The Knights on the Crusade for Gerik.
The final final team going to Gerik is 6:
- Spectrum (Hornet900)
- Forza99 (Hornet250),
- SV650 (SV650S),
- Denden (SV650S),
- Weiz85(SV400),
- And yours truly.
DevilChild (Fireblade) at first want to go. But her boss never approve her leave to go Gerik because got a lot of things to do. She kind girl lah, I tell you. Like that still never sack her boss.
We met at GP Esso at 8.30 am. Then Spectrum tell us:
The ride plan for Gerik is like this:
Day1: Go Ipoh, NorthSouth Highway;
Day2: The highlight of the tour: To Kota Bahru, passing through Gerik;
Day3: Go back to Singapore, will think of some interesting route to go.
But first, makan.
*****
Breakfast at Ayer Hitam
We get onto the NorthSouth Highway and head towards Ayer Hitam.
Along the way, we spotted one Malaysia TP red-handed in his ambush act.
About 22km out of GP Esso, still on E2, we approached one of the numerous flyovers around the Pasir Gudang area. Spectrum spotted one Malaysia TP hiding in the central median, underneath the flyover with his radar gun pointing towards the traffic, towards the direction of KL.
But lucky we smart. We never speed. We always never speed one what. You don’t know meh?
Spectrum bring us to this store, called Restoran Kar Hor.
The wanton mee there nice.
How to go to this wanton mee store?
Exit Ayer Hitam toll booth, reached T-junction, turn left. Then just go straight.
Store is on your left.
When we reached that store, not enough tables, so the group of us sit beside this solo ah pek. This ah pek not only don’t mind, he even said all of our breakfast on him! Not just drinks, but food also leh! And we barely know him for 5 minutes!
Wah, who is this generous ah pek?
The kopi tiam boss come out and tell us, he is the timber king there ah! Don’t play play! The timber kind introduced himself simply as Ang.
Mr Ang, if you are out there reading my blog, once again, thank you for the treat ah!
Then he left us and our group’s meal was really free.
Wah, such generous man in Malaysia. Not like the Singapore jeng hu at all.
I tell myself, in my next life, I don’t want to be Rossi liao.
I want to be timber king. Then I can go around treating people breakfast and make them happy!
There goes our Timber King in the green jeep.
The Timber King dresses simply and drives simply.
I think to myself:
What a great way to start our Gerik trip.
Weather is great.
So lucky until even got free breakfast. Surely it's a good sign to start our Gerik trip.
This means that nothing will go wrong on our trip.
*****
Little Things along NorthSouth Journey
We resumed our NorthSouth ride after breakfast.
Fuel stop at Ayer Keroh, Sembilan state:
Top up petrol pay 24RM (Price is 1.92RM/litre). +120km from last fuel stop (Gelang Patah). Time we leave petrol kiosk is12.20 pm.
Then, don’t know how Weiz ride one. Ride until his gear level come out and hang there.
So we stopped along the side of NS and try to solve the problem.
Wah, if got no gear lever, can still ride to Gerik or not?
And we are not even anywhere Gerik yet.
But luckily we got Forza.
When he bring out his tua ling gong (“big”) tool bag, I know we are saved.
The Master at work. Along NorthSouth highway.
Don't disturb.
After Forza's handy work, Weiz was able to continue riding and change gear.
We encountered a Malaysia Traffic Police road block after Pagoh.
It appears the TP is checking on vehicle plates. All of our bikes passed without any problems.
Dolphin Dance
Once again, I was the last bike. So I have the chance to observed everyone through the long journey along NorthSouth.
I noticed a pattern amongst the SV riders. Now and then, they will perform certain routines that I called the Dolphin Dance.
You ever see those dolphins or seals perform tricks at Hong Kong Ocean Park? See on TV only also can. If you don’t know, then just think of Ah Meng at the Singapore Zoo.
The SV Dolphin Dance would consist a variety of moves performed by the rider on his SV. You know when they start their Dolphin Dance routine. They will start their pattern with simple moves like:
- Kick one leg out.
At first, I thought it means got pot hole.
So I swerved to one side. But eh, no pot hole leh? Then kick leg for what?
- Kick the other leg out.
Then I swerved again, now to the other side.
Again, no pot hole. Bluff me.
- Kick both legs out at the same time.
Wah lau, how to swerved both directions at the same time?
Then as the ride along NS progresses, their Dolphin Dance routine also become more fancy.
- Shift buttock to one side of the bike.
Wah, machiam Rossi want to take corner siah.
