End of the BIG and torquey feeling?

 

It has been a while since I posted here, I had a lot of great events that happened in my life, to summarize first, I married the love of my life and we are now raising a very beautiful baby. I am 40 will tick that soon and currently got back in the Philippines to live again here. Love for the country is and will always be greater no matter what the inefficiencies of our government would be. 

Now, this post is just about my love and somehow passion for motorcycles, to which I was fascinated way back when I was in high school and saw my friend/classmate who was riding that Suzuki underbone and was thinking why am I not doing that? ... probably because we do not have that luxury unlike him 😀. He then asked me to hop on and did the back ride with him and it was a nice feeling even for a few minutes around the area. Then I saw another friend of mine riding with a Honda underbone again. Now at these times I already seen my dad whose riding motorcycles for quite a long time, and I can remember I was even riding on a tank with one of his motorcycles. I guess I got my love for it because of how I was raised and felt that experience at an early age. Fast forward to today, Philippines motorcycle culture is just out there and many clubs, groups and even the newer Chinese companies are coming in because we love the two wheel feeling and I think because of the traffic situations as well. Nevertheless, motoheads still ride at those circumstances.

I remember trying a mid size scooter that my relatives told me to use it to get something, but I do not know how to, they asked, do you know how to ride a bicycle? ... yes I do, then just twist that throttle and these are the brakes. That was my first few times I tried riding, illegally I must say but It was a quick errand thing. (still bad!). Moreover, I never did ride again unless someone will lend me, which I do not ask them directly. When I got back from Gibraltar, I did purchase my first ever car, but somehow I felt that the coding scheme in the Philippines will still bring complications on my travel and back to work and home, thus I studied back the motorcycles... I asked my dad to lend his old underbone that was really rusty and quite not my fit, I did try and stalled several times but did manage and felt the past experiences I had with motorcycles were getting back, It was a calling at that time. I did continue to research about motorcycles, newer models, prices and their specs, from there I wanted to learn more and saw an ad in Facebook about a riding experience from Ducati. This was an expensive one day learning experience it was the Ducati Riding Experience (DRE). 

Yes, I did train with 800cc motorbikes and made it all with just a few leg stopping. It was an experience and my batch was amazing as well, 

I think I managed to do the 8 thingy (U turns are quite difficult haha)

Now, after finishing the 1 day course I feel and wanted to get my first ever motorcycle, again I wanted to continue learning, was aiming for that KTM Duke 390, but somehow the dealership was not good, so I was pissed and saw a local brand called RUSI, I saw classic motorcycles that look like big bikes.

This was now my first ever motorcycle, a 250cc RUSI Classic. Do not be fooled by this, the bike was amazing and people were asking how many cc's is that and so on. I met cool friends with this bike until now and we did upgrades and rides together.

Meet Fudgey, now modified!

After 2 months only I sold my RUSI. I need to get that itch removed and riding a real big bike was set to my mind, Internet research begun... that I was amazed by how cool an Indian Scout is. A lot of choices were made but Indian brand and its history was sold especially when I saw them first hand at the showroom.

I even used this as my office computer wallpaper hehe.

I bought the Indian Scout I guess back in 2018, rode this with the gang and the brand was quite new in the Philippines so there were many marketing and rides that we had. As this was my now coding alternative on Mondays, I get to go to work at the same pace but with quicker maneuverability yet I need to change clothes at the parking area when I get there since It will always be a sweaty ride. 

Meet Morrigan, 1000cc Indian Scout Sixty.

Riding the Indian was amazing more of the power and throttle response... did I mention the torque? Anyway, the upgrades here are not much just the air filter, exhaust and back pillion I think. Now the power and its speed is somehow not practical for city or daily use in my case, so I decided to get an automatic that I was using back in the days a scooter... Vespa Sprint 

Meet Hela, my Vespa Sprint 155

Again, best thing about getting a new motorcycle is always getting new friends to ride and hang out with. I was now a member of the infamous Cavite Vespa Club  (CVC), which are quite a bunch hehe. I rode this solo and doing a lot of errands with this, plus the looks are just amazing to the eyes, I am a classic motorcycle enthusiasts I must say, I do not fancy sports bike at all.

After a series of riding on the express way (this is a dream for most non big bike users), riding errands with Hela.  I somehow became busy with work and other things, thus riding short, long and far were not an option anymore. Things get more interesting when I needed to migrate to the UK, that I needed to sell all my big boy toys...poof!

