West Malaysia loop ride

It is really easy for people to get excited about motorcycle travel. There is the lure of the open road, the adventure in exploring new places, and the friendships that are made along the way. It is not difficult to understand why people are simply drawn to this form of travel. The WMLR2011 drew its fair share of interested riders. Here are the folks who are joining me in this adventure.

To give you a better idea of the gang, I have asked each of them a series of questions. Their answers will reveal much more of who they really are than any write up. So have a read and get to know the gang!

Alex (aka Intrepid)

I met Alex in late 2009 when he joined me in one of my local rides. He was riding a small capacity cruiser at that time. Alex had a way of putting me at ease. He has a unique way of making the most mundane things humorous. I find myself bursting into laughter at many of the comments he made on my Facebook wall. Alex joined me for the WMLR2010 ride. His good nature, humour and resourcefulness made a real difference last year. I am looking forward to riding with Alex again for the WMLR2011. Here is how Alex responded to my questions last year…yeah…he is a busy fella! Hahaha!!!

1. How long have you been riding?
I started riding again since November 2008. I rode a Kawasaki GTO and a Suzuki TS125 from Year 1981 to 1983.

2. Why did you start riding?
It is a passion a.k.a. a craze.

3. What do you like most about riding?
The freedom one gets especially when one cruises down a long and winding road.

4. What do you hate most about riding?
The humidity inside the helmet (hope someone invent air-conditioned helmet soon).

5. What is your favourite bike?
My favourite bike is Hardley Davidson V-ROD.

6. What bike(s) are you riding now?
Currently, I am riding a Honda Phantom and Honda Steed 400.

7. Why are you going for this loop ride?
For the freedom and the companionship.

8. What bike will you be bringing for this ride?
Honda Steed 400.

9. What is the most important item you will be bringing for this ride?
The Zeal in riding.

SA (aka swiftee)

I met SA when I organized a BBQ for bikers in April 2010. I remember meeting many people that day for the first time. People whom I had interacted with in the Singapore Bikes Forum but never had a chance to meet. It was great fun! Fast forward to the present in January 2011 and I am amazed to say that I have yet to have the opportunity to ride with SA! SA has a passion for the more classic motorcycles and this is evident in the bikes that she currently owns. I will leave you to find out more about SA through her responses to my questions. Enjoy!

(There is no photograph of SA available at this time…so you will have to use your imagination based on the answer below!)

1. How long have you been riding?
Can’t recall, my license says 2006, you do the math.

2. Why did you start riding?
When I was in school for reasons that I can no longer recall, I liked bikes a lot. Which is kinda strange cause my family members don’t ride and nobody I knew rode bikes. Maybe I liked them cause kids like badass noisy fast dangerous things and somehow I never grew out of it.

3. What bike(s) are you riding now?
Yamaha RD350LC “Elsie”, Honda XL200, Suzuki DR200 (sub-ride), Yamaha DT125 (sub-ride).

4. What is your dream bike?
I don’t really have a dream bike per se cause to me every bike is an individual, they are great in some ways and not so good in others, some of the ways are obvious, others you won’t know until you have to live with the bitch.At the end of it they are all piles of metal and plastic, one day they will all corrode and rust into the ground, in the end it’s what you do with the bike that makes it memorable.If asked to choose a favourite bike I suppose it would be the RD350LC (which I already own). She’s a very nice characterful 2 stroker. Getting on in years and technology now but when you ride her, there’s nothing on the road quite like her. Looks like a pleasant looking, practical streetbike e.g. super4 but when she goes, she goes off in a blast of noise and smoke, flipping all the environmentalists and law-abiding citizens one with the smoke, noise, crazy powerband and 80s handling. Only legal in terms of emissions and sound levels cause she’s registered in the 80s which is when laws were lax, Japanese companies sold production racers with lights off the shelf, and bikes were crazy and awesome.

5. Why are you going for WMLR2011?
Cause I couldn’t join the Krabi trip cause I am attending the 2XU run on the day everyone sets off. And on the same day Alex was kind enough to inform me of this ride. (Thanks Alex!)

6. What bike will you be riding on WMLR2011?
The little Honda XL200. I am aware that I am probably the smallest bike going. But no way am I going to bring the LC because she’ll probably get stolen. Hopefully everyone doesn’t mind waiting for me… [Ed: waiting for you? hmmm….]

7. What is the most important item you will be bringing for WMLR2011?
Money. With money you can get a plane ticket home if anything goes wrong.

8. What are you looking forward to in WMLR2011?
Have a good time. Meet new people.

LPG (aka Lim)

LPG found out about the WMLR2011 through Alex. They met during one of the trips organized by the Singapore Bikes Forum last year. I met up with LPG for the first time when he turned up for the pre-trip meeting at my place. The WMLR2011 is going to be the first long motorcycle tour for LPG…and he could not have chosen a better way to inaugurate his touring experience. And in case any of you were wondering…LPG does not stand for Liquid Petroleum Gas! Here is how LPG answered my questions.

1. How long have you been riding?
2.5 years.

2. Why did you start riding?
For fun!

3. What bike(s) are you riding now?
Honda Shadow 400.

4. What is your dream bike?
Yamaha Vmax… maybe.

5. Why are you going for WMLR2011?
To try touring.

6. What bike will you be riding on WMLR2011?
Honda Shadow 400.

7. What is the most important item you will be bringing for WMLR2011?
My bike of course!

8. What are you looking forward to in WMLR2011?
Having fun.

Karl (aka karlmarx)

I received a message one day, out of the blue, in my Facebook account from Karl in early January 2011. He found my Facebook account after reading the WMLR2010 blog and was interested to join this ride. Karl had been riding for awhile and has experience touring on his motorcycle for awhile now. I met him for the first time at the pre-trip meeting at my place as well. I gotta say I really like the quote that he included in one of his answers to my questions. Have a read.

1. How long have you been riding?
I have been riding for 9 years.

2. Why did you start riding?
When I was a kid, I was an avid cyclist. I enjoy feeling the wind in my face. It was during army that I decided to go for my motorcycle lesson. I bought my first bike shortly – a scrambler – with my savings and it was a blast.

“In a car you’re always in a compartment, and because you’re used to it you don’t realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You’re a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame. On a cycle the frame is gone. You’re completely in contact with it all. You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.” [Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M. Pirsig]

3. What bike(s) are you riding now?
I am riding a scooter now. Kymco Granddink 250.

4. What is your dream bike?
I like the BMW R1200GS as it represents the adventurous me, and the Ducati 1098 for my speed demonic self.

5. Why are you going for WMLR2011?
It’s been more than 1 year since my last bike trip. The thing that interest me is that WMLR is not the typical NSHW kind of road trips. It is really not the destination but the journey that draws me in.

6. What bike will you be riding on WMLR2011?
A humble scoot.

7. What is the most important item you will be bringing for WMLR2011?
My spirit for adventure.

8. What are you looking forward to in WMLR2011?
Look forward to cruising on long uninhibited winding mountain roads.