Bridging Yishun and Seletar, the Yishun Dam has long been a popular recreational spot, frequented by anglers as well as those hoping to catch a glimpse of the sunset. 

In the early hours of Saturday (Mar 27), however, there was a different buzz of activity. Dozens of vehicles, including more than 30 motorcycles, were pulled aside by officers from the Traffic Police and the Land Transport Authority (LTA). 

Vehicles lined the side of the road near the junction of Yishun Avenue 1 and Seletar North Link, as officers questioned the motorists and checked under car bonnets, even getting on their hands and knees to inspect under vehicles for illegal modifications.  

About 500m down the road, a police officer armed with a laser speed camera is on the lookout for motorists busting the speed limit as they make the turn towards the dam.  

One vehicle was caught moving at 83kmh, going over the speed limit of 50kmh along the 1km stretch.  

It was one of the locations where the police and the LTA cracked down on speeding and illegal vehicle modification offences, as part of five nights of joint operations across Singapore that ended on Saturday.

A total of 71 summonses were issued for various traffic offences, including speeding, said the police.

In addition, LTA detected 54 offences related to illegal vehicle modifications, such as modified exhaust systems and the use of non-compliant tinted films. 

Speeding is Singapore’s number one traffic offence, with 162,324 speeding violations last year. 

There was a 3.1 per cent increase in the number of speeding-related accidents, which went up from 735 in 2019 to 758 last year. Twenty-seven of them were fatal accidents.

Speaking in Parliament earlier this month, Minister of State for Home Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim said that 31 people had been arrested for their involvement in four cases of illegal street racing between 2018 and 2020, with the cases all pending investigations or court proceedings. 

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Saturday morning’s enforcement action, Traffic Police patrol unit team leader Tan Jia Ming said that regular operations are conducted at hotspots to deter speeding, drink driving and other unsafe driving practices. 

“Even though Singapore’s road traffic situation improved in 2020, the Traffic Police maintain a tough enforcement stance on any irresponsible driving behaviour,” said Assistant Superintendent Tan. 

“Road safety is a shared responsibility. All road users are advised to use your road sense and play your part in keeping Singapore’s roads safe.”

Article reproduced from Channel News Asia.

Video of the actual ops event:

Although motorcycles are not allow on Sentosa Island (yes this is another topic for another day), since the Circuit Breaker started in Singapore last year, there has been an increasing number of motorcycles entering Sentosa by means of being a delivery rider, either to send food to one of the many hotels on the island, or picking up food from one of the many F&B establishments on the island.

If you're thinking about using your status as a delivery rider to enter Sentosa on a weekend with your better half however, it will not work. At the entry to Sentosa, the rangers will check your phone and app to ensure that it is a legitimate delivery before allowing you onto the island.

Anyhow, for those of you who frequent Sentosa whether in a car or on a motorcycle, you will notice that there are several speed cameras around the island. This is due to its narrow carriageway as well as high flow of human traffic so vehicle speeds must be kept to a minimum. Most, if not all of the cameras are at 50km/h.

The cameras location are:

1. Bridge linking Singapore mainland and Sentosa Island
2. Straight after first roundabout leading to Tanjong Beach
3. Straight after second roundabout leading to Sentosa Cove

It has been a long debate among many motorist on whether the cameras work, and if they do work, does the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) have any jurisdiction over issuing of traffic summons.

The simple short answer is, yes, they do.

Evidently seen from a notice of traffic offence that has been circulating on several Whatsapp chat groups, you will note that the person in question has been issued a summon of S$75 for speeding entering Sentosa at a speed of 70km/h (Traffic offence letter below). 

There is also a deadline stated within the letter and if the composition amount is not paid by then, the person may then be subjected to further charges and there could be a fine of up to S$2,000.

SDC is a statutory board within the Singapore government and they do have the right to take action against offenders and if this letter is ignored, believe us, they will be able to bring the matter further to the Traffic Police or even the courts. This is the reason why SDC is also able to get the vehicle owner's details just from your license plate.

If you ever have the misfortune of being caught of speeding on Sentosa, please pay the fine and use it as a reminder to always watch your speed and safety. At the rates which the food delivery companies pay riders, such a fine would mean a couple of day's work going down the drain.

Remember to always ride safe, take care, and for those few who are lucky enough to get orders from within Sentosa, enjoy the view but remember no speeding!

Discussion thread on SBF on Motorcycles Entry into Sentosa:

SINGAPORE: The 26-year-old CashCard, used for electronic road pricing (ERP) and car park charges, is being phased out as the Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) introduces a new stored value card. 

Introduced on Monday (Mar 23), the NETS Motoring card is compliant with the Contactless e-Purse Application (CEPAS) standard and “aims to meet the needs of motorists now and in the future”, said NETS. 

The NETS Motoring card will “eventually replace” the CashCard for all car park and ERP charges, said a NETS spokesperson in response to queries.

In line with this, the CashCard will only be available at petrol stations and the NETS Customer Service Centre at Central Plaza on Tiong Bahru Road from Apr 5. 

Meanwhile the new NETS Motoring card - which costs S$10, inclusive of S$5 in stored value -  is now available at petrol stations, convenience stores as well as the NETS Customer Service Centre.  

Vehicles with the first generation of in-vehicle units (IUs) - first rolled out in 1998 with the introduction of the ERP - can currently only use the CashCard.

Those with the second-generation “dual-mode” IUs introduced in 2009 can use a variety of payment methods such as credit card, EZ-Link cards, and NETS FlashPay cards. 

About 14.9 million CashCards and FlashPay cards have been issued to date, said NETS. 

Some motorists have noted that gantries at certain car parks -  which have not adopted the full Electronic Parking System (EPS) - only recognise the older CashCard. A 10-page thread on local motoring website MyCarForum lists more than 15 car parks where the gantries are unable to detect the newer contactless cards in the IU. 

The NETS Motoring card will provide “ultimate convenience being the only card in the market that motorists can use to pay at all car parks across Singapore”, NETS said. 

“As with NETS’ CashCard, motorists will just need to insert the NETS Motoring Card into their dual-mode IU for auto-deduction of payments for ERP and car park charges at full Electronic Parking System (EPS) car parks,” said the electronic payment service provider on its website. 

“For all non-full EPS car parks, motorists can use the NETS Motoring Card to make payments with a tap-and-hold motion at the exit readers.” 

The new card will work with both the second-generation in-vehicle units (IUs) -  introduced in 2009 - as well as the upcoming on-board units (OBUs) which will be rolled out from the second half of this year, the spokesperson added. 

The first OBUs will be installed free of charge for existing Singapore-registered vehicles from the second half of this year, with the installation exercise expected to take place over a period of 18 months.

These will be used when Singapore switches to the satellite-based next-generation ERP system in mid-2023.

While motorists using the first generation IUs can continue to use the NETS CashCards, they will not be able to do so once the new OBU is installed in their vehicles. 

In September last year, the Land Transport Authority said the OBU is designed to be compatible with existing systems, including ERP charges and parking. 

It added that motorists can continue to use their CEPAS cards such as NETS FlashPay and EZ-Link cards, or credit or debit cards to make payment.

“In light of expected developments, the NETS Motoring Card will provide motorists a seamless payment solution to meet their motoring requirements in the foreseeable future,” it said.

Article reproduced from Channel News Asia.

We recently wrote about the intensifying wars between the food delivery companies in Singapore as new entrant AirAsia entered the market last month, enticing delivery riders with a very compelling argument - Make up to S$2,800 a month with just 10 deliveries daily! This is started a domino effect within the industry with competitors such as Deliveroo, FoodPanda and Grab upping the ante to lure new and current riders to work on their platform.

Read more here:

AirAsia Food Enters Singapore - Riders Expected To Make S$2,800 Monthly With Just 10 Daily Orders!

Deliveroo To Pay Riders Up To S$18,500 Bonus Once IPO Is Completed - The Food Delivery War For Riders Is On!

Deliveroo, who is mulling and working towards an IPO on the London Stock Exchange, has come out with an incentive for their current fleet of riders with a very sizable payout depending on the amount of orders done, to be benchmarked against their peers within the same market.

A Singaporean Deliveroo food delivery rider who has completed the most deliveries here is on track to receive a S$18,500 bonus.

Thank you bonus

The one-time bonanza for this particular food delivery rider is part of a Thank You Fund initiative to redistribute money worldwide.

The bonus is to recognise the best workers should the company get listed on the London Stock Exchange, which is expected to be completed at the end March 2021.

More than 21,500 orders completed

The Singaporean, Jude Chan, 33, has completed more than 21,500 orders in his three years with Deliveroo.

This makes him the most prolific Deliveroo personnel in Singapore who averages 30 to 40 orders a day.

Chan is among the hundreds of riders globally in line for a one-time payment of S$18,500.

Chan told The New Paper he will be giving some of the money to charity and investing the rest of it.

How to deliver more

He added that his trick to doing more is to brisk walk to collect food to complete orders faster.

The motorcycling enthusiast is also familiar with the roads in town and the Central Business District and does not rely on a map to get around.

He said: “I first started riding as a way to keep fit while earning more money, but working at Deliveroo has really brought my love of riding my motorcycle to life! Their flexible working nature means that I can ride on my own time with a peace of mind."

About Deliveroo Thank You Fund bonus

Some 36,000 Deliveroo riders around the world can receive a one-time payment reward should the company be listed publicly.

The exact amount varies according to each delivery personnel's output.

Eligible riders in Singapore stand to be paid S$18,500, S$1,850 or S$925.

The performance of riders are ranked in relation to other riders.

At the base, riders will receive S$370 if they have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders.

Deliveroo's founder and chief executive Will Shu said: "Riders are at the heart of our business, and we want to reward their efforts that have helped Deliveroo become what it is today."

"Their commitment to great service has enabled us to grow and offer the best food delivery experience in the world."

"Over the last year, riders have helped us do so much more than just deliver great food, having supported businesses and enabled vulnerable people or those self-isolating to stay safe indoors throughout a global pandemic."

"We're pleased to be able to say thank you."

Deliveroo said shares worth £50 million (SG$97.37 million) would be earmarked for customers, riders, and other stakeholders in its upcoming flotation, should it be successful, with the offer branded "Great food with a side of shares".

The Amazon-backed food delivery firm announced plans on Thursday (Mar 4) to list in London, with a potential value of US$7 billion making it the biggest market debut in Britain for three years.

Deliveroo will be setting up a "Thank You Fund" to give back to its food delivery riders and partners as part of an appreciation gesture of sticking with the company throughout the years. The payout is very rationally based on the amount of tenure served with Deliveroo as well as the number of orders delivered, which also means that to be eligible for a higher-tier payout, riders would need to stick with Deliveroo for now and complete as many orders as possible.

We reported last week on AirAsia's massive push for the food delivery in the Singapore market by promising one of the highest payout per delivery, and this article happened to be one of the most read article we've had in awhile so we are certain that this 'war' between the food delivery giants is getting more heated as the big 4 - FoodPanda, Grab, Deliveroo, AirAsia start to hustle for more riders to be exclusive to them.

DELIVEROO THANK YOU FUND

Deliveroo said it would also recognise the role played by its delivery riders in its success with a £16 million (SG$29.89 million) reward programme to be launched on the day of listing.

The Thank You Fund will be available to active riders in Deliveroo's 12 markets, with riders eligible based on the number of orders they have delivered.

"There will be payments of S$18,500, S$1,850, S$925, with all riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders receiving S$370," said the company in a press release.

Payments will be calculated by reference to the number of orders completed, with the largest payments going to riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

The percentage of riders eligible for each award will be consistent across all markets, it added.

The average payment for each eligible rider will be S$815, while hundreds of active riders globally are set to receive the largest payment of S$18,500, said Deliveroo.

The company expects more than one-quarter of Deliveroo's global rider fleet to benefit from the scheme, with more than 36,000 riders globally receiving cash payments.

"Riders are at the heart of our business, and we want to reward their efforts that have helped Deliveroo become what it is today," said Shu.

"Over the last year riders have helped us do so much more than just deliver great food, having supported businesses and enabled vulnerable people or those self-isolating to stay safe indoors throughout a global pandemic. We're pleased to be able to say thank you."

Although details are scare at the moment, once we find out how riders can apply for this scheme, we will update it here immediately so be sure to check back on SingaporeBikes.com to see how you can get your hands on this if you're a Deliveroo rider!

More from Founder & CEO - Mr Will Shu

Founder and chief executive Will Shu said Deliveroo's customers had supported the firm's growth and he wanted to give them the chance to share in the next stage of its journey.

"Far too often, normal people are locked out of IPOs, and the only participants are the institutional investors," he said on Sunday.

"I wanted to give as many customers as possible the chance to become shareholders, which is why we're making £50 million of shares available to them, alongside our restaurant partners and riders."

Russ Mould, investment director at online platform AJ Bell, said a year of lockdowns had fuelled demand for companies like Deliveroo and there was an expectation that habits formed during the pandemic would remain long into the recovery.

"All this suggests there is likely to be a bun fight for the £50 million worth of customer shares in Deliveroo at the IPO offer," he said.

Article courtesy of Channel News Asia.

AirAsia has launched its food delivery service in Singapore. The Malaysian budget airline broke into the highly competitive Singapore market on March 2, 2021. The latest venture is called AirAsia Food.

In an AirAsia statement issued to the public, it mentioned that it already has onboarded 500 riders in Singapore.

AirAsia Food Riders - Estimated Earnings & Application Process

Riders who wish to join AirAsia Food can expect to earn S$700 a week on average by fulfilling 10 orders per day for six days a week, estimates Mr Lim Ben-Jie, head of e-commerce for the AirAsia app. That means an average order fee for the rider of S$11.67! Far outweighing any of the competitors available in Singapore currently!

If you are keen on becoming a rider for AirAsia Food, you've come to the right place. As of now, the current link for riders who are looking to join as a rider (within Singapore), the link is:

http://bit.ly/Teleport-Apply-Now-SG

The application process takes within 1-2 working days and applicants will be informed via e-mail on whether or not their application was successful.

Impact on F&B Retailers & Onboarding

There are at least 24 food-and-beverage outlets listed on its platform, with some 300 food operators are in the process of being included. Those already on board include the famous Swee Choon Tim Sum and Maki-san.

On the consumer end, AirAsia Food has pledged to make delivery