Saturday, December 13, 2008

New Bike

Hi fellas,

It's been a while.

I'm sorry.

Like you said, maybe it's blog fatigue.

I'm happy to be back again.

Thanks for coming back all these while.

Guess what?

I'm planning to change my bike.

Hopefully within a month's time. I have already decided on which bike I want. I'm just waiting for the stock to be available.

Want to guess what bike I'm changing to? :)

Give it a try. I will definitely write a review of my new bike.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Hazard Oriented Vision (HOV) Motorcycling Safety Class

8 November 2008, Saturday, Singapore




Conducted by Endlessloop

To enroll:
http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4756117#post4756117

Friday, July 04, 2008

Pagoh Challeng 2008. Motorcycle Treasure Hunt. Prelude

Pagoh Challeng 2. 12 July 08. Bike Treasure Hunt
The Pagoh Challenge II.
Treasure Hunt on a Bike!



Click this bar to view the full image.



This is a special motorcycling trip.
It combines motorcycling touring, eating, exploring, treasure hunt, adventure and wit. All rolled into one.




You will be treasuring hunting in this area:

Click this bar to view the full image.


^The area of ops is larger than Singapore.


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^Da Vinci Code your way through the Pagoh Challenge 2.
Maps and clues will be given to you.
No need for you to have GPS. No need for you to know the place well.
Just common sense.


This is the second time the Pagoh Challenge is organised. If you missed the first one, this is your chance now.

The first Pagoh Challenge was featured in the singapore motorcycle magazine.
I happened to be the one who wrote the article.


Click this bar to view the full image.


^If you still have this copy, you will find Pagoh Challenge I in it.

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^Some photos of the places the teams went in Pagoh Challenge I.

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^Pagoh Challenge I.


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^Pagoh Challenge I took the teams through this hot spring in Labis.


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^One of the teams enjoying a cool Chendol desert along the country road sides during the hunt.





PAGOH CHALLENGE II

Date: 12th July 2008
Time: 8am Meet @ Petronas 2nd Link

THE PLAN

8am Petronas 2nd Link (breakfast)
10am Durian Run at Pagoh

Noon: Pagoh Challenge 2

This Year Challenge: 4 location to Find
5pm RV : Hakka Yan tau foo Shop @ Yong Peng

Dinner: Kulai Yew Ming
Click this bar to view the full image.


And hunt down the 4 locations (to be made know as the date approaches)

The Challenge is for u and your team to find these location with
the clues given.
No prizes for the 1st team to return...
But the prize are in enjoying the ride thru the quiet roads and
Working with your team to find the 4 locations
It's an exercise to improve your navigation
And a great sense of satisfaction once the challenge is completed!
:icon-thumbsup:
You can form your own team (4 - 6 bikes) or
Just list your name down & I'll assign u to a team.
It is best to Keep team that travels at the same speed.


Click this bar to view the full image.


No GPS will be used..
A Map of The area will be provided.
But best u purchase on that covers Johor State.
Bring a Compass (Feng Shui one also can)
And a Digital camera(phone) to take the Location with your team
(evidence that you were there)

Click here to read more on Pagoh Challenge I:

http://loudexhaust.blogspot.com/2007...e-hunt-on.html

Click for last year Pagoh Challenge 2007



This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 900x420.


^The riders who had the opportunity to take part in Pagoh Challenge I.
What about you?



To participate, simply go to this link and sign up there.
http://www.moto-v.sg/forums/index.php?showtopic=1066&pid=26608&st=20&#entry26608

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Motorcycle Riding Gear for Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

What to Wear When Riding in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand?

Lots of people actually wonder about this question.
Because the climate here is different from that in the northern hemisphere like US, UK and Europe. If you try riding in a full leather suit here, like those riders in the motorcycling magazines, you will surely chao tah.

Well, here is the all authoritative Endless guidelines...

If you are a chio bu (babe) riding a motorcycle, my suggestion would be to wear:...
- a hot skimpy white bikini...
- a pair of high heels...
- a full-faced helmet...
- a pair of sunglasses...
- and absolutely nothing else.


Thank you. Now that I have got your attention, here is what you should really wear...



My Helmet

I strongly recommend a full-faced helmet (FF) because it offers better protection. Surprisingly, the chin is the most often injured part during a motorcycling accident, based on studies.
And yes, you can still wear a FF in the equatorial climate here. If you feel warm, just raise the visor.

