Riding in the Philippines [Archive]

dog44

07-08-2006, 11:33 AM

CrashTested

07-08-2006, 11:43 AM

It'd be comparable to driving in Richmond x 1,000,000 give or take a few zeros. Oh and add blind folds to say... ummm every 2nd driver :p

Though my sister and her friends rented some little beaters and booked around some of the smaller cities. You're a much braver man then I if you do ride over there.

dog44

07-08-2006, 11:56 AM

You're a much braver man then I if you do ride over there.Nope, no heroes here, I figure my sportbike days are numbered. If I bin it here there's a decent chance some sort of emergency vehicle will eventually show up ... over there I'd be toast! Best I could hope for is someone to euthanize me before picking my pockets.

Holyrain

07-08-2006, 12:24 PM

Wayne, bikers in the Philipinnes are really cool and there are a bunch of sportbikers out there. They have a forum... I think it's motorcyclephilipines or something like that. They go on some nice long rides every weekend. I get the inkling that Philipines is one of the south Asian hotspots for riding. And it's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Its the same as cagers thinking 'ohh, it so dangerous to ride a bike'. Riding in Asia is uber fun, but in a different sense than North America. Dangerous, but also in a different sense.

ace`

07-08-2006, 12:37 PM

Getting your pockets picked isnt the big issue - it's someone stealing your kidneys ;)

If you're buying a Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki/Kawasaki I'm sure it wouldnt be hard to get someone over here to send parts over to you

alternateimpact

07-08-2006, 01:34 PM

once you see how filipinos drive there...riding might not be so attractive

busa_tom

07-08-2006, 02:33 PM

It depends on where in the Philippines you are going to be.

I was in Baguio City last spring and there were a few sport bikes. I even saw an R1. Baguio has some amazing roads and the climb from sea level to 5000' is a sport bikers dream.

The roads around Camp John Hay (Military Base) are also built for bikes.

Traffic laws and red/yellow/green lights don't have much meaning there so you will need to always be on your toes.

I also never saw a helmet or an accident. It's complete organized mayhem downtown, with vehicles moving in every direction, all beeping their horns at the same time. The horn beeping thing is the most difficult thing to get used to. They don't do it in anger, they do it to let you know they are right next to you.

My wife owns a big house in Baguio City and we intend to retire there 6 months of the year. I will not bring the Busa, but I will pick up a small 600 just to keep me happy on that side of the world.

The Busa will wait in Canada and get her exercises on the other 6 months of the year, while I am here.

dog44

07-08-2006, 05:31 PM

I get the inkling that Philipines is one of the south Asian hotspots for riding.No shit! I wouldn't have guessed and I've been there many times. Did you stop there on your travels?

I think I came across that forum you mentioned, but everyone was typing in f**kin' Tagalog so I didn't learn much!

baka!

07-08-2006, 05:52 PM

better start learning!

dog44

07-08-2006, 05:55 PM

dog44

07-08-2006, 06:18 PM

better start learning!Sige, walang problema!
;)

bafflebrain

07-08-2006, 08:06 PM

Here you go Wayne and have fun there:

http://www.motorcyclephilippines.com/

http://www.motorcycleasia.com/

bababoy

07-08-2006, 08:47 PM

once you get out of the city its really nice. just be aware of the slow moving trikes. actually i think the drivers here in bc are more dangerous. over there its sort of a controlled aggressiveness if you could say that. over here everyone seems like to go fast without knowing how to stop. i think drivers there are more aware of space relation as compared to here. they hit each other because they muscle themselves in knowing there is someone there who does not want to budge while here they move in without even knowing you are there - believe me its scarier that way.

baka!

07-08-2006, 08:51 PM

Sige, walang problema!
;)
show-off! haha..meh ive never spoke a werd of flip, im more white than white ppl!!!

Holyrain

07-08-2006, 09:16 PM

No shit! I wouldn't have guessed and I've been there many times. Did you stop there on your travels?

I think I came across that forum you mentioned, but everyone was typing in f**kin' Tagalog so I didn't learn much!

Hehe, just a quickie;).

busa_tom

07-08-2006, 09:36 PM

Hey Tom, thanks for the input, that's really good news! I haven't yet decided where I'll be but Baguio was already tops on my list for the climate so this could be the clincher.

So you're gonna retire there, too?
Cool! :cool
Anytime soon?

Your wife got any cute relatives?
:D
Never mind!!! That's another thread.....
Besides, it's a dumb question ... EVERY Filipina has a few cute relatives somewhere!

Does she want some company over the winter? I think I might know somebody...
;)

I would like to retire in two years! Baguio is an amazing place and just full of beautiful Filipina's, it is where the rich live in the summer to get away from the heat! About 2000 of the Filipina's in Baguio are related to my wife and they are all very friendly! A man with a busa would be considered a ka-zillionair over there and would be a great catch, remember, the average person makes about $2 a day!
I also plan to buy a condo in Boracay, it is only $70 to fly there from Baguio (two short puddle jumps).

lilfizzer

07-08-2006, 11:34 PM

there's a bunch of sportsbikers in the Phil. I had a friend's friend buy headlight bulbs for my grey FZR over there, and he rides a big ninja 1100? I think it's a ZZR, not sure though. So, definitely there are sportbikers there. But, they don't normally commute with their sportbikes there, I think they just go on weekends rides when traffic a bit lighter in the city, and they usually take trips out of the city into more rural areas. Commuting with a largish sportbike in the city (Metro Manila) would be insane. But, there are tons of tricked out lil scoots that tear around in the city with reckless abandon. So, I bet you a small supermoto would be kickass to rip around in. :rockon :rockon

VictorEric

07-08-2006, 11:44 PM

Sorry to hear you're leaving us man!