But eh, NorthSouth where got corner to take? The bike is still going straight leh.
- Buttock lift up and point to the air.
Wah, the girls and the gays must love this move.
The most fancy Dolphin Dance move is:
- The rider stand up right and continue riding his SV along NorthSouth.
Wah, I see the Malaysian drivers also all see until blur.
Some more is not just one SV rider that does this perculiar Dolphin Dance.
When 2-3 of the SV riders happen to do the Dolphin Dance together,
I tell you, it is poetry in motion.
I think Cythy Wang and Jolin Tsai also need to copy a bit of these cute moves.
Then I also notice, when the Dolphin Dance will begin can be predicted one.
Whenever after a fuel stop and we ride along NorthSouth for about 50km, the Dolphin Dance will start. And it will continue along the way until the next fuel stop.
I think these SV riders are very strange.
But they do keep me very entertained throughout my journey on the NorthSouth.
Then along NorthSouth, I pass by a big tour bus.
As I passed by, I saw the bus flush out a jet of water below its rear bumper.
Wah, could it be somebody on the tour bus just pang sai and flushed the on-board toilet?
Luckily, I never follow directly behind it.
My thoughts of the mysterious water from the bus just got distracted by another Dolphin Dance move.
*****
Riding the SV
We did another fuel stop at Rawang R&R.
+158km from last fuel stop. 15RM fuel (through out the trip, the fuel cost is 1.92RM/litre). 3.12 pm.
Rawang is after Kuala Lumpur.
The NorthSouth express way as it cuts through Kuala Lumpur can be a bit confusing because there are a lot of branches off NorthSouth in the capital.
My tip is this: Just head for the Ipoh sign then you wouldn’t go wrong.
The Rawang R&R is also a bit confusing.
It is after Rawang exit. So when you see Rawang exit, don’t exit first.
Continue some more, then you will see Rawang R&R.
At the Rawang R&R, we agreed to swap bike.
I ride Denden’s SV650S (S is got fairing. No S is no fairing version).
Denden ride my Fazer1000.
Twin V-Twins.
The start of my rider with the colourful SV650S.
Denden on my Fazer1000.
Frost has this effect of making any rider look good.
The SV650S has a V-twin engine. It is a semi-faired bike with a biased towards the sporty side.
When I first got onto the SV, the riding position immediately reminded me of my previous bike, the litre sportsbike Honda CBR900RR FireBlade, commonly called ‘954’. It's one of the best commercial sportsbikes in my opinion.
The seating posture is definitely sporty. The handles are clip-ons and not handle bars. But the rider is not crouched as low down as the current crop of hardcore sportsbikes like CBR1000 and Kawasaki 636. The seat’s form is also firm, but it is not wooden-plank thin, so still got some cushioning.
Riding along the NorthSouth, I felt the balance of the bike is very good. Weight is sufficiently distributed forward that you feel very confident riding the bike. The bike can lean over with very little effort. The wheelbase is set more towards the sports tourer side. So the bike is still agile, but the bike will not tip forward or backward under heavy braking or acceleration. So it is great for sports touring.
Unlike the V-twin engines of the lazy cruisiers like Harley, the power of the SV’s engine come in only from a relatively high rpm of 8k onwards to about 10k. If you keep the engine around this rpm range, then the SV is a fun bike to ride because it has decent power and yet it doesn’t feel threatening like it wants to throw the rider off, as in the case of a 4-cylinder sportsbike.
The screen looks small but actually deflects windblast much better than pure sportsbike. So again, a good sports tourer.
Denden’s bike has a pair of aftermarket exhaust. So the sound generated is damn shiok. It goes bubble-bubble-bubble-bubble on a deep note.
The interesting thing is that when the throttle is neutral, the exhaust will change to a slightly different note and bubble louder. It has this effect of keep making me think that there is another SV riding beside me. A few times I turned my head around to look, only to realize that the only SV around me is just myself.
As I continue to ride and observe my ride on the SV, I start to realize something.
I myself is starting to perform the Dolphin Dance.
Nabeh. Keep leg out. Then after that, start to shift my butt out of the seat.
How come like that?
I was laughing at those SV riders of their Dolphin Dance and now I am doing it.
I must stop, I tell myself.
Keep another leg out again.
Oh no. It is a natural reflex action one. I am powerless to stop this Dolphin Dance.
Then I understand why.
