AGE IS JUST A NUMBER A GREENHORN EYE WHO STARTED TO RIDE
Often we encounter hardcore riders sharing their thoughts and experiences to new riders and friends. It gives them the sense of accomplishments & a born-to-ride connotation; or they simply share their passion. Some may be a self-proclaim rider, but what does a “rider” really mean? Some define it as a person who lives, breath, and revolves his life professionally and casually for motorcycles. Theoretically, rider refers to a person who often ride a motorcycle. Our Google friend agrees on it. If you will ask people who ride or owns a bike, they may have a different perspective and often are inclined to their exposure. Misunderstood, you might assess that, if you do not own a bike, or not a frequent rider, you have no right to tell something about bikes. I have been exposed for quite some time now in the industry and met few people around like riders, bike owners, and enthusiasts alike who welcome new faces in the riding community who shares the passion, admiration, and experiences that defines a rider. He who keeps the community growing and making the lifestyle young in spite of a long history in the making.
ALEX A
and riders inspired and get a taste that is distinctively their own. Motorcycle manufacturer, Suzuki Philippines, welcome newbies with models that fits the lifestyle of the young riders with different taste. Models that fits the young generation such as Suzuki Gixxer, Suzuki Address and Suzuki AX4 projects a fresh concept for the young, vibrant, and those cool in lifestyle. I know you have heard of these models. The Suzuki Gixxer also known as GSX-R has a long history for its big displacement engines, now they came up with a model that fits as a new sports racer bike in a smaller package. The Suzuki Address that was released in Europe and the Pacific region, entered our shore and made a statement to all scooter lovers, a cool easy to ride bike with style. The new Suzuki AX4 is a versatile hip ride. You can ride it in solo or with sidecar for your business. We welcome and salute the growing market of the motorcycle industry, newbie or experienced motorcycle users with common liking about its lifestyle and experiences that revolves around it. To all Siklowistas out there, keep the riding happy, safe, and young!!!
We focus our journey through this issues about being young, fresh and new in lifestyle that make newbies
YOUNG RIDERS YOUNG GUNS
What can I say about the young riders of today? Going back to my childhood, i was an eager young boy who always got into some sort of mishap and adventure. Growing up in the province was very typical. We played hide and seek, made and flew kites, swam the ocean and rivers, fished tilapia with our make shift poles, and explored wherever our minds would take us. Back then we would just walked wherever we wanted to go. Then I got my first experience riding a motorcycle during elementary years. It was a Honda C70. Company issued to my dad. I was too young to ride it on my own but i remember it being a workhorse that my brothers rode everyday. I always wanted to come along for a ride. When i was big enough... It was freedom. I have had two motorcycles since then, but it all boils down to the beginning back in the province. Although those days are gone now, I can still sense the same eagerness in our young riders of today. I see them scooting around our city and having a blast. What’s sad is, thrill seeking with a motorcycle has become
very dangerous. Whenever a motorcycle or scooter accident occurs, most of the time it is a young rider that is involved. I think the problem is most of them didn’t learn to drive four wheels first then graduated to two wheels. Because there are unwritten rules in the streets that only a car driver knows through experience. Since they did’nt experience this ladder, they lack a certain aspect when navigating our streets, hence the miscalculations. But on the flipside. There are young riders today that embody the positive image of motorcycling. Most are young professionals that do a daily commute to work. Careful and defensive. Complete in safety gears and adheres to the traffic rules. These are the modern young riders that busy our city during rush hours. Having observed what I can. I guess being young is all the same when it comes to wanting thrills and adventure. But being sensible and safe is what separates the rider from a statistic.
DING DE VILLA
EDITOR’S NOTE I always get people telling me that riding a motorcycle is dangerous, and that it’s better to ride public transportation than to risk life and limbs. I understand where they’re coming from, for motorcycle riders now belongs to the growing number of deaths on the roads, making us mere statistics in data records. I can never find words to explain to them the lifestyle we riders live and what the taste of freedom is, making every solicited advice useless.
Blessed are you for the proliferation of entry level motorcycles are within affordable reach. The scooter segment though is a more welcoming motorcycle for newbie and young riders, for the ease of use due to the twist and go operation is a pleasing way to start life on a motorcycle. Agile, fast, and comfortable rides will make you love the riding life more. Freedom, being one with nature’s elements, and the blood rush makes everything awesome every time we are on our motorcycle.
I started riding a motorcycle 17 years ago, and I still remember the first time I sat on that saddle and twisted the throttle. It was exhilarating to say the least for my spirit had awakened. Young and very adventurous, the motorcycle fits my lifestyle. Manly and cool it sure is the perfect blend of man and machine, and from then on I was hooked.
Now, thanks to Suzuki Philippines for giving our young people the opportunity to own their newest scooter Suzuki Address. This surely will revolutionize the way of living amongst our young people, for it will be the catalyst of change into transforming mobility from commuting to motorcycles. The time has come for our youth to possess the power of travel for a more productive happy life, by means of exploration through long out of town rides to the everyday riding to work or play scenarios.
The youth of today are lucky to have varieties of motorcycles available in the market today, where they can choose the perfect motorcycle that suits their persona. Back then, motorcycles are expensive and not a lot of bike shops and stores are available. That is why, the motorcycle industry welcomes the young riders and newbies to the world of two wheels. With open arms, we welcome all of you to the freedom and camaraderie the motorcycle life brings.
Whatever reason it is to get your first motorcycle, remember that riding one brings more life in you making you young at heart however old you are Siklowista.
JOEL I. JOYA Editor-In-Chief
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ PUBLISHER JOEL I. JOYA joeljoya17@gmail.com
PRODUCTION HEAD/ VIDEOGRAPHER NESTLY B. VILLAMOR nbvillamor.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
DOCUMENTATION ALEX J. ALO ajalo.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
LAYOUT ARTIST ELI V. COQUILLA evcoquilla.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
COMMUNICATIONS DONNA D. ALO mdalo.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
VIDEOGRAPHER/ EDITOR JOHN C. DE CASTRO jcdecastro.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
PUBLIC RELATIONS / CORRESPONDENT MEL AQUINO melaquino.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
VIDEOGRAPHER/ EDITOR JOHN LUKE M. SALCEDO jmsalcedo.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER DING DE VILLA dingdevilla.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
ANIMATION/ AUGMENTED REALITY SHERELYN B. BERMEJO sbbermejo.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
ADMIN & MARKETING ASSOCIATE CHARLENE J. SAMOSA cjsamosa.motorsiklonews@gmail.com
EDITORIAL STAFF
CONTRIBUTORS JOBERT BOLANOS JOHN MENDOZA EMMAN BALMES
GOKU ORTIZ GENE B. ULAG CHEGGY MEDINA
BENJAX RIVERA RAP SAAVEDRA CHICCO
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COVER STORY 48 The New
SUZUKI
ADD DRESS TO YOUR LIFE! N 8
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NEWS & EVENTS
HONDA SMART TECHNOLOGY
BIKE REVIEW
43 RANK1 AUTOSHOW
14 KYMCO AGILITY RS 125
44 SUZUKI’S TRIPLE THREAT
26 YAMAHA YZF-R15
RAISES THE BAR IN PHILIPPINE SCOOTER MARKET
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HONDA JOINS MOTORSIKLO XKULSIBO
MEDIA LAUNCH
10 JUNIOR NEW SYSTEM
66 TOP 1 ACTION MATIC
11 TARA LETS SA #JUANVIBE, GIMIK NG BAYAN THE NATION’S CHAT APP CELEBRATES BEING PINOY
12 YAMAHA OPENS HIBALAG FESTIVAL IN SILIMAN
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24 MRO RIDES FOR THE OFW’S
THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY X-4
RAISES THE BAR IN PHILIPPINE SCOOTER MARKET
20 THE MAICO FOUNDATION CUP 1 THE FIRST REV TOWARDS THE DREAM!
THE MOTION OF INNOVATION IN DAVAO
AT THE YAMAHA CLUB GRAND EYEBALL
32 KYMCO WORLD RECORD CELEBRATION
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38 SIX-SIK SA SAYA SA SIXTH MOTORSIKLO XKLUSIBO 6TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
42 SHELL ADVANCE MOTOCARE EXPRESS OPENING IN ANTIPOLO CITY
FEATURE ARTICLE
FEATURED RIDERS
74 THE RIDE REVIEW
72 JM MIRASOL
76 MOTOGP SEPANG MALAYSIA
79 AMBER TORRES | ALL GIRLS CATEGORY
80 H.O.G. EASTERN SAMAR MOTORISMO 2015
90 VINTAGE CAFE | WAVES & PAVEMENTS
OPENS IN THE PHILIPPINES
36 MOTORCYCLE RIGHTS ORGANIZATION @7
67 WHY RIDING A MOTORCYCLE IS BETTER
71 SAM TAMAYO & GINO CRUZ
TOURING
FEATURED SHOP
FEATURED RIDERS
1ST ANNIVERSARY
35 FAITO RACING
FEATURE
FEATURE ARTICLE
AT TIENDESITAS
34 ROPALI CLASSICS
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69 FROM A RIDERS’ POINT OF VIEW
22 YAMAHA GP ONE MAKE RACE
25 THE SNIPER 150 MXI DEBUTS
BRACE FOR AN EXXHILIRATING RIDE WITH THE SUZUKI GIXXER
64 SUZUKI AX4
RACE 101
19 REPSOL NATIONAL ROAD RACE
OPEN YOUR WORLD CAMPAIGN NATIONWIDE TOUR
13 YAMAHA ALL NEW SZ AND SNIPER 150 MXI
56 SUZUKI GIXXER
THE PERFECT MATCH FOR AUTOMATIC SCOTERS!
IS VIBER’S NEW BRAND AMBASSADORS
4TH OF JULY LIBERATION RIDE
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91 MOTORCYCLE HELMETS
FOOD
SAFETY RIDING
88 DEEP FRIED CREAM DORY
92 GROUP RIDING HAND SIGNALS & FORMATION
CHEF INDAY’S TRAVEL FOOD
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BUYERS’ GUIDE
FEATURED SHOP | APPAREL
SAFETY RIDING
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94 MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION W/ EDWIN GO KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
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NEWS & EVENTS
HONDA SMART TECHNOLOGY RAISES THE BAR IN PHILIPPINE SCOOTER MARKET
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onda, the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, has ushered an innovative and groundbreaking technology in motorcycle development in the Philippines and the rest of the world with its exclusive and pioneering Honda Smart Technology. Honda Philippines first adopted the technology when it launched the Honda Click125i premium scooter in February this year and replicated the same on its New Generation BeAT-FI eSP Series scooter for all when it was officially rolled out in May. The breakthrough innovation, which is starting to become a buzzword in the global motorcycle industry, is a collection of excellent technical and innovative features intended to enhance the safety of its riders, maintain great road performance, ensure better utility, improved security, and contribute to the superb fuel efficiency of Honda’s latest scooter offerings. While the trendy and sporty look combined with the superb fuel efficiency of the new lines of Honda scooters will suffice for the average users, the veteran motorcycling enthusiasts are actually impressed more of the Honda Smart Technology because it is practically a reflection of the commitment of Honda to give only the best scooter products in the market.
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That thrust only echoes the goal of Honda Philippines President Daiki Mihara who stated that the New Generation BeAT-FI eSP Series is a reflection of the company’s continued commitment to provide powerful, safe, fun, and worthwhile driving experience to the growing market of Filipino scooter enthusiasts.
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Honda Smart Technology has not just ushered a groundbreaking technological concept in motorcycle manufacturing; it has actually raised the bar in the development of scooters both in the Philippines and in some other parts of the world. Honda the Power of Dreams!
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HONDA JOINS MOTORSIKLO XKLUSIBO 6TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
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August 30, 2015, an exciting day for all motorcycle enthusiasts, as Motorsiko Xklusibo celebrates their 6th anniversary with a blast. Together with other motorcycle brands and sponsors they we’re able to gather more than 5,000 riders nationwide. Mindanao. Some even came a day before the event to witness and be part of this worthwhile anniversary. Honda riders were provided such unique Honda Marketing activities flourished in this event as we provide free fishballs, squidballs, chicken balls, kikiam at the B-eat into the Extreme Food Station and free Coffee Brewed for the Riders (CBR). Jam packed of Riders at the Honda VIP Lounge with added Photobooth for their souvenirs and Roving photoman as they Call them Click. Free items for those who will like at the official fan page of Honda. Honda Riders were able to experience a Dance show down as they Copy into the Beat of Nae Nae. The Day ends with Motorsiklo Xklusibo Motorcycle Raffle Draw for all the motorcycle riders. The grand winner of Beat-fi standard was then awarded to Ms. Riza Sarmiento of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Honda acknowledged the participation of all the Rider Clubs and the organizers of Motorsiklo Xklusibo for giving us the chance to be part of this event. Honda the Power of Dreams!
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This event was attended by Honda riders from all regions as far as
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NEWS & EVENTS
JUNIOR NEW SYSTEM IS VIBER’S NEW BRAND AMBASSADORS They rocked the ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ stage and are now set to share good vibes as Viber’s brand ambassadors Junior New System, semi-finalists of Asia’s Got Talent, is the new ambassador of the leading messaging app Viber.
Their heart-stopping performance during the
semi-finals of Asia’s Got Talent (AGT) brought the judges and the full auditorium to their feet. For all their electrifying and entertaining dance moves, it is undeniable that Junior New System has got the maddening rush of movement in them, which they are now bringing to even more people as leading messaging app Viber’s ambassadors.
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As the new champions of Viber and its #JuanVibe campaign, Junior New System perfectly embodies Viber’s spirit of good vibes and real connections through their group’s friendship and the links they make with people through dance. Formed in 2009, the group, which came from an earlier group composed of older members, is an inspiration because of their story that resonates with passion and persistence.
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“Mahalaga sa kanila talaga ang pagsasayaw, doon sila sumasaya,” observes their manager Mars Visda. This is the reason why the group went through various barangay contests to hone their skills until they got their big break in 2012, by winning the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ Sayaw Pinoy Competition Hip-Hop Category. After winning again the following year, the boys of Junior New System became determined more than ever to aim and achieve higher. The group, composed of brothers Jerolle, Jevin, Jascel, and Jerome Valencia, Boaz and Eugene Fabon, Jasper John Ortiz, Philip Del Mundo, Charles Darhyl Bautista, and Mark John Almeria, is determined to showcase only the finest of
Filipino talent. And so the boys, all aged between 15 and 22, pulled out all the stops in creativity and stunts to give awe-inspiring performances during their stint in AGT. Nobody can ever forget their semi-finals performance where they earned a Golden Buzzer, sending them straight to the finals.
Melquiades. “Junior New System, young as they are, shows us that Filipinos can be great. They’re a group that stands for strong friendship and camaraderie which were instrumental to their success, and we admire how they remain humble and hardworking even after becoming part of a big competition like Asia’s Got Talent.”
But while people only see the thrilling spectacle every time the boys go on stage, there is a bigger story behind each acrobatic flip or winning move. According to them, their flawless routines are owed to discipline and the will to do great despite the circumstances. The group shares that they had to practice their stunts near the train tracks to putting down used foam and mattresses that give them support.
“Of course they’re honored and excited to be Viber’s new ambassadors,” says Visda. He also adds that Viber is important to the group’s everyday communication since they use Viber to talk and update each other on gigs and practices. “Yung Viber group napaka-practical kasi isang send mo lang, tanggap na agad ng lahat yung message,” Visda adds.
They might not have won the title in AGT, but the immense talent the group has shown has left a mark on many people, and not only Filipinos. Junior New System has a base of international fans from Malaysia and Singapore and their following locally has steadily grown since their AGT stint and through their #JuanVibe Gimik Ng Bayan gigs. With a story that brings good vibes and performances that truly connect to audiences, Viber has chosen the group to be its new ambassadors. A new #JuanVibe video has also been launched to share the good vibes story of Junior New System to the world. “Viber is all about spreading good vibes and fostering real connections among its users,” says Viber Philippines Country Manager Kristian
According to the boys, another Viber feature that they love is Public Chats, because it allows them to interact with fans and also invite them to shows and gigs. Junior New System also use Viber personally to communicate quickly and easily with their families and friends even while they’re on the go. From barangay fiestas, to conquerors of Asia’s dance stage, to being prized performers at Viber’s #JuanVibe Gimik Ng Bayan events, truly Junior New System has come a long way. The boys now get to enjoy the simple joys of buying new rubber shoes and even helping out with their families’ expenses. And becoming Viber’s new ambassadors is the icing on the cake, as it gives them the chance to share good vibes and real connections with Filipino audiences and fans through their friendship and talent.
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TARALETS SA #JUANVIBE, GIMIK NG BAYAN!
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THE NATION’S CHAT APP CELEBRATES BEING PINOY AND THROWS FREE MALL EVENTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
From July 12 to September 12, Viber’s #JuanVibe Gimik Ng Bayan mall tour is a definite must-visit with a Filipino-inspired set-up, a cool display of Viber’s purple jeepney station, and a chance to take home exclusive Viber freebies!
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iber, the Philippines’ leading messaging app, is celebrating what matters most to Filipinos—our close personal relationships. Close family ties and life long friendships are unique Pinoy vibes that shine through our culture, values, and traditions and sets us apart from various cultures all over the world. More and more real connections are being strengthened by the messaging service with 21 million users nationwide sharing the #JuanVibe that helps keep everyone together.
Get into the party with Itchyworms members Jugs Jugueta (left), Chino Singson (center) and Kelvin Yu (right) with the rest of the Viber community.
From July 12 to August 29, the Gimik Ng Bayan mall tour is a definite must-visit with a creative set-up inspired by iconic Filipino landmarks. Prepare to take groupfie’s with Viber’s setup of purple jeepney station, sari-sari store booth, tambayan benches, and merienda stalls. With free food and drinks, games, and entertainment for the family and barkadas, and of course, exclusive Viber T-shirts, USBs, and stickers to be won, every Viber user is sure to have plenty of fun. Those who’ll join the party will also get to rock out with their favorite Pinoy bands & performers like Itchyworms, Rocksteddy, Jhong Hilario, and Asia’s Got Talent grand finalists Junior New System, whom fans will get the chance to meet at the meet-and-greet sessions. Free WiFi, an insta-photo booth, and Viber demos for mobile & desktop will also be available at the venue for non-stop fun with your loved ones. Getting into the party of the nation is crazy easy: all you need is to show your Viber app or download Viber to claim your Gimik Pass and make the most out of every stop on the tour. Special prizes from Viber and event partners are also up for grabs such as Cherry Mobile
Dance with the crowd as Asia’s Got Talent grand finalists, Junior New System (left), hype up the crowd with their killer moves and have an afternoon full of laughter with host, Dona Nose (right).
smartphones, Globe goodies, Mang Juan snacks, Chatime milk tea, Digital Walker mobile accessories, and Cebu Pacific gift packs. We can’t wait to meet our Pinoy users at the following malls: August 29, 2015 - Market Market, September 12, 2015 - SM Pampanga. Gimik Ng Bayan is in partnership with SM Cyberzone, PLDT Home, Smart, Globe, Cherry Mobile, Cebu Pacific, Mang Juan, Chatime, and Digital Walker.
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To keep building these connections, Viber is launching “#JuanVibe: Gimik Ng Bayan”, a series of mall tours where Pinoys can enjoy their favorite Pinoy moments from malling to eating and listening to their favorite music. “It is our way of saying thank you to all 21 million Viber users in the Philippines and celebrating our success with them,” says Crystal Lee, Viber Regional Manager for Southeast Asia.
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NEWS & EVENTS
YAMAHA OPENS HIBALAG FESTIVAL IN SILIMAN UNIVERSITY OPEN YOUR WORLD CAMPAIGN NATIONWIDE TOUR
DUMAGUETE, PHILIPPINES, August 19,
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2015 — Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc. continues its nationwide tour of their Open Your World Campaign. This time they visit the Siliman University in Dumaguete just in time for the Hibalag festival; the school’s annual celebration that provided entertainment and activities for the students.
