During my days of temporary transfer to our affiliated company in Europe, I came to recognize some differences between Japan and Europe. One of them was that local staff members referred to themselves as “motorcycle designers.”

I have been with GK Dynamics, a design firm specializing in motorcycle design that belongs to the comprehensive design organization GK Design Group. The designers working at our office seem to be divided into two different categories: those who joined the company aspiring to become a motorcycle designer and those seeking more various design activities including motorcycle design.

Back when I worked in Europe, people’s focus in the world of design already started shifting from the tangible to the intangible. So, it seemed quite natural that the term “motorcycle designer” did not exist in Japan as it appeared to restrict the vast potential of designers.

When I asked the local staff why they used the term motorcycle designer, they explained the reason to me, saying “Even talented or famous designers cannot always produce good motorcycle designs. Motorcycle designers need to understand the mindset of motorcycle riders and the unique functionalities of motorcycles. We should be motorcyclists before being designers.”

Those designers in Europe take pride in their craftsmanship. That’s part of the reason why they have continued to deliver good original designs that can appeal to motorcycle enthusiasts.

We, as designers of GK Dynamics, have a solid foundation of professional craftsmanship that has been inherited from our predecessors. I have become increasingly aware that the recently popular extensive and comprehensive design can only be built on this traditional groundwork. I hope the term “motorcycle designer” will take hold in Japan going forward.

Hiroshi Ohta

Product Design Dept.

Operating Officer