The 2008 California Bike Week: Part 3

Boss Hoss Motorcycles

As there were hundreds of Harley Davidson motorcycles (in the parking lot and displays) during the 2008 California Bike Week, it seems inevitable that I would quickly tire of looking at the HD’s and get attracted to motorcycles manufactured by other makers.

And because of their sheer size, no other motorcycle would grab your attention more than the Boss Hoss motorcycles, each weighing (dry) 1100 lbs. Sporting a liquid cooled v-8 engine, it generates 355 horses at 5250 rpm with a max torque 405 Ft.lbs at 3500, it sure is a wild beast to tame.

Free demo rides were available, but since I still don’t have a CA drivers/motorcycle license, I did not qualify. Sigh.

The 2008 California Bike Week: Part 2

The Victor McLagen Motor Corps

It took more than hour of googling to find out the name of the group that did formation riding and other stunts during the 2008 California Bike Week. The only clue I had (discerned through a bad sound system and spoken by a lady with a distinctly American accent) was that “the group was founded in 1935” and “named after a famous movie star of the era.” Patiently following links provided by the search engine, I was finally able to find the group’s website (the key was to replace “stunt” with “drill” in the search phrase). It was only fitting that I identify the group correctly as they did a superb job in showing their bike handling skills and in delighting the audience. That a lot of them where on the “mature” side elicited even more praise from the audience.

Their website does a better and provides a complete description of the group. Watching them (twice) was definitely one of my personal highlights of the 2008 CA Bike Week.

The 2008 California Bike Week: Part 1

The Stunt Acts

Three stunt acts were featured during the 2008 California Bike Week.

The first show starred a group of riders going around a cylindrically-shaped wooden structure. We’ve seen versions of this in carnivals in the Philippines (but done on a more flimsy-looking structure); a rider starts going around the cylinder, increases his speed until the force the wall makes against the motorcycle allows the rider to run practically parallel to the ground. Light motorcycles and a go-cart were used in the exhibition. A cigarette nonchalantly held between the fingers and letting go of the handlebars as they went around the cylinder, the riders were showered with dollar denominated tips by an appreciative audience when they finished their performance.

The second performance featured a group of riders going around inside a circular metal mesh ball without crashing on each other. The stunts featured a single rider, then two riders going around the ball. Later a person stood in the middle of the ball while two riders on motorcycles whizzed around him. Finally, the performance showed three motorcycles running like mad around and inside the ball. I’ve seen these stunts on TV but this was the first time to see the whole thing live. The stunts were was quite brief; apparently they were too intense and required a very high degree of concentration - something that was difficult to sustain for an extended period of time.

The last show featured a rider doing wheelies and endo’s. Making the bike turn while on a wheelie obviously was a very difficult thing to do (only a few people can do a simple wheelie) but maybecause stunts like these can be seen frequently on TV (and easily searched and viewed on YouTube), the audience acted quite blasé about the whole thing.

Davao – Surigao – CDO – Davao Ride Details

For The Record:

October 17: Ping, Jerome, Roy, Anton, Ohmar, Jimmy, Chong, Ferdie, Ading and Daniel converged at William Limas’ Jetti Gas Station. But since, the station’s coffee shop was still closed, the group had their coffee at McDonalds located in DAMOSA. By 6:30 AM, all the riders were ready to go. First gas stop was in Monkayo (130 kms away) and it was off to San Francisco where they arrived at 10:30 AM for a late, late breakfast. After an hour, the riders were off again until they reached Cabadbaran were they had their final gas stop before reaching Surigao City. They arrived in Surigao at around 2:30 PM and went directly to the public market for a much anticipated lunch that consisted of all the different kinds of delicious seafood they could find - shrimp, crabs, squid, danggit, and imbao for soup.

The riders rested and then had dinner at Jollibee. The night’s Karaoke singing venue was the Coco Cabin.

October 18: At 8 AM, Daniel, Ohmar and Anton, together with members of the Butuan Riders, rode to Talisayan (about 100 Kms going to Cagayan) where they were to meet and have lunch with the Kagayanon Kruisers.

.

The rest of the group waited for Alfem, Dodong and Boy in Butuan, who were riding from Davao that day. When the group from Davao arrived, the Agilas then proceeded towards Cagayan de Oro and there they were met by Ketkai, who is the Kagayanon Kruisers VP, and who escorted the Agilas to their hotel.

Dinner was courtesy of Rey who treated the group at OIC Resto Bar.

.