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This is where Yamaha provided an extra special segment for the students with the Open Your World Campaign; the festival became a presentation for the student to go beyond their limit by making their college life more exciting through their passion, talents, skills, and creativity. The festival went beyond the usual fun and games as it went beyond booth activities to make students experience Yamaha and its goal of fueling dreams by opening their world to a better future. To start off the introduction of this world, participating students attended the Yamaha Safe Riding Science where they were given a lecture about the basic
guidelines of riding as well as actual riding lessons. When festival got to its peak hours, Yamaha’s segment was attended by thousands of students. Hosted by Rico Robles, the program featured TJ Monterde who talked about moving for rush and comfort. Myx VJ Chino talked about moving for the Style and the Future. Each discussion centered around Yamaha’s automatic lineup the Mio Soul i, Mio Mxi, Mio Fino i, and Mio Sporty. Bringing the event to a climax were performances from Finpost Band, feature band HALE, and after party beats from DJ Mccoy. This was not just about riding; it was also about the lifestyle of being a student and their personalities that are mirrored through passion. Yamaha goes to different campuses not simply to educate but also to inspire the youth into striving for a better future while creating a wonderful present. At the forefront of this is the automatic lineup which has always been a symbol of individuality while maintaining an expression that is recognized anywhere on the road.
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YAMAHA LAUNCHES THE ALL NEW SZ AND SNIPER 150 MXI THE MOTION OF INNOVATION IN DAVAO
DAVAO CITY, PHILIPPINES, August 27-30, 2015 — Yamaha Motor
Philippines, Inc. goes to Davao for the final leg of the Yamaha International Motorshow. The highlight of the event was the launching of the all new SZ and the Sniper 150 Mxi; the people of Davao were the first to see these units.
Of course, the Blue Core Engine was also on display with the Mio i 125 and Soul i 125. Also featured is the Big Bike category which will become available later this year. The Off-Road Category with Serow 250 and XTZ 125 which are perfect for beyond the asphalt adventures; Yamaha’s power products, generators that give absolute power; and the Automatic Category that has one for every type of personality. KZ Tandingan, who hails from Davao, gave a performance that entertained everyone in her hometown in a fun filled set of days that also included special guests Robi Domingo and Jessy Mendiola.
It was an event which had everything from exhilaration to breathtaking action, one that is that only Yamaha can provide. This is the last leg of the Yamaha International Motor show and a nation has become revved because of brand new technology, quality, and superiority. A nationwide expression of Revs your Heart. M
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The brand new Sniper 150 Mxi has been eagerly awaited by everyone in the country since it was launched in other countries, now it has arrived in the Philippines to give a renewed sense of speed and superiority. The motorcycle that’s in a class all on its own will make the riders standout because of a cutting edge design that is complemented by excellent performance. Inspired by the R-series makeup, the people got up close and personal to Yamaha’s blueprint of global standard in racing. The all new SZ rides on a different path; it has been redesigned to be a sportier and grittier version of its old self. Now with an upgraded fuel efficient system, it enables the rider to have limitless action along with cutting edge toughness and boldness.
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BIKE REVIEW
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Photo courtesy of www.scooteraccessories.com.au
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KYMCO AGILITY RS125
AGILITY
Photo courtesy of moto.zombdrive.com/kymco`
Again and again, I tell myself that a scooter is always the best motorcycle
As I’ve said, I have been riding motorcycles all my life and most are the standard ones, with manual clutch or manual-matic. Motorcycles of different displacements rack up my riding years and it makes me love riding more and more every day. But, sometimes it gets the best out of me, the long ques in traffic, the rainy day rides, and many more back breaking ones makes me consider driving my car instead…. And that for me is a “No-No!” Now, I believe that riding a scooter for everyday commute is the best solution to my problem, and that it is as fun as the standard chain driven manual motorcycles. I am not saying that the standard motorcycles are not daily commute worthy, I am just pointing out preferences that I particularly need. The twist and go ease of use of the scooter segment really is what makes it for me the best bike for daily commute. Agile and smooth engine performance that delivers optimum ride ability.
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for everyday commute, why? Simple…. It’s a “twist and go!” I have been riding a motorcycle all my life and it’s quite an audacious lifestyle. The fun and risk are there and it makes me more alive every time I am on a motorcycle. It is much tiring as compared to a car, for being exposed to the elements and traffic congestion will really take a toll on you. The pollution and the heat will make you stress more, plus the potholes that will take you by surprise. Admittedly, having to weave in and out of tight gaps in traffic on a standard motorcycle is hard and that changing gears in a given situation adds up to the stress, will make you want to ride less instead, but for bikers like me the love for ride will always be my passion.
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BIKE REVIEW
Kymco is one of the best brands in the world when it comes to scooters, and their quality of workmanship in all their products is top notch. Their brand paints the streets here in the country and more and more riders and would be riders are eyeing their lineup of scooters. The Kymco Agility RS 125 scooter is one of their new models derived from the Super 8 class and engine, it is surely another superb bike that local riders will love. Priced at P65,900, the Kymco craftsmanship is evident in its lines and curvature, and the sex appeal is all present. The fuel economy of this scooter is awesome, for I can go ride it as far as I want to go on a full tank of gas. It is around 35-40 kilometers per liter on a full tank of 4.9 Liters. Its automatic CVT forced-air cooling engine is well capable of carrying a heavy load, especially for those who always have a pillion passenger aboard. The acceleration is fast and torquey, making traffic overtaking situations a piece of cake. The powerful 125cc engine really can pull you so fast and with such strong horsepower it can even make your pillion passenger feel the adrenalin rush. The top speed I got with the Agility RS 125 was at 110kph, but then again it is the torque and acceleration to get you to those speeds that matters. Handling is crisp and the control of operation is swift, especially when you’re on a bumper to bumper traffic where you have to weave in and out of those tight spaces… it is way too fun though. The reliable suspensions both front (Telescopic) and back (Dual Shocks) gives the rider the much needed ride comfort, providing more satisfying riding hours on the streets.
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Don’t worry about squeezing tight on the throttle, for the much needed stopping power can give you the confidence you need any time you press on to that brake lever. Powerful front disc and rear drum brakes will put you on that safe stop in any given situation.
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The overall ride feel I have for the new Kymco Agility RS 125 are all praises! Kudos to Kymco Philippines for another awesome scooter to have and to ride on our God Forsaken Traffic laden country.
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The looks though is a “Love it or hate it” design and for me and the whole Motorsiklo News team thinks it’s a great looking scooter that will last any time genre. The functional head lights indeed provided great illumination both day and night rides. The rear design has ergonomics that are functional and reliable. The floor board is wide for more luggage space, and of course the under seat compartment will give you more storage space. One more thing I love about this scooter, is the split type seat where you can put the rear end seat up to be used as a back rest, and that to me is fantastic! Once the back rest is up, the gas cap is exposed and many of those I am with on the streets gives me cautionary gestures, them thinking that I had left the seat up, not knowing that it has a purpose that way…. Made me think there is still good in people because of the concern they gave me.
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BIKE REVIEW
KYMCO AGILITY RS 125
A GREENHORN EYES WHO WANTS TO START TO RIDE W
hen I first heard that I will pick-up a new motorcycle for a test ride from Kymco, I am so excited that I can ride it with a breeze since it was a scooter. I was told that this model is very light for its size and of course fast. The KYMCO AGILLITY RS 125. From its name it connotes stability, balance ride, and quick moving. From a far, the Kymco Agility RS 125 is much appreciated with its color and style. Perfect match with my Helmet I brought for me to use. I experience a positive feeling riding this motorcycle. Lady working yuppies crossing the pedestrian during stoplight asked about the seat, “Ganyan tlaga ang seat nyan? Ang Cute!” Admittedly it is a looker.
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A closer look and some scrutiny, I immediately got a familiar feel of its features that is basic for a motorcycle- fuel tank gauge, speedometer, odometer, lights, compartment, fuel tank, lock keys and the list goes on. It is not complicated. What I am surprise is the bright light feature that is not available in its class and the folding seat that serves as back seat rest while riding. My legs are short so I immediately think I will have a hard time encountering traffic on streets. But I was wrong, I made a straight and a circle-of-8 ride as what our Siklowista Safety Ride Ambassador and Trainor, Mel Aquino, and our Executive Editor and Test Rider, John Mendoza, told me before I ride on public streets. It was very stable, and fast.
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On the city street riding going to the office, I encountered the noon time heavy traffic. Stop and go was a breeze. The front disc and rear drum break is strong and I am not afraid to immediately squeeze the acceleration and then sudden stop ride behavior. Signal light for left and right turning is accessibly on its familiar location without looking at it while riding. I felt the size was not a problem since it is very light considering the body built in steel frame. I tried to speed up and made few overtaking to 4-wheel vehicles and man, its light and fast! I have no worry because of its 125cc engine. When I reached the office, the fuel gauge showed a little movement. It is very economical. Its 4-Liter capacity tank can go from place to place on a single load.
I tried riding this workhorse to do my office documentation jobs. This time Highway driving along C5. With its looks and size, 4-wheels gave respect and seldom pass me by. It only shows that it’s an elegant ride right!? I hit 0 to 80 kph in a short time and I did not feel any vibration at all - light but stable. I did not check if I reached the hundred mark because of the pothole and uneven road. The telescopic fork and dual shock suspension are very responsive. Parking on designated parking slots for motorcycles is not complicated. In fact it is very swift to park, I place everything I need on top of the seat for me to prepare my outfit to mall casual suit. So where will I put my helmet!? Not a problem. Upon removing my backpack full of documents, gadgets and a liter drink, my half-face helmet fits under the seat compartment. Although helmet hook is available, it is better for me not to show anything loosely secured outside. I activated the key-lock and secured everything before I leave this beauty. My ride with KYMCO AGILITY RS 125 was unexpected and this was my first experience – HEAVY RAIN RIDING. I wasn’t prepared for this since I still have to go for a production shoot but this made an opportunity for me to experience it though. Oppose to what riders do, I traverse every corner of Ortigas Avenue traffic while raining. I was surprised to what I have heard of slippery when wet riding condition. I did not even feel unsteady. Its 12-inch tire with a good wide thread of 120/70 and 130/70 are perfect for front and rear respectively. Should I say more? It is now up to you to experience your first scooter. It is affordable for it has full-packed features offered by KYMCO. Motorcycle dealers can make it even easy to own with their down payment and monthly schemes. Speed… Stability… Lightweight… Agile… the Kymco Agility RS 125. Happy New Rider Riding Siklowistas!!! M
RACE 101
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REPSOL
NATIONAL ROAD RACE
The race event started last April 2015 for the Repsol National Road Race Round 1 that kicked off at the Megatent in Libis, Quezon City. Race categories was carefully selected for the young talents for different levels that ensures development of racing skills. Pocket bikes, 137 Club Race, GRT Club Race, 115 Superstock, 130 Automatic Class C, 160 Automatic Class C, Suzuki Raider J-Fi One Make, Suzuki R150 One Make, 160 Automatic Class B, 160 Automatic Class A, 115 Open, and Open Four Stroke category races made remarkable results as successful candidates made it to the top. Jadesway Tabiano, Selwin Salvador, Edmond Godoy, Neil Jan Centeno, Elijah Olayvar, Jambok Beltran, Gian Carlo Mauricio, Lorenzo Relllosa III, Mico Montano, Dustin Esguerra, Victor Laude, and Lorenzo Relllosa III were proclaimed champions in their class respectively. Supported by Suzuki, Yamaha, FDR, YSS, SSS, and KYT... and thanks to them it made this event possible. Round Two gave our talents the winning form in the Repsol Road Race challenges Tumana, Marikina last June. Categories such as 115ss Classic C, 160 Automatic Class C, 160 Automatic Class A, UB 150cc Open Expert, Younsgter Cup
130 Automatic, Suzuki Nex 115 Cup, and Suzuki JFi Cup. What made this 2nd Leg interesting was that the Raider J and Raider 150 Class will be the qualifying race for the ARRC or the Asian Road Race Championship. Sonicboom Motorsports, Motorcycle World, KYT, FDR, Suzuki, and NewsMoto made this Round Two challenge successful. Third Leg battle for our aspiring racers to make it on top was held last July 2015, also at Tumana, Marikina. 135 Superstock Classic C, 150 Open Underbone, 115 Sorts Production, 160 AT Class A, 160 Automatic Class B, 160 Automatic Class C, 130 Automatic, and Pocket Bikes category. The Suzuki Asian Challenge Qualifying Race top three racer made a total race points of 26, 30, and 36. McKinley Kyle Paz, Eane Jay Sobrietodo, and Gian Carlo Mauricio made it respectively. Cash Prize awaited the winners. And off for the final leg this year was held last August. Same category has been prepared as new categories from Yamaha Motors Philippines 115 Vega I One Make Race and 125 MXI One Make Race was open to all beginners with no race track record. As for the Suzuki Asian Challenge Qualifying Race Tops the race points of 43, 46, and 50. Gerald Cruz made the qualifying point as Gian Carlo Mauricio and Eane Jay Sobretodo ties up the spot 46 points. Lorenzo Rellosa III made it on the top riders point. Respol Road Race Challenge supports all aspirants to be professional racers, we salute and support all the representatives for the Asian Road Race Challenge. Keep riding safe Siklowistas!!! M
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
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t has been months since street racing found a venue for aspiring race circuit riders to pursue and get exposed in a safe setup. The biggest series in search of new talents and riders has been showcased by Sonicboom Motorsports and NAMSSA or National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association to support and make this event successful, the Repsol National Road Race. Race legs has been installed for the year round for the biggest Philippine national motorcycle racing championship.
By Alex A
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RACE 101
Maico Buncio Foundation Cup 1: The first rev towards the dream! By Goku Ortiz
Maico Buncio Foundation (MBF) rolled out the first of its three circuit
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racing activities this year collectively dubbed as “Revving towards the dream: The Maico Buncio Unity Grand Prix Series”. The event happened on August 2 and 3, 2015 at the Carmona Race Track, in Carmona Cavite. It provided the participants a track/practice day on the first day and the following day was race day.
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The event is a tribute to Maico Greg T. Buncio, “The Philippines Fastest Man in Two wheels” and guided by the following MBF objectives as envisioned by Maico himself. •To UPLIFT THE MOTORSPORT INDUSTRY in the Philippines •To place SAFETY in the forefront of the motorsport industry •To UNITE the motorcycle community towards one goal and direction The Maico Buncio Unity Grand Prix Series is composed of three racing events, MBF Cup 1, MBF Cup 2, and MBF Grand Prix. It is open to all team riders, club riders and individual riders, newbie and pro-riders, whose passion is motorsports racing. Through this activity MBF can continually develop the skills of the Filipino rider while promoting safety and unity. MBF Cup 1’s seventeen race categories were filled by over 140 entries, with more than 100 competitive riders, 40 teams and witnessed by more
than 1,000 thrilled spectators. The seventeen race categories include motorcycle manufacturer one make races, sponsored race categories, exclusive race categories for MBF trained and honed riders, club races, and the new category for weight classification which delivered high intensity, exciting, and fun racing experience. The race categories are as follows (in alphabetical order): 1. 115 SP Open 2. 115 UB Stock Novice/Beginner 3. 160 AT Novice/Beginner 4. 160AT Open 5. ALL MBF Class 1 6. ALL MBF Class 2 7. Club Race / Azkal 8. Club Race / Fastek GTR 9. Club Race / PSRC 10. Club Race / TVS RTR 20/20 11. Shell Advance 130AT Juniors 19 Below 12. TVS RTR 180 One Make Novice/Beginner 13. UB 150 Open 14. Yamaha MX i All Beg. 15. Yamaha MX i All Girls
MBF CUP 1 RESULTS 115 UB Stock Novice/ Beginners 1 Amber Torres 2 Edcel Corpuz 3 Jonas Villaflor 115 SP Open 1 Adeine Valencia 2 Reggie Adia 3 Paul Mark Doblada Yamaha Mxi All Beginners 1 Amber Torres 2 Leandro Paredes 3 Jharmine Adia Shell Advance 130 AT Juniors (19 and below) 1 Gian Carlo Mauricio 2 Justinne Tolentino 3 Alicia Ortega
Yamaha MX i All Girls 1 Justinne Tolentino 2 Jacq Buncio 3 Shiena Mae Cuenca 160 AT Open 1 Cassey Ng 2 Nicolo Ramos 3 VreiAr Suba Club Race: Fastek GRT 1 Randy Dayao 2 Selwin Salvador 3 Ken Alana TVS RTR 180 One Make Nov/Beg 1 Eane Jaye Sobretodo 2 Niel Jan Centeno 3 Lorenmar Villanueva
Yamaha R15 Inter/Expert 1 John Emerson Inguito 2 Mckinley Kyle Paz 3 Masato Fernando
TVS RTR 180 One Make Nov/Beg 1 Eane Jaye Sobretodo 2 Niel Jan Centeno 3 Lorenmar Villanueva
160 AT Nov/Beg 1 Eane Jaye Sobretodo 2 Edward Godoy 3 Clyde Relativo
UB 150 Open 1 Romer Corbe 2 Paul Mark Doblada 3 Victor Laude
Club Race: PSRC 1 Raymundo Espiridion Jr. 2 Pedmon Latorre 3 Jeffrey Sain Club Race: Azkal 1 Michael Segui 2 Simon Salenda Jr. 3 Arnold Egos
All MBF Class 2 1 Amber Torres 2 Ronell John Francisco 3 Leandro Nichols Paredes All MBF Class 1 1 Eane Jaye Sobretodo 2 Mckinley Kyle Paz 3 Gian Carlo Mauricio
16. Yamaha R15 Inter/Expert 17. Heavy Gat class (180 pounds and above riders)
The success of the event will not be possible without the kind support of its sponsors/ donors, Batangas Racing Circuit Philippines BRC), Shell Advance Motorcycle Oils, Yamaha Motors Philippines, Inc., Granstar, TVS, Phoenix Petroleum, Suzuki Philippines, Faito Philippines, Koso Philippines, Motoworld, LS2 Helmets, NHK helmets, and Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos for free race bike hauling. Along with this, its media partners, Inside Racing, Motorcycle Magazine, Motorsiklo News, Motorsiklo Xklusibo, The Racing Line, News Moto, C! Magazine, Stoplight TV, Motorcycle World, MCP, and Turban Rider played a significant role in promoting the yearly racing event. The Maico Buncio Unity Grand Prix Series is observed by FETAP and USRA and jointly organized by MBF and Moto360 Inc. The next race, MBF Cup 2 is scheduled on September 12 and 13, 2015 while MBF Grand Prix is scheduled on December 5 and 6, 2015 both in Carmona Race Track, Carmona Cavite. M
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The MBF Cup 1 is jointly organized by Maico Buncio Foundation and Moto360, Inc. and observed by FETAP and USRA.
