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Learning how to ride a bicycle when I was a kid before getting my first proper set of wheels (a hand-me-down Giant mountain bike from my dad) sometime in 1995/1996, when I was about 11/12 years old, was when I first truly tasted a sense of freedom.
Skipping ahead, the very first time I got on a motorcycle was back in 2002 after moving back to Singapore from Canada, and shortly after turning 18. I was in the Army and getting back to camp on Sunday nights was always a bit of a chore. Thankfully, a good platoon mate of mine (Ah Siao) lived near me and was generous enough to let me ride pillion on his Honda TA200 Phantom every weekend.
Fast forward to 2014, about five years after starting 9tro and three years after expanding into Malaysia, I got the chance to ride a scooter for the very first time. I borrowed one of my technician’s scooter from our 9tro Office in Sunway Subang Jaya and basically self-taught myself how it all works. Granted, it was a twist-and-go so there wasn’t much to it, but that was pretty much the moment I decided that riding would forever be a part of my life.
Having been a driver since I got my driver’s license at age 16 (2000) in Vancouver, Canada, driving has been one of the few key loves I continue to be passionate about. That said, riding, elevates that emotion to a whole new level.
I successfully got my Class 2B motorcycle license in 2016, literally collecting the paper-slip on the morning of the 2016 Singapore Bike Show, a massive motorcycle/bicycle exhibition in which we (9tro) were engaged as Official Media Partner. The event was a resounding success and it carried on for another few years, with us returning every year as their Media Partner.
Side Note: Singapore’s Land Transport Authority categorizes motorcyclists into three distinct classes:
– Class 2B (under 200cc)
– Class 2A (200cc to 400cc)
– Class 2 (above 200cc)
It was also at this time when I made many more friends in the riding community. Regardless of discipline or preferences, it is my humble opinion that the riding community is significantly closer-knit as compared to the car community here in Singapore. Maybe its the mutual understanding associated with the thrills, pleasure and risks of riding; or simply because of the extremely misconstrued sense that most riders are hooligans, thus bonding enthusiasts closer together. Many a time have I witnessed a motorcyclist fall over, followed by a half-dozen other riders stopping to help. This sense of camaraderie is surely something I believe all riders understand and appreciate.
I digress…
The first time I drove on Sepang Circuit was in 2005/2006, after a few years of Saturday Night Sprints (#IYKYK) at Johor Circuit, in my twin-turbo Nissan 350Z (Z33). It was a Traction Circle track day and I was accompanied by my good buddies Reg (Mitsubishi Evo 8.MR) and Marvin (Subaru WRX STI). This was during the era of Friendster, before the dawn of contemporary social media platforms such as Facebook…
Some 18/19 years later, I finally get the chance to take two wheels onto Sepang Circuit… Here are a few videos and reels, complete with a detailed write-up on my experience.
#NeverStopLearning #NeverStopExperiencing
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