A Singapore Biker’s Life

Never really intended to post anything today but arrrgggg…. The mentailty of some bikers….

I was on my way back with my wife and kid in the car from Macs @ East Coast Park.
@ the Marine Parade exit, (It was quite a sharp 270 turn before entering the main road of Marine Parade…) I was going @ 50-60km/h @ that turn… which is quite fast for a turn like that…

Then appeared this biker, whom prob just got his bike and licence… FV plate a class 2b bike with P plate… Who tried to overtake me @ the bend… he acted as thought he was on a super scouped up 300BHP bike and tried to overtake me @ the turn and @ the same time, he tried to "show" his girlfriend that he can show some sparks while he was @ it…

Well… you may think why did I accuse him of thinking that he was riding such a "powerful" bike… Well cos the bike that he was riding was prob only about 20-30BHP, while making that manuver, I saw that he was "over-steering" (He was cornering like those you would see in pro races) and he was going way too slow to be cornering like that… @ this time, he was somewhere next to my door… an was alittle too close for comfort…. So I slowed down… I also noticed that he tried to pickup speed but could not… 20-30BHP… what to expect??? 0-100km/h in 3 second?? Cos he was "cornering so much…. and was moving too slow for that turn…. He literally, over took me.

If I had not slowed down… His back wheel would have hit my bonnet side and would have gone under my car.

If that is not bad enough… well… he tried that "cornering" method again… This time, he used his "whole" body weight to straighten the bike… trying to act as if the bike was so "powerful" he almost lost control of it… Acting like a bent spring let loose trying to straighten itself up. A scene one will normally see in Superbike races…

Well, I am posting this cos it’s not that this guy almost hit / scratch my car…
Nor is it cos this "BOY’s" action could have killed himself…. He’s only got himself to blame for that, But it someone other than himself that he’s almost killed… his pillion.

Julie was a close friend of mine, who was involved in an accident as a pillion.
Her helmet cracked after the bike she was on hit a lorry and she landed head first onto the curb.
He skull was fractured and was declared to be brain dead after afew days.
The bike got away with minor scratches. Imagine that… minor scratches… Judy paid with her life for his irresponsible behaviour. Irresponsible??? Why you may ask, Cos the biker hit the lorry and not the other way around.
And she was only 17 when she passed on.

After losing so many friends to road accidents (Bikers & Pillion alike), I have only this to share.

- If you have a need for speed, ride alone.
- If you got something to prove, prove it alone.
- If you have a death wish, (sorry to say this) your pillion prob does not.

I always try to remember to say this to all my biker friends when we split to go home.
"Ride Safe"
And hoping that they will.

The topic of my blog from here on will be on the way SG bikers are treated in our own home town.

I will try not to make it a complaint thingie… Not very edifying… But maybe just share alittle of what can help make SG a better place for bikers.

Well prob many people here thinks that bikers here are treated the same… well… THINK AGAIN…!! That’s is not really the case…

Well for starters…
An intro to morotcycle licence…
- Class 2B - 200cc bikes and below
- Class 2A - 400cc bikes and below
- Class 2   - 400cc bikes and above
And they are different licences…

In the past, you’d need to be 16 to get a class 2B but now, i think they raised the bar to 18.
For this, I am all for the decision for obvious reasons… I mean the death rates of those around that age….

After anyone gets their class 2B, there is a 1 year "waiting" period before they can advance to the next class, which is class 2A, then another year to class 2.

That means… if one starts to take their class for 2B on their birthday… it would be somewhere about 18.5 yrs old… then another year for class 2A… (if they don’t serve their NS first) making them almost 20.5 - 21 years old…
Then 22 when they get their class 2B… and then be about 23-24 when they get their class 2.

I do understand why this is done this way…

But I do not understand why this is not the case for cars?????
Imagine this, if the reason for raising the age bar is to "protect" the population then what about cars????

Shouldn’t there be a
Class 3B - 1.5L and below
Class 3A - 2L and bleow
Class 3   - 2L and above etc??

The next comment if for both Cars and Bikes…..
Actually I wanted to save this for the next post but….. sigh…..

If there is a age limit to learn… shouldn’t there be a age limit to STOP driving????

I mean, how many times have you seen a car going half the speed limit on the road cos the driver cannot see the road sign or cannot remember where they should turn???

Dun get me wrong that I am saying that they should stop driving, but shouldn’t there be a test for a certain age to "ensure" that they are "fit" to drive??

I mean for those who have taken their driving lessons… There is an eye test… whatz that for??? Just to make sure that you can see now?? TBC….

Now that you’ll tell me if I crossed the line… Be honest… It’s a really fine line tryin to be a good Christian vs a Biker…

Never thought that I’d do this but here goes nothing…

Sometimes I do wonder…
Can a biker be a good Christian?

Dun be mistaken that I am speaking for everyone… I am speaking for here… myself….
This is my blog rite?

Sometimes I try to be the best that I can without stumbling anyone…
:p

Not sure even if I will post another post after this…

Anyway… here goes nothing…

I’ve got my licence for close to 15 yrs liow… my God… so old liow…
Done most of my riding just before I was married… When I owned my first 1100cc bike…
The ST1100.

A short intro.
The bike was into it’s 10-11th year of production.
It’s did not change much since the first day it was rolled out of it’s factory.
Carbs… Shaft… 99 BHP… 0-100 in 4-4.5Secs…
It’s was prob is not the most reliable bike that Honda ever produced.

Riding in the North South Highway was such a joy.

I remember the day, it was some time in Early Sept 2000 when I took my first ST for a spin.
Actually, I booked the bike even before I passed my class 2.
* But I did nto ride it till I got my licence.

It was lovely.

The purr of the engine…
Hydrollics clutch and brakes…
Wide seats…
Wind Screen…
Riding posture…

Anyway… will post more if anyone reads it….