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YAMAHA GP ONE MAKE RACE
RACE 101
By Chicco
LEG 1 SM CITY SANTA ROSA, LAGUNA It all started on March 29, 2015 in SM City Santa Rosa, Laguna where the Yamaha GP 6’s 1st leg was held. The country’s finest riders compete to prove who’s the best in this 5 leg series. Mr. Kaoru Ogura, YMPH’s Sales and Marketing Director, had the competition officially opened where Yamaha also launches its latest product, the Yamaha YZFR15. Members of the media gets to test ride this brand new machine. Podium riders also get to experience the power of this bike in their victory lap. Together with Karen Bordador, Rico Robles hosted the event and provided a play byplay announcement to keep the spectators on track. Simultaneously, the Yamaha Tricity was launched for the 2nd time following its grand launch in the SM Mall of Asia Concert Grounds last January 24-25, 2015. Riders get to test ride the 3wheeled bike within a specialized course. At the end of the day, 3 riders of each category went home as winners. They are:
VEGA FORCE i SS JOHN EMERSON INGUITO CLIFFORD BACUS PAUL MARK DOBLADA
SNIPER OPEN 150 UB EMERSON INGUITO PAUL MARK DOBLADA ARLAN DELA CRUZ
115 SS Automatic GIAN CARLO MAURICIO MAYCO CARBONEL ALVIN ORIBIANA
Club Race AT J OHN EDWARD GODOY CLYDE RELATIVO MAICO ADAPON
Mio 125 MX i GIAN CARLO MAURICIO ELIJAH OLAYVAR EANE JAY SOBRETODO
Club Race UB NICX RAMIREZ ANGLEO PORTAL DENNIS DELOS REYES
130 Open UB ALDEINE VALENCIA ANTHONY ROMAN ARLAN DELA CRUZ
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LEG 2 CAPITOL GROUNDS, CITY OF MALAYBALAY, BUKIDNON
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June 14, 2015 in the South Summer Capital of the Philippines. You definitely won’t feel the heat on this leg. It is the only YGP leg where the race track is surrounded by trees shading the entire race track. Simultaneously with the celebration of the 138th Araw ng Malaybalay. It is no coincidence for this leg was originally scheduled on May 24, but the organizers decided it’s better to hold it in time with the celebration. VEGA FORCE i SS ONAHON, EPHRAIM DAGUIO, ERNIE JR. CARLOS, DURRAINE DAN
115 SS Automatic GONZALES, JOB MACAPUNDAG, WAKO BAYAN, YOGIE
Mio 125 MX i GONAHON, EPHRAIM ROZAL, NIKE BUGUIS, JOEL 130 Open UB CARLOS, DURRAINE DAN SAMOGA CHRISS CARLOU ANTONIO, ANVER SNIPER OPEN 150 UB COLOMA, VINGIE
BACUS, CLIFFORD FLORES, ANACLETO Club Race AT J SARABILLO ERIC LAUREL, KEVIN RESADA, MARZAN LOR Club Race UB BOOC, MARK LOUIE SAGRAGAO, JERSON CASTANARES, JEBLIR
LEG 3 BAYWALK, CITY OF NAGA, CEBU July 12, 2015. It’s hard to decide whether to watch the race or look at the beautiful view of the bay which is right beside the race track. Good thing the riders gave us a breathtaking action during the race in this leg in Visayas. This is the second time a YGP leg was held in this location and it was just as exciting as the last one. The Cebuanos gave full support as the bay walk got filled with race trailing spectators. VEGA FORCE i SS COLOMA, VINGIE TEVES, ENZO NICOLAI SANDE, MCDON DAVE
115 SS Automatic ONAHON, EHPRAHIM CANEDA, ZAC LYNDON MACAPUNDAG, WAKO
Mio 125 MX i ONAHON, EPRAHIM MACAPUNDAG, MICHAEL CABAHU, JAYCOM
Club Race AT ALISNA, KIM ERWIN CASTANEDA, FRANCIS BORCES SANCHEZ, JOSHUA
130 Open UB COLOMA, VINGIE TEVES, AXL BACUS, CLIFFORD
Club Race UB ALFORQUE, JAMES LAURON, JOMAR PARINASAN, JOMAR
SNIPER OPEN 150 UB CARLOS, DURRAINE DAN DAGUIO, ERNIE JR TEVES, ENZO NICOLAI
All Girls ENRIQUEZ, JHUNELYN LANDICHO, CHUCHAY CUENCA, SHIENA MAE
When it rains it pours and the riders are definitely pouring with determined riders for this last leg before the finals. The weather gives the participants an added challenge during the 4th leg in SM City Baliwag last August 23, 2015.
130 Open UB VICTOR LAUDE ALJON VALENCIA ROEL RUBIN
Club Race AT MARK ANTHONY SANTOS JEFFREY JASMIN KEN ALANA
VEGA FORCE i SS MASATO FERNANDO ARLAN DELA CRUZ VICOY LAUDE
SNIPER OPEN 150 UB MASATO FERNANDO JAMES MENDEZ ROMER CORBE
Club Race UB MARLO SANTIAGO CLOUD MONTERO FRANCIS SAN JOSE
115 SS Automatic AMBER TORRES
JERICO GESMUNDO ROLANDO IGAYA Mio 125 MX i GIAN CARLO MAURCIO EAJAY SOBRETODO MAYCO CARBONEL
Winners of each leg will compete in the finals on September 27, 2015 in Carmona Race Track where the winners will then be part of the Yamaha Team Philippines in the Yamaha Asean Cup in December this year that will be held in Thailand. They will also have a chance to become a part of the Yamaha Philippines racing team to compete in Asian Road Racing Championship (ARRC). Not only that. There is the possibility for Filipino riders to compete in Moto2 and, who knows, maybe even MotoGP through the program. Who will be this year’s YGP Champions? Let’s find out. See you at the finals. M
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LEG 4 SM CITY, BALIWAG , BULACAN
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NEWS & EVENTS
MRO rides for the OFW’s
Photo Courtesy of The Philippine Star
S
eptember 6 marked another day for MRO as we took the streets again as we paid homage to our unsung heroes who brave foreign soil to provide for their families.
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And with the recent issues thrown against our OFW’s and their gifts being unfairly ransacked and taxed by the customs, the reality is, we are far from victory. The announcement made by Malacañang to stop the opening of boxes is not the victory that we or any OFW seek. It is the assurance that the privilege granted to each OFW or any package meant for personal use or as a gift, may it be brand new or used, should be respected and be given. However, as each report on unfair tax practices, missing items in boxes and disrespect to the law as provided for our OFW’s continues to pour in, the war is far from over.
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The September 6 tribute is just the beginning. We have a long battle ahead of us from the unfair practices and harassment from those who supposedly swore to serve the Filipino people. A battle being fought by not just OFW’s and riders but, by every Filipino. As the day opened up, it was clear to us that this would be a good ride. There were a couple of hundred riders already in the assembly when we arrived. And as the morning moved on, so did the nonstop salvo of riders coming from both ends of White Plains. And by 7:30, the estimates were placed at around 2000 riders all in all. Led by our friends from Marikina, the PWD’s and the Predator group, the motorcade took off at exactly 7:50 AM. Escorted by
the motorcycle group sent by QCPD, the motorcade made its way along EDSA, heading towards Monumento. As we went back EDSA, it was clear to me how huge the motorcade was as we watched the rest of the group come in from the other side. As soon as we passed the Santolan flyover, the group did a noise barrage salute for the PNP as they take back the traffic command of EDSA. We hope that they show more success in the control and implementation of the law of the street without over stepping their boundaries. And after an hour and a half spent traversing EDSA, the group found its way back to White Plains where a short message of thanks was given to the remaining participants as a good chunk already headed their separate ways. Another successful mission was accomplished and it felt good that we were able to do something for the benefit of our fellowmen. And with this, we hope that we had shown our government that we are serious about protecting the liberties given to us by the laws that guide us all. We wish to thank all the groups, riders and supporters who wished us well in this unity ride. May God bless us all and lead us out of the corrupt practices by the people who are supposed to serve us and not be served by us. M
NEWS & EVENTS
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THE SNIPER 150 MXI DEBUTS AT THE YAMAHA CLUB GRAND EYEBALL
The biggest part of the event was the surprise introduction of the Sniper 150 MXi which was an epic climax to a night full of thrills and elation. The new motorcycle was driven into a crowd of eagerly waiting Yamaha Club riders; it was received with a warm and almost chaotic excitement. The riders wasted no time getting up close and personally acquainting themselves with the Sniper 150 MXi; some were all about its technical attributes and design while others expressed the experience of the usage but all were in awe of its presence. It all started at 8:00 PM when riders from Yamaha Fino Club Cebu, United Sniper Club of Cebu, South Scooter Club,All Mio Club Cebu,SZ16 Riders of Cebu,Yamaha Cebuana Club,Soul i Exclusive Team Cebu,Mio MXi Cebu,FZ16 Club Cebu Philppines,Mio Elite Scooter Cebu, Vegaforce Riders Pack, Tribu Del Mio De Bohol, Street Monarch Sniper Club Bohol, and R15 CEBU CLUB were all in
attendance. They were greeted by Sales and Marketing Director, Mr. Kaoru Ogura who shared his gratitude to the riders for their support and cooperation as well as being a symbol of Yamaha’s excellence on the road. Visayas Sales Manager, Mr. Carlo Monterola also expressed his thanks and said that this was a fulfillment of a promise which was made in the last eyeball when members asked for another version. After a enjoying a delicious buffet dinner it was time for the program which is included a presentation of the Blue Core technology along the Mio i 125 and Soul i 125. This also signaled the start of the Mr. Soul i 125 and Ms. Mio i 125 competition that was won by Patrica Mae Mendoza and Lemuel Englis. Riders got the chance to show off their motorcycles in the custom contest that had two themes, the Retro look which was won by Paulino Napatang Jr. and the Vibrant look that was won by Jhingle Alutaya. This gathering went beyond the simple joys of coming together of people who shared the same interests and lifestyle; it was a collective of passionate individuals under a common understanding. A community, a family, a club that reminds everyone that riding is living and only Yamaha Revs your Heart. M
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EBU CITY, PHILIPPINES, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015 — Yamaha Motor Philippines, Inc. recently concluded the YCLUB Grand Eyeball Cebu 2 that celebrated the camaraderie among Yamaha riders. A collective of over 500 passionate club members rode to the Café Racer for a vintage themed night that encompasses Yamaha’s mission to unite riders from all walks of life.
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BIKE REVIEW
2015
YAMAHA YZF-R15 From long slumbers I awake, with the eagerness of light at day break.
Long have been my nights so cold, the days so slow for past to blow. The time has come for me to ride, with you has come a welcome flight. It has been a lonely couple of years since I last swung a leg over a motorcycle. Finally, I get the green light from the missus to get my butt back to where it belongs, on the pilot seat of a crotch rocket. For my first assignment out of retirement, the good people at Motorsiklo News Magazine has given yours truly the task of making a thorough review of the new Yamaha YZF-R15. Being an avid sport rider, I was very eager to see if the bike actually deserves its YZF-R namesake. For those who aren’t familiar with this moniker, Yamaha’s YZF-R range is a non-compromising, race-bred series of bikes that are best suited for life inside a racetrack. These bikes are sharp, aggressive and powerful. Real world conveniences aren’t exactly on the top of the designer’s list of things to consider for these bikes. Just look at the latest YZF-R6 and R1.
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To be honest, I was setting my standards a bit low for this test. I mean, what could I expect from an entry-level sport bike ey? Normally, I don’t really get my joneses up for anything that wouldn’t scare the crap outta me, and a 150cc class bike isn’t exactly a widow maker. Well, I’ve been confined to a cage for close to 2 years now so anything on 2 wheels that is powered by a petrol engine is enough to make me have an orgasm. On the day of the test, “Mr. Excited”, yes that’s me, was at the meeting place 2 hours ahead of everyone else, eagerly awaiting the arrival of my ticket back to riding nirvana. Let’s just say that I was as giddy as schoolgirl on prom night. One by one the Motorsiklo News Magazine crew came, and finally, the Yamaha YZF-R15 arrived ridden by non other than the host of the Motorsiklo News Talk Show himself, Mel Aquino.
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Photos by Rap Saavedra
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BIKE REVIEW
Photo by Rap Saavedra
IMPRESSIONS The first thing I noticed was that the head cowl and headlamps were very similar in design to that of the 2nd generation YZF-R1. Looking at it from a good distance, one would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two without the smaller bike’s conventional forks giving it away. As the bike passed, I saw its sharp rear end. To me, it resembles that of the 3rd generation YZF-R6’s behind. The taillight could probably pass as a R6 tail unit even to those who are familiar with the bike.
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Upon closer inspection, I was both surprised and delighted by the sight of a “Gull-Arm” or “Banana” style swing arm on the bike. Yes, that swing arm is a hell of a lot sexier compared with the conventional ones mounted on the competition. The bike earned points with me just by having that swing arm unit. I was even more delighted when I discovered that it is of an all aluminum construction. Not only is this beneficial to hardcore riding due to the stability afforded by the extra rigidity, it is also lighter in weight at the same time. Definitely, some YZF-R tech did trickle down to this little beauty.
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Swinging a leg over the bike, I noticed that the seat height was a bit high though not intimidating. I also noticed that the chassis was a twin spar frame that I later learned to be an actual Delta Box design. The Delta Box chassis was introduced in 1982 on the YZR-500 OW61 GP Bike. The concept is that a triangle or “Delta” is more rigid than a square. By using diagonal beams from the steering head down to the swing arm pivot, the frame is triangular versus a rectangular box on a backbone chassis. The Delta Box design offers up to four times the rigidity of a conventional backbone design.
Yamaha has been perfecting this technology for decades and finally, this kind of grand prix sorcery has found its way to this little run around of a sport bike. Imagine that! As I pressed on the very light clutch and clunked the lever into gear, my boots were greeted by a couple of very serious looking sport-bike foot pegs. These bad boys aren’t joking around, they look exactly like the ones you would find on a proper super-sport, with perfectly casted grooves for maximum grip and leverage. No slippery rubber pads for your soles here. (Rubbers are for wussies.) All the usual bells and whistles that come as standard in this bike category are present in the R15. I would continue talking about them if anyone was interested but that’s really not the reason why you are reading this review now is it? All that gooey stuff you can find out for yourself just by a quick glance on the bike so let’s get down to business, shall we?
THE RIDE POWER. The Yamaha YZF-R15 is powered by a liquid cooled, fuel injected, 149.8cc, SOHC, 4valve, single cylinder engine that is mated to a 6-speed transmission. This engine is equipped with Yamaha’s exclusive DiASil Cylinder Technology. Yamaha’s DiASil Cylinder is an all-aluminum, die-cast unit with 60% better cooling performance compared to a conventional cylinder. This is the world’s first all-aluminum die-cast cylinder and it achieves cooling performance equivalent to that of a nickel-plated design. The nickelplated cylinder is currently recognized as the best in the industry, but is significantly more expensive to produce. Releasing the light clutch and winding up the throttle, the bike had umph from the get go. The power down low is pleasantly surprising for a bike this size. It has enough torque to pull you out of any dicey situation in and around town. The bike pulls very well up to the upper mid rev range and stays very peppy up-to that point. Getting to the open stretches, I found that the engine was happier staying in the upper mid rev range as it lost some of its steam when wrangled till its tits fall off. As one who is used to shrieking 4 cylinder sport bikes, I only had to make a minor adjustment to my gear selection to get used to it. It wasn’t serious enough to wipe off the silly grin on my face every time I wound up the throttle. The power is there, you just have to know where to find it. The power delivery is smooth and tractable. It allows my throttle hand to communicate with the rear tire easily. The torquey response was an exhilarating feature that is very advantageous for losing your buddies while blasting out of corners.
SUSPENSION & HANDLING. The R15 is equipped with conventional telescopic forks up front and A link mounted rear mono shock. The suspension is, as with most of the bikes in its class, sprung for lightweight riders. The damping on the other hand is good enough for some serious riding. I weigh around 175lbs without gear and this bike was still a hoot up on the twisty mountain roads of MARILAQUE.
On its ear, the R15 held its line well and never gave me a hint of vagueness even when leaning over slippery wet mountain roads. It was calm and composed while entering and exiting corners. The front did not dive so much even when braking hard into a corner and the rear did not squat while tearing out off it. There was even an instance where I had to jump the bike down and out off a deep ditch and it still it retained its composure. A case of split second stupidity on my part but no drama from the bike nonetheless.
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No, we were not able to push the bike to its limits as it was raining during the time of our test but judging by the two other bikes that we brought along for direct comparison, the R15 handled the mountain course quite better than the other bikes.
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BIKE REVIEW ERGONOMICS. The R15’s clip-ons are set high above the yokes on the tops of the fork tubes. One would think that this arrangement would be perfectly comfortable but then the sub-frame, seat and pegs are set a bit high on the chassis giving the rider a more aggressive ridding position. It’s not painfully uncomfortable for long rides, rather just a little bit more purposeful. 3 hour long seat burners shouldn’t be a problem. What little you lose in riding comfort for long tours will pay you dividends in more serious spirited rides up and down the twisty winding roads of a mountain pass or at the track. This position allows the bike to carry your weight more forward compressing the forks upon corner entry thus shortening the wheelbase for a quicker turn in or a tighter line. The tall sub-frame and high foot-pegs also allows for better ground clearance when cornering at steep lean angles.
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The slim petrol tank sits low on the chassis to carry the weight of the fuel at a lower center of gravity. A lower center mass allows the bike to change directions quickly and easily. The contours on the sides of the tank allows for your leg to be able to latch on to it, keeping your body secure while hanging off in a corner.
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Photo by Rap Saavedra
VERDICT The 2015 Yamaha YZF-R15 is truly, in every sense of the term, a genuine little sport-bike. This bike is perfect for those who want an entry ticket to the world of performance riding. The R15 is devoid of any pretension that is filling its class in this very competitive market segment. While the other bikes in its class were simply dressed up to look the part, the Yamaha R-15 was born with the genes to kick the bar to a whole new level.
New riders will love the design and more advanced riders will love its performance. Looking at the photos taken during the time of the test, the R15’s styling even looked perfectly at home with my full race gear on. It didn’t look awkward considering that this bike would be used mostly, for commuter purposes. This little Yamaha “Revved My Heart” indeed! I enjoyed every moment of riding it. It’s an exciting and sexy package that performs exactly like it looks. Yes it’s a YZF-R alright and I love it!
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This bike is probably the best bike in its class to turn into a track bike. Just a few suspension modifications and better tire choice would completely turn this into a good racetrack playmate.
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NEWS & EVENTS
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WORLD RECORD
CELEBRATION By Alex A
and the Agility RS 125 wowed the crowd. Visar, KTR, and K-Pipe motorcycle variants are also on display. What excites the crowd was the actual ride Jaime Dempsey used on her Ride and Seek episode here in the Philippines. Riders and Photo lovers rush from getting into the bike for a quick shoot.
Motorsiklo News Team joined the event were the full-packed celebration was held. Riders, club ride groups and motorcycle enthusiasts witnessed the newest offering from Kymco with their motorcycle display. Scooters such as Like 125, Grand Dink 300i,
To Kymco Philippines and Kymco motorcycle owners, Congratulations from your favorite motorcycle lifestyle magazine, Motorsiklo News Magazine.
Registration started five in the afternoon and the event proper commenced at six in the evening. Invocations from Mr. Charles Tseng, Kymco Philippines president and Mr. Allan Santiago, Kymco Philippines General Manager for Sales and Service to name a few, thankfully expressed their gratitude to all Kymco motorcycle owners and the achievements they have made. Program proceeded with raffle prizes and games participated by clubs such as S8 South, S8 PL, Agility Ph, Hao Siao, and KPH. Food and drinks started to pour in as officials gave recognition to all tire burn-out finishers, Dance entertainment from special guest, Playgirls, made the night hotter. Live band immediately followed and night did not stop from dance and booze. Advance screening from History Channel’s Ride and Seek shown and the grand raffle, Kymco K-Pipe, awaited the winner. It was a fun-filled event that made Tiendesitas the best place to hang-out.
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In recognition for the riders who made a world record, Kymco Philippines celebrated the feat of victory as Guinness World Records holder for the largest simultaneous motorcycle tire burnout held last summer in the city of Tagaytay. The gathering was a night treat for those who participated in the record breaking event at the Tiendesitas Food Village last August 28, 2015.
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Ropali Classics 1st Anniversary
Aldous Alingog the mind behind the Ropali Classics store for motorcycle lifestyle, celebrated his birthday together with the 1st year of the store’s existence. Ropali Classics Store is a show room catering mostly of big displacement bikes and rider apparels. Helmets, jackets, gloves, and even goggles are offered inside the store. Cruisers like the iconic Royal Enfield brand and the world-renowned Ural motorcycles both single and threewheeled are on display and readily available for everyone. Some Japanese bikes and other distinguished brands are also obtainable thru cash or financing terms.