If you are still concern, thanks to technology advancement, there is a new solution that offers you the best of both worlds of an open-faced helmet and a full-faced helmet. It is a flip-up helmet.

A Flip-Up helmet is a ideal for daily riding in Singapore as well as for touring in Malaysia and Thailand: .

For me, I wear a Caberg Rhyno flip-up helmet.


















Me with a Caberg flip-up helmet with the chin guard down.


















Side-view.



















Caberg with the outer visor lowered. In this mode, it behaves like a full-faced helmet.


Why is a flip-up helmet suitable?
- For smokers.
- For people who wear glasses. And there are many people in singapore that wears glasses (study too hard and watch too much porn).
- If you ride with a pillion or in a convoy, it is easier for you to get heard without your words being muffled in the case of a FF.
- When you feel warm in a traffic jam, you can ride slowly with the chin guard up.
- Is it safe enough? A FF definitely is safer. But unless you ride like MotoGP speeds, a flip-up should offer good enough protection for commuting and touring speeds.


Plus my Caberg has an extra useful feature....



















Caberg with the inner sun shade lowered. Looks like a fighter-pilot hor?
So I can raise or lower the inner sun shade during early morning and evening rides.
Real handy.

But a flip-up within inner shade may not be suitable if you are riding very very fast. Because the helmet will have a bigger cross-section and it will catch more wind resistance.


I also recommend a very useful accessory...


















A coolmax helmet liner is a very useful accessory to wear in the hot climate here.
I wear this under my helmet. It keeps my hair in placed and also keeps my helmet clean and fresh longer. The coolmax is easy and fast to wash and dry.



















Me in action on a touring trip. Helmet, riding jacket, glove, boots.



















Me, taking a quick break by the NorthSouth Highway.
Shows you the usefulness of a flip-up: I don't have to remove my helmet to enjoy a conversation with my mates. I just flip up.


I bought my Caberg Rhyno helmet (S$250) and Coolmax helmet liner at Regina.



My Gloves

I want to update you that I have changed from RJays glove to this Apine Stars leather glove.

















My Alpine Stars leather gloves.


Wah, Endless, you strike 4D ah? Upgrade to branded stuff siah?
No lah. Cheap and good. $120 from Regina.
I like it because it is very comfortable and compact to store.

















Unlike other gloves with kevlar guards, this alpine stars gloves' knuckle guards are padded in between, so my knuckles remain very comfortable.


My Boots


Of so many riding boots of all shapes and designs available in the market, I still prefer my good old SAF army boots.

















My trusty SAF boots that I also used for touring.

I actually have bought a proper riding boots. But after a while, I decided the SAF boots is still better.
Why?
- The SAF riding boots is very light and comfortable, even more so than riding boots. I can wear them all day long.
- The SAF is fully Gore-tex lined. So it is very cooling. Most riding boots are high leather and I find them warm to wear.
- It is water proof. Able to withstand the torrential downpours in Malaysia and Thailand.


My Riding Jacket


















After 3 years, I am still wearing my RJays riding jacket.



















On my touring trip on top of the moutains on the Thai-Malaysia border with my RJays.


Some people go and buy the Goretex/Condura material riding jackets. Because they think they are waterproof whereas mesh riding jackets are not. But I tell you, it is too hot to wear the Goretex-Condura riding jackets through out the whole day in the hot climate here. And many such jackets are not able to withstand heavy long down pours. Like that suffer when weather is hot. And suffer when raining.

It is better to wear a mesh jacket that is cooler than even a wind breaker. And should it rain, simply wear a rain coat over it.

When riding in cooler places like northern Thailand and high up in the mountains, to keep warm, wear your rain coat over your mesh jacket.

Choose a mesh jacket that has soft armour in the shoulders, elbows and spine. My mesh jacket is available at Regina at $150. (I really not related to Regina.)


My Rain Coat


















My rain coat is still the ProGrip rain gear. But I heard from people who said that its quality has dropped (Pro Grip are you listening?)
If I find a better rain gear, I will keep you posted.


Oh, and don't expect rain coats to last forever. I have to change mine every 1 to 2 years. Why? Because they will leak from wear and tear. The threaded areas pull and water seaps through the thread seams. Or the water proofing wax deteroriates over time.








This guy can sing 霍元甲 even better than original Jay Chou. Meet new kid on the block and powerhouse, 蕭敬騰.


Ok, I have introduced to you all the lobang on what to wear from head to toe, whether you are riding to work/school or for touring in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.