It is simply that the SV has a sport-inclined riding position from its seat, clip-on to foot peg. So when riding on the long straight stretches of NorthSouth, it can be quite a strain on the rider. Riding at our speed along the NorthSouth is not where the SV can exploit its strengths.
After riding a long while, I was almost crying to myself within my helmet:
- “How come we haven’t reach Ipoh yet? Ipoh so far from Rawang meh?”
- “Why I so ge khiang (act smart) and go and change bike? Torture myself.”
- “When is the next fuel stop coming? I want my Frost back?”
I am just too used to riding Fazer. The Fazer has a upright position and has one of the softest, foamiest and biggest seat.
I must say the SV and Fazer are two very different bikes with very different personalities. So it takes Denden and I quite a while to adjust to each other’s bikes. The short NorthSouth ride is too short for us to fully adjust so my comments may not be accurate or fair.
The SV650 is a Japanese bike with an unusually colourful character. In comparison, the Fazer is highly predictable and can be said to be more dull. If you would like a sporty bike that is reliable, fun and stands out from the rest, then the SV is a bike you can consider.
I think the long-term owners of SV all make good boyfriends and husbands. If they can put up with the SV, throw them any kind of bad girls, they will be still be able to tahan however colourful the character of the girls.
So you girls out there, still waiting for what? Quickly find one SV rider and grab him!
*****
The Pomelo Girls of Ipoh
If you want to go to Ipoh or Gerik, you can exit NorthSouth at 139. But Spectrum, who is leading the convoy, exited at 137 Simpang Pulai.
It is the same exit I used to go to the Cameron Highlands my last time there (see my first entry in this blog).
We got time to go to Cameron meh?
After exiting 137, then just go straight.
Soon, you will see a row of stalls selling nothing but Pomelos.
Only in Ipoh.
One whole stretch of roadside stalls selling nothing but Pomelo.
Then Spectrum lead us to pull up by these Pomelo stalls.
Har? Which one of us like Pomelo so much?
Why Spectrum bring us to buy Pomelo for?
Then I realized why as a very interesting sight unfold.
Wah, out of nowhere, a string of girls emerged in front of each stall!
Every stall got one!
Wah! The girls all looked damn chio!
I want to quickly park my bike.
Steady, steady, steady. Concentrate on parking the bike.
Don’t rush until drop bike. Steady, cool down.
But Spectrum beat us all to it!
I also want! Saliva start to want to come out liao.
I approached one of them.
And asked her:
“Xiao jie (‘Miss’), your pomelo look so very round and delicious. Can I take one picture with you or not? Heh-heh-heh-heh.”
But cannot. My one pretty but sibei dao. She just don’t want to take photograph with me.
I thought I looked very innocent what. Was I staring too obviously?
I retreated to re-strategise.
After some deep thinking, I decided to turn up my ultimate charm.
I go up to her and said I want to buy ONE pomelo.
Working on the new strategy.
See, my new strategy works!
Me and my prized catch.
But the stall got more than one chio girl.
I want to take another photo with all of them.
But cannot. Apparently, one pomelo is not enough to buy such privileges.
So I buy another packet of cuttlefish.
See the amazing results of what one pomelo and one packet of cuttlefish can do.
Pomelo (10RM). Cuttlefish (4RM).
After that I chit-chat with them. And start to get even more jee hong.
Then I say, “Xiao jie, I want to buy another pomelo.
But I don’t know how to choose.
Can you choose for me one nice one?”
The chio girl replied can, no problem.
Wah piang! She asked her mama-san to come out and choose for me.
Somehow, after the mama-san come out, suddenly I lost my appetite for pomelos.
Weiz remained unfussed by all the pretty girls there.
I am really amazed that he is really there to eat the pomelo.
Amitabha.
As I stayed there longer, I observed the pomelo girls’ pattern.
They remind me of some type of animals, don’t know what.
When there are no customers, they all go inside.
As soon as a car pull along side, suddenly they all appear in front of their stalls lined up in one row.
Their tactic is to lure those hard up ji-ko-peh.
I mean who is so simple-minded to ever fall for such tricks?
I shall come back again and study such interesting behaviour.
Maybe I will write a thesis on it and get a PhD for it.
Now that I have a pomelo, what to do with it?
Bring to Gerik?
SV650 suggest, just put in my box lor. Then at night at Ipoh can eat.
The pomelo goes into my box.
Too bad I can’t ask my pomelo girl to go with me to Gerik.
Should have brought a spare helmet. Then my ride to Gerik will be even more shiok!
*****
Ipoh Hotel
From there, we just ride into Ipoh town, which is nearby.
