Le Tour De KLR650 Part Deux

Checked in at the Royale Bintang Hotel resort and Spa in Seremban. Today is my Wife's birthday and i thought if surprising her here.

From Shah Alam yesterday i followed Le Tour De Langkawi Route 7 , from Banting till Tampin. This route follows the coastal roads till Port Dickson and then to Tamppin . Transfer to hotel at Seremban. It was a nice ride from Shah Alam to Banting, and the coastal roads in Morib was fantastic. As soon as i reach Port Dickson, things are starting to get gloomy and wet. It rained heavily right up to Tampin.

From Tampin i headed to Seremban town. Quickly brought flowers and waited for her to arrive at the Hotel.

I wanted to leave to KL that night but the rain wouldn't stop till the next morning. So decided to leave on Sunday Morning and taking the old Kuala Kelawang,Titi , Bukit hantu and Hulu Langat/Ampang.

The place was colder that Genting and i was drenched from neck to toe. i think there is some point where the still air itself was at 14 Deg C. What more riding on a bike that goes an average of 80 KMpH. I did a few pit stops to enjoy the scenery and to freshen up. One of the place is Hutan Lipur Jeram Toi. Had lunch there. Burger and Teh Tarik and had a long chat with the Abang that owns one of the stalls there. Interesting guy as he was once a bomb expert in the Army. Retired but with alot of stories to tell.

I then head towards Titi and found my way to up the mountain pass where i stopped to take a fresh shower in a nearby waterfall, Soaking wet by the rain i just jumped full gear in the waterfall. Surprisingly, the water was not freezing cold but more like lukewarm.

From there i went home and dried myself. a shower and the best nap i had ever had.

So, there will be another adventure just around the corner but hopefully this time i will not be alone.

Le Tour de KLR

Trip from Genting following the back road to Ulu Yam . Downhill twisties with a lot of forgiving bends. .....a nice ride if you are not pushing the bike. Slippery when wet and heaven when dry.

I need to have an on-board cam next time. Maybe this will be the next prjoect. I slipped my mobile on my thigh bag while its recording. hahahaha... just a test to see how good it will look.

So far i have been doing short trips down a forgotten trail and just getting the use of the speed and handling of this bike. All i can say is the riding position makes you just want to take a longer detour and go further. Tires is almost wearing our and i just clocked it a t 2000 KM. Thinking of getting rod tyres since i seldom go out on trails or off road. But then, would love to have both option available. Soon we will see. was thinking of Metzeler Sahara Enduro 3

of the Pirelli Scorpion M/T. but budget will tell.

Ok So now i'm off to follow the Le Tour de Langkawi route. Going to Shah Alam and tomorrow will be Nilai to Jasin adn the back to Melaka for a short stop before heading back to KL before the weekend ends. Im trying to do all this on one full tank which is RM 35 ringgit. So this will be the challenge for now. Wish me luck. Adios and enjoy your weekends.

Going on a mini mini convoy

Tomorrow i will be riding with my buddy to Sungai Buloh. just a short ride about 30km . Will post the pictures later... good night.

Up up and away...... Genting escapade

Today is the first day of the year 2011. I’m going out for a ride with my wife, an impromptu decision to go up Genting Highlands and enjoy the cold air. Imagine sipping a hot coffee after a long ride up, carving through the switchbacks of Genting. That was the plan and what a plan it is to start the year.

And so we were off without much except for our Mountain Hardware Rain Jackets, Helmets and a small backpack. I was considering getting the panniers and top box, but i just got the bike for 1 day and the whole Malaysia was on holiday, so no shops were opened. I will get some quotes on different type on panniers in a week or so.

From home we set course towards the Karak Highway, stoping for lunch at McD in Ampang Petronas to refuel both the riders and the Bike. It is said that a full tank will get me 400KM and more if i were to use the reserve tank. Quite a substantial score as the capacity of the tank is 16.1 Litres. I opted for Ron97 fuel just to test the difference. Note that i was using Ron 95 yesterday; it should not be a problem as I’m using a carburettor. Checked the water level for the radiator and making sure the chain is well lubricated, we set off to our first trip to Genting.

From the Gombak toll, the air was already cold and we enjoyed the ride right up to Genting Sempah. From there we head up to Genting. Familiarizing with the bikes characteristics, the torque that the bike produces is high; changing gear is a minimum as the power band is available throughout any RPM. Carving up the road ahead and powering through every corner was superb. I was not pushing the bike fully as i had my precious cargo sitting at the back. Come to the Gohtong Jaya, my wife decides to take the cable car up and giving me the opportunity to fully feel the bike's setup. So off we go to the Cable car station and dropped her off, promising to see her when she reaches Genting. Took a small pit stop to refresh in one of the mamak stalls there, i head up Genting with the notion to try to push the bike to see what it’s capable of.

Turn after turn i tried to read the threshold of the bike. and it was running through my head what is needed for the bike. The first thing, and very importantly, is a riding glove. keeping your hands warm is a must. Although the bike comes with a massive wind deflector on the handle bars, but it is not enough to keep the riders hand from the elements.Before i could think of anything, i was already up, slowing down as the junction approaches, prompting to turn right towards Genting Resort where hot coffee awaits in Coffee Bean & Tea. ( They give 10% off for Bikers).

When i got there, there were already a few big bikes parked there. Two Kawasaki ER-6N and a Kawasaki Z 750. and so i slotted in between them and went straight to the drink counter ordering my coffee. While waiting in line, there were 4 big bikes that pulled up; a KAwasaki Versys, ER-6N, Suzuki SRAD and a BMW GS 1300. It didnt bother me much until they they came up to my bike and started discussing about. I took a picture :P. It seems to be that they were seasoned bikers with riding gears from top to toe. As for me on the other hand, a plain jeans, with hiking boots and a black t-shirt.

Looking at them i realize that when safety is concerned, big bikers will have more tricked out riding gears for safety. I soon will have to start gearing up if i want to have long trips in future. But that will be another story. We spent about 5 hours before going back home. It was raining and cold, we slowly decend to Gohtong Jaya where it was just starting to rain. Full throttle, we ran away from the rain and ended up back in Gombak. From there, we headed home for a nice hot shower and a warm bed.

Well tomorrow is another day, who knows what adventure awaits......

My Kawasaki KLR 650

After considering which bike was the perfect one, i decided to let my wife select from a range of bikes with different price tags. Knowing that her instinct was far more better than mine and her sense of pros and cons was better. Its not saying
that i make bad choices, but more in a sense that i tend to take more time choosing a bike. Better let the pillion rider decide. As the title of my blog stated, I bought myself a Kawasaki KLR 650 2009 model. A blue one

The KLR 650 is a great bike. It can do what any other Dual Purpose can do , only cheaper. That was the moto for the KLR 650 in the States.

After a bit of a struggle to get the downpayment for the bike. and some papers to sign, i got the keys to a pre-registered Kawasaki KLR 650 2009. a 1 time ride to Cambodia and it was up for sale , clocked at 5KM only. it was a bargain buy.

Everything was still new and it has not been dropped yet. Bike condition is 9/10 and still going strong. I have done my research over the internet about this bike and i have found that it is a well received bike . Some calls it the 'Tractor' as it is tough and durable and some just swears that this is the best bikes thay have ever owned. I will post up a few links and pictures about this bike, but for now,you guys will just have to wait.

Ok, I'll be off taking it for spin. This is the 23rd time im taking it out for the day......

Fair shares of previous bikes

I have had my fair shares of motorbike , starting from the humble Honda EX5. This bike is awesome when it comes to reliablity and a good platform to learn the throttle.No wonder the EX5 is still popular From here, an upgrade to a clutch bike. My uncles Honda Nova. A fast splinter with clip handles and a powerful 125 engine. Thailands version of Nova is said to be faster.
The well known RX-Z was my ride when i got into college. I did everything i could possibly do with that bike. My dad had bought for me this bike from one of his dipatch boys. This guy was a speed freak. He offered my dad either one of his bikes, the Yamaha Rx-Z and a Cagiva Mito 125. I opted for Rx-Z as i was really not comfortable with the superbike riding position on the Cagiva Mito. Another thing why i chose the Yamaha Rx-Z was because i can see myself modding the bike to go beyond its limitation. The Rx-Z was already modded with racing bearings, racing tuned carbs and 150cc bore kit. Soon to follow, a 175 cc bore kit and i was tearing up the Shah Alam scene. This is also the bike that my wife had rode with me a long time ago. Back then, she was still my GF. I had it for 4 years before selling it off at a profit.

There are a few more bikes in between like the Yamaha Tenere 750 and BMW 1300GS. Courtesy of my father in-law who always had a passion for adventure. Those were awesome and very comfy as they are classed as an enduro Tourer. Those bikes was a far fetched dream of mine as it was expensive and i could not afford the price tag. But hopefully one day i will be able to get me one of those.

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.