My KLR has a new stable mate. The SYM VTS 200

My KLR has a new stable mate. The SYM VTS 200. It is a scooter, a big one. 175 cc that can launch 2 averaged sized human to 100 km/h effortlessly. with a few tweaks here and there, some say that it can reach up to 140km/h. i was looking for my wife a bike that she can ride comfortably and she can follow me in long distance journey and adventures down the b-roads of Malaysia. We were thinking of getting an Aprilia Mana 850..... but that would be too much for a beginners bike. We opted for a scooter instead as we had one and it was fun to ride it. I had a Modenas Elegan and buy was it hard to kill it. Due to the lack of maintenance that I myself has deliberately forgot and the long hauls of going to and fro to work with an estimation of 50 KM per dah . i managed to wreck it by going oil dry for amonth before the piston jammed up, later to find out that you need to use an original piston with ceramic coating and not one of those aftermarket ones which lasted only 6 months before it jammed up again . so thats 2 piston heads and 2 overhauls. Scooter as it is named, is a very functional bike . more of a Start and Go bike , especially great when running errands as it has storage space under the seat which comfortable fits a helmet, rain coat and some extra space for takeaways. As it is, it can fit in a 10 kg sack of rice. So we got the VTS 200 assembled by M-force bikes in Kedah. The maker of the bike is SYM, a Korean Based company that ships their product all over the word. Their Sister company, KYMCO is also in the scooter business and is well known all over the world. The Bike was smashing as i picked it up. Came home and my wife rode it a few times just to get familiarize with it. She was quite good at it, if only there was no traffic at all on the road. I do not blame her, the traffic here is scary. Cars whizzes pass you in break neck speed. As if motorbikes do not exist in their vision. So the limit of bike riding for her will only be around a 5KM radius from our home. We joined a bikers group called the SYM Owner Club and we had our first Free ride. So i was the pilot, riding 2 up with my wife. Started from Empangan Batu and ending up in Kuala Selangor taking the long way around. Route details, E.Batu> Kuala Kubu Bharu> Tanjung Malim> Sg Besar> Down to Kuala Selangor. The Ride was Epic as we were closed of by a fast rising flood, cutting us off in the frond and the back of us. This was in Sg Besar where the river water had swelled up due to the rain up river. So there was no turning back as the road behind us was no longer there, there was only water and it was rising fast. At a rate of 1 inch per minute, our group decides to carry on . We reached a standstill traffic where the cars and the lorries had no where else to go, The water has reached more than 1 feet of water and the wattery path was almost 200 m . It could be deeper in the middle, but we would not know. Our brave Marshall, Iezzad was a gung Ho person and passed to safety. Others was reluctant to go. Time was not on our side as the water from the back was coming in fat and our frond road slowly sinks. A car decides to trudge on . Without any thinking and some wise but panic words from my wife ( She has a good point, to ride closely behind the car as the car splits the water). I quickly shouted to the others that im going through while my wife behind explained to them why we need to do this. Off we go with 7 other bikes behind us trailing our lead. Thanks to the cars wake, the water level was just below our exhaust and intake system, Lets just hope the car in from up us does not stall. Alas, we made it and the excitement from the other members was so over whelming that we took a 5 min stop just to admire the adventure that we had passed as we looked behind us a grand river with its blackish water and a lorry that is now stuck as the water had reached almost a meter deep since we passed. Now that's a quick thinking. Damn, I had the scooter for a week and i had a damn good experience and adventure with it. I had my KLR for a year now and still no adventure. Well. KLR time will come. Overall, I think my scooter and the KLR is now in the same rank and has earned its place next to it.

Searching for the Perfect bike

Searching for a Perfect bike is no easy task. Going through all the reviews on the net and getting different point of views on which brand or make is better, the argument goes on. Some will say this and some will discourage to even buy a bike. " With that amount of money, might as well buy a car."

Then there is the issue with road safety, believing that bigger bikes will eventually make you ride faster and more prone to high speed accident. I guess this only applies to people with less experience on a bike with alot of power in between their thighs. As for me, i'm just looking for a reliable ride with some extra 'umph' whenever i need to get away from potential reckless drivers on the road and the notorious lorries in Malaysian roads.

I love taking corners and i love the fact that i can easily push my way through an uncomfortable situation on the road. So the bike needs to be nimble.

Another factor to consider is the riding position as i commute long distance to work and the thought of going somewhere far with my bike+wife would be acheivable in an impromptu destination., say, Genting, Cameron, PD.

The comfort for my pillion is also taken to consideration. I wouldnt want my wife to be cramping/squating behind me while i go long distance. I have seen and hear many stories on how uncomfortable it is to be sitting in as a pillion rider on long hauls. Backaches, tantrums, conflicts arises when you are not comfortable when you reach your destination. It would be pointless to go somewhere beautiful and not be able to enjoy it.

Well, still searching ......

The Start

My Scooter Broke down the other day and i was left stranded by the side of the road for almost 2 hours. It was in the early morning on the way to work that i suddenly lost my throttle control and the bike just went kaput.

Thinking to myself of all the possible troubleshooting a person can do with a Gerber Pliers and a few mismatched size wrenches. I just stood there with almost all of the body panels off just sitting next to my ride and staring furiously at the engine. SparkPlug is working, so no problem with the electrical. Opened up the fuel line and carb and the fuel is getting there. Noticed that when i crank up the starter, white smoke came out from the breather hose and i can confidently say that there was no compression. Piston movement was ok . This is definately the valve. Either it is stuck or the valve arm must have broke . Maybe its the rocker. Last time i checked, the rocker seat was almost to its life cycle. Oh no, this could seriously be another engine buildup.

As you see, i had this problem a few months back when my piston jammed up to a complete halt, due to insufficient engine oil . Learned that mistake the hard way . A hefty amount to drop the engine and built it back completely. When the mechanic told me that i need to buy new parts for each and every little item in the engine. I made a mistake for asking him to do a quick fix and not to bother with changing the rest. But a quick fix/cheap fix had cost me almost about RM 1k. And the notion to think about a full engine restoration will cost me about 2.5k including workmanship. For a bike that cost me 4k? I think i'll be using it for 6 months or so till i can get enough money to fix it up speedy.

Back to the present day today.I now have a broken bike in front of me and i am late for work. Called the office and waited for my wife to come and pick me up. The bike? i couldnt push it up the Damansara climb as the bike was damn heavy. So i parked it in a nearby Hotel for safe keeping. 2 hours and i was already in my office just thinking about how to get to work until my bike is fixed.

Its time to think of other alternatives for transportation. Maybe a new bike?. I contemplate it for a moment discussing it with my wife. You see, I am very attached to the old scooter. It has already been in service with me for more than 2 years. Happily go wherever i want to go. Being a scooter, just crank and ride. A few glitch with the battery and a few no start mornings, but im not complaining.It has been loyal to me. Plus, my mom bought it for me as a gift.

What i need now is a reliable mode of transportation. A car? Well i already have one and buying a new car would not be a problem. but by the end of 5 years, i will be spending more money on Tolls, Traffic jams and fuel. I need another bike, but none of the small CC ones. I want a bike that i can treat like a car , where i can go long distance and which is comfortable for my wife if she decides to tag along. A tourer. Price will be a problem as new bikes comes with a price tag of 40k and above.For a tourer, it will cost me 60k and above.
Second hand bikes? I wouldnt want to inherit the problems that comes with it. and most used bikes within my price range is either more than 10 years old or it is in a bad shape.
So here will be the beginning of the search for the perfect bike.