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The Ropali Classics store made a mark in the motorcycling industry by providing a great place for bikers to hang out to every Thursdays and making camaraderie an environment for all the riders. The store also showcased the first season episodes of Motorsiklo News Talk Show hosted by our very own Siklowistas Mel Aquino, Jobert Bolanos, Titan Hawk, and many more well-known ambassadors in the industry. The store is the best venue for product launches and motorcycle gathering events, as well as providing every rider a welcoming meeting place for clubs and groups.
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Ropali’s brand ambassador Ms. Jaime Dempsey also strengthened the store’s credibility as one of the most sought after motorcycle lifestyle store that everyone can go to. You can also find the best mechanics of classic bikes in the store’s service garage shop and they are Kit and Aldrin Anderson. This awesome guys are not only very talented in their craft, but they also have the best personality amongst the bikers we know. A lot of celebrities also comes to the store to look for new bikes to acquire, and some stay for chit-chat with bikers on “tambay nights” The whole year of the Ropali classics store’s existence had been a blast especially to a biker like me, for it offered an ambience of brotherhood to
everyone. Riders from all walks of life whether small or big bikers gathered in the place exchanging pleasantries and stories about the life we share on two-wheels. Motoring media also frequents the place not just to cover events but to mingle with other media personnel and riders as well. The store also has a bar where you can buy booze and drinks, plus sandwiches and coffee. Mr. Aldous Alingog really made the Ropali Classics Store an institution for the motorcycle industry, the lifestyle and the love for two wheels will always find a home to stay in its grounds. This one year anniversary of adventure and spectacle will surely progress to more years to come. So, thank you Mr. Aldous for sharing Ropali Classics to us and have more happy birthdays to come! M
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FAITO RACING OPENS IN THE PHILIPPINES
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ith the consistent growth in motorcycle ownerships in the Philippines doubling by each year, it is certain that a motorcycle is the preferred transport for many Filipinos in today’s age. It is not just convenient for daily transportation but it has also been a lifestyle to many of our youth today especially the influence of motorsports and generally in speed and design.
James also added that “We are happy to partner with the Faito Group which is originally from Malaysia to bring these fantastic products to the Philippines”. Faito is now known in Asia having the Headquarters in Malaysia, branches in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia which is the largest market within this region. Faito products can also be found in European countries.
Thus, the motorcycle industry in the Philippines has boomed with many brands coming to town from Japan being the leader of brands such as Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki that has grown almost 100% in the last 5 years and also brands from China that has also flooded the roads here.
Last August 8 was the grand opening of Faito’s very first showroom in the Philippines, hosted by Faito Racing Philippines Inc. which will be the hub of product showcase of Faito parts in the city of two wheels in Caloocan. It is a modern and lifestyle concept store that inspires innovation and technology. The showroom also has displays of engine cut-outs to explain the function of each product.
Faito which is a leading motorcycle replacement parts brand from the neighboring country, Malaysia since 2004 is now establishing its stake in the Philippines for the same reason. “Faito is an established brand and has proven many track records in quality and durability by the R&D commitment and qualified engineers in this field. That’s the reason why we need to bring this awesome brand with its wide range of product line up here”, said James Agabin, President of Faito Racing Philippines Inc.
Faito has also been very aggressive in the motorsports arena with many years of involvement in both Malaysian based and International motorsports that is why they are also showcasing a 100% replica of an underbone race bike that is currently racing in the Asian Road Racing Championship under the underbone 130cc category by the Faito Factory Racing Team.
“In spite of many motorcycle replacement parts brands in the market, we are certain that Faito will be competitive in the market in brand, quality and pricing”, said James. Faito has 10 product segmentations that has over 60 parts for all major motorcycle types which mainly are underbone bikes and scooters. The largest segmentation is the Engine Component that improves the performance of the motorcycle as well as the high quality replacement parts of wear and tear products such as Braking system, Clutch system and even lubricants that keep the components well maintained.
“We are always ready and innovative to produce more interesting products for motorcycle lovers to be in trend with the market by not just producing performance but quality motorcycle parts for better efficiency and safety”, said Mr. Willet Teoh, Managing Director of Faito Group, the Founder and also the Chief R&D Engineer. “Faito needs to be in this market to ensure everyone in the Asian market experiences the joy of riding”, added Teoh. For more information, you can look them up at www.faito.com.ph
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By Emman Balmes
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NEWS & EVENTS
Motorcycle Rights Organization 7th Year Anniversary By JB Bolanos
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even years ago, a group of misfits from Motorcycle Philippines Forums got together on a thread and decided to meet in the UP College of Kinetics parking lot. That day, MRO was born. For seven long years, MRO has been in the forefront of rider rights and its advocacies. In these years, we have seen more victories, big and small than that of loses to defend our fellow riders on the road. And as the years go by, MRO continues to grow in its following and support from all over the country. And the first ever battle we fought was against AHS-2008-015 or the infamous “ANTIMODIFICATION LAW”.
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The group, under the guidance and teachings of Safety Expert, Jake Swann, held numerous technical, academic and theoretical studies to battle the law which was then suspended by AHS-2008-001 or the Revised Rules and Regulation for the Use and Operation of Motorcycles. MRO, only a handful of forumers back then, took to the streets on the day before the suspension was granted to us which marked the official culmination of the organization. And to this day, 55 thousand volunteers after, with numerous battles
under its belt, countless attacks from rumours and accusations of wrong doings and its own ups and downs, MRO is still on its feet, continuously growing and is getting better and better as the biggest organization that grew on pure volunteerism. As integrity and solidarity has kept the forces who tried to put us down at bay, MRO still made some mistakes along the way. In spite these mistakes, we have kept the flame from burning out. Now in its 7th year, MRO vows to stand for Equality, Freedom and Safety for all the riders of this country. This year, MRO sought to celebrate the 7th founding anniversary to commemorate the way the organization has grown in integrity and strength. While facing the countless challenges being thrown at MRO, our solidarity and perseverance has kept us together and has kept the advocacy in us strong and steady. Since this is the first time MRO celebrated its anniversary, we were faced with challenges but, we managed to pull through. The setup, venue, prizes, support and invitations were sent out as we awaited the day of the event. When August 9 finally came, the day started out wet and gloomy. When the assembly started, the skies cleared and welcomed the riders who joined in the day’s celebration. Riders who have followed and supported MRO started pouring in and within an hour, a few riders suddenly turned into hundreds. And when the motorcade started, we were close to 700 riders all lined up and ready to go towards the Marikina Roman Garden. When the motorcade started, it was another epic sight as the participants lined up in disciplined fashion. MRO has always conducted strong and well-formed motorcades with very small traffic and hindrance caused for other road users. Starting from White Plains Avenue, the motorcade headed towards Blue Ridge via Katipunan then down Boni Serrano into C5 Avenue. We then took the first U-turn heading towards the AFP
Engineering Division into Marikina through River Banks and down A. Bonifacio before taking our last turn into Capt. Sindo Street and down to the venue. As the riders came, the admins welcomed them in celebratory fashion as the drone took videos of the arrival of the motorcade. While the group parked, the Marikina Band played their welcome salvo of 80’s and 90’s rock songs to liven up the crowd. Registration shortly followed and as soon as the last rider signed up, we had a total of 730 participants with a few more who had only joined the motorcade outside the raffle count. Riders from Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Batangas and even as far as Isabela has come to join us celebrate this day with MRO.
The rest of the day went to the raffle draws where we gave out shirts, magazines, gift packs, cycle seals and coming from our main sponsor Motoactive, a dual visor full face helmet. And at the end of the raffle, we transferred over to the other side of the river where two of our guest bands played for the rest of the riders who stayed till the wee hours of the night. We thank all of the volunteers, supporters and friends who have joined MRO in its battles against discrimination, lawlessness and legislation that is subjective to say the least. Because we are the voice of the riding community and we fight without agenda. And on this, the very first time we celebrated our anniversary, we hope we were able to express our gratitude for all the support.
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And as the event began, we saw our admins take the stage one by one to give out their message of thanks to all the riders who have come and celebrated this day with us. And with the final message coming from cofounder Don Pangan, we then headed towards our guests starting from the Marikina City representative, Chief of Police, Vincent Calanoga and ending the messages from the federation presidents.
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“SIX-SIK SA SAYA SA SIXTH”
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MOTORSIKLO XKLUSIBO 6TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY
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Six in the morning and our host has already made surprises to our riding community. Backdrop for photo dubbed as “Pick-A-Prize/ Kodakan corner” for the early bird was prepared while registration awaits lucky rider for a prize. Program proper started at nine in the morning and packaged until six in the evening. Fun part of this event is all the sponsors presented some interesting promos for everyone. Shell offered a bike fare that featured free entrance to the event by just buying their products. Fifteen percent discount is given by NHK for every purchase of their selected items. And, free goodies by just filling out some questionnaires.
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ir Edwin Go made again Tagaytay City the center for all riders as Motorsiklo Exclusibo, the leading radio program for motorcycle industry, brought all riders and ride aficionados to gather once more to celebrate the anniversary of Motorsiklo Exclusibo’s “SixSik sa Saya sa Sixth” last 30th August 2015. Together with all motorcycle brands and sponsors, 5,000 riders nationwide flunk the International Convention Center and be united for this event. This year the celebration is co-presented by Shell Advance Motorcycle Oil and Shell V-Power Nitro. Bank of Makati, TechWarez, OverDose products, Faito&Koso, Guanzon, JM Mirasol, Ducati, Ombu, Motortrade, PMR Motorcycles, MTRT, Vee Rubber performance tires, Cycle Seal, Yamaha, Kawasaki, MDPPA, MDAP, Inside Racing,, ARQ Curtains, Wheeltek, Suzuki, Honda, Motorstar, NHK, MA, RK, FDR, BRC, Clark International Speedway, TVS, GDR, Zebra Helmets, Stoplight TV, and Mizzle graced the convention with fun, promos, and give-a-way to all attendees. Of course your Siklowista team is there as media partner and witness the successful event.
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“Me Against the World” fun game is also generously supported by the sponsors especially MTRT. Game started out with all audience as contestants and ending with just three to five winners. Entertainment follows such as club singing competition, a dance number from the ever-famous all-girl club, Las Marias Viajeras, and some stand-up comedian doing some jokes and impersonations. Marco Electronics also participated and gave communication devices for group rides. AlpineStar Riding Gloves has given away riding gloves for all riders riding pleasure.
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City College of Tagaytay delighted the late afternoon with an exhibition and it gets very interesting as excitement can be seen on the faces of all riders as they watch the local students do musical choreography while cheerleaders dance to the tune. We took some videos while they perform and you can catch that on our Facebook Fan page and U-Tube channel. Raffles and give-away such as NHK, HNJ, Xplore, Spyder,Moto Xtreme, Now, and Zebra product follows. This time all rider awaits the grand prize, motorcycles from Suzuki, TVS, and PMR to name a few.
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Motorsiklo News Magazine would like to quote the heartfelt thankful message of the man behind the successful event, Sir Edwin, as quoted “Isang taos pusong pasasalamat sa atin Panginoong Diyos. Salamat po sa magandang panahon,salamat po sa isang masayang at matagumpay na reunion at celebration ng 6th year anniversary ng Motorsiklo Xklusibo. Sa tawanan at kapatiran na nangyari. Maraming salamat din po sa lahat ng mga sponsors, sa lahat ng mga pasaya at pa raffle na inyong pinag kaloob sa amin. Sa lahat ng mga riders na dumalo, alam
kong nabasa ang iba,nag karoon ng sakuna ang iba,di naka tulog ng ayos ang iba, salamat po sa inyong suporta,kung di po dahil sa inyo ay malamang di naging matagumpay ang ating reunion. Ito po ay patunay na sa riding community kahit na may konting tampuhan,konting di pagkakaunawaan ay puwedeng isangtabi ang lahat ng yan para sa isang common goal. Mula po sa pamunuaan ng Motorsiklo Xklusibo, muli po kami nagpapasalamat at naway sa susunod na taon ay magkita kita po tayo muli sa ating reunion. God bless all of us in the motorcycle industry as we soar to a greater heights inspite of all the difficulties in our industry.”
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NEWS & EVENTS
Shell Advance Motocare Express in Antipolo City by Nestly Villamor
Every great ride starts here. As a rider, safety is one of our responsibilities and when Shell Philippines opened their second Shell Advance Motocare Express in Antipolo City, Mr. Mel Aquino and Mr. Goku Ortiz together with their team conducted a safety seminar for our beloved responsible riders.
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Riders who participated in the event learned the importance of being safe for them and for the people around them. The event started with a short briefing, Mr. Mel Aquino taught them some of the basic knowledge about group rides. After the short discussion all the riders participated in the motorcade and they experienced how it was to be in a group ride. After a short break, Mr. Mel Aquino discussed safety precautions when they are on the road, he also demonstrated the use of proper braking. He also discussed the importance of wearing complete safety gears when they are riding.
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To make the event more fun they prepared a game called “Slow race�. In this event participants practiced their proper ride posture, balancing, and more basic riding fundamental skills. Shell aimed to give quality service for our riders to enjoy and take advantage of their quality services. As Shell Advance Motocare Express open motorcycle enthusiast will have their own Change oil bay. Riders didn’t go home without something in their hands, for Shell gave free fuel for everyone who participated in the motorcade, and of course they also handed out freebies for everyone. M
NEWS & EVENTS
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ast August 2015 Liberty Center, Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City, became the talk of the riding community as VIP Style Manila and RED Entertainment in cooperation with Puňta Bar, House of M, and ER8 installed the first ever automobile and motorcycle show. In one with the full packed offer, were the Car show, Motorcycle show, Bass hit competition, Tattoo exhibition, Car club supremacy, Hot car babes, Beer pong, Live music, RC Drift competition, 4x4 Off-road competition, and Twerk-off battle rolled into one night with special celebrity guests . A typical car show showcased different categories such as best in paint and best dressed. Then, you will just roam around and have photos taken with cars and car babes. What made this auto show unique was the audio mixing of the car’s setup, the sound produced was also categorized for competition, and that was what the Bass hit competition was all about.
Live music liven up the night with some billboard chart top grooves. Vans participated in the competition showing clean and cool set-ups that was exceptionally nice to ride. Motorcycles did make a statement that night, as a typical workhorse motorcycle a.k.a. “Pan-tricycle” was unrecognizable from before and after set-up. Three-wheeled ride and classics are also on display. True to what this Automobile and motorcycle promised, does your ride have what it takes to be ranked 1?! We will expect a bigger and more extravagant 2nd Rank 1 Auto and Motorcycle show. Congratulations! And, to all the participants and attendees, see you again for the 2nd!!! M
Tattoo exhibition showed awesome skin artworks as the participants did their thing. Car clubs anticipated the group car set-up and showed-off their bling in style. Even remote controlled cars offer great competition and they battled for the top spot. Car Babes not just striked their pose, they also made the night even special when they showcased their dance skills on the Twerke-off battle.... Alright!
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Does your ride have what it takes to be ranked #1?
By Alex A
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NEWS & EVENTS
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August 20, 2015 Philippines the most anticipated product launch of the year just happened at the Blue Leaf Filipinas. Suzuki introduced its “Triple-Threat” three new motorcycles for three different genres… the young, the bold, and the business minded. These are three new awesome motorcycles that will surely make waves and capture the interest of our riding nation.
The event was presented by the big honchos of the
The Suzuki Address scooter targets the young generation of riders promoting hip and fashionable lifestyle onnan everyday riding experience. The cool and friendly plus trendy character of this 115cc scooter will make young riders bask more time on the road. Twist and go performance coupled with a very comfortable ride make the Suzuki Address the best scooter to ride around the Metro and a more fun buddy on long out of town rides. Young people whether those in college or the young professionals will benefit more on this scooter for its ease of operation and agile maneuverability. Friendship and Barkadahan build up the young generation of riders and that is where Suzuki aims to achieve with their new Suzuki Address. The young riders will surely have a cool and remarkable ride on their way to school or to the office.
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Suzuki Philippines Inc., headed by President Hiroshi Suzuki who helped made the event a success with the motoring media as witnesses. It was also made special when Mr. Suzuki participated in the presentation of the new Suzuki Address scooter donning a youthful persona. The event place made the atmosphere festive for different food carts were scattered all over giving out free food and drinks with of course the most famous Starbucks to top it all.
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Standard sports bikes fanatics and those who really want to go bold on their ride will surely love the new Suzuki Gixxer 150. This new Gixxer is aimed on the more experienced riders and to those who want to move from the underbone class to the standard backbone motorcycles. Though it also caters to newbies, the new Gixxer will definitely impress. The riding community here in the country is now progressing from the small bikes (usually dominated by the underbone class) to the standard or to the bigger class motorcycles. The fuel tank in front is now a more stimulating consideration as compared to the tank underneath one’s crotch in which we see in underbone motorcycles. Suzuki said that it does not only project masculinity but it also shout out toughness which will automatically draw respect. The Gixxer 150 not only shows cool looks, it also provides the rider that manly persona every time you’re on one. The design is handsome and crisp to the taste of most riders for the speed character is there and the curves are well patterned. The craftsmanship and overall built quality is close to flawless and it surely will be a defining motorcycle for the brand. The ergonomics are well thought of and the switches are well within thumb’s reach. The new Suzuki Gixxer 150 is a strong model that will certainly compete with the growing number of standard sports bikes in the market today.
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The last model but surely not the least bike that was presented was the Suzuki AX4 business-class motorcycle. This beast of machine is a 150cc strong motorcycle, fitted for the tricycle segment. The strong powerful engine equipped with Suzuki’s undeniable quality of built makes it more attractive to the motorcycle business sector. It is poised for the riders who want to get more from their hard earned money. The AX4 was built specifically to accommodate a sidecar unit for more precise ergonomics that help more on the performance and durability of the tricycle business…. And they have a yellow color variant too, yehey! If you do wanna go solo, it is also a fun and able ride wherever you plan to explore.
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Formally launching the three new products were the Suzuki Philippines’ executives led by President Mr. Hiroshi Suzuki, Managing Director Mr. Norminio Mojica, Director of Manufacturing and Engineering Division Mr. Yukio Yano, General Manager for Quality Assurance and Production Mr. Hiroaki Muto and General Manager for Motorcycle Division Sales and Marketing Mr. Jun Bulot. Now that Suzuki Philippines released their new line up of motorcycles, we are sure that local riders will have more reasons to love the lifestyle on two wheels. Thank you and kudos to Suzuki Philippines for your “Triple-Threat”! Yiiiiiiii!
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SUZUKI’S TRIPLE THREAT MEDIA LAUNCH By Mel Aquino
When I arrived, I registered at the front desk, they gave me a box containing a Pit Polo which indicates a bold text “MEDIA”. This official media pit uniform will be used in every Suzuki event that we will attend to. When I entered the venue, there was a big LED screen which read “Suzuki Triple Threat”. Then I realized they would launch 3 new Suzuki models and I thought to myself that this will surely exhilarate the riding public. The 1st one they revealed was the Suzuki Address; head-turning, street-smart, all-rounder, and more than a stylish commuter. With a breathtaking acceleration and optimized fuel economy, this
global Suzuki scooter makes your everyday ride truly exciting! This was then followed by the Gixxer 150 that boasts styling and sophisticated appearance amongst competing models. Combined with an exceptional driving performance and the best fuel economy in its class, the Gixxer will definitely give you an exhilarating ride! Finally, the Japanese giant presented the return of the legendary Suzuki X-4 through its advanced successor, the Suzuki AX4 - more advanced (4-stroke, new body design), powerful (150 cc), and durable (advance engineering for sidecar use) partner in life. I was given a chance to ask the Managing Director of Suzuki Philippines Mr. Norminio Mojica what will be the contribution of these three new models to the existing market share of Suzuki in the Philippines and he said that based on the existing data of the MDDPA, only two manufacturers produced a 10 percent growth and one of which is Suzuki. Truly he is confident that these models will contribute to the company’s continuous growth. M
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hen I received a call from my Motorsiklo News Family and they invited me to attend the Suzuki media launch that was held at Blue Leaf Filipinas in Paranaque City last August 20, 2015, I was excited because being a former Suzuki front man myself, I decided that it was a good time to immerse myself back and experience the event. It was also a chance to meet old friends.
