Manufacturer Asian, esp. Japanese | ||
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Also called Rice machine, rice rocket, rice grinder, or ricer | ||
Rice burner is a pejorative, used as early as the 1960s, originally describing Japanese motorcycles, then later applied to Japanese cars, and eventually to Asian-made motorcycles and automobiles in general. The term most often refers to vehicles manufactured in East Asia, where rice is a staple food. Variations include rice rocket, referring most often to Japanese superbikes, rice machine, rice grinder or simply ricer.
The adjectival variation riced out describes the result of "overmodifying a sports compact, usually with oversized or ill-matched exterior appointments". Rice boy is a US derogatory term for the driver or builder of a import-car hot rod. The terms may disparage cars which have been cheaply modified to present a deceptive or cosmetic appearance of high performance, without the capability.
The term is often defined as offensive or racist stereotyping. In some cases users of the term assert that it is not offensive or racist, or else treat the term as a humorous, mild insult rather than a racial slur.