Hell's Angels Legend Does Not Like Harleys

My copy of the book “She’s a Bad Motorcycle: Writers on Riding” arrived the other day and was struck by what Sonny Barger, a founding member of the Oakland chapter of Hell’s Angels, said about Harley Davidson motorcycles.

First, Berger’s cred: Among other things, in 1988, Barger was sentenced for conspiring to blow up the clubhouse of a rival motorcycle club, the Outlaws in Louisville, Kentucky, and spent 4 years in federal prison in Arizona.

Oakland Hells Angels president Cisco Valderrama on Berger: If anybody deserves anything in this whole bike-riding world, it’s Sonny. He led the way. You see people wearing these fucking patches, “Ride to live, live to ride.” Yeah, right. As soon as the shit comes down, their bike is the first thing they sell. Sonny is the one who pushed the bike-riding lifestyle. There wasn’t an outlaw type of lifestyle as there is today until he created it.

Berger on Harley Davidson motorcycles: Hell's Angels started riding Harley-Davidsons mostly because, unlike today, they didn’t have much choice. In 1957, it was either ride a Harley or settle for a Triumph or BSA. They’d already stopped building Indians. It’s always been important for Hell’s Angels to ride American-made machines. In terms of pure workmanship, personally I don’t like Harleys. I ride them because I’m in the club, and that’s the image, but if I could I would seriously consider riding a Honda ST1100 or a BMW. We really missed the boat not switching over to the Japanese models when they began building bigger bikes. I’ll usually say, “Fuck Harley-Davidson. You can buy an ST1100 and the motherfucker will do 110 miles per hour right from the factory all day long.”

Noel Joins Agila

After inducting the new officers of the Davao Agila Riders last Friday, it was P/Supt. Noel Fermin's turn to be inducted a member of the club.

With the strong endorsement of the entire membership, President Ohmar inducted Noel and led members in gulping down our traditional biker’s drink with him. P/Supt. Noel Fermin is the head of the PNP’s Traffic Group in Davao City.

Induction of Officers 2009

Judging from the turnout of Agilas and their lovely wives during last Friday’s Induction of Officers, it is obvious that Ohmar and the newly-inducted officers have the full support the members. We are sure that the coming year will be one of the best yet for the Club.

Thanks to Jerome and Micmic for hosting the induction and party in their residence. By the way, Jerome and Micmic were recently blessed with a new and divine addition to their brood. No wonder grandparents Ping and Mercy have also been giddy the past few weeks.

Thanks to all who made the Induction of Officers a success. A special mention for Ronnie who ably emceed the evening’s proceedings.

Mabuhay to the New Officers!

President Ohmar, VPs Roy and Ferdie , Secretary Jerome, Treasurer Jimmy, PRO Ronnie, and Auditor Fred formally took the mantle of leadership of the Davao Agila Riders last Friday, February 13, 2009.

In the evening’s program, Rey said the invocation, Anton led the singing of the National Anthem, and Past President Ping gave a rousing welcome to the Agilas, their partners, and guests.

Roy then introduced the Inducting Officer, P/Supt Noel Fermin who heads the city’s Traffic Group. P/Supt Fermin then proceeded to induct the officers.

After the induction and congratulations, Outgoing President Daniel gave his Valedictory then turned over the symbols of leadership of the Davao Agila Riders – a bolo and a whistle – to the new President.

Ohmar thanked the members for choosing him and promised to continue the traditions of the Agila, have more fun and even more rides.

More pictures of the induction in the next post.

Not the destination, not the ride, but the Rider

President Daniel Sunga, in his valedictory last Friday, said it was not the destination, not the ride but the Rider that ultimately mattered. Daniel used this phrase to explain what makes the Davao Agila Riders special.

Yes, we enjoyed the places we went to and the rides going to these places, but what made these rides truly unforgettable and exceptionally fun were the Agilas (and their lovely wives) whom we rode with and who have become true friends in a relatively short span of time.

And the embodiment of this Rider who rode with us, but importantly, has been a true friend to all the Agilas the past two years, is Daniel himself.

Yes, it is true that with Dan at the helm of the club the past two years, the Davao Agila Riders have continued to “soar and glide, riding with pride”. He led the rides to the National Conventions (Tacloban and Cagayan de Oro), and throughout Mindanao. Not forgetting our obligations as citizens, Daniel initiated and organized the club’s outreach and civic activities.

Daniel also was instrumental in the fight to have ill-crafted LTO memorandum that adversely affected riders revoked. He sent materials to (and was quoted by) the local media explaining our side of the issue. He worked with other motorcycle clubs in the city who also followed his lead in organizing a motorcade / protest ride (in coordination with other riders in other place in the country) and in meeting with Mayor Duterte to explain why the LTO memorandum should be scrapped.

But more than all of that, that, President Daniel is a friend who made sure that the bonds between the Agilas grow even stronger. He was fair in dealing with all the members and listened to all who wanted to say something about our activities and things that affected the club. He was always fun to be with and saw to it that our rides and get-togethers were enjoyed by all.

For this, the Agilas are saying, “Congratulations and say thank you!” to Daniel.

P.S. I think we should also thank Ma’am Yvette for the full support she gave Daniel (and the club) the past years.

