. Spring morning type air. The kind that gets your senses going and fuels optimism. That last 300 metres took no time and I could’ve kept riding it as long as the road unfurled ahead…

We were all on top of the world pulling into the parking and despite the cold, Tony saw 15°c, we stripped off the wet gear and let the dry air work its magic and the sun warm the goosebumps off the skin.

After a 20-30 minute break, we headed back down dreading the rain but the weather almost shone on us and we got little more light drizzle and soon we started to see dry lines here and there. Yes!

Pit stopped for a snack before the western-loop, Keiji confessed it was his wife’s birthday and he’d better get back, but he’d be stopping for an onsen on the way. 😆 Oh boy!

That left the three of us to do the western-loop and we conquered. Was hot out there on the western lowlands though.

Before our next ascent we fuelled the steeds and ourselves for what we was to be the last leg of three hillclimbs.

The western Fuji ascent is a gem in the rough, if you can avoid getting too lost early on andand then get past the crap bit. 😆

But once you do, it just gets cooler and cooler and the road smoother and more predictable. I like that road and the HyperMono did to, too. Especially those huge culverts.

Third peak at 1885 metres. @23° too.

Magic views.

Didn’t want to get off. Such a great bike!

Cheers for the snap T.

I’d lead us up the last ascent and as the twisties turned into mega windies going up the Subaru Line on our fourth ascent, Tony took the lead on the big Versus 1000 and galloped off ahead. Good times!

On our second highest ascent, up at around 2300 metres, I really started to appreciate this ride. It has it all. Grand hillclimbs, epic views, amazing variety of roads not an eon away and a real bonding opportunity for bike and rider.

The red racing goat and I were getting along famously!

The final ascent was the Takizawa Rindo. Only 1845 metres, hah, but the twistiest of the lot. There seemed to be some sort of shrine reverence going on about 2/3 the way up that day which brought more cars than expected but we made it and ticked off number 5 and the final ascent.

Back in the lowlands, Tony made for the expressway to get the rental Versus back before it turned into a pumpkin or sent him temporarily broke.

Tada and I soldiered on and soon filed straight into the Sunday return traffic crawl  of the city dwellers syphoning into the Doshi…

It wasn’t pretty, efficient or pleasurable but we made it to the final fuel stop at the Kygnus halfway along the Doshi. And here, Tada and I said farewell as he headed for the Chuo Expressway and I for the Gusto and the finish…

Rolling in around 7pm with 540km and 13.5hrs on the Hypermotard Mono’s clock, the ride was in the bag!

Fair effort.

The Gusto was packed and the short course Twistybutts had already been n gone so I remounted the red racing goat, thoroughly twistybutted out and soldiered down the road…thinking…we need a Doshi alternative and a better finishing spot for NEXT year.

Hope to see those who couldn’t make it and plenty of new faces there next year for what will hopefully be the 2nd annual Fuji 500!

So we’ve done three Twistybutts so far this year, the Coast to Coast, Mountain Day and now Fuji 500, can we get one more Twistybutt in to see out the unheated riding season for this year?… Let’s see…

The Hypermotard Mono was graciously supplied by Ducati Japan and quickly became one of my favourite rides in years! If you are looking for a twisty steed, do put this on your list. It’s a special bike. Ride review coming soon.