October 19: The group left Cagayan de Oro for Davao at around 11:30. The ride back home was uneventful (except for a bike having some mechanical problems – sigh!). Problems were fixed and the group arrived in Davao early evening.

.

Total kilometers travelled: approx. 1,050. Congratulations, boys!

Biker Poets

The rhythms of the road
Biker poets are as fond of couplets as of chrome

The complete article from the Boston Globe is here.
Rubber Side Down: The Biker Poet Anthology in Amazon.

Davao-Surigao-CDO Ride

The call of the open road could no longer be dismissed nor ignored. It had been some time since the Agilas took on a long ride and memories of frequent long rides in the past were being recalled more frequently over beers. And with the price of gasoline going down, it was not long before that a ride like what the Agilas are known for (and what the members want!) was organized. A tune up ride the prior weekend and so last Oct 17, 2008 the Agilas put on their gear and rode from Davao to Butuan then to Surigao City (about 400 kms) and spent the night there. The next day it was off to Cagayan de Oro (170 kms?). Some overnight fun in Cagayan and it was back to Davao City (315 kms) on Oct 19.

I was told the ride was stag and I am eagerly waiting for more (interesting) details from the ride participants.

Falling metal object from Cebu Pacific plane

From the Mindanao Daily Mirror. October 25, 2008.

"The airline management stressed there was no cause for alarm as it was just a minor part of the aircraft and did not affect the stability or condition of the plane."

WTF!!

The HD Café in Las Vegas

I visited the Harley Davidson Café at the Strip in Las Vegas last Tuesday. The café’s façade features a Softail bursting out of the building. Inside, you can see different HD motorcycles, some which were mounted on a conveyor system that moves the bikes around the café’s ceiling.

The second floor has lots of pictures of famous people on or with their Harleys. There is also a wedding altar (remember this is Las Vegas) with a bike as a backdrop.

You could also have your picture taken sitting on a very faithful replica of the Captain America bike used in the movie “Easy Rider.” They would then digitally superimpose the picture on a Las Vegas scene. Unfortunately, having your picture taken costs $20. I passed. You are not allowed to take a picture of this particular bike using your own camera.

Bud Lights at $4.65 excluding tips. One could have a bucket (6 San Mig Lights) at MTS for the same price. Had two Bud Lights and that was it.

.

(The plaque says that the two-tone white and red bike belonged to the singer Billy Joel and is 15 year result of the singer's desire to have the ultimate classic bike. The eagle mounted on the ceiling is made of metal and has a HD V-twin engine for a body.)

To Las Vegas on I-15; Sea Nymph MC

The road we took Las Vegas (Interstate 15) can best be characterized as primarily straight, with slight bends. Even when going up the mountains (I remember reading a sign that we were 4000 feet above sea level), the highway designers made the highway as straight as possible. I saw a lot of motorcycles traversing the road but with the speed limit strictly enforced (70 mph - about 112 Kph - police cars all along the stretch); I can imagine the ride can get pretty boring after some time. But not if the winds starts getting breezy. On the way home, we passed a rider, running well below 70 mph, whose body was positioned way to the left of the motorcycle as he steered his bike with the wind on his side.

I saw a finely crafted motorcycle (named Sea Nymph) on display at the Treasure Island Casino. Would Rudy be able to make a pipe like what this bike has?

Motorcycles in San Francisco

Devoid of a ride, this poor and envious writer was reduced to taking pictures of riders who flocked to San Francisco during Fleet Week, including a group of Pinoy riders (one who apparently and unfortunately was given a ticket).

Watching the aerial acrobatics was nice but riding one of the bikes would have been nicer, still.

Looking forward to going to the California Bike Week next weekend. Joining the Jay Leno-marshaled Love Ride will have to wait for a couple more years, though.

LTO Continues to Harass Riders

Last September 6, 2008, a member of Suzuki Tachometrics Club was apprehended by LTO traffic enforcers along J.P. Laurel St. for allegedly sporting a cut muffler in his Suzuki Raider 150. He, however, argued that his muffler (an after market BDS pipes) is neither cut nor disconnected as alleged by the enforcer. However, the LTO enforcer still issued him a ticket and indicated that his violation was for having a cut muffler, which is in violation of RA 4136. Being a good citizen, this rider surrendered his license, thinking he would contest his apprehension. After which, text messages were sent and passed to different motorcycle clubs about the apprehension.