Interestingly, when I was in the UK, I felt the need and envy every time I saw one riding freely on UK roads as their roads are just way better back here. Fast forward when I went back home (probably a different blog), I somehow feel lacking in how I live before... I wonder what it is...?

Right, MOTORCYCLES!

So I pulled the trigger and again that my wife now supported that, I got another dream bike of mine which I saw from one of my Indian rides to a showroom, the British classic - The Bonneville. I spent most of my savings to get this T120 Black back last year only. I did some performance upgrades as well (darn ECU).

Meet Hera, 1200cc T120. 

See why I bought him vs. what was available in terms of classic, that is the epitome of motorcycles.

Now, this bike I ride like I feel the need in a way, I haven't really met any RATPh peeps except the old Indian folks before. But It was okay, that I did ride this here and there but currently at 1200kms I think, this thing is as fresh as its mods.

Here comes the errands and functionality bike itch, that I bought last Feb this year. What else should I buy... a Vespa! I was hoping to get a higher displacement but I remember that I still have the power and speed of my T120. So I opted for the newer model the Vespa Sprint Tech (not as great as how they advertised, but still an awesome look and feel).

Meet Slimer, just what you need on a city, daily basis, now more functional because I added that expensive rack and top box 😕

It was great that I am now back in the Philippines, riding my big bike and now a Vespa with the old CVC. Doing errands here and back was fun with a Vespa and riding solo makes you feel whole again.

Here goes the turning point, I was thinking and looking at motorcycles big and small, that I found myself browsing minimotos. I saw one with CFMoto Papio, cool and reasonable. But a few more research I liked and wanted the king which is the Honda Monkey. I persuaded my wife and asked, surprisingly I caught her with that bike, sent a photo that I purchased it (way expensive since we do not have the bike here, price like a 400 - 600cc big bikes). A birthday gift I said haha, now I am happy and will turn 1 (plus the one I mentioned earlier) this year. Riding the Honda Monkey was so much fun that I felt this was a better riding experience than both of my bikes.

Meet Oh, Honda Monkey 125, this was the latest setup I made. Damn min moto fun on and off the road, yet its modifications are also fun.

So nowadays, I ride this in our area, sometimes out of the village. I really like riding mini motorcycles, it gives you the feeling of what It should be, maybe that's what were the feelings of the early ones and vintage riders of todays are. Riding a slow motorcycle fast!

As I age, I learned that what we want in life could be achieved If we work hard for it, not just by pure luck or so. I am now a father and riding will always be a risk worth taking, yet time and cost are needed to sustain such passion to these. I am pretty much justifying do I need to sell the T120, now that I have a functional good looking of the Vespa Sprint Tech and the spirited riding of the Honda Monkey. 

Am I still am capable (having back issues on discs) to ride far and fast ?

How often do I ride this that far?

Do I often join big bike group rides?

Do you still want to maintain an expensive big bike that you do not ride as often as those two?

I could say, with all those things I may need to let go of Hera, this way, I freeing up my time and expenses to those two and could have lesser worries of not riding a very powerful bike. Yes, I am putting my dream bike away, but I just need to be healthier and have more time to ride her, which I often have a hard time doing nowadays.

Reality is, having a lot of motorcycles are fun and cool to own, It is just like having a new pair of shoes to either show off and feel the experience while wearing It. Motorcycles are of course better in experience and you will learn and meet a lot of people within the culture.

I love the T120, but I am unable to fulfill what It needs.  I am using the Vespa more often on errands and functions. The Honda Monkey is the ride whenever I wanted to feel what the T120 is at a small package and within the non-expressway roads.

Motorcycles will always be great especially when you have one dream big bike! Having more is difficult, that is a fact, people only show off and discuss but check their mileage not really good for a machine that big. I respect people who own 1 or two big bikes and ride them hard. I will say, this might be an end of the era of my big bikes experience, I cannot tell yet If I will own one or will be permitted to own in the future hehe. It was a great experience to ride with pure power and the speed it gives. 

Hera...T120 will be signing off soon. 

fresh from the showroom, release day April 2024

One thing is for sure, I will still ride those two and make the most out of the small displacements...efficiently.  No matter what you ride, big or small, always be careful and courteous to others on and off road. RIDE SAFE!