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Spain, Australia, Belguim, Denmark, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Zew Zealand, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia now lands on its new address – the Philippines. Designed to add dress into your life, Suzuki brings a new fun and stylish ride to the country that is powerful and fuel efficient packed with features that fit exactly the young Filipinos needs and more! Add dress to your life with a powerful ride that is built with Suzuki Eco Performance which is a cutting-edge culmination of Suzuki engine technologies coupled with the Suzuki Fuel Injection System to achieve the best of both worlds – maximum power and optimum fuel efficiency. With an engine displacement of 113cc, the Suzuki Address maintains an impressive fuel consumption and high engine output. Add dress to your life with a convenient ride that makes riding around the city a breeze with its 20.6L utility box roomy enough to accommodate a full face helmet, a snack for two or even some shopping items - covering the basics, there is no need for an external utility box which promotes a more stylist look! The bike also has two large inner pockets with hook to hold additional stuff. The
fuel-tank is large enough at 5.2L capacity which means longer and uninterrupted ride perfect for the young generation’s active lifestyle. Add dress to your life with a practical ride along with a centralized locking system with a seat opener function that ensures safety. The Address comes with a Rear Brake Lock System that comes in handy when locking in an engaged position promoting vehicle stabilization when parking using side stand. The instrument panel also has a straightforward design and is easy to read. Add dress to your life with a comfortable ride for one or even two! With a large floor board with cutaway, driving around is at ease. Backriding is practical through a folding type footrest with guard. Add dress to your life with a stylish ride with the Address’ fun and sporty styling. With its sharp body design, it is reminiscent of a wellloved Suzuki underbone bike coming in with a large sharp headlight and sporty positioned lamp. It also has a sleek rear brake and turn signal lamps with well-designed mag wheels. Add dress to your life by exploring more and doing more with the new Suzuki Address.
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A global Suzuki scooter from Japan, Italy, Denmark, Germany,
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Photo by John De Castro
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The Suzuki Address is one of the new bikes offered by Suzuki
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Philippines in the market and has a good story behind it; the brand considers it as a head-turning, street-smart, all-rounder - more than a stylish commuter, with a breathtaking acceleration and optimized fuel economy. This global Suzuki scooter makes your everyday ride truly exciting! Well, true to its claim. The 1st time I encountered the Suzuki Address was last 2007 in Hamamatsu, Japan. When I was sent by Suzuki Philippines at that time, I saw the Suzuki Address being used by a Japanese stunt rider. Popping wheelies is not a problem with that bike, but this new Address is far more different with the one I saw in Japan. The engine is equipped with a CVT transmission, 4-Stroke, 2 Valve, 1 Cylinder, SOHC with a bore and stroke of 51.0 mm x 55.2mm (2.008 in x 2.173 in) Maximum power can reach 6.9kW / 8,000rpm with
a Maximum torque of 8.7N.m / 6,500rpm with a displacement of 113cc and a Compression ratio of 9.4:1, The Suzuki Address runs with the Suzuki Eco Performance System coupled with Fuel Injection technology for optimum performance and maximum fuel-efficiency; it can be started with a swift kick or a push button starter motor. This is definitely a commuter scooter which is very useful for going around the campus and city riding. I rode the Address at the Suzuki Plant and really wasn’t able to reach the top speed and its fuel economy. I would definitely ask the marketing department on a long term test on this bike so stay tuned. Handling is very nimble on the corners and the power is expected on a 113 cc engine. I can teach new riders on this bike because of the 755mm seat height and 95 kg weight can be forgiving for them.
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I don’t recommend the Address to be used on the race track however because of the huge flat floor board, but it is very useful for running errands because of the extra space being provided, the 120mm ground clearance is not that high for a commuter bike for steep lean angle. The good thing about it is the spacious under seat compartment which can fit 1 standard full face helmet and the weight is just right for average students who just love to ride than to commute to their campuses. The front is equipped with a front disc brake and the rear is a drum brake. With a stunning 5.2 liter fuel tank capacity, it can certainly get you around the city equipped with EFI system. Overall, the Suzuki Address is a true blue commuter bike which packs exciting features and comfort. Grab a Suzuki Address at your nearest motorcycle dealers nationwide! Yiiiii!!! M
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Photo by Nestly Villamor
ADD FASHION OVER YOUR PASSION
– THE SUZUKI ADDRESS
A GREENHORN EYES WHO WANTS TO START TO RIDE
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iklowistas, I am your Greenhorn Eye and I was given a chance to ride with fashion. Most motorcycle riders tell something about themselves depending on the type of motorcycles they ride. There are riders who use motorcycles for daily commute to work; there are also fast track and food delivery riders ply around to beat the time; and some simply wants to create a statement. Suzuki Philippines addresses individual riders with their latest offering, the Suzuki Address. It made me want to ride a scooter that is fashionable, economical, and powerful.
Performance that is fuel injected and known to be low in fuel consumption. I rode it in less than 60 kph then rode it more than 80 kph on city streets of Laguna. Then I tried it with a back-ride and experienced a small difference change reading on its fuel gauge. I also found economical features with its amenities right on my hand against its price tag. The control buttons is within reach and there is no moment that it made a confusion between bright light and signal lights. Security lock feature for anti-theft is present and rear-brake lock system is found as a standard package.
I want to address my ride with fashion in a world renowned motorcycle that created statements in countries such as Italy, Denmark, and Japan. It made me ride in style with confidence in traffic situations. The sharp-looking lamps and headlight are very sporty and gives great illuminating lights during my night ride. Instrumental panel is neatly designed with a large odometer that tells the speed in km/hr. The fuel gauge, front and signal light indicator, and engine-on lit vividly without any confusion. I like the large front inner pocket with hook since I always carry a bottle of water and a bag. I am surprised with its utility box that fits a full face helmet. The seat is very comfortable for me and my back-ride will agree to that. I noticed the sleek rear break and turn signal that creates a statement when passing through cars and motorcycles. I addressed my ride economically with its Suzuki SEP or Suzuki Eco
And I addressed my ride very powerful with its engine, chassis, and size. Its powerhouse 113cc 4-stroke engine delivers speed enough for my daily commute and going around streets. I experienced a responsive suspension when I pass-by potholes and manage-ably absorbed slips by its 80/90-14 tires. At speeds, I effortlessly stop with its front disc brake and rear drum brake. Its dimension and weight is perfect to hoover traffic with breeze. For all Siklowistas who has a taste for style and character, the Suzuki Address addresses all these with power, economy & style. M
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BIKE REVIEW
BRACE FOR AN ExXHILARATING RIDE WITH THE SUZUKI GIXXER Powerful, bold and aggressive – a street sports Suzuki bike set to conquer the roads is now here in the Philippines. The long wait for the Gixxer is finally over as the well coveted bike sets its foot in the country with its powerful 155cc engine and big bike-inspired body that is sure to capture attention wherever you may be. Bringing in the technology that has already won 14 awards overseas including a Best Bike title, the Gixxer is a full packed motorcycle that is well built, well designed and of great value. The Gixxer promises an unparalleled performance with its 155cc engine delivering an output of 10.4kW/8000rpm and a torque of 14.0Nm/6000rpm. Powered by the Suzuki Eco Performance Technology, this bike runs smoothly at low fuel consumption. Inspired from Suzuki’s big bikes range, the Gixxer already proves to be a sexy ride with its sleek form even just at first glance but it does not only offer that. Gixxer is a comfortable bike with excellent maneuverability. It has a light diamond shape chassis designed by the engineers with experience in developing the Hayabusa and the GSX-R1000 to provide functional beauty, structural strength, high rigidity and comfortable riding posture. The motorcycle’s large diameter front forks aid in reducing weight and contributes to sporty styling. Gixxer’s rear radial tire delivers better grip at any road condition wet or dry with mono-shock suspension for better riding comfort and stability. It comes with an ergonomically-designed seat shape that is ergonomically designed to provide a comfortable riding position.
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As experts known to produce beautiful bikes in functional bodies, the brand did not compromise on function and style. Evidently, the bike comes with a 3-piece construction fuel tank strategically placed in order to prevent overall cover replacement when damaged. The LED rear combination lamp promotes better visibility, consumes less power and more durable while the sleek headlight emphasize body design and promoting wide field of view at the same time. The Yshape 3-spoke mag wheels help achieve good balance. The dual type exhaust muffler, which is a first on Suzuki small bikes, improves exhaust efficiency.
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Completing the experience of a Suzuki big bike, the Gixxer boasts of a full digital instrument panel with all the necessary functions packed into a full digital meter and with an ignition key inspired by the Suzuki GSX-R. The roads are waiting, get ready to own the streets and brace for an exXhilirating ride with the Suzuki Gixxer. The Gixxer comes in three colors – Blue, Red and Black with an SRP of PhP 89,900. M
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BIKE REVIEW
Amongst the motorcycles in the “Triple Threat” line up, the one
that caught my attention was the Suzuki Gixxer 150. After the launch, I took it for a spin! Literally, the first thing I noticed was the ease of handling. As a moto Gymkhana rider, I tried doing eses on the bike and Yiiiii! It was smooth and easy to lean during tight corners. I popped a wheelie and endo for the purpose of trying to check the low end power up to the front brake stopping power and it never failed me. I just noticed a few blip on the throttle but definitely the test unit was still a fresh 00004 on the speedometer. The engine department runs on a 4-stroke, Single Cylinder, Air-Cooled, SOHC with a bore and stroke of 56.0mm x 62.9mm, it’s a 154.9 cc which can pass for a 155cc. The good news is, it’s a carburetor type which means we can still tune it manually with a screw driver. The air cooled engine means we don’t need to put water on it and it is a 5 speed transmission. The chassis is a steel type Diamond frame equipped with a Front Telescopic suspension and stops with a front disc brake and a front tire with size 100/80-17 with the Rear 140/60R17 tire controlled by a drum brake. The fuel capacity of the tank is 12 Liters. With a seat height of 780mm and weight of only 135kg, every average Filipino will definitely enjoy it. The ground clearance is also good at 160mm which means it is perfect for urban city riding. The wheelbase is 1,330mm which contributes to stable handling. The Suzuki Gixxer 150 is truly going to make its mark. Just like its underbone brother the Raider 150, this will truly be an underbone switch to back bone motorcycle because of the handling and performance. True to its name, the Gixxer is here to stay.
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BIKE REVIEW
Photo by John De Castro
AN EXHILARATING RIDE
– THE SUZUKI GIXXER
A GREENHORN EYES WHO WANTS TO START TO RIDE
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ello Siklowistas!!! I have been waiting for a new backbone motorcycle model to come out in the market that will fit my taste in terms of riding and style that replicates sporty stance, bad-ass looks, ease of ride, and bang for the bucks. Few models can be found rolling around the Metro for a year now until the Gixxer from Suzuki came in. I did not witness it during the Media Launch, but I had the privilege to give it a try during our photo shoot documentation at the Suzuki plant and surprisingly it was a very cool ride. I was told that Gixxer is known for its raw power delivery and for non-experienced rider. Its design has been the basis for the production race bike circuit in the Superbike Series since 1970s. This will be an opportunity for us, novice riders who want to feel a sport bike-like-ride of GSXR series in a smaller package.
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At a glance, what this street sport bike attracted me most was the body scalped-designed that patterns big displacement bikes. I noticed the headlamp looks smooth and fresh to look at and it brings a good light visibility during night rides. Looking at its instrument panel, is like looking at my high-tech smartphone that is not complicated and compactly housed. I easily identified its speedometer, odometer, in-gear indicator, two trip meters, and fuel level meter reading... Very neat. Its 12-Liter fuel tank is heavily scalped not just for aesthetic purposes but also gives that good leg-grip while riding. I will be ready for any long travel for its well-designed comfortable seat that will allow me to ride this bike smoothly. Street riding with a companion will be comfortable too. I love its rear section for it is perfectly streamlined from its fuel tank to the rear lights. The chrome finished double pipe makes me feel
the 155cc single overhead camshaft (SOHC) engine roar. Indeed, a bad-ass look in a street sports package. As expected, I sat on its seat comfortably and my feet planted well on the ground. It was a good sign for me that I can handle it well on streets, and for that I give it a good thumbs up. My arms and legs are at the right position reaching its handle bars and foot pegs, it’s another thumbs up for me since I can feel already that I can ride this bike for hours. I started the engine with its one-click electric start button that responded well. It also has its kickstart feature that I also managed to quickly and easily operate. During my ride I did not experience trouble in shifting into gears and that in turn gave me good timing in acceleration. I can easily reach the turning signal and headlamp buttons while twisting and turning on the roads. Front disc and rear drum break responded well in-between shifting gears and I never experienced hard breaking and tire slide. The Gixxer 150 is very light to ride as if I am riding a smaller bike. The last thing that I thought in my mind with its full packed features, was that this street sport bike’s price tag is very affordable. I checked my favorite dealers and I was surprised that I can take this home and not spend more than 100k. Not bad for a quality bike. Congratulations to you Suzuki Philippines and we are thankful for this Suzuki Gixxer offering to all Siklowistas! M
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BIKE REVIEW
SUZUKI
THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY SUZUKI X-4 THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY SUZUKI X-4 Answering the growing demand of the country’s business-model motorcycles, Suzuki brings back the legendary Suzuki X-4 with advanced features that meet and exceed the need of the Filipino masses. Carefully designed to be the best business-partner of our kababayans , Suzuki banked on three major factors – power, durability and reliability without compromising comfort which are all met by the AX4. Powered by a 150cc engine, the motorcycle is designed to withstand any kind of road conditions including mountainous areas even with heavy load. The 5-speed transmission with engine balancer reduces vibration for better riding comfort even at high speed. A heavy-duty single cradle frame & square pipe swing arm ensures comfortable riding condition.
AX4 already comes with a TODA Tool Kit including a lower rear shock and front sidecar attachment brackets as well as a kick starter. The brackets reduce the need to weld the sidecar to the bike making way for more flexibility and durability. It also comes with an informative instrumental panel that is visible in any riding condition equipped with fuel gauge, turn signal light, neutral, high beam and gear position indicators. Coming from a rich history with the country’s TODA community, the legendary Suzuki X-4 returns through the AX4 (Advanced Suzuki X-4). The AX4 comes in three colors – Black, Yellow and Red with an SRP of PhP 68,900. M
To ensure that the Filipinos get the value for their money, the AX4 is durable and low on maintenance with a more responsive Mikuni VM-type carburetor and a fuel cock with built-in filter that ensures the cleanliness of the gas being supplied to the carburetor. It is also safe to drive with a clutch switch starter preventing unwanted bike movement. The battery operated headlight promotes better visibility and aids in fuel-efficiency.
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The AX4 is made with the longest rear carrier available in the market which provides room for more passengers or baggage. Adding up to the features, Suzuki ensures a no-worry purchase as the
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NEWS & EVENTS
TOP 1 ACTION MATIC
THE PERFECT MATCH FOR AUTOMATIC SCOOTERS!
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ay goodbye to sliding clutch problems! TOP 1 OIL has recently launched the all new ACTION MATIC – the perfect oil formulated especially for scooters and modern automatic engines. The new TOP 1 Action Matic, which comes in a green can has a viscosity of SAE 10W-40. Conveniently, it also comes in two sizes: 800 cc and 1 liter cans – perfect for any engine capacity your automatic scooters might have.
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Gone are the days when you have to endure the heat of your scooter’s engine in your thighs. The TOP 1 Action Matic is fortified with TOP 1 OIL’s proprietary additive chemistry and thereby provides additional protection against high temperature operation.
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Ultimately, the best feature of the TOP 1 Action Matic is that it’s specifically engineered for gearless automatic scooters. TOP 1 OIL understands that the engine of manual motorcycles differ from that of automatic scooters. Manual motorcycle engines experience higher friction due to their clutch, engine and gear box whereas scooter engines are gearless and therefore emit lower friction.
When it comes to motorcycle oil, one size simply does not fit all. As such, TOP 1 OIL has come up with the right oil for the right kind of engine. For 4-stroke manual motorcycles, go for the TOP 1 Synthetic Motor Oil MC, a high friction oil that provides consistent lubrication for longer engine life. For gearless automatic scooters however, the TOP 1 Action Matic is definitely its perfect match. Using the right kind of oil appropriate for your engine further provides the following benefits: Extended oil change interval – With a well protected and cleaner engine, you’ll need less frequent oil change! Protection from heat and sludge – avoid costly repairs and overhaul! Increased engine efficiency – Save on fuel consumption! Try it for yourself and experience these benefits firsthand. On your next oil change, go for TOP 1 Synthetic Motorcycle Oil! M
Why riding a motorcycle is better than driving a car in jam-packed Metro Manila BENJAX RIVERA·MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015
Photo courtesy of Inquirer.net
not turned its attention to the traffic situation in EDSA, would the government have done anything at all to fix it? EDSA, the 23 kilometer freeway that acts as the central nerve system connecting major cities in Metro Manila, as some would say, is the biggest parking lot in the region. Just add water, and voila! Instant car-maggedon. But a lot of efforts have been made dating back in the 90’s on how to crack this unsolvable equation. Odd-even schemes, color-coding schemes, three-passenger minimum vehicle capacity and bus stop categories; these are just some of what the government has done to make EDSA less occupied that what it is now. But no matter what is thought of and implemented, the solution to these insane traffic jams is just unattainable. I may not be a genius when it comes to road traffic study, but to me, there are only two things that need to be addressed here: vehicle volume and road obstruction. There are just too many cars, and so many things prohibiting these cars to move: busses stopping anywhere at will, illegal vendors on the road, jay-walkers crossing everywhere, illegally parked jeepneys, unfinished road repairs, the list just goes on and on. A permanent fix would probably be wider roads and more infrastructure, but hey, let’s try to be realistic here — that
could be all possible in the next 10-15 years; but now, here in the present, what can we really do?
“...there are only two things that need to be addressed here: vehicle volume and road obstruction.” Three years ago, I was just like anyone else with a four-wheeled vehicle, I was always stuck in traffic and cursing my lungs out. But today, I take pride in saying that I have not been on the road for more than an hour when I commute. My secret? I ride a motorcycle. Some — right of the bat — would raise the question of safety with all the accidents we see on the internet. That by itself is a totally different discussion. For now, let me tell you how riding a motorcycle can make your daily commute a lot easier and faster.
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One can ponder, if the media (both social and mainstream) had
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VIRTUALLY NO TRAFFIC
CHEAPER & QUICKER MAINTENANCE
Probably the biggest advantage of motorcycles is that it’s small enough to filter through the spaces between cars. And in a situation where cars fall on queue and build up traffic, motorcycles pass through these spaces with ease and leave everyone behind.
One of the burdens that comes with owning a car is the cost of maintaining it. Simple oil and filter changes can already cost you thousands! But with a motorcycle, tune-ups cost you less than a thousand. Cost of spare parts are also way cheaper compared to cars, and you don’t need to wait that long for it to get fixed.
This also applies to flooded areas where cars hesitate to or cannot cross; motorcycles — at a certain water level — can cut through the flood and still come out with running engine.
A LOT CHEAPER THAN CARS Chances are, if you already own a car, then you are most likely qualified to purchase a motorcycle. And because it’s a lot cheaper (as in way cheaper), buying one is more feasible. This goes on to say that if you do not own a vehicle yet, purchasing a motorcycle as your first is achievable, practical and economical.
IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH LESSER TRAVEL TIME I live about 8km away from work and driving a car takes about 45 minutes to an hour just to get there. On my motorcycle, it only takes me 15 to 20 minutes, even in the worst traffic conditions. Now imagine if it takes you 2 hours to get to work and another 2 hours to get home, that’s a total of 4 hours on the road. Riding on a motorcycle will most likely cut your travel time to just 30 minutes, freeing up to 3 hours of your time. That gives you more than an hour of productivity at work, and more than an hour of play and relaxation at home.