When I received the text message, I immediately called Kenneth Lu, the rider who was apprehended, and asked if he needed legal advice as I have a brother who is a lawyer and he said ‘yes’. A meeting was immediately arranged between Kenneth, Atty. David Sunga (who also rides off-road with his XR200) and me to discuss the merits of the case and legal procedures to follow in contesting the apprehension.

Kenneth immediately went to the LTO office to officially signify his intention to contest the apprehension and immediately the LTO gave him a notice of hearing scheduled on September 8, 2008 at the LTO office. After receiving this information from Kenneth, I immediately texted the different officers of the motorcycle clubs about the hearing and asked for their support.

True enough, on the hearing date ,at least 30 riders from the different clubs converged at ‘D shop’ to escort us to the LTO. When we reached the office of the Hearing Officer (which we later found out was Eleanor Senal Calderon, Chief, Operation Division), we were told that only Kenneth, Atty. Sunga, Mrs. Calderon and the apprehending officer, a certain Mr. Charlie Magne D. Manila, were to be allowed inside during the hearing. To the Riders' dismay, we were forced to sit outside of the office to wait for the outcome result of the hearing.

After approximately 25 minutes, Atty. Sunga and Kenneth emerged from the office and Atty. Sunga told the group that after so much discussion during the hearing, Mrs. Calderon told them that she would base her decision on the findings and report of her technical staff that was to examine and inspect Kenneth’s motorcycle. Kenneth was to bring his motorcycle to their vehicle inspection office in front of SM Davao for inspection and scrutiny by the LTO experts. The Riders immediately jumped on their motorcycles and eagerly escorted Kenneth towards the LTO inspection area.

After thorough scrutiny and inspection of the LTO experts of Kenneth’s motorcycle, a report duly signed by one Mr. De Guzman was to be forwarded to Mrs. Calderon. The inspection report stated that:

1. Unit was inspected and “muffler” is not cut or disconnected.
2. Muffler emits louder sound than the usual ordinary MC.

We could not help but express in elation after reading the report. High fives were exchanged between riders as a sign of victory. After all, Kenneth was cited as having a cut muffler and the motorcycle he was riding was not reported as noisy or even emitting disagreeable and unnecessary noise. By saying that something ‘emits louder sound’, it does not immediately follow that it is noisy, much that it is “disagreeable” and that the noise is unnecessary.

The law that the LTO used in citing Kenneth is RA 4136 Section 34J and reads:

(j) Mufflers. - Every motor vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine shall be equipped with a muffler, and whenever said motor vehicle passes through a street of any city, municipality, or thickly populated district or barrio, the muffler shall not be cut out or disconnected. No motor vehicle shall be operated in such a manner as to cause it to emit or make any unnecessary or disagreeable odor, smoke or noise.

This is exactly why we wrote in a letter dated August 28, 2008 addressed to Atty. Gomer Dy, LTO Regional Director, asking for clarification on this problem of loudness. We asked:

How loud is loud? Please cite the law to this effect. Does LTO have a device to gauge or measure the pipe’s loudness?

Is a noise-free motorcycle safer on highways? Most electric motorcycles do not make much engine sound such that manufacturers have to install speakers and other gadgets to produce sound to warn pedestrians and other motorists of the oncoming motorcycle.

The loudness of a sound is very subjective. What may be loud to you may not be loud to some. What may be unnecessary to you may not be for some.

Atty. Dy during our September 3, 2008 meeting/dialogue, where Mrs. Calderon was in attendance, together with the officers of the different motorcycle clubs in the city, admitted that the LTO does not have a decibel meter, a device that measures loudness. He added that the LTO will not apprehend so as long as the vehicle has a muffler. But, they will apprehend if vehicle has no muffler at all.

And so we eagerly went back to the office of Mrs. Calderon and handed her the Inspector’s Reports which we thought all along was favorable. Mrs. Calderon said that she will render her decision and advised Kenneth to wait outside with us.

We were all happy that we could at last retrieve Kenneth’s license without paying a single cent to LTO and celebrate our victory. Unfortunately, to our dismay, after waiting for more than two hours for her decision, Mrs. Calderon sustained the validity of the apprehension despite Inspector’s Report which said that the muffler was not cut. Mrs. Calderon chose to protect an LTO employee despite the LTO Director’s admission that they do not have a device to measure loudness. Mrs. Calderon sustained the validity of the apprehension even if the Regional Director had said that motorcycles with mufflers would not be apprehended.