If it's anything like Thailand, Malaysia, & Indonesia, then it's small c.c. city out there. And in that year round crazy heat, you can leave your leathers at home.

When are you leaving?

Mighty Kentor

07-09-2006, 05:10 AM

Pm gone your way.

shadow

07-09-2006, 08:42 AM

Heya,

I just came back from 5 months in Manila...... ther are 3 or 4 local tracks..... They have a gpopd club scene...specially the Moped racing, but 600 and open too...they wanted stupid money for bikes....taxes or something???

I wouldn't ride my bike in places like Manila for a commute, but riding destinations are everywhere.. I wouldn't sayn that its easy to rip it up like here, too many people and trikes and busses and jeepnees on the road...but maybe it's just a new skill thta has to be aquired.....

dog44

07-09-2006, 02:08 PM

A man with a busa would be considered a ka-zillionair over there and would be a great catch
Two years, eh? I'll be settled in by then ... come on over for an SMB! :drinkbeer

A condo in Boracay? You bastard! :firemad
If ya don't mind me asking, how many pesos will that set you back? Will you be renting it out?

BTW, you don't need a big, shiny motorcycle to get chicks when you have wit, charm and good looks.

So yeah, I'd better bring the Bus!
:surrender

dog44

07-09-2006, 02:17 PM

Commuting with a largish sportbike in the city (Metro Manila) would be insane.You got that right, I couldn't imagine a worse hell. A Manila gridlock is brutal, even in an air-conditioned taxi. The word "commute" is not included in my biker vocabulary, here or there.

silverD

07-09-2006, 02:21 PM

I can visualize you now Wayne...

dog44

07-09-2006, 02:29 PM

When are you leaving?Soon enough, be patient!
;)

I'll be outta here by the spring, maybe sooner.

So you're getting back in the game, ol' riding buddy, our timing is a bit off, eh?
Please, no more threads that make Kent horny.
*shudder*

dog44

07-09-2006, 02:33 PM

Pm gone your way.Got it, thanks. Who knows, maybe I'll join you and Donny on the Dark Side.

Just as long as no one sees me .... eeeewwwwww!

dog44

07-09-2006, 02:41 PM

I can visualize you now Wayne...Yup, that's me after sharing a few pints with the Shagger!
:D

busa_tom

07-09-2006, 08:10 PM

10,000,000 pesos gets you a kick ass condo on white beach!

I haven't decided if I am going to rent it out yet, too many relatives, I think I will be lucky to be in it for a few months of the year myself!

HydeNobuyuki

07-10-2006, 02:48 AM

Riding in Asia is uber fun, but in a different sense than North America. Dangerous, but also in a different sense.
Asia's damn scary... i'm in north east asia though...
but i don't want to be anywhere near the streest let alone on a bike in taipei...
here in osaka though... the itch to ride is coming back...

asia really is different.. the riders are different and the driver's are different too...
driver are more accustom to bikes, scooters, bicycles, narrow streets, negotiating difficult swerving vehicles all over the place...
but riders will just go ride wherever they damn well please with no gear or anything... and when they hop off the pavement on to a dirtside walk, but loose traction and lowside... they don't really care... they just brush themselves off and limp onwards... (damn, i wish i had my camera ready)

nightstalker

07-10-2006, 09:02 AM

I grew up in Manila and my first bike was a CBR400 Hurricane (NC-23) sort of a babyblade, a high school graduation present frm my parents. One gets to develop their reaction time very very fast on the roads there. Think of it as a xbox game only in real life :evilgrin . Dodge around the cars, buses, pedestrians and the hundreds of jeepneys ...oh and did i mention no helmet or any type of body armor ....no-one used to sell any jackets in those days, had gloves though, the bmx bike type ones.Used to love hauling ass down the South Super Highway going towards Makati, posing at the SM complex and then coming back the long way around st nighttime down Roxas Boulevard .All of mates used to have these little 125cc 2 strokes .

smokinjoe

07-10-2006, 04:34 PM

Ride defensesively and you'll be fine. Bring extra horns cause yo'll need it!!!:laughing Drivers over there are better than drivers here in richmond. Keep on honking that horn and you'll be fine. I've had the chance to drive in Manila and it was great. Have fun and you'll be living like a king.:rockon

peteydapooh

07-10-2006, 08:26 PM

Question:

Does anybody know anything about riding in the Philippines?

I'd like to keep the addiction alive when I move there. I'm guessing that fun in the dirt is the way to go, but gobs and gobs of track time would be ideal. I'm thinkin' that ripping up the public roads on a streetbike is not on, but who knows.

So...
Sportbikes, dirtbikes, Harley's ... it's all good.
Twisty roads? Any raceracks?
Costs? Parts? Service?

Facts, rumours, wild guesses, I don't care, I'll take anything ya got. I'm interested in any kind of riding except...

http://www.asianf3.net/article/articleview/143/1/33/

hey dog44 here is a link were u could watch the video in one the track in the philippines where they hold f3 races, track days for bikes/scooters, etc. hope u like it.

when are u gonna be there? im planning on settling back there next year.