Japanese motorbike-cum-toilet causes media confusion
It seemed like a good idea to Japanese toilet manufacturer Toto when the company came up with an ingeniously eccentric three-wheeled motorcycle to publicise its environmental activities.
The tricycle was sustainably powered by biogas fuel made from livestock waste and household wastewater. And to reflect Toto’s main business – that of making lavatories – it was given a toilet seat in place of a saddle.
The Toilet Bike Neo was not meant for commercial sale, but was part of a TV publicity campaign featuring a Japanese celebrity taking part in an 800km ride from Kitakyushu to Tokyo. However, the world’s press put together the phrases “toilet saddle” and “powered by waste” and leapt to the conclusion that the vehicle was being powered by the rider using the toilet en route.
"Lots of English websites wrote misleading articles,"said Toto spokesman Takuji Yano. “Headlines on online news websites include "Poop-Powered Bike: TOTO Releases Motorbike Toilet That Runs On Feces" and: "Japanese toilet company creates poop-powered bike" and: "Toto Toilet Bike Neo - powered by poop - will tour Japan."
The erroneous reports have obviously touched a nerve with Toto which has issued vigorous denials to the press. The company has even issued a statement to any casual English visitor to the company’s Japanese web page that states: “Toilet Bike Neo does not have the mechanism to run off the rider’s waste. Therefore, the Neo Rest seat does not function as a toilet.”
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