May you enjoy motorcycling as much as I do.


















You will see many beautiful scenes when you go on touring rides; my bike Vice along the NorthSouth highway.










Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Silent Long Way Round: Yarets Vladimir

You may have heard of "Long Way Round". A couple of celebrity actors, Ewen McGregor the Jedi knight and Charly Boormen, riding their motorcycles across several continents.

But are there real people who are doing it?
I mean real actual riding without a whole caravan of logistic vehicles behind you to bail you out?
Real people who are not millionaires?
Real people who can do this thing even better?


Meet my friend Yarets. He is from Minsk (Belarus), formerly USSR.

I tell you why he is better?
1. He has rode his motorcycle alone to over 40 countries!
2. He has been left his home and been riding eversince, 2000. That is 8 years!
3. He is 67 years old.
4. He is deaf and mute.

And he is in Singapore now.

This is your chance to catch him before he lives Singapore.


Where Yarets has been



The map shows where this remarkable man has ridden to:





42 countries and still counting (42th is Singapore):




He has been to s0 many places I have never heard of.



The Man and His Bike

This is what 67-year old Yarets look like now:





This is his bike:




Yes, not another BMW. A single cylinder 650cc BMW.
Note his bike's side "panniers"--actually a pair of suitcase.
They are Samsonite.


Yarets did not always look like what he looked like now.
In fact, he did not even started off with a BMW.



























This is what he looked like then, when he first started on his russian bike.

Then, he met an accident when in America. He was seriously injured. And his bike was badly damaged.

BMW kindly donated him a new bike.























His Local Host: Moto-V, Singapore


I am part of the Moto-V community (http://www.moto-v.sg). Moto-V is a motorcycling enthusiast community in Singapore.

By chance, one of us met him in Singapore. At first, we didn't know much of his story. We just wanted to help when we know of a fellow motorcyclist who is all alone in Singapore and seemed kind of lost. So we played host to him during his current stay in Singapore.







We hanged out with him and keep him company:



Sometimes, I wonder what does Yarets do for a living (before he left his home).
He dress simply. And his bike looks weary and tired from its long trip.
But he never ask for money from us.

Why is he doing all this for?


The Man and His Mission

Once, I forgot. I saw him from a distnace and I called out to him, "Hi, Yarets!".
But he did not hear me and just walked past by me.


And he can't speak. But this is why he is doing all this:




Some of What We are Doing to Help Him




We noticed that the spectacles he was wearing was broken.
I helped to chip in and buy him a new frame (he preferred to keep his lens).
Photo above is Yarets at the spectacle shop, with the spectacle shop person (left) and my moto-v buddy, Spectrum (right).


We also noticed his bike's fog lights are not working anymore.
So we decided to get him a new pair of fog lights.






















Liew, one of the moto-v members, helps to fit the new fog lights.






















New fog lights are working!
Yarets look pleased!






















The foglight was supplied by Anadoise of moto-v.
Anadoise works for Hella and he has managed to get his company to sponsor the lights.
Yarets decided to express his gratitude by sticking the Hella logo on his bike.




Yarets Going On TV


Another thing we want to help him with. We want to tell Singapore and the rest of the world, of this brave and remarkable man, Yarets.

Again, by chance or the work of God, one of the Moto-V members happened to tell a friend of Yarets and this friend works for MediaCorp, the TV station of Singapore. The friend agreed to feature Yarets in one of the station's programme.






Here's how we shoot Yarets on the move: We put the camera man on one of our bikes.






How You Can Catch Yarets

Yarets is thinking of leaving Singapore in May 2008.
As he is not on a fixed schedule, he might leave later, or he might leave tomorrow.

Here is your chance to catch him in person before he leaves Singapore.



In Person

Go to Peace Center, along Selegie Road.

He is there everyday from 6 pm to about 7.30pm.





















Yarets outside Peace Center, next to the MacDonalds, along Selegie Road.

He wants to share with people his story and inspire people.

Go support him!






















Your chance to take a picture with Yarets!



Website

You can read up more about him at:

Yaret's very own website:
http://www.yarets.com/index_eng.html

Yarets in Singapore at Moto-V website:
http://www.moto-v.sg/forums/index.php?showtopic=973&pid=24968&st=0&#entry24968



On TV

18th April, 2008. At 10.30 pm.
MediaCorp, Channel 8, 前线追中 (Frontline).

Maybe you will see me being interviewed :)


Here's to Yarets. Dare to Dream and Go Do It