Style Rider, Sachi Yamamura – Harley Davidson XLH

Style Rider aims to document the world’s most stylish motorcycle riders, be they riders of classic, custom or cafe racer steeds. Focused on the intersection of motorcycle culture with individual style, here we speak to ex-Tokyo and now Sydney based Sachi Yamamura about her inspiration for riding vintage Harleys.

Name: Sachi Yamamura

Residence: Sydney, Australia

Occupation: Floor Manager at a Japanese restaurant and Publisher of Saachilog, a website for Japanese people looking to move to Sydney.

Today’s ride: 1983 Harley Davidson XLH with a wholly rebuilt top-end.

Describe your style: I like to wear ‘motorcycle casual’. Practical items that you can wear riding like Engineer boots from Chippewa, a sheepskin jacket in the colder months and the blanket lined denim shirt I am wearing from Japanese brand Iron Heart.

Favourite items: I love the sound of my Harley as I ride the city streets. It makes me feel alive.

Next purchase: A leather motorcycle bag in the satchel style. I am looking for something I can keep using for a long time; something that will gain the marks of wear, and look better for it.

Style inspiration: My husband Takeshi is a significant influence as he is so passionate about riding vintage Harleys. There is also a magazine in Japan called Vibes about living and riding Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Best local ride: The Royal National Park south of Sydney.

Best distance ride: The 100 kilometres from Tokyo to Yamanashi in Japan.

Next trip: I would like to ride the 1,000 kilometres from Sydney to Melbourne and the shorter 300 kilometres to Canberra.

Why do you like riding? I find it refreshes the mind and body. It is so different from driving a car, where the destination is the most important thing in your mind.