Given the facts, the action of the LTO to sustain Kenneth’s apprehension Kenneth is clearly malicious, self serving and devoid of fairness. The LTO also gravely abused its authority by its actions. This, however, has not dampened our spirit but has even boosted our fervor to carry on and seek justice. We shall furnish DOJ, the Office of the Ombudsman and the Mayor copies the pertinent documents of the case, as LTO clearly violated the provisions on RA 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

We will continue the fight and prevail.

DANIEL J. SUNGA
President
Davao Agila Riders

Buda Ride Oct 5 2008

The ride to BUDA last October 5 went very well, with Agilas on 11 bikes and 2 cages forming the contingent. The Penalosa, Sunga and Buenaventura children did not want to miss the fun so they came along. Also with the group enjoying the bracing air of the Ping's Place, sumptuous food, and easy camaraderie were Omar's father, and his sister and brother in-law with their two 2 kids.

There were showers in the afternoon during the ride back home, but it did not dampen the Agila's spirit a bit.

It seems the boys are ready for the Davao - Butuan - Cagayan de Oro - Davao ride next weekend.

VICTORY FOR THE RIDERS!

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) finally succumbed to mounting pressure from countless motorcycle owners and enthusiasts all over the country, including motorcycle clubs in Davao City, all clamoring for the scrapping of Administrative Order AHS-2008-015 (A.O. 15).

The LTO, last October 3, 2008, issued a new Memorandum outlining “the revised rules and regulation in the use and operation of motorcycles on highways.” These revised rules (Memorandum Order No. AHS-2008-01 (M.O. 01)), has, for all practical purposes, rescinded the original Administrative Order.

The LTO backtracked or gave in on the key issues and demands made by the riders.

The new Order now states that modifications on motorcycles do not require the prior approval of the LTO and the DTI. This issue was the major bone of contention in the original Order.

A five year moratorium has been imposed on the mandatory use of the prescribed helmet that follows the UNECE 22 standard. Riders need not buy new helmets and can use their old helmets that meet other international standards.

The rule that only saddle bags and carriers that are approved by the DTI can be used has been scrapped. Instead, the revised rules state “the motorcycle or scooter shall not carry a cargo, the width of which is more than 2 ft from the side of the motorcycle and the height shall not be higher than the height of the rider when seated on the motorcycle.”

This should be welcome news to our fellow riders who make a living using their motorcycles, using the bikes to transport and delivery goods. They would now be able to continue earning a living without fear of being apprehended. (This revised ruling most probably also would make our good Mayor smile, after he singled out the inanity of the original rule.)

While the LTO did not repeal the exorbitant penalties prescribed in the original order, the riding community has more than valid grounds to claim victory against the oppressive LTO Administrative Order AHS-2008-015.

We, the Riders, thank the officers and members of the different motorcycle clubs in city, especially to the Davao Agila Riders, for their commitment and support. We also wish to thank the media for airing and publishing our concerns to the public at large – fulfilling its indispensable role of informing the citizenry.

Finally, we wish to thank Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, a motorcycle enthusiast himself, for joining us in our fight against the unlawful, anti-poor, and ill-informed LTO Administrative Order.

DANIEL J. SUNGA
President – Davao Agila Riders

Bidultino Arossi: Terminator -9.2

Walay kuyaw.

DCPO disbands traffic group

From the Mindanao Daily Mirror, Oct 7, 2008

Davao City Police Director Ramon Apolinario has dissolved the Traffic Group (TG) of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) upon the recommendation of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

The disbandment of the 50-menTG headed by police chief inspector Rhodelio Poliquit came after Duterte received numerous complaints of massive corruption by most of the TG personnel.

Apolinario in his memorandum has ordered the assignment of the TG personnel to the city’s various police precincts.

City Hall has provided the TG with 20 motorcycles. All these are currently parked outside the TG office.

Mirror learned that Apolinario has ordered Poliquit to report to his office last Friday around 8:30 in the morning.

Later that day, Poliquit immediately called for a meeting with his personnel and announced to them about Apolinario’s order to disband their group. Editha Z. Caduaya

Enduro Cross

>
While I was doing some stuff on the computer, I glanced on the TV and saw this newest motorcycle sport being shown.

As they say, "Awesome!"

EnduroCross Website

Details of Meeting at LTO Head Office

LTO opens its doors and finally listens...
The September 30 detailed report by MRO

From Biker's World: a detailed account of the meeting held yesterday at the LTO Head office attended by LTO bigwigs, MC advocates and Congressman Teves of Dumaguete. The full blog entry here.