We reached the hotel that Spectrum had already booked for us at 6 pm.
It is the Hotel Excelsior.
More information at:
http://www.hotelexcelsior.com.my/excelsior_location.htm
It is the tallest hotel building.
It offers an excellent view of Ipoh.
You can see that Ipoh is surrounded by tall mountains.
As the tallest building, it is also easy to very spot to make our way back, when we go jalan jalan.
More encounters with Ipoh Girls
The hotel concierge also got one very chio receptionist.
Spectrum and his unforgettable Nardia
Spectrum very excitedly come and tell us: “There! There! The hotel receptionist very chio.”
I see. Wah, really chio. So I also want to go and talk to her.
But I don’t know how to begin. And there is no pomela to buy this time round.
So I went to her and ask her:
“Is your name Nardia?
Or Narnia, as in that movie Narnia: The witch, the wardrobe and the cockroach?”
She very patiently and politely smiled back and answered “It's Nardia" in very good English.
Wow nice voice and elegant manner. But it wasn't much of a conversation leh.
So I need to quickly think of something to prolong the conversation.
I asked her next:”Do you know that your name sounds like a bad word?
She gave me one kind of look and I knew our conversation was over.
If I was bad, Weiz was even worse.
He kept going to the concierge there to take the free maps on display many times.
After a while, he got so many maps of Malacca, Terengganu, Kuantan, KL, etc etc.
I noticed the concierge got no more maps left.
We left the hotel to go jalan jalan and for dinner.
Nice pictures of Ipoh as the sun sets.
Ipoh feels like a cozy relaxing little town.
We walked around and walked into one shop that sells a lot of local produce such as biscuits, piah, tibits.
I never buy anything. But I noticed this Denden.
Don’t see him quiet quiet. But actually his jee hong ways start to come out already.
Denden see got pretty cashier than go and buy something.
And you know what he buy or not?
Coffee powder. Singapore got no coffee powder ah?
Then we walked around some more.
By now, the sun has set and it is dark.
We saw this very old, thin and frail looking woman, full of white hair, standing by herself by the road side. The cars were buzzing by and she appears like she is trying to cross the road.
So Spectrum very kind.
He walked to her and try to assist her to cross the road.
But she like don’t understand what Spectrum was trying to do and never move.
So Spectrum bo pian, have to leave her there by herself.
As Spectrum was walking away from her, he jokingly told us:
“Maybe she thinks we are trying to get fresh with her. Hahaha.”
Then out of the blue, this very very old woman blurt out:
“You don’t think I cannot understand English!”
And her English is even more perfect than all of my school teacher’s, even with a slight British accent.
We all jaw dropped. We didn’t expect this old woman to understand what we were talking about earlier in English. Spectrum went over and explained to her that he was only trying to be helpful to help her cross the road. The woman understood our intention and said she was actually trying to get a taxi. So we left this feisty old lady there. We were taught a lesson: ”Don’t underestimate!”
******
Dinner
We anyhow walked around the town. But we found this large kopi tiam that has a lot of customers eating there. Most of them appear local so it must be a good place to eat.
We ordered their famous dishes, which is chicken, and also bean sprout. The kway tiao soup is also very nice.
I think the delicious dinner came out to be less than 20RM per person.
After diner, we walked to a nearby pasar malam (or is it malam pasar?).
They have one interesting product sold there.
Sale and upload of ring tones into your mobile phone.
Select from a menu of songs or ringtones displayed on a laptop and they will upload onto your handphone.
*****
Massage
SV650 jio us to go for massage.
When I hear massage, immediately the thought of “special massage services” come to my mind. I start to wonder if our trip is really about Gerik at all.
The massage place is directly in front of our hotel at only 100 metres away. Nearby is the Prudential and ING buildings.
The massage that we go to is really just normal massage. I did a full body massage that lasted 1 hour for only 50RM.
The shop that we went to specializes in Traditional Chinese Medicine type of massage. So they press the acu-points rather than chop here chop there. The massage messieurs are all China Chinese. Their standard nowhere near the Pomela girls' standard.
All of us had massage in one form of another. Maybe we were all tired from our long ride here.
SV650 and Forza had reflexology massage.
See their face. Like kena organsm like that.
We retired to our hotel at about 12 am.
Our experience for today’s ride falls a little on the naughty side.
But I have no complaints. It was full of fun.
Tomorrow, we will ride to Gerik itself, where the real fun begins.
1 comment:
Been waiting for your part 2 leh.....
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