Uneasy Rider

by Diane Wakoski

Falling in love with a mustache
is like saying
you can fall in love with
the way a man polishes his shoes
which,
of course,
is one of the things that turns on
my tuned-up engine

those trim buckled boots

(I feel like an advertisement
for men’s fashions
when I think of your ankles)

Yeats was hung up with a girl’s beautiful face

and I find myself

a bad moralist,

a failing aesthetician,

a sad poet,
wanting to touch your arms and feel the muscles
that make a man’s body have so much substance,
that makes a woman
lean and yearn in that direction
that makes her melt/ she is a rainy day
in your presence
the pool of wax under a burning candle
the foam from a waterfall

You are more beautiful than any Harley-Davidson
She is the rain,
waits in it for you,
finds blood spotting her legs
from the long ride.

Diane Wakoski, “Uneasy Rider” from The Motorcycle Betrayal Poems

Born Again Biker

Born-Again Biker: A person that has decided to put his wife on the market and find a new bike.

Agilas Elect New Officers, Ohmar is President

The General Membership of the Davao Agila Riders, last Thursday at Dad's Restaurant, elected a new set of officers to lead the club this year. John Ohmar Penalosa was chosen President. The other officers who were elected are: Roy – Vice President, Internal; Ferdie – Vice President for Operations; Jerome – Secretary; Jimmy – Treasurer; Ronnie – PRO; and Fred – Auditor.

The new officers are a mix of mature and young riders, members who have been with the club since its inception and those of joined the club fairly recently. But all expressed a keen desire to serve the club and continue the tradition of having as many fun rides as possible and maintaining and building the strong camaraderie between of all the members.

During the elections, IPP Ping served as the COMELEC and the wives reprised their roles as the ever watchful and vigilant (poll) watchers.

Good Luck and congratulations to the new officers.

Commendations are in order for the previous set of officers, ably led by Past President Daniel Sunga, who successfully steered the club and enhanced its stature, not just in the motorcycle community, but in the whole of Davao, the past two years.

Camiguin Ride (The complete story...)

It is the time of the year when we do our annual pilgrimage to Bohol (where we accompany Kuya Mayong, whose ‘panata’ is to celebrate his birthday in his native land). But informed that the barge going to Jagna (which is near Mayong's birthplace) was broken and under repair (as can be expacted in this glorious country), the Agilas decided to go to Camiguin instead, a place we enjoyed visiting a few years ago.

Early morning, February 29, Daniel and Yvette, Ping and Mercy, Roy and Joy, Alvin and Jessica, Craig and Lolit, Bob (Craig's Canadian best friend from Bohol), Butch , Anton, Ferdie, Mayong, Ading and Randy ( a guest rider who is also Canadian) met at McDonalds at Damosa Gateway and by 5:30 were off north towards Surigao. With the sky clear and the weather relatively cool, the jump off went without a hitch and soon the group was in Trento having a leisurely brunch. The motorcycles were refueled and the now completely rehabilitated and twisty road to Butuan beckoned. Time, like the road, quickly zipped by, and by 1:30PM, the group was in Surigao City.

A restful sleep and the next day (Friday) at 8:00 AM, the group took the road back to Butuan City and then the road to going to Cagayan de Oro. At a port in the town of Balingoan, Misamis Oriental, the bikes were loaded to a barge and after a one hour, the Agilas were in Camiguin Island. The group proceeded to Caves Dive Resort to check in. Some had the bikes checked; others had a couple of beers to go with the conversation, and, finally everybody settled down for the night.

Wake up call was early the next day (Saturday) as the couples (plus Anton and Ading) went to see White island, which is really a sandbar with an awesome view of Mt. Hibok-Hibok. The whole group then went a tour of the whole island (where, apparently, the helmet law is suspended) on motorcycles, going to the Hibok-hibok Volcano Observatory, then to the Katibawasan Falls. A refreshing dip at the Ardent Hot Springs resort and the group went back to the hotel to pack up. It was off to the port for the 2:45 pm barge trip back to Misamis Oriental where the group rode towards Cagayan de Oro City, arriving there around 5:30PM.

(Pictures in this post were all taken in Camiguin.)

After settling down at the hotel, the group went to OIC Restaurant where the Kagayanhon Kruzers treated the group for dinner and beers. The conversation, as expected between bikers, was lively, spirited (with spirits) and fun. Thanks, KK!

Jump off from Cagayan to Davao was 9:00 AM Sunday. It was a smaller group that was riding to Davao as Craig, Lolit and Bob decided to go to Dipolog City. Too, Randy wanted to stay in Cagayan for a few more days.

So from Cagayan de Oro, the ride continued to Bukidnon where the group had lunch at the usual place in Valencia. At the Overview (around 100kms from Davao), the group were met by Jerome, Ronnie, Efren, Tatay Gigi, Michael, and Jimmy. Coffee and extended conversations done, it was finally off to Davao. The rains finally came in Calinan (the whole trip was rain-free until then) but everybody arrived in Davao safely and in one piece.

The odometer of Roy’s bike recorded a total of 1,132 kilometers for the whole trip.

If this ride is a harbinger of the club’s rides for the year, expect more interesting and fun rides the coming days.

Camiguin Ride (Jan 29 - Feb 1, 2009)

Pictures of the ride from Davao - Surigao - Camiguin - Cagayan de Oro - Davao. This first set of pictures covers the time starting at the jump off from Davao, the lunch in Trento, the ferry ride to Camiguin, the dinner in CDO and the ride back to Davao.

The pictures taken in Camiguin and a detailed write-up of the ride will be in a later post.