CHEAPER GAS
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Cars on general consume about 8-15 km/l. A motorcycle roughly returns 20-35 km/l. If that’s not enough to convince you, a daily commute of 15km/day would probably cost about 500 pesos a week, taking into consideration the amount of gas you burn while in traffic and while you are actually moving. On a motorcycle, a tank with 500 pesos worth of gas would already be for a month!
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Believe it or not, riding a motorcycle is considered by some as a form of exercise. Yes, you burn calories and work your muscles as you travel.
IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH While others might argue that it is extremely uncomfortable to ride a motorcycle compared to riding a car, I would say they are totally missing the point. Commuting is something we do every day of our lives. The whole purpose of commuting is to reach our destination — be it the office, school or home. You do not ride your car everyday so you can sit for three hours in an air-conditioned cabin doing relatively nothing. You ride your car so you can reach your destination and actually do something — period, nothing more. Everything else are just the perks and comfort. Today, going anywhere around Metro Manila is an absolute nightmare, you’ve seen the photos, EDSA is literally a parking lot with glowing white and red lights.
Today, going anywhere around Metro
CHEAPER PARKING FEES
Manila is an absolute nightmare.
A normal day job of 8 hours also means 8 hours of parking. Parking fees would be around P80-P120 daily. Motorcycles enjoy flat rates of only P20-P50 for the entire day!
If time is money and money is time, then we are wasting a whole lot of money just by going somewhere.
EASIER PARKING
The question now is: would you rather spend just a fraction of the time travelling but with less comfort, or spend all of your time stuck in traffic but with all the perks?
And while we are on the subject of parking, it is always a hassle finding a parking spot when driving a car. Not only do you burn gas, but also, you consume time going around in circles looking for an empty space. Motorcycles, on the other hand, always have that area for themselves; and, it is not that hard to park it. A fraction of a space is all you need.
Imagine, if only ten percent of the cars would convert to motorcycles, then that would mean lesser cars in the queue. That means lesser volume, and lesser volume means lesser traffic. It might be wishful thinking, but if we really think about it, riding a motorcycle for our daily commute is far more beneficial not just for you, but for everyone. So while waiting for the wider roads and better infrastructure to come, why not give it a try? M
From a Riders Point of View
by Gene B. Ulag
Pabata ng pabata ang mga nakikita kong nag mo-motor. Ni walang helmet at paniguradong wala ding lisensya. Bakbak dito, bakbak doon pa ang madalas gawin, naka tambay sa gasolinahan kasama ang mga tropang lowerd na scooters at UB’s. Na kung iisipin natin ay pinayagan ng mga magulang nilang mag sipag asta ng ganyan ang mga anak nila, na alam naman natin na sa bawat sakay natin sa motor ay isang paa ang nakalagay sa hukay.
Iilang kaibigan ko din ang namatay sa pag momotor sa batang edad, dala ng kapusukan, pag ka adik sa speed o sadyang na “one-time” lang ika nga. Dun siguro nag umpisang kumagat sa akin ang pag iingat.
Photo Courtesy of http://jennhicks.ca/
Mabalik tayo sa kasalukuyan, halos ganitong ganito din ang nakikita kong madalas, lalo na yung mga “breezy boys” na naka long sleeve na close neck kahit tirik ang araw, ayaw mag helmet dahil may pomada o gel ang buhok at masisira daw ang istilo ng buhok nila, naka sling bag at naka rainbow color na sapatos.
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Well, hindi naman sa hipokrito ako, ginawa ko din yan, laking Pasay ako at madalas ay nasa CCP (Cultural Center of the Philippines) kami nakatambay. Wala pang Macapagal Blvd noon, 1995 era to early 2000. 2 stroker scooters pa ang nauuso noon, may mga underbone din naman at mga Dirt bikes at yung kahabaan na yun hangang Coconut Palace ay puno ng motor. Walang helmet, naka tsinelas o Islander, yan kasi ang uso noon, pag naka islander ka eh, sabi nila, angat sa buhay kasi may pambili ng mahusay na Tsinelas.
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Photo Courtesy of google.com
At kadalasan namang nakatambay sa mga gasolinahan ay akala mo laging naghahanap ng away, mayat maya ang bomba ng silinyador nila na akala moy nabili na nila ang gasolinahan. Bata nga sabi nila, and they tend to be “young and stupid”. At minsan sa buhay natin ay naging ganito din tayo. Pero naisip ba nang mga magulang nila na maraming namatay sa kapusukang yan, na ang pag payag nila na mag motor ang anak nila ng walang maayos na pag intindi sa tamang pag sakay sa motor, batas trapiko at ang mismong pag gamit sa kalsada ay makakatulong sa “experience” nila sa buhay?
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Yung kaklase ng anak ko na Grade 5, nag momotor na. Minsang dumalaw sa bahay namin ang bata dala ang motor nya, take note, sariling motor. Walang helmet, walang lisensya at pinayagan daw sya ng magulang nya, in fact, Tatay pa daw nya ang bumili ng motor nya. Yung bata, 8kms away simula bahay namin.
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Hindi ba naisip ng tatay nito ang puedeng mangyari sa anak nya kapag na pinahan ng Jeepney? O magulat at mataranta sa naglalakihang truck sa hiway? Para lang matuwa ang anak nya at masunod ang luho ay ibinili ng motor? Ayokong sabihin ito, pero para mo na ding itinulak ang anak mo sa ikakasama nya. Hindi bat kaya tayo magulang ay para gabayan ang mga anak natin na wag tahakin ang mali?
Sa dami ng nadidisgrasya na involved ang motor, minsan kahit maingat ka, may tarantado talagang pipitikin ka sa daan at parang ikinatutuwa pa nilang masaktan ka. Maraming tao ang inis sa mga nag mo-motor na alam naman natin ang dahilan, dahil magagandang lalaki’t babae ang mga nag mo-motor hindi nila puedeng gawing dahilan na lang yan para sadyaing saktan tayo sa kalsada. Eh paano kung yung Batang Rider ang nasa kalsada, Walang helmet, shades lang ang suot, nasingit singit tapos na side swipe. Bumagok ang ulo ni Rider, binawian ng buhay. Sa tingin mo ba matutuwa ang magulang nyan? Pero ano pa din ang sisisihin ng magulang? Motor pa din, kasi delikadong mag motor kaya sa motor pa din ang sisi sa huli. Walang pinagkaiba sa Baril, pag may namaril, sasabihin nilang delikado ang baril. Hindi bat itong mga bagay na ito ay napapag aralan? At kapag tama ang naituro mo ay maganda ang magiging outcome sa mga kabataan? So bakit hindi natin turuan ang mga batang ito na maging mas maayos, magkaron ng respeto sa sarili in a way na ingatan nila ang sarili nila sa pamamagitan ng pag susuot ng helmet, kahit helmet na lang, wag ng idamay ang elbow, shin at backplate. Mas makakaroon panigurado ang mga magulang ng sense of security, kahit papano.
Wag hayaang mag motor ng wala pa sa tamang edad, kung walang lisensya, wag bilhan ng motor. Pabata ng pabata ang nag mo-motor, pabata ng bata din ang namamatay sa motor. Sila itong mga walang gabay sa isang bagay na natutunan nilang magustuhan at mahalin. Ikaw, ako, tulad nating lahat na mananakay. Gusto din nilang ma enjoy ang tambay nights nila, pag usapan ang modification ng makina, pag usapan ang mga babaeng naaangkas nila, at paminsan minsan ay ang bilis ng motor nila. Well, kaming may mga edad ay iba na din ang usapan pag natambay, kadalasan ay kung anong solusyon sa rayuma habang nag mo-motor, o anong ginagawa mo pag inatake ka ng gout tapos may ride ka kinabukasan, paano kung natatae ka na at wala kang mahintuang gas station. Kita naman natin ang pinag kaiba ng usapan di ba? Kaya sana, gabayan natin ang mga batang mananakay natin. Gabayan natin na mapasama sa tamang grupo na magmumulat sa kanila sa mabubuting Gawain sa pag mo-motor. Magsasama sa kanila na marating ang mga lugar gamit ang kanilang motor. Iba pa din kasi kapag nagabayan natin ang mga batang ito, mamumulat sila ng maaga sa mga bagay na dapat mas maaga nilang matutunan ng sa ganon ay mas mahaba nilang maenjoy ang pag mo-motor. Tama?!
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FEATURED
FEATURE
RIDERS
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Talk about good looking men both active in sports and business.
Sam Tamayo is the owner of the said grounds and Gino Cruz is the General Manager. Sam said that Motocross racing is perhaps the most physically challenging motorcycle sport ever. Thrilling jumps and high velocity turns on loose grounds really is a fun but painful routine for the love of dirt bikes. In motocross, a rider must always be committed to the bumps and grinds of the sport, and will always embrace the thought of crashing once in a while. To be more skilled to the sport of Motocross, riding mountain bikes are one of the ingredients in practicing, especially downhill. MMF also provides the venue for mountain bikes riders to play. The MX Messiah Fairgrounds was established on February 2010 and by now is really a great place to play with your chosen skill craft. Located at a Private race track in Taytay Rizal, at the Club Manila East, it is accessible to riders. Sam said that they are open to memberships as well. Sam is also a full pledge Pastor and spreading the love of Jesus is what he is very proud of. He also said that in the states there are also a lot of Motocross riders who are Christians. Sam and Gino always pray before they start to race. Sam and Gino are two cool handsome guys that are both God fearing and talented.
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SAM TAMAYO AND GINO CRUZ
Sam Tamayo and Gino Cruz, the awesome duo behind the MX Messiah Fairgrounds, accepted our request for an interview. MX Messiah Fairgrounds is a place specifically built for dirt bike motocross enduro riders. It is a place where anyone who wants to learn the basics of off road racing and trail bike operation are taught. It is also a practice ground for motocross enduro racers, as well as a great venue for organized races.
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FEATURE | JM MIRASOL
JM MIRASOL J
un Mirasol’s name is an institution in the motorcycle industry, for not only does he have the great persona of a character, he also have a shop that caters to the riding public. Jun’s JM Mirasol Advertising is a very well-known shop for bikers like me who loves to customize their motorcycles according to taste.
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Famous for dressing up motorcycles through sticker decals and having a shop that offers parts and accessories, JM is well loved by riders young and old. The first time I met JM was at the Ropali Classics Store in Ortigas, where he was that time installing the Royal Enfield floor area. That initial meeting gave me an impression of his good character for it is written all over his persona that had enveloped the place.
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Upon visiting his shop in Malinta, Valenzuela… we saw how neat his shop looked and we found many personalized accessories they made for their customers. We also witnessed how their people put on sticker decals on bikes and how decent they looked on the bikes as they finished. There were small signage made of different materials, bike accessories from scooter floor boards to wind shields. Most notably was the JM Mirasol logo that is catchy and distinct. They also have small logo stickers you can get for free to stick on anywhere even on your smartphones. Stickers really are one of their specialties.
After we finished our shoot, he brought us to his bigger shop a few blocks away and we really were anxious on what to find there for we thought he only offered decals and motorcycle accessories and services. Once we got to their main shop, we were amazed on how awesome it was. People working on large lighted signage which we believed is the Ducati Katipunan store’s signage, and many other advertising signage on the works. He toured us through the shop up to the office floors where we found more of their employees grinding on a busy day but with smiles on their faces as we took our photos and videos.
FEATURED
SHOP
Juver Mirasol, Jun’s son is busy on his computer managing the shops creative works, as we now see trophies and recognitions of Jun for his contributions to the motorcycling industry. But the office is well painted by Juver’s accolades for he’s got a lot under his belt too, for not so long ago he won underbone races in the IR cup and UBK championships. Jun said that his business started 25 years ago back then when there were no computer software yet to create works of art. He is a genuine artist that creates everything by hand. He recalled the times where tarpaulins were called streamers which are all made by hands, and billboards painstakingly created with man hours lasting days and nights. He also said he made stickers that are cut manually as compared to the comfort of today’s computer cut variations. He dressed up Sarao Jeepneys all by manual labor without a computer at help. His association with other riders back then made him known as one of the most herald gentleman rider in the industry. Jun’s love for family and work made him a success that everyone look up to. A rider whose artistic passion combined with the love for motorcycles is a true gift to us riders, for we can be assured that a man of integrity will help us on our pursuit to motorcycle happiness.
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To Mr. Jun Mirasol and his family, we are very proud and thankful for your wonderful contributions to the motorcycling industry. We are always at your debt and we will continue to follow on your footsteps in bringing joy to all riders through the brotherhood of bikers and the love for ride. M
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TOURING
RIDE
REVIEW By Cheggy Medina
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...10 days of motorcycle riding with an average of 200 to 300 kilometers per day
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My Odometer read 3,100 kilometers after the
ride. It was 10 days of motorcycle riding with an average of 200 to 300 kilometers per day. We travelled from Manila to Bicol. Crossed using Roro from Matnog Bicol to Allen, Samar. Rode Samar to San Ricardo, Leyte. Crossed to Mindanao using RoRo to Surigao City, Surigao del Norte. Rode to Bislig with stop over at Enchanted River Hinatuan. The next day we rode to Davao City. Then rode to Cagayan de Oro passing by Bukidnon to eat Steaks at Del Monte Plantation. The next day we rode to Dapitan where we met Dapitan Brotherhood of Riders who toured us to Rizal Shrine where our hero was exiled during the Spanish time. The next day we rode the Roro to Dumaguete City and to Bacolod City where we stayed overnight to eat authentic Chicken Inasal.
The next day we crossed Ilo-ilo using Roro and ate La Paz Batchoy at La Paz, Ilo-ilo. We then rode thru Panay Island to Catiklan and stayed overnight at Boracay. The next day we crossed to Mindoro using the Roro. The ride to Mindoro was a night ride all the way to Calapan Port. We then rode the Roro for the last time going to Batangas City that night and rode to Manila until we arrived at 3am the next day. Our longest ride was in day 1, Manila to Irosin, Sorsogon more than 500 kilometers. The most tiring was Dumaguete to Bacolod because we had to wake up at 2am for the Roro which leaves at 3am, where we travel more than 300 kilometers with occasional rains in the mountains.... the most beautiful road for me is the BuDa (BukidnonDavao) road from Davao to Bukidnon with an elevation of 1300 meters above sea Level.
The most coconut trees was at Samar to Leyte roads. We all wanted to drink coconut juice after that ride. A local sari-sari store gave us free coconuts to drink and eat, talk about Filipino hospitality. The most scary ride because of the stories (but I didn’t experience or saw anything to make me scared) was the CDO to Dipolog roads. Next time we shouldn’t believe in scary stories. It was a mixture of beautiful rough roads and paved roads thru mountains and sea shore. The easiest ride was the Bislig, Surigao del Sur to Davao City. It a short 200 plus kilometers with no vehicles on the road except for habal-habals. My favorite city to visit is Dumaguete, this sleepy town is clean and friendly with lots of good places to eat. They have zero crime rate so you
can walk thru their boardwalks even in the early morning. My favorite island is still Boracay, the beach is fantastic and the people never sleeps. Bu, my favorite swimming place is Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, it looks like it came from the movie “Avatar”, it has crystal clear waters with assorted giant ferns and palms beside the river filled with limestone floor, it was like you’re in a swimming pool. My favorite Roro boat is Fast Cat, for that boat is new, clean, fast and they took good care of our bikes. I discovered that each province has their own version of a tricycle, ranging from the regular 5 seaters to the10 seaters as big as small jeepneys. The Habal-habals also have different varieties, some have roofs while others called “Skylab” can carry heavy loads with wood planks and agri products. The language also changes but I was glad everyone understood tagalog. The biggest crabs I have ever eaten was from Bislig, they’re 1.5 kilos each and the head was as big as a plate. This sleepy town serves good sea foods and this ride was the longest for me, about 10 days and 10 nights. I am now a 3 stars rider (Luzon Visaya Mindanao) and I am lucky to have experienced this ride with my club UHAW Adventure Riders, the
riding buddies that loves fun and riding. One more check in my bucket list. Yahoo! We are 11 riders all in all. The bikes are all adventure bikes: 7 BMW GS 1200, 1 Yamaha Super Tenere 1200, 1 Kawasaki KLR 650, Honda Dominator 650 and Husqvarna Strada 650. Special thanks to: Eric Cariaso, Elton Ong, Pat Mamon who rode with us upto Irosin. Mayor Alfred Romualdez who treated us for breakfast and told us stories of his rides and Typhoon Yolanda, Former Cong. Ace Barbers who made sure we are okay at Surigao City, Dong Bobby the President of Davao Agila Riders who gave us a tour at the Enchanted River and Davao. He also rode with us to Davao City. Mr. Jimmy of Royal Enfield Pilipinas who contacted Dapitan Brotherhood of Riders headed by Nandan Joshi who took care of us and gave us a tour of Dapitan. Dumaguete Riders who gave us a tour in their beautiful city. Helen Magadia of Bacolod City who treated us for chicken inasal dinner and gave us a tour of the city. Finally brother Jojo Medina who hosted us in Boracay Paradise. M
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The view was breath taking. I also like the road from Dumaguete to Bacolod road thru the mountains of Mt. Kanlaon called Don Salvador Benedicto road. It reminded me of Banaue and Baguio, since they also have the lion statue and rice terraces. I like mountain roads. The most fun road was Panay road from Antique to Kalibo Caticlan, where the roads are straight sea shore and with little mountain twisties. The town people were cheering, waving and urging us to ride faster. It felt like we were at the BOSS Ironman race.
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MotoGP
SEPANG MALAYSIA By Emman Balmes
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n the Philippines, interest in motorcycle racing is still catching up with those of our neighboring Asian countries. Yes we do have these superbike races, underbone races and scooter races, but comparing these two races that are held in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, we still need to push more not only to develop our young talents, but also to get more people to be engaged in this kind of sport. However, there are lots of Filipinos that are into watching races on TV, especially MotoGP as this requires less effort than physically going to BRC, CIS, Carmona or those makeshift circuits. I, myself started watching way back in 2004. That’s the year when Valentino Rossi was battling with Sete Gibernau for the championship. Amazingly, after 11 years, I am still watching Valentino battle with the top guys for the championship. So yes, you can consider me a MotoGP fanatic. The MotoGP season consists of around 18 races bringing them around the world from Europe to America to Asia. It starts around March and ends around November. For a fanatic like me, there is nothing more exciting than watching it live and for us Filipinos, the closest location that they hold their race is at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. They stage the race usually in October. For those Siklowistas out there who plan to watch live, here are some tips for you.
Book your tickets early. Dorna Sports usually announce their tentative race schedule for the following season before the year ends. This gets confirmed around January or February, which is also the time that airlines usually have their sale. If you are patient enough to monitor and wait for seat sales, you may be able to book a round trip ticket for around 3,000 pesos. A good advice would be to subscribe to airline promos so you’ll get notifications or emails when they go on sale. In case you are not familiar with the schedule, Sunday is warm-up and race day. Friday and Saturday would be the practice sessions. It is best to fly there on Thursday and fly back to Manila on Monday.
Of course, you wouldn’t be able to watch the race without race tickets, right? Grandstand tickets are the most common tickets that people buy when they watch the race. The tickets allow you access to the Main Grandstand from Friday till Sunday. They also give you access to the public pitlane walk on Friday afternoon. You can buy tickets at the entrance or even at the Central station in KL if you arrive early, say Friday or Saturday. However, if you plan to buy on Sunday, you’d have to fall in line for hours and there’s even a chance that the tickets would run out before you get one. There are also ways to get race tickets while you’re here. You can buy from Red Rock Travel Facilitators (office located in Diliman, QC) or you can
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Once your ticket is booked, the next thing you’ll want to get confirmed is your accommodation. The MotoGP race in Sepang is like a pilgrimage of neighboring Asian countries. You can expect that hotels will be fully booked during this time. That’s why I would recommend to book as early as you can after you buy your plane tickets. The track is located 10-15minutes from the airport and around 45minutes from the city proper. There are hotels near the track and airport, but they are a bit costly. Rates would be around 2,000+ pesos per night. What I do is I book cheap hotels in Chinatown located in KL. Although this would be a disadvantage as I have to travel almost an hour to get to the track, I can easily go around the city to go to tourist spots like the Petronas twin towers and the KL tower. And besides, Chinatown would probably have everything you want to buy for pasalubong or souvenirs. Rooms here would be as low as around 700 pesos per room. That’s already airconditioned and good for 2 persons. And besides, why would you spend more for a room where you would just leave your things during the day (since you’ll be at the track and other places) and sleep during the night, right? So there, you got your plane tickets and hotel booking. One more thing to sort out.
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buy online thru the MotoGP website or the Sepang Circuit website. The cheapest among them would still be the one from the Circuit as they sell tickets online the same price as they sell it when you get there. Most of the time, they also sell ticket packages where you get a ticket, a cap, a shirt, and a bag. Once you got your tickets, you’re all set!
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If you stay in KL, there are two ways to get to the track. The first is you can ride a bus going to the airport, then take a taxi to the Circuit. The second way is via Sky Bus (a local bus company). During race weekend, the said bus company has trips from the KL Central station to the circuit. You may purchase round trip tickets or single journey tickets. The bus departs at designated times. You may refer to their website for the schedule. The weather in Malaysia is similar to our weather here. Sometimes it’s even hotter. So when you watch the race, don’t forget to drink lots of water. It is also a good idea to bring snacks as the snack bars in the circuit get long queues during meal times. Of course, you wouldn’t want to forget your camera. The last thing you’d want is having the chance to snap a remembrance pic and you don’t have anything to snap it with, right? For me, the best camera to bring would be a DSLR. It would also be great if you could bring at least a 300mm lens. This will allow you to take pictures of track action even if you’re just seated at the grandstand. Don’t forget your spare batteries or memory cards also. If you have phones with hi-res cameras, that would also suffice. So you can post that selfie pic with the paddock in the background on your social media
page right away. And speaking of posting, I recommend buying a local Malaysian SIM instead of using your Philippine SIM on roaming. It’s definitely way cheaper. Most SIMs already have free credit and data allocations. And since you’re already in Malaysia, why not make the most of it. You can set aside a day or two to go around. There are a lot of tourist spots accessible to public transport there. From Chinatown, you can take the train to the Petronas twin towers. Or take the slow train to the Batu Caves. The Malaysian people are very friendly. You can ask them directions and they will help you the best they can. But by experience, the best people to ask are the Malaysian Tourism staff and the Hotel front desk. And don’t forget to drop by Jalan Alor. This night food market is the best place to taste the best Malaysian food. Jalan Alor or Alor Street is a famous street in the city that has lots of cheap restaurants but good and quality food. As for food budget, you can set aside around 100-150 pesos per meal while in Malaysia. If you know the ins and outs of KL, you can even spend as cheap as 50 pesos for a meal. These are just tips that I can recommend based on my experience. There might be better options than those that I have mentioned here but don’t be afraid to explore. When I first watched the races in 2010, I even crossed an expressway just to get to the other side where the circuit is located. Then I hailed a bus on the same expressway only for the driver to scold me saying “This is not a bus stop”. So enjoy your pilgrimage to the Malaysian MotoGP. I’m sure you’ll be watching again next year.
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FEATURED
FEATURE
RIDERS
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AMBER TORRES
The racing scene is now continuously
on its way up, and more and more local riders wants to get involved in it. The prestige and the glory are what one sets in as a personal goal. That being said, riders as young as 9 years old join in to this adrenalin packed sport. Amber Torres now 11 years of age, is one of the young guns of motorcycle racing here locally, and he is out in flying colors. His father Mitchelle Torres is his mentor and he is what inspired Amber to race. Mitchelle, noticed Amber’s love for motorcycle racing and it made him decide to push through with his son’s training just to keep him happy. Amber’s race number is sweet 16, and he said it is his favorite number for his birthday is September 16. Amber uses a Suzuki NEX 115 race bike custom fitted especially for him. Their team placed heavy weights in the bike’s floor board to qualify into the weight
class classification of the 130cc race segment. His Suzuki NEX 115 race bike have a protruding rod in between the bike, and the purpose of it is to strengthen the chassis in case of a crash. The seat is cut to accommodate Amber’s size and height. Amber also have other race bikes and these are the Suzuki Shooter and Yamaha MXi 125. His father said that they will join all the race events as long as Amber is allowed to. This rising star will surely make waves in the racing industry and we believe his name will be known to all those who loves the blood rush. Amber’s tip to all the riders who dreams of one day zooming the race circuits are to get a lot of sleep, study hard, and eat healthy. Amber also wants to thank his sponsors; Amber16 Motorcyc Services, Joy Speed, Yolac Racing, Edz Pipe, Spec V, ASV , AM Mirasol, Gulf Oil and MBF. M
ALL GIRLS CATEGORY – YAMAHA ONE MAKE RACE
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ho said circuit racing are for boys alone?! If you think girls don’t have what it takes to be a bad ass race jockey, then you are mistaken. Women can also do what men can, and some does it better than the latter.
They were all interviewed by Mr. Mel Aquino of the Motorsiklo News
(From left to right) MBF All Girls Shiena Mae Cuenca, Alicia Ortega, Justinne Bethany Tolentino, Alyzza Escobar Dy The Buncio Sisters, Jacq & Des Buncio & Blaesel Ann Cadavos Landicho
Team, and was asked about their take on the race. Some girls replied with giggles… “It’s a happy feeling and the adrenaline rush pumps sky high” … “It’s so much fun and I can’t wait to do it all over again” … almost all of them synonymous with their answers that motorcycle circuit racing is fun and is a disciplined sport.
Some of the girls started their careers as early as seven years old, and many of them are racing in the IR (Inside Racing) races. They also came from different places in the country and some as far as Davao. Prior to circuit racing, some girls participated in road racing where most of the races are done inside parking lots. This girls deserve all the commendations for having the
guts to play hard in the Men’s world. They said that partaking in road races takes technical skills whilst circuit racing plays more on timing in fast turns. Now, equality is not only garnered through gender rights, but also to the life of fast lanes. M
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Yamaha Philippines is proud to say that women has a place in the motorcycle race competition. They staged a one make race specifically for girls, and we found it awesome to watch for they can rub it out with anyone inside the circuit. The MBF Unity Cup was held at the Carmona Racing Circuit, where the Yamaha One Make Race was staged for girls. Yamaha pitted their Yamaha MXi 125 scooters for the said race event, and the girls didn’t disappoint.
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HARLEY OWNERS GROUP
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PHILIPPINE CHAPTER
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EASTERN SAMAR MOTORISMO 2015 JULY 4TH LIBERATION RIDE
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by Rap Saavedra
HOW IT ALL STARTED
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n 1938, a man named Clarence “Pappy” Hoel has purchased an Indian Motorcycle franchise in Sturgis South Dakota. Later, the influence of motorcycle grew big and the motorcycle club called the “The Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club” was born. Two years later, on August 14, the first Sturgis motorcycle rally was held, the rally was also known as the Black Hill Classic, and the first race with 9 participants took place with a small audience. Years after, decades even. The Rally grew big and Sturgis prospered from the profit it earn, and business minded persons opened their shops and soon after, there were hundreds of shops in the area. Sturgis became a successful and famous state, so famous that even foreigners from Canada, Japan, Europe, and many more foreigners travel to Sturgis’ annual motorcycle rally. Thanks to that one man, Sturgis has earned its rightful place in the map. Many riders and bikers today call their friends “Papi” or “Paps” maybe because this is a reference to the man behind the Sturgis motorcycle rally. Every year, the Sturgis Motorcycle Event generates millions of dollars, this sparked an idea in the minds of the Filipino Harley Owners Group Philippine Chapter or H.O.G. Philippines Chapter. The idea grew big within their club, meetings were held and plans were planted and became the foundation of a new campaign called ‘Motourismo’. From inspiration to execution, H.O.G. has decided that if there’s one place that could be an Asian Motorcycle Mecha, it would be the islands of Samar and Leyte.
The beautiful islands of Samar and Leyte offers thick and luscious forest with smooth and swift roads at the mountains, seaside, flat lands, and most of all, that awesome bridge of San Juanico that connects Samar and Leyte. The island is almost secluded to the world of motorcycles because most of the time; motorists just pass down the Pan-Philippine Hi-way, missing the route of the islands of Samar and Leyte which is an immaculate get-away from the rest of the world. In recent events, most of Leyte was devastated because of Yolanda’s wrath, H.O.G. has chosen the island of Samar and Leyte to become the center of Motourismo to promote tourism and to help Samar and Leyte in generating millions of pesos, this in turn will help them recover from their losses. Motourismo shares the same principle of Sturgis and on July 1, H.O.G. took off at 12 midnight from H.O.G. House here in Manila, there were more than 40 bikes that night, their first mission: To deliver the Motourismo news to the people of Samar and Leyte and to make them aware of what is to come, and to bring financial support to those schools that are still operating even after the storm destroyed most of their classrooms. Hopefully, by next year the people of Samar and Leyte will welcome more riders than this first ride and that the campaign will not only inspire riders of different bikes to travel down south but also help those who are still in desperate situations. Motourismo is a great campaign and the aim is to make it happen every year hoping to make more and more bikers to ride its amazing roads. We hope to see it grow like Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and we hope to see Samar and Leyte prosper from it.
THE EASTERN SAMAR RIDE
Leyte is famous for its wonderful cities, wide roads, white sand
beaches, delicacies, and historical sights to see, but on April 17, Leyte captured the attention of the World. Millions of people watched and hopelessly were unable to help when Super Typhoon Yolanda mercilessly destroyed the towns and cities of Leyte. After 12 hours of constant rainfall, Leyte suffered several storm surges that reached 4 meters high. Death toll rises the next day and it was a total grim sight, nobody knew how many was missing and dead, the only thing the World knows was that Leyte desperately needs help. Help that came from NGOs, LGUs, locals, Red Cross, and many neighboring countries like Japan, America and the help from the United Nations. The devastation that crippled Leyte has challenged the Government of the Philippines, but not all received the help they need due to some politicians that were eager to put money in their pockets rather than food in the mouths of the needy. After two years of surviving and crawling out of the dirt, most of Leyte’s provinces are still in ruins, this kick-started the awareness and concerns of private organizations like Harley Owners Group or H.O.G. Simply put it, enough is enough with greedy politicians, and to put matters in their own hands just to deliver what the people need: Assistance from financial, resources, and other daily needs.
The morning greeted us with delicious breakfast and fresh air, and soon the roaring engine of Harley-Davidsons were once again heard and ready to take on the road, Mr. Aquino was still tasked to ride the Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 1700cc to Matnog. We arrived in Matnog and loaded each and every bike, truck, and car in a Marina Ferries RoRo, there we waited hours before the departure. Some had their photos taken, nails are manicured and pedicured, because honestly, who wouldn’t want to have clean fingernails and toenails? Some had a massage, everyone was busy with their own itinerary. We all rested and contented ourselves in our seats. We arrived at Samar in the afternoon and Omar Tanghal, H.O.G.’s road Captain, briefed the H.O.G. members in what to expect on the roads of Samar. Later that day, we rode to our second stop that night in Leyte Park Resort in Tacloban. It was a grueling ride for the roads were still littered with potholes and unfinished roads, there were kilometers of off-road
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On July 1, 2015, H.O.G and Harley-Davidson of Manila travelled to Leyte to bring financial assistance to selected schools and to parade on the streets and bring joy and excitement in the lives of those who are still in pain. As part of the crew who went there, I expected this to be an epic ride, there were more than forty H.O.G members that rode south and were followed by back up cars, RV, and trucks just in case something happened along the way. On our way to Leyte, we took the South Super Highway and continued to Gumaca, we stopped there to wait for the H.O.G and at around 4am, lights started to appear on the horizon, and our ears started to hear a familiar sound, that only Harley-Davidson can produce. They rode past us and we followed until we arrived on a nearby gasoline refilling station were we ate our breakfast. Mr. Mel Aquino was surprised when Kevin of the HarleyDavidson gave him the key to the Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout 1700cc. We then continued on to Naga for refuelling and continued to Cena Una, a hotel and restaurant in Naga where the Mt. Mayon can be seen. It was quite a sight but the clouds were blocking the view because there was a storm rampaging in Luzon. We finished our lunch and headed for the road to Irosin, this time, Mr. Jobert Bolanos had a chance to ride the Harley-Davidson Street 750. By 5pm, we arrived at Irosin where we stayed in a hotel, we ate our dinner and called it a day, apparently the night was still young so most of us stayed late and celebrated our first successful leg.
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experiences that tested the Harley-Davidson bikes. A place where the modern Harley-Davidson is unlikely to be seen, but still nothing will stop H.O.G’s on their mission to bring relief and smiles on the faces of our fellow Filipinos who still needs our help. We reached San Juanico Bridge by nightfall and everything around us was pitch black. Still, the remnants of the storm two years ago was still present on the roads of Tacloban, there were still buildings untouched, houses torn apart, and roads unpaved, people are still living in settlements and electricity are available only to the few. It is sad to think that after two years, Tacloban is still down in its knees and unable to get up. However, the people of Tacloban are surviving and making out the best in the little that they have. The Filipino spirit is strong among the locals of Tacloban and nothing will stop them to bring back the life Tacloban once had. When we arrived in Tacloban, we went straight to the convention hall where we had our dinner. A local band performed as everyone listened, Former Congressman Nonoy Libanan also played and sung a song for Leyte and H.O.G. Later that evening, Mayor Alfred Romualdez visited us to greet the H.O.G. A fair welcome in Tacloban, Leyte and to our knowledge, Mayor Romualdez is also a rider. The night ended with everyone tired but happy, soon, we were on our way to our hotel, the Leyte Park Resort. I have to say, Leyte Park Resort was one of my favorite for the rooms are large, clean, and spacious.
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The third day, we went back to the convention hall and on our way there, it was clear how much damage Leyte received that time when Super Typhoon Yolanda striked. It was a gruesome reminder of how bad things went. We had our breakfast and proceeded on the ride. This time, I got a chance to back-ride on one of the H.O.G members, he is one of the sweepers and his name is Vince. You can spot him almost instantly because of his long hair and thick white beard. First, we went to visit General Douglas MacArthur’s Landing Monument, pictures were taken and after a couple of minutes and lollygagging, Vince and I went to back to San Juanico Bridge to capture a moment
where the H.O.G were passing by. We parked at the highest point of the bridge and moments later, the H.O.G. arrived, the sight was awesome with the Samar-Leyte landscape in the background. We headed to the first school that will receive the donation and along the road we saw the beach of Samar. The highway along the coast line is surreal, I wish that I’m the one riding the handle bars of the HarleyDavidson. Everywhere I look I see the beauty of Samar, the coastline is simply immaculate. We continued along the coastline and later, we were greeted with huge and wonderful rock formations, I remember the tall rock formations that breaks the sky in half. The rock formations in Samar is something that the world must see. A few kilometers later, the first school now infront of me and Mr. Vince, the elementary school of Balangiga. A small history class from Balangiga, it happened in September 28, 1901, the townspeople of Balangiga witnessed the massacre of the Company C, 9th US infantry division, 48 American soldiers were killed by alleged guerillas during the PhilippineAmerican War, the 3 bells of the church was taken by Americans, one is displayed in Camp Red Cloud in South Korea and the other two are at the F.E Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Back to our epic Leyte ride, We were greeted by hundreds of people, both young and old, everyone took photos of the bikes and some H.O.G. members even played and wagered in basketball. All were happy and laughing... but then, it was time to go, I am then tasked to use the Street 750. Suddenly, it was the moment that I’ve been waiting for! A moment on a Harley-Davidson! We rode through unpaved roads, twisties, long sweeping turns and stretches, everyone was eager to get to the next stop, at Petron. We gassed up and Mr. Bolanos went to ride the black Harley-Davidson Sportster Roadster 883R. The three of us, me, Mr. Aquino, and Mr. Bolanos rode together with the H.O.G, for the first time. The three of us were behind the handle bars of an iconic steel horse. We continued to Guiuan for the H.O.G. to give their donation to and by the time we got there, we were welcomed by the locals. We were also hosted by non-other than our fellow rider
at us. It was a chilling feeling but we loved it. When we got to the Borongan’s seaside road, there was a stage waiting for us, we parked the bikes along the road and displayed each bike for everyone to see and take pictures of. On the stage, Former Congressman Nonoy Libanan explained what was the reason behind the epic ride, it was not just giving away donations, but also Leyte and Samar is an island that is secluded from the Pan-Philippine Hi-way. It is remote and its rural roads are untamed, the primary objective of the campaign was to push Motourismo as an annual event. They want Samar and Leyte to become the Motorcycle Mecca of Asia and they want the event to start on July 1st. It was like the Sturgis event, that was happening in the least expected country. Motourismo aims to attract more tourists every year and to promote safety riding amongst us Siklowistas. The night continued with various bands playing their jam on the stage, dancers flex and bent their bodies in the beat. There were a lot of laughing and pleasantries through out the night. The joy that H.O.G. delivered in the city of Borongan had uplifted the spirits of the locals and gave new hope for a brighter future. The next day, we headed out to continue the H.O.G’s mission and this time, we were going to visit Oras, E. Samar and I was tasked to drive our media car, a Mazda 6. We were greeted by the locals and then again, H.O.G. officials delivered the donations to the needy, we ate our mirienda, finally, there was no lechon in sight. After Oras, we continued to the next town which is Dolores, E. Samar, it was Mr. Jobert Bolanos’ turn to ride the Break-out. We got there as if we caught them by surprise, everyone were excited and happy to see us! There was a little presentation to introduce the H.O.G. to the locals and after a few words, the officials of H.O.G. gave the donations for the Dap-Dap National Technology Voc. Highschool, the many H.O.G. members took photos with the children of Dolores, it was clear on their faces that they were happy to see us, and it was also clear to
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and Mayor of Guiuan, Samar, Mayor Christopher Sheen P. Gonzales. We had our lunch by the sea and yes, another lechon is served. We started to dub this ride the “Putok-Batok Special Ride” . While we were there, we felt an earthquake and later that night, we learned that there had been an earthquake in Sorsogon with a magnitude of 6.1. After lunch, Mayor Gonzalez, escorted H.O.G. President Reynaldo Pineda and former Congressman Nonoy Libanan to Lupok Central School. The kids were excited and the parents were happy to see the H.O.G. A small presentation was held and afterwards, the donations was given to the Lupok Central School’s Principal. Later that day, the children joined us to see the bikes, a couple of hours later, we hit the road and bid goodbye to Guiuan. We road again and this time, I am tasked to ride the Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883. Aged and used... but still, a very powerful machine. I have to admit, I had so much fun with it, especially the handling and the power response that is staggering! We were now headed for MacArthur in East Samar. Again, the ride was somehow uncomfortable because of the unpaved roads and hundreds of potholes. But then, when we got there, we felt like superstars as people cheered and waved at us as we paraded on the streets of MacArthur. we were greeted by Mayor Jaime Ty at a covered basketball court where the bikes were parked and displayed. Former Congressman Nonoy Libanan and H.O.G. President Reynaldo Pineda presented and gave the donation to the selected school for Gen. MacArthur, East Samar, we had our mirienda of rice delicacies and.. Lechon! Who knew! And we went back to our bikes, it was dark now when we started the engines of the bikes, we hit the road to go to our next destination, Borongan City. Finally, the road we were taking are paved and smooth, we didn’t encounter any potholes or dust filled construction sightares, except for a bridge that was still under repair. There I felt the real power of the Sportster I was riding, by the time we reached the under construction bridge, the parade started again for the city of Borongan. Every local was outside of their houses with their cameras and cellphones, everyone were cheering and waving
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see what happened to the school, there are rooms without roofs and their class were held on a makeshift classrooms near the entrance of the school. We left Dolores with hopes that their money will go to the right cause and not some greedy politician. Our next route was just a few kilometers away from Dolores, a place called Can-Avid, the place is vivid with gleeful faces, we were greeted by non-other than the mayor of Can-Avid, Mayor Gil Norman Geronimo. There were hundreds of people waiting for us and then again, Motourismo was explained and the donation was given to the local government of Can-Avid. We left Can-Avid with smiles on our faces and went to our second to the last destination, Taft. We arrived at Taft with the sun still up, they parked the bikes on the basketball court and displayed the bikes for the public to see and take pictures of. Their beautiful mayor Marian Libanan introduced the H.O.G. to all the locals at their stage and announced the H.O.G’s intentions. Later, we had our lunch at the house of Mayor Libanan, and again, we were greeted by a familiar food... ‘Lechon’. After having our dinner, we rode our bikes to our final destination in Dangkalan Beach resort, owned by a H.O.G. member, the place is quiet and peaceful and everyone was waiting for tonight’s Dangkalan Top Model and Beach Party. We had our dinner by the beach and you guessed it, there was lechon. Most of us didn’t mind the lechon as long as our stomachs are full but hopefully, that would be the last of it. The search of Dangkalan Beach Resort took place and suddenly, the H.O.G. were nowhere to be found in their tables but rather in the front stage! The night ended with the number 3 contestant crowned as the winner and everyone was drunk and happy, we called it a night and headed to our rooms. The fifth day of our escapade, we woke up from Mr. Mel Aquino’s distinguished snore that I hoped he already patented. We went back to the beach front to eat our breakfast, honestly, we were surprised because we can’t see the lechon, apparently, our smiles were short lived because there was a lechon paksiw in the buffet. I grab as much fish as I could and ate my dinner together with the H.O.G. afterwards, Mr. Omar Tanghal handed me a key and I am again tasked to ride
hot spring but rather stayed in the “mild” temperature hot spring. The others joined us and by 12mn, we went out of the water and went back to our rooms. Honestly, we have never been this relaxed since day one, the hot spring was a must-try. The sixth and final day, we went back to the first hotel where we stayed in and had our breakfast at. I must say, fried rice, eggs, atsara and Danggit, are a bunch of life’s simple pleasures. I am back in the Mazda and the faithful Iron 883 was loaded up in the tow truck, as I bid goodbye to the bike. I felt this warm sensation that tells me that I should not settle for a borrowed Harley-Davidson, but I should settle for my very own Harley-Davidson. It was a sad moment for me to see the bike go but I had to face the truth, we were here for our job and that was where I should focus. Mr. Jobert Bolanos drove the Mazda 6 with Clark Wititch of Harley-Davidson in the front passenger seat, me, Mr. Mel Aquino, and Nestly sat comfortably at the back seat. Each one of us had a snoring concert, all sold out. I woke up at a familiar sight, we were back in Gumaca where we first stopped and waited for the H.O.Gs, We ate our lunch at the famous Lita’s Seafood house. Oh, how I missed chicken. Mr. Clark went out to have the Mazda’s rear right tire checked and when he got back, we were surprised to see the damage of the tire. The ply was out and the inner wall was already exposed. Lucky for us it didn’t explode. Later that afternoon, The H.O.G.’s back up vehicle arrived earlier than expected, and after a couple of minutes, the H.O.G. themselves showed up. We were united with the H.O.G. and continued on our way back home. By the time we reached the nearest Petron Gasoline station, the rain poured and made some H.O.G. riders stop just to put on their rain gears. They refueled and fixed some of their gears and off we go. we arrived in Metro Manila at around 12mn, everyone was tired but happy and content, all was well and all were satisfied. About me, well, I missed my loved ones so much including my beautiful girlfriend, but I will never forget this epic ride, I will treasure it for the rest of my life. M
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
the Harley-Davidson Sportster Iron 883 back to Manila. By 11am, we went on our ride back to Allen port. At first, there were kilometers of unpaved roads and potholes that were as big as a car, by the time we hit a one-way road, I ran out of fuel! Mr. Kevin and Vince waited for me while our back up Ford Ranger came for help. They gave me a liter of fuel and moments later, I am back on the road. After the grueling off-road scenario, I am then greeted with one of the best roads I have ever seen, the road is so wide and smooth. There, I had the chance to ride the Sportster again on a proper manner. By the time I caught up with the others, I am stunned with the beautiful view and smooth sweeping turns, I was in love. The feeling is immacuate, and to add a more pressing matter, I am riding a Harley-Davidson. I finally caught up with the others at Petron somewhere in East Samar. We filled our tanks to the brim and had our lunch in one of the carinderias around. After a couple of minutes, we continued our ride back to Manila, we reached the port after six hours of riding and by the time that we were going to enter the gate of the port, I geared down my bike in anticipation of stopping at the entrance of the port’s gate. I missed the neutral and when I tried to bring it back to neutral, apparently, to my surprise, the shifter peg was missing!, I parked the bike next to the others and went out to look for the shifter peg, sadly, with my best effort I am still unable to find it. But the bike was still manageable to operate. So we loaded each and every bike at the RoRo and went upstairs to rest. hours later, we arrived in Matnog, they told me to look for the tow truck because they will fix the bike, so me and Mr. Vince went out before the others but out of luck, we couldn’t find it. They went out too early while we were still preparing to take-off, we continued to ride for the night and stayed at the same hotel that we stayed in Irosin. We had our dinner there and to our relief, there was no LECHON! But this time we won’t stay in the same rooms we had, but rather we would stay at the next hotel where there is hot spring. When we got there, we didn’t waste our time and soaked our butts in the water. The temperature of the hot spring was beyond my expectations so I chose not to spend much time at the hotter
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F
FOOD | CHEF INDAY’S TRAVEL FOOD
Fish variety Cat Fish such as Dory has a mild flavor and when deep fried
retains its special flavor even more. Now, why is Dory fish expensive and often found on fine-dine restaurants? Is it because it can only be found in the Australian stream or is it because of its health benefits, or maybe of how the way it is cooked... Yes?! All these are true, and that made our travel food for this issue very special, the “Deep Fry Cream Dory Fillet”.
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Here is what you need...
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
Let me share the health benefits that this appetizing food can provide to our body. According to Dr. Social John Dory Nutritional forum website, per serving of Dory Fillets gives you 100 Calories from Fat 9, Total Fat 1g (2%), Saturated Fat 0g (0%), Cholesterol 55mg (18%), Sodium 150mg (6%), Potassium 0mg (0%), Carbohydrates 0g (0%), Dietary Fiber 0g (0%), Sugars 0g, Protein 21g. That means riders can withstand long back breaking rides with this said benefits since this food is rich in Protein and good Calories that is good for the active lifestyle. It builds lean muscles that helps on ones speedy recovery when exposed to accidents or bruises.
3 large cream dory fillets cut into serving pieces
DEEP FRIED
CREAM DORY
Calamansi or lemon juice and salt & pepper to taste for marinade
Flour, breadcrumbs, and one beaten egg with pepper for breading & vegetable oil for deep fry
• Marinate the Fillets • Heat up the vegetable oil in medium-low flame • Place about 1/2 cup of flour and breadcrumbs on each platter and beat one egg on a shallow bowl • Dredge the fillets in your flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in order then fry, until golden brown • For the dip, mix all in a bowl and add a pinch of pepper You can also buy readily mixed dips in your local grocery store or you can make one. Let us eat the right type of food for you to carry and share. Always be ready with packed food and stories to have great meal times with your rider buddies. So Siklowistas! seat back, relax, and enjoy your Fillet.
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MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
Here is how you do it…
Mustard, ketchup & mayonnaise for dip
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FT
FEATURE
I
t is customary to believe that freedom is not a choice but a right. People need to express themselves in art and living. The resurgence of the internet made waves to all the inhabitants in the planet, people now have the diversified lifestyles that itched and tickled their fancies. Before, I could only remember a few types of people growing up, and those that I remember are the Punks, Rockers, Hip-Hops, etc… funny for every one of you will know how old I am hehehe.
I
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t is a common practice amongst us Filipinos to frequent Bars, Clubs, and other Gimmick spots in order to unwind. The long hours in the office counted in a week really is tiring, and these places are a sure stress reliever. We go there with friends, family, and partners to have fun and relax by drinking booze or chomping on food. The music always is a part of any resto bar in the country. There are also a lot of themed resto bars sprouting all over, giving great ambience to those who are terribly in need of it.
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There is one cool resto bar located at Mid-Town Village in Marikina, and it’s called “Vintage Café “. Owned and ran by Mr. Jorge Jacinto, the resto bar is a delightful place to eat and party to. Themed after the classic old school campaign that showcases a retro atmosphere, it is a place mostly for cruiser riders and old school car junkies. Though targeting a crowd of such, the Vintage Café also caters for the family and especially the kids, for them to get a piece of history to keep. The Resto Bar has collections of classic car
models ala museum setting, anyone can touch and admire the pieces. All around the place you’ll notice classic motorcycles displayed to make the ambience more appealing. Jorge said, that the design pieces mostly belonged in his garage and some other pieces was given to him by friends. The Vintage Café bar offers not only a good place to spend time with friends, but also a function room for those who wants to stage group meetings. The food bar in air condition serves the best Asian cuisine, and also western food for those fan boys. Coffee time with friends and colleagues also is available, for everyone to get that think cap going. The Bar place where you’ll find the Vintage garden and a small stage for the band and musicians is well ventilated and cozy for a more ecstatic night of fun and cheers. The culture and lifestyle of the classic genre is well enveloped in the place, making you more in tuned to the happy and easy life of the past. Parking is a breeze for the grounds are spacious, so rest out those cool bikes and cars Siklowistas, for the Vintage Café is one place you’ll certainly feel at home at.
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Adrenalin junkies increased in number and is now a lifestyle, the collectors and weekend warriors are all set up for the love for adventure. The popularity of Bear Grills and the interesting family of the Teutuls of the American Chopper series, paved way to the eruption of reality shows that are being lived by viewers. Mark Santos of Waves & Pavements is all clear in such regards, that people now are into customizations of motorcycles, and the surfing life here in the country is now growing. Events are being put up yearly, catering to the said lifestyle. This lifestyle doesn’t belong to the young alone but also to the young at heart. Waves & Pavements is a clothing brand that also sells bandanas and head wear like caps and hats. Indeed, the community of motorcycles and surfers are growing by the minute, and organizations such as Mark Santos’ Waves & Pavements will make sure they will help promote the said lifestyle of freedom and fun. Clothing and apparel related to such will always be readily available to everyone who wants to banner and be proud of the lifestyle. The love for 2 wheels and the waves are what Waves & Pavements is all about. Keep the lifestyle of freedom growing in every breath we take Siklowistas! M
Safety Riding
with Mel Aquino | Words by Joel Joya
MOTORCYCLE HELMET
3. Comfort Padding – it is where you can usually find the helmet’s size and fit. This padding must secure your head every time you wear it, for it must be fit to avoid slippage and give the utmost protection your head needs. Try out the helmet first to make sure it fits you comfortably before buying your size, for one must consider the longevity of use especially in long rides where a helmet feels heavy and uncomfortable. Make sure it is comfortable when worn.
and the freedom felt is close to nothing. But, there is no freedom without a prize if you don’t live it the right way. I am talking about motorcycling safety, for we all know that there are possible chances that we will be involve in an accident whether minor or major. There have been a lot of deaths and hurts belonging to the motorcycling industry. The statistical data shows that more and more riders belongs to the casualty rate recorded due to human error and undisciplined riding. Social media sites floods pictures of motorcycle accidents that will really make your spine chill. Death are mostly caused by head injuries, and this is because of the fact that riders involve in such tragedies doesn’t wear the proper basic protective gears. The most important safety riding gear is the helmet. Without it, you are like an accident waiting to happen, causing a life loss which could’ve been prevented only if one did wear a helmet. Being crushed by a monstrous truck is another story, for not even Dart Vader’s helmet can save you from them. There are many types of motorcycle helmets, and they are the Full-face, Off-road, Quartershell, Modular, and Half-face… (Oh! I forgot to mention the “Predator Helmets” that I always see at motorcycle events… Cool!”)
Amongst the helmets available for bikers of all genre, one must know the 4 basic components of the helmet. Tony Stark’s assistant JARVIS is not part of the basic components though, but it could’ve been cool if he came standard hehehe. Now, kidding aside there are again 4 basic components of the helmet and these are the Outer Shell, Impact Absorbing Liner, Comfort Padding, and Retention System. 1. Outer Shell - is the hardest part of the helmet, it must be strong enough to withstand impact that will disseminate the force of the impact throughout the helmet surface. It does not need to prevent a bullet, it just have to be able to function as a strong shell to absorb a beating. Remember that it should always be clean before you use it to be more presentable of course and a brighter color will be advisable for more visibility on the road. 2. Impact Absorbing Liner – it is the Styrofoam part inside of the helmet that comes whether in black or white colors. This is what absorbs most of the impact that the outer shell receives, protecting your head from a massive blow therefore creating that safety wall from the impact force through your skull and through your brain. The absorbing liner will save your head from the strong force of impact and it will break as it does, so that one time of function is necessary for a safer ride.
Avoid dropping your helmet for once the impact absorbing liner is used, it will not function again in another strong impact force absorption. Always remember that motorcycle helmets are disposable and change it every 5 years. It is always a must to partner safety with riding for the very essence of freedom is to live well and happy and making sure you can still be with your family every day and every night… happy riding Siklowistas! M
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
Riding sure is fun and very morally uplifting,
4. Retention System – it is the locking mechanism of the helmet, so that it will stay in your head in whatever velocity you are in while riding. The purpose of the retention system is how it functions when you did crash your motorcycle which then can lead to you flying off it. It must always keep your helmet attached to your head through your shin, to protect it from being removed due to the strong force of impact. Your helmet is practically useless without the retention system, rendering you helpless in such accidental scenarios.
Impact Absorbing Liner
Comfort Padding
Retention System
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Safety Riding
with Mel Aquino | Words by Joel Joya
Safety Group Riding Hand Signals & Formations I
t is always fun to ride in groups especially with your friends or club mates. The fun and adventure coupled with the adrenalin rush is what the group ride offers. However fun and cool it is to ride in groups moreover on long rides, the group must ride in safe formation or the possibilities of a fun ride with friends will turn into a miserable one. We have noticed some groups on the road ride in a perilous formation, making everyone in the group risk their lives. The most responsible way of keeping the group safe is by following and knowing the right group ride
formations and hand signals. We must eliminate the solo ride attitude in group riding where every rider in the group ride on the road in scattered lines. There are different types of group ride formations and they are interpreted through hand signals while riding. The hand signals are the only way to communicate to the whole group while on the roll. It is very important for everyone in the group to recognize the hand signals relayed by the ride spearhead. There are a lot of hand signals and here are some of the most common:
Single File – is when the group spearhead or lead signals a number 1 sign, this means all those following behind up until the sweeper must be in a single file position. Double File – is when two fingers are being raised by the group lead, means that the group must have a double file formation. Speed Up – is when the group lead motions his hand upward in repetitions, means the group must keep up with the speed of the lead rider. Slow Down – is when the lead rider signals his hand on a downward motion, means the group will decrease their speed.
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
Headlights On – is when the lead rider signal his hand over his head as if tapping his helmet, means that the group must turn on their headlights.
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Break / Rest – is when the lead rider signals his hands by pointing his thumb in a downward position, means it is time for the group to have a break or rest.
This are just some of the hand signals for group rides that we riders can make use of to benefit on our group rides. This in turn will make all our rides more safe and gratifying, giving us more reasons to love our lives in two wheels. M
MOTORCYCLE
Left Turn
Right Turn
Stop
Speed Up
Arm & hand extending left, palm facing down
Arm out, bent at 90ยบ angle, first clinched
Arm extended straight down, palm facing back
Arm extended straight out, palm facing up swing forward
Slow Down
Follow me
You Lead/ Come
Hazard in Roadway
Arm extended straight out, palm facing down, swin down to your side
Arm extended straight up from shoulder, palm forward
Arm extended upward 45ยบ, palm forward pointing with index finger swing in arc from back to front
On the left, point with left hand; on the right, point with right foor
Single File
Double File
Comfort Shop
Refreshment Stop
Arm and index finger extended straight up.
Arm with index and middle finger extended straight up
Forearm extended, first clenched with short up and down motion
Fingers closed, thumb to mouth
Turn Signal On
Pull Off
Cops Ahead
Fuel
Open and close hand with sngers and thumb extended
Arm positioned as for right turn, forearm swung toward shoulder
Tap on top of helmet with open palm down
Arm out to side pointing to tank with finger extended
Courtesy of Michael Padway & Associates
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
HAND SIGNALS
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Know Your
Rights
Motor Vehicle Registration With MDAP President Edwin Go
Motor vehicle registration has been one of the
hottest topics in the motoring industry, for the delays costs us both time and money. New car and motorcycle owners are left without any choice but to leave their vehicles parked inside their garages, because LTO came up with a “No Plate, No Travel” policy. The social media has been filled with hatred towards the government for allowing such stupidity to happen.
MNM 2015 motorsiklonews.com
I am still confused on why such delays happen in our government. All the money from our taxes funds these government offices but still renders the public helpless, maybe due to the continuous incompetence this present administration is giving. Then again, there will always be people affected by this irregularities for time wasted is money spent. It saddens me that our voices are being deliberately unheard, giving the population humongous stress. I don’t even know what to say or how to act whenever the authorities flag me down for contradicting laws they give, making me suffer in disgust.
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How the heck will one ride or drive their new vehicles if the government won’t provide them the registration needed on the said time of purchase. Taking months before ever getting the plates attached at your rides rear, daring themselves to defy rules by using their unregistered vehicles out for the daily commute. Why else would a motorist buy a vehicle if it will only rot inside their garages for months?! Stupid right?! We wouldn’t see it a problem if only our public transport is okay and dependable. I believe a great nation is one that
lets the rich go on commute and not have the poor own a car and drive in traffic. Is there any way of solving this problem we asked? And true to it there was… we interviewed key personalities about this and we were pleased of what we learned and knew. The problem with vehicle registration hit rock bottom for everyone are affected both business and private sectors. We asked MDAP (Manufacturers & Dealers Association of the Philippines) President Edwin Go, on what take does the manufacturers and dealers say about the matter. We asked him whose fault was it that such degradation is continuously happening in the motor vehicle registration. He plainly said that it sure is not the Dealers fault why such delays are happening. Sir Edwin took us back to history where all the problem rooted. He said that the previous plate supplier had a problem inside the family circle of business, causing a domino effect in the process of the vehicle registrations. It was a good thing though, that the current LTO ASSEC. Tan found the solution to the worsening problem caused by the blunders of the said supplier. It is a first in the vehicle registration history that manufacturers can now encode their vehicle registration inside the LTO office by DIY or Do It Yourself. This action eliminated the waiting process of the registration from the LTO providing a faster process. No more painstaking waits for mercy from the LTO on when the said Certificate of Stock Reported will be released to be able to file for Clearance for the
issuance of the plate numbers. In able to get the said vehicle registration, it must undergo the clearance process, and there are two pieces of paper needed for such and they are the PNP Clearance and Certificate of Stock Reported. It is only then that a motor vehicle can be duly registered when these two papers are intact for filing. Since, PNP clearance only takes around 2 to 3 days. This process can now be able to release the Certificate of registration of the motor vehicle in just under a week or two. Assec. Tan eliminated his office’s redundant processes making vehicle registration a breeze. He also made it easier to process by placing the registration at the regional offices. Sad to say though, that public utility plate numbers are out of stock as we spoke, but private plates are available already. Sir Edwin Go also expressed that no Dealership will want to delay vehicle registration for it will be bad for their business, they always make sure that their buyers get the registration and plates at the fastest possible time. It is also said that vehicles that are already registered but still don’t have plates is allowed to ply the streets, and only those who are not yet registered are forbidden. Sir Edwin Go also said… “Basta solo na motor, may plaka available yan” so follow up on your vehicles registration Siklowistas for it is your right to ride and drive your hard earned motor vehicle. The streets belongs to the people and a democratic country such as ours must have a government who thinks more of the people and not of themselves. M
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BUYERS GUIDE
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