The year 2011

Current year is coming to an end. 2012 is looming in the background waiting for a grand entrance into the pages of our diary. What would the new year bring? only Allah SWT knows, as his subjects we can only pray and hope for the best to the world and everyone. May all of us be given taqwa to justify our temporary existence in this great world of his before we move to the other world.

My liking for the outdoors stems from my interest in observing,absorbing and learning about  nature, the beautiful flora and fauna, landscapes etc. To understand the relation to our very own existence and their positions in the food chain. Im no biologist or scientist so I shall leave the subject to the experts but one thing for sure I enjoy being in nature environment.

oldfart musings

A year is like eternity when you lost a sense of direction and floating by like a dead wood. When there is no target to meet  time seems endless or so I feel. How do retirees who dont have any hobbies survive?. Im glad that I have a healthy hobby and look forward to every weekend and I still work for an imaginary  target .

Riding is my lifelong activity. Earlier years of my obsession was spent riding trails and I have a special liking for trials style of riding,slow and always taking care of the environment I was in. As time went by and my skill progressed, trials bike was unavailable in bikeshops and still are, my skills was limited by my machines. There was a brief of time when a friend smuggled in 2 units of trials machine from a neighbouring country and our rides on real trials machine began but it was not to last for we are law abiding people and the illegal machine were left to rot.

Frustated I turned to riding trails and trials on mountain bikes and spent almost 20 years doing that. I managed to develop my son to be a biketrials rider and he is my trophy.

The development of endurocross overseas has given me a new hope in riding trails the trials way hence began my refreshed interest in trailbikes. For the last three year I have been developing my riding skills on a CKD trailbike in and around where I live and still loving it...........at 53.

My immediate target is to share my skill with interested rider through video lessons and probably training rides too with special attention to conservation practices while on the trails.

National Botany Park

Throughout its almost 30 years in existence,it has gone through three name changes. The park came to  existence sparked off from an idea from then minister of agriculture. The idea of establishing a one stop centre for all agricultural activities in the country. Built in a logged over low land forest and the only green lung and water catchment areas for Shah Alam,the park would showcased  many agriculture activities for tourist and town folks to understand our agri sector in depth and its importance in economic contribution for the country, without leaving the comfort of the city too. It has a fruit orchard, padi field, fishing ponds ,mini cocoa and oil palm plantations and many other attractions. It is a well recomended weekend getaway destination for families who dont want to travel far for picnics or to stay overnight.

I always have a soft spot for the park. It was my recreational ground when it was still under development almost 30 years ago. It had plenty of challenging trails and it was fun to ride there when it was still fully covered with tropical forest cover, not to mention four wheel driving too. When it was opened to public in the late eighties  connecting roads were built for the convenience of the visitors and I lost my natural trails and sadly own  mountain bikes are not allowed anymore. I found my way in illegally having knowing every nooks and cranies of the park. Normally I entered the park via an orang asli village nearby which has since became another housing estate. Orang asli are allowed to enter and gather produce and hunt in the park since it is their customary right.The reason why riders own bikes were not allowed was because they set up a bike renting business and they wanted you to rent their cheap unreliable bikes, I would broke the bikes within five minutes of riding. I stayed away in the mid 90s onward and rode my mountain bikes away from my homeground normally in Bukit Kiara and Ulu Yam.

The park has shrunk to about 800 hectares from its original hectarage of almost 2000 due to development for housing but its better than nothing. I have started to ride my mountain bikes in the park again now that own bikes are allowed. I truly enjoyed it.......all is not lost,
There are still hope.

Mersing revisited

Date:June 25/26th 2011

Destination: Mersing,Johor

Distance travelled: 840 km return

Fuel cost:80 RM

Route: Shah Alam-Seremban-Air Hitam-Kluang-Kahang-Detour to Kg.Peta-Jamaluang-Mersing.

Return route: Rompin-Muadzam Shah-Bahau-Kuala Pilah-Seremban-Shah Alam

Number of bikes: 9

Bike casualties: 1 Honda XR 650 L due to failed oil pump

Highlights: Unpaved road from Kahang to Kg.Peta on street tires

Riding in the wet and dry

Put up at a chalet in Pantai Air Papan

Beautiful beaches in Pantai Lanun

Big prawn meal in Penyabung

Trail away from Shah Alam- Reconnection

This was the second time  after so many years since I last  rode a trail away from Shah Alam,my comfortable homeground. The last trailride away was a short one in Lagong a couple of months ago.
On the second weekend of June I was invited or rather persuaded to join a trail ride in Pertak in the district of Kuala Kubu Baharu. The last time I rode in Pertak was on a mountain bike so many years ago and I have vivid memory of the trails available. I also did the trail on trailbikes and also 4 x 4 before. It was a nice place as far as I can remember with flowing river and cooling pristine rainforest .
Kampung Pertak is situated a couple of kilometers away from the rustic and charmful little town of Kuala Kubu Baharu. It is located on the rightside of the road going up to Frasers Hill. Since a huge dam was built and completed 6 years or so ago, I normally bypass the entrance to Kampung orang asli to where the trailhead is without a second thought. I enjoy the road quite frequently on my road bike while riding to the hill station,which is one of my my favorite weekend leisure riding destination.
Meor and I loaded our bike onto the Proton Arena and made our way to Kuala Kubu Baharu at 8.30am and planned to have our breakfast in the town. We waited for the other group to arrive and could only start our ride at 11am from the orang asli village where we have parked our cars. It was a bit late due to some hiccups getting there with the other group. It was a group of five riders and it was a good number because we would be riding a difficult singletrack climbing up to about 700 meters above sea level. The other 3 riders have ridden the trail before and had reached a beautiful waterfall at the top but we were aiming higher this time. All of us were riding the little green monster but one, he was on a locally branded, firstever trailbike to be assembled here.
Well,it has changed so much since my last trip there. The orang asli huts have transformed into small bungalows with pay TV dishes jutting out from the roofs,thats so much the government has provided for them in the name of progress. I wonder whether that was the orang asli`s wish or just some clever contractors who put up proposals and making a fast buck.
There was a proccession carrying a dead orang asli to be buried somewhere on the same trail that we were to ride. We followed the procession  slowly on our bikes as a sign of respect until they diverted to another trail just after our first river crossing. I was wondering whether the dead was a Muslim or an animist because I didnt see an Imam or somebody who looked like one in the crowd
Our adventure ride started in a rubber plantation which was not there on my last adventures, again it is a sign of economic progress for the orang asli. Slowly the estate turned into rain forest fringes and we were riding by a river which I think is the river Pertak. None of those I could remember . Our first challenge was a difficult and badly rutted climb and a slippery one too. I rode in the rut in order to maintain traction since I was riding with trail tires fitted and it seemed to have worked. Followed was a nice singletrack by ravines and steep slopes flanked by greeneries all the way. We have to dodged a few low lying bamboo and tree branches in order to progress further. There were a few bridges made out of small logs tied together for us to cross. There was not much drama but an interesting ride nevertheless. There were two or three really difficult sections and took us some effort to get through. So much has changed over the years.
The rainforest was still intact with very little sign of human encroachment beside regular use by the orang asli living nearby. Orang asli has the traditionary and customary right to gather forest produce such as rattan,sandal wood and various fruits and also hunt for their own consumption,we are not allowed to do so without prior consent and permission from the authorities one of which is the Malaysian Forestry Department. I was made to understand that this area is also a protected wildlife site under the care of Wildlife Department. There is a Kelah sanctuary in nearby Sungai Chilling which is managed by the department where the Malaysian masheer is bred and protected. Masheer or Kelah is a very expensive fish and very sought after by fishing enthusiast for its value as well as the experience and glamour of catching one. Ikan Kelah can fetch up to a few hundred ringgit per kilogram. I cant describe how it tastes because I dont eat fresh water fish,what a shame.
We reached the fork that could lead us to a beautiful waterfall but chosed the left one which went higher into the mountain searching for the riverhead no one in the group has gone before. We came across a nice flowing river with a pool but decided to forge ahead. The trail became harder as we rode  further and  finally we decided that was as far as we could ride for the day. We doubled back  to the pool that we have passed earlier for a rest and to have a dip in the cool  and inviting water, the trail ahead was reserved for our repeat ride in the future.
The water was marvelously cool and provided much relief for our sore bodies after more or less 2 hours of hard riding. It  tasted good too. Some us ran out of drinking water and the river is a wonderful source of clean water safe for drinking. The water from a source up stream flows along tree roots and collects minerals which makes the water taste different but in a good way. Who knows it might contain good properties which would be good for our health? but always be careful when drinking from this type of sources for some are contaminated with animal waste and dangerous for consumption. There was a public scare a few years ago regarding river water at picnic spots, the water was contaminated with certain virus carried by rat urine and have caused a few deaths among the picnickers
We spent about an hour at the spot and took some pictures while frolicking in a nice and free pool without the crowd, try that in Sunway Lagoon, it would have cost you and arm and a leg to have the same kind of relaxation.That would be the climax for our adventure for the day.
We broke camp and the return ride was mostly downhill all the way again without much drama except a minor spill when a rider clipped a boulder at quite a high speed and he went down. No damage to rider and bike as he dusted off the dirt and we proceeded smoothly back to the trail head. Since it was the same trail that we have ridden up, it was less strainous for us having seen all the obstacles and knowing the difficulties as well as the locations. How complex our brains are,we are always scared of the unknown and make us tired just thinking about it.
We arrived at the parking spot safely and my watch needles showed 4 pm. My riding partner and I decided to have a high tea in Frasers Hill to cap off our enjoyable ride,so off we went after reloading the bikes and saying goodbyes to our friends who came in a single car. They could not join us for tea this time and saved it for later. They left for Kuala Lumpur and we headed uphill to the Gap and Frasers Hill for some more fresh air while sipping hot tea but hot tea will not remain hot for long as the coolness of the high altitude will cool the hot tea in a hurry.
Im beginning to like riding outside of my turf again in search of headwater up on the mountains of Banjaran Titiwangsa,the strong back bone of  Peninsular Malaysia.
I can see a Proton Arena at my parking lot in the future..............

Local touring

It has been a while since I last went for a local touring on my ER. I had the excuse when my ex school friends held a small get together session in Kuala Terengganu recently.
My bike had seen most of its usable tire life and needed to be replaced. A new set of tires and engine serviced was carried out in preparation for the journey. An old friend decided to ride his 650 DP instead of his naked 750 for his wife was to ride pillion and it would be more comfortable for her. All was set for the ride. An ER and Pegaso with their riders were ready to hit the road......again
We met at a  servo at the beginning of Karak Highway at 8.30 am Thursday and started our ride shortly after. The ride was taken at a safe and enjoyable pace and I enjoyed the cool air of the Titiwangsa range which seperates the East Coast from the west and cultures too. I absorbed the greeneries flanking the highway.
Refilled our tanks at Gambang rest stop and proceeded after a ciggy break. We arrived in Dungun and stop for a break and second refill at about noon. The ride along the coast from the small seaside town of Dungun brought back many memories when I was a very young man riding my 125cc bike together with my friends. Traffic was smooth since it was a weekday but it sure was hot coupled with the sea breeze blowing inland.
We arrived at the beach resort at slightly after lunch time and quickly changed into our casual attire (T-shirt and three quarter pants and sandal for me) and went for lunch with  two good friends who waited for us. Lunch was great but not because of its menu which seems to be the same all over the country nowadays,but because of the presence of our old friends and our nostalgic conversations.
A few of long lost friends arrived at the resort and we had a casual chats and remembering old times  before dinner. Dinner was taken at a foodcourt in Duyung where the annual  MonsoonCup is held. After dinner it was another chat session late into early morning. I retired late.
Woke up early for a breakfast  appointments with my friends at a popular local joint in Chendering. Without fail like always I would meet many old friends there especially those who work outside the state who would satisfy their cravings for local food having missed them in their normal breakfast routines. I had nasi dagang and teh , teh kacau sure taste different from teh tarik hmmmm.....
Performed friday prayer for the first time in Masjid Ladang and the sermon  was about wedding do among the muslim and what a fitting subject when school holiday is a few days away and there will be plenty of wedding invitations for me.
We had our gathering in the afternoon,many friends turned up and surely there were stories to tell. The boys adjourned to another locations and continued late into the night. I found out there was another adventure rider in the group .   He used to ride The 1200 cc German made bike but found out its too big and cumbersome eventually changed to a more manageable 650 single Austrian made DP.We planned to go riding together soon......maybe to Thailand.
Saturday morning called. We prepared for the ride home. After a simple breakfast with two friends who would sent us off, we started our ride at 9am with a heavy heart heading for Shah Alam. Kuala Terengganu has a special place in my heart, it is where all this crazy passion with bicycles and motorcycles originates. Another few hours of absorbing the joy of riding on two wheels and two stops later and  we were safely home.....and I would be  happy and contented with my 650 japs twin.

Next ride coming soon..........watch this blog

Bicycle touring

All my old blogs on another blogger site is gone. The administrator decided to pull the blog down together with my write ups. My old blogs was all about my cycling trips an rides. I was keeping the details of my bicycle activities since 2000 in that blog and linked it to my present one but suddenly.... all gone ,what a pity.I guess I have to write new items on my cycling activities by riding bicycle seriously again.
Im contemplating to do a few short bike tours both in and outside the country soon. I have started looking for a suitable folding bike for fly/hitch and tour rides. In the meantime, three times a week light training rides to prepare for my future tours on my Mtb seems to be working just fine. I feel like I still have some legs and lung to be able to tour comfortably albeit at a more leisurely pace this time. It used to be a minimum of 120 km a day but 80km a day will be just fine these days. It is going to be more of a sight seing tour and absorbing and appreciating all the beauty that our planet has to offer and to have a deeper understanding of people,their culture and thinking while riding along the intended routes.
Stay tune for future documentation.

There has been an upsurge of new mountain bikers recently. I hope that these mountain bikers pick it up as a sport and for keeping healthy not for some other non related reasons.
Throughout my mountain biking activities of more than 20 years,I have gone through many changes and development and have seen riders come and go. Some have started strongly and bought expensive bikes but their new found interest did not last. They ended up switching to some other less strainous hobbies or activities.
In the earlier part of my involvement, most of the mountain bikers I knew were ex motocross riders who quit competition and further their offroad motorcycle riding interest via bicycle riding. There were no local bikeshop dealing in mountain bikes then hence we had to import our MTBs. The most popular brand was BRIDGESTONE. It was expensive costing about 3k in 1980s ringgit but we had no choice. Local bikeshops started to import MTBs in the early 90s and the business mushroomed since then. Now these shops are raking sales of up to 4million turnaround a year,thanks to internet and other medias. I think most of you riders know which shops Im talking about.

Having lived in Shah Alam all my  married life,naturally Taman Pertanian Bukit Cahaya was my first re entry riding ground both MTB and trailbikes before it was fully developed. That part of Shah Alam city was fully forested and  I can even trail ride to the top of Bukit Sapu Tangan on my trail motorcycle. Global concerns over the environment triggered me to concentrate on mountain biking and I left my dirt bikes to rot. My mode or style of riding was all mountain and was constantly in search of new riding grounds. It so happened that one of my road cycling mate in Shah Alam moved to his new house in Taman Tun Dr.Ismail hence  began our exploration of Bukit Kiara and this was in the early 90s well before trail builders started to construct bridges,un natural jumps and drops and started the whole freeride and downhill craze.......well some is good and riders like me had to move to a more natural settings. Again constant searches began. In the transition period I did lots of road tourings around the country.
I have and interest in Trials riding both engined and pedaled since my schooling days and the lack of riding trails to my liking somehow pushed me to concentrate on this style of riding. Trials requires no big space and you can even ride urban trials style quietly without disturbing others. I did that for a few years with my sons  and tourings around the country too.
I moved back to trail riding on dirtbikes only in the last couple of years. Actually at first it was just to ride around and search for new trails for mountain biking but eventually I got to know a few moto riders who wanted to learn trials style of trail riding and I began to show them a thing or two and the whole activity started to get serious. Since trials style of riding requires natural singletrack and obstacles,we began to search for such trails in Shah Alam and you know what? Mountain bikers ride there too...........

Just a piece of my mind

Again, a rider died and another one lost his arm while on a convoy going north,that was the information that was posted on my FB wall. I'm not trying to be an expert or to be an analyst on what had happened. I just want to share a piece of my mind as a fellow rider who has quite many years of fulltime riding experience,more than 30 years to be exact. I rode varieties of bikes from 125 to 1100 cc but now contented with 650 which produces same amount of HP as a 1100 cc from 20 years ago.
Throughout my riding years I have not seen such a big number of new big capacity bike riders on the road until lately. Many big and powerful bike are being registered everyday. It is not so critical if the bikes are bought by experienced riders as upgrades but some of those are bought by new riders. Do they have licence for those big bikes?even if they do,training by driving school to pass test is not sufficient for them to be safe on the road.
Riding big capacity bikes requires special training to ensure safety of the operator and the bikes. What one reads in magazines and watch on internet are not what it really is, so dont learn via these mediums or by trial and error. All these mediums originate from the west and the riders are totally different in size and weight from us Malaysian. A Yamaha  R1 is more powerful with 160 pounds rider compare to 220 pounds one,it is all about power to weight ratio,just to name a few.
Why do they buy these bikes? is it just to join convoys or want to be with the crowd?. Most big capacity bike riders I know are just weekend riders and when they want to sell their bikes,they will proudly advertise as such,weekend bikes. How do they gain experience if they ride once a week and on weekends?there are less traffic on weekends too.
Riding is about passion, come rain or shine. It is also about continous learning of your bikes character and overcoming elements you face on every ride. How can you do that if you keep upgrading or change bikes?.
Correct attitude is another subject which is very lacking. Doing 160kmh on the fast lane and flashing every car in front is totally annoying and zig zagging in between traffic is adding insult to injury. Hey, we are bound to follow the law too you know!. We are no greater than any other vehicle on the road,we are just another road user and a more risky one at that. Convoys do not make us rule the road and over acting  so called marshalls are a pain in the ass.
If accident happen can marhalls be sued?
Get you riding objectives and priorities right. Learn from experience riders not only riding techniques but in riding attitude too.
I will just stick to my trail rides on weekends to sharpen my bike handling skill and to be a daredevil once in a while since it is a much safer environment. I can afford to joke on my mistakes offroad. My road rides are only for errands and touring........solo.
Ride safe.

All Mountain Moto ride

We had a blast last weekend riding our All Mountain Motocycles on variety of trails nearby. We started with four riders and another friend joined the ride halfway to Ramlees Peak. A friend on a KSR had to leave early prior to the final climb and four of us continued on. The trail for the day included open climbs,singletrack,plantation,rocks and jungles. It was chosen for varieties and an opportunity to observe nature within suburban environment. The ride started at 9am in Sec 9 and ended at the cafe on Bukit Ramlee at 1 pm. The return ride was taken on a different route to complete a loop. We arrived back to Sec 9 safely at around 3 pm.

The whole idea of All Mountain Moto/mtn bike ride is to have maximum fun and minimum risk for every rider and bikes on the ride. Trails are chosen  as such that escape routes are available for the not so skilled  and for those who are can test their skills on the more difficult lines. There is also an opportunity for nature lovers to appreciate and blend in with the environment. There are plenty of line choices to suit everyone. There are elements of MX,enduro and trials thrown in and make up all Mountain Moto style of riding with a suitable choice of trails.

It should be fun and that is what All Mountain Moto riding is all about. It is also about learning from the better rider in a safe and controlled environment. You can be fast like in MX, have good stamina like in Enduro and have good balance like in Trials, you can learn all these in All Mountain Moto riding and become good rider overall . It is helpful to become a safe rider on your everyday commute if you are a full time rider unless you want to compete......thats a different story.

Technical trail riding - mtb and dirt bike

Technical trail or singletrack riding is my obsession, from now on Im going to term it as All Mountain Riding. It will refer to both Mtn bike and trail bike since Im going to ride both. Im always a sucker for slow speed and very technical trail and I hope more riders will appreciate this kind of riding be it on pedal powered or motorised.. It will be good for the environment and less damaging too.
To be able to conquer obstacles and beat them flat is a very satisfying self accomplishement which are difficult to explain. Singletracks and the environment is my playground, the closer it is to my backdoor the better.
It is ideal if we can do it on trials bike but not neccessary. Singletracks can be ridden on  almost any suitably set up mountain bikes and trailbikes which are readily available and custom tailored to your riding style. It does not need to have miles of suspension travel or festooned with designer parts which definetely cost lots of money and about ten or twelve rearwheel horsepower will do just fine........or two strong legs!!!
Its not what you ride but how you ride and where you ride so I shall enjoy every minute of it while I still can.

All Mountain Trials

Time does change and so is priority. After slowing down on my MTB activities and switching to dirt riding, the urge to go back to mountain biking is growing stronger each day. My involvement with outdoor activities started with cycling when I was very young and eventually graduated to dirt biking and motorcycling in general. Life is a cycle and Im going back to mountain biking again.
There is no denying that MTB is the best outdoor activity. It blends with nature and cheaper on the pockets too. I can be on my own for hours on the trails with minimal disturbance and enjoy every minute of it.

Reality check......
Age is catching up fast,Ive been there and done that albeit in my own small ways but satisfied nevertheless. As far as riding motorcycle is concerned,I think Ive done it all and there is nothing more to prove or do except to enjoy riding as a past time activity. There will be no more risk taking and unneccessary spending.
I just received my green badge from the Tourism Ministry. Green badge is a license for trained personel to guide tourist and visitors into our forest and other nature destinations. Maybe I can start a new trend and take riding tourist to ride on trails which I have frequented and are familiar with. I can do it both on trailbikes and mountainbikes.

A green badge guide is not a tracker whos job is to show directions or a lead a tour group but is a teacher who will tell stories and facts related to a certain area being visited. It will relate to environment, culture,socio economics, history and many more. I can even conduct riding skill classes along with the guided tours.

Trials n tribulation

Having being away for a week from riding and the country has got me thinking and reevaluating the state of motorsport in this country. Believe it or not we are not a young nation as far as motorsport is concerned.. We have been running this sport for close to 50 years already,starting with the first rally and grasstrack racing in  the fifiies. Ipoh was the center for motorsport being the location where most expatriates were stationed.The question is why are we still in the present state?.

Recreational riding is on the upsurge judging from the increase sales of motorcycles in all categories. My observation is we are still lacking in training for knowlegable motor sport officials and for motor sport enthusiast. Those who are interested just pick up the sport without any guidance and they will learn as they progress. It is not the best way to progress though.
Our neighbouring countries have taken the right steps in the right direction to make sure motor sport brings the best economic returns through hospitality and tourism activities and we will be left behind if any corrective measures are not put into place immediately.
We are known to start strongly but always a poor finisher.

Trials riding on a trail bike

I think age relates to speed. Im shying away from speeding be it when Im driving or cycling or riding my road motorcycle. As the years increase the speedometer reading decreases,or is it?

The joy of riding trail bike is becoming my major recreation for stress release and my main fitness conditioning. Feeling of excitement each time I go out for a ride is becoming stronger and Im always looking forward to nature and challenges thrown at me on each ride.
Riding trials gives me the most satisfaction now. To be able to conquer every obstacle laid out in front of me seems to be my main focus. I will feel triumphant if and when I beat all natural obstacles with my trail bike.....
It feels good.

Test of trials skill

Re aquaintance with my trials skill lately has been put to test on todays weekend ride. My usual riding buddy and I decided to do a single track trail which has not been ridden by trail bikers before. The trail is a footpath normally used by fishing enthusiast to fish at the Subang lake reservoir. I knew of its existence but always have reservation on doing it due to the unknown elements and obstacles available.
We loaded our bikes onto the Proton Arena and drove to Alam Budiman for breakfast where two other riders were waiting. It was a change for us since normally we rode our bikes from Sec 9 to Alam Budiman but decided to drive there this time. We unloaded and kicked off at 9.30 and rode to the trail head which was only 5 minutes away. We rode the familiar singletrack heading toward Bukit Altantuya and will start branching off toward the lakeside from the doubletrack going up the hill. The ride was taken at good speed since we were on a familiar trail. Reaching the branch,we entered the unfamiliar single track heading toward the lake at a more conservative speed while trying to assess the trail and jotting it into memory,no GPS was needed here.
We reached the lake side after a wonderful singletrack ride in the humid tropical rainforest. A well deserved breather was taken after the lovely and free flowing singletrack ride on the technical trail.
I thought to myself,this was going to be one exciting ride judging from the thick rainforest and and the narrow footpath around the perimeter of the lake. You better be a good swimmer if you ever fall to the right of the trail as the water was only one or so feet away. I expected a lot of fallen logs along the trail and the logs would be big in diameter judging from the big trees around us.
We overcomed the first 2 feet high log after our first break and headed further into thicker and unknown forest along the lake. As we rode further,more and more obstacles which were basically exposed tree roots and fallen logs have to be overcomed. Narrow and undulating path provided and exciting game between the trees and shrubs with our bikes handlebar. The elements mentioned played havoc on our progress by catching on our handlebars ever so often, bark buster or handguards would have played their role well in this environment and very much recomended. We were fortunate since we came prepared where all our bikes have handguards fitted. At about midway, we had to take a rest for a lot of energy was drained. I took the opportunity to trek further on foot just to check on the possibility of reaching the next trail head,if there was one. I was hoping for the best for I dont want to double back on our bikes. It was a relief that I found a trail head to exit the forest. I double back and informed my fellow adventurers of the good news. It was to be a wonderful experience with a sense of  achievement of sort to all of us on this ride
We rode on with whatever energy left and made it to the clearing after overcoming many anticipated obstacles. The climb heading out from the trail was taken with pride for we have achieved what we set out to do for the day. Well done to my fellow riders and  me!.
We rode back to Alam Budiman on a  familiar trail and ended the ride with  refreshement at a restaurant where we parked our car earlier.
It took us 3 hours from trail head to trail head and I rode with experienced riding buddies. It would have taken longer for new riders.These guys have rode with me for quite sometimes. I have thought them a thing or two on single tracking which was basically trials riding techniques. Without these techniques the ride would have been harder,both on our bodies and bikes.

Trials set up for my KLX

There are a few trail riders who are showing an interest in trials riding. After more than 20 years of waiting   for like minded riders, I have a group of people who would inspire me to continue riding or rather to return to this style of riding to spend my freetime while enjoying nature.
Currently bikes are the biggest stumbling block to our progress. We have to make do with incorect bike for our purpose, learning  trials will be a big challenge with a steeper learning curve without a true trials bike. Not to despair though, Im doing R and D on my KLX to find the correct set up and minor modification to ensure progress and making learning easier with more fun too.
In the pipeline is a new set of alloy triple clamp to further lightened the front end. Exhaust system will be replaced with a lighter unit. These two items will enhance the balance of the bike by lowering the COG. A plastic tank from KLX 140 will lower the centre of gravity further anf lightened the bike considerably. The other important item is 21 inch front wheel but it has to wait until some smart alex produce or import a 28 hole one..

TRIALS

Suddenly there is an interest in trials! or rather trials style riding. I will do my best to explain this little known motorsport here. I have written a little bit on the history in my earlier blog so we just skip it and move on straight to what it is.
Trials is a form of offroad motorcycle competiton where each rider will ride on, up and over obstacles without putting his foot down. Each dab or footing and falling off will be penalised with certain points. The rider with the lowest score is declared the winner at the end of the comp.
Trials sections or lines are laid along natural obstacles i.e. rocky section,stream,ledges, fallen logs etc to  test the skill and ability of each rider competing. Observers are stationed at each section to observe and giving out penalty points to riders. Normally there are 6 or 7 sections to be ridden twice by each rider. It is only a one day event except ISDT and SSDT which are run for 6 days.
Trials bikes are specialised machines designed for a single purpose use,only for trials. The ergos of the bike is only suitable for stand up riding. Practicaly it has no seat for easy movement and the fuel tank only holds 2 to 3 litre of petrol. It is very light weighing only between 140 to 160 pounds. Tires are very grippy with low pressure of 6 psi at the rear and 8 psi in front. Engine is tune for more low end with a heavy flywheel for traction.
Trials bike are rare in Malaysia. Certain bike shop used to import few units of these in the early 90s but there were few buyers, it was not a viable bisness. If you can find one today, probably it was imported without any papers hence illegal.
The current most popular form of trials competition worldwide is vintage and twin shock trials. It is very popular in UK and USA. Due to the high cost of new machines, enthusiast and amateur riders  take old machines and modified british single to enter trials competition tailored for such machines.
A new form of offroad motorsport which has evolved from trials is endurocross. Actually it is the best of both world for MX and trials. Endurocross needs the speed of motocross and the riding skill of a trials rider. The slow speed of trials does not seem to excite young riders but they need to learn trials riding techniques to succed in endurocross, reason why most endurocross champs are trials riders.
Do  not confuse yourself with trick riding as what you normally watch on internet. Normally trials competition are held in natural areas and not in the middle of a town but there are stadium trials too.
In the local context we can just start riding technical trail  on our trailbikes just to learn the basics. We can progress to proper trials if and when real trials bike are available hopefully they are affordable too. Meantime just learn and practice endurocross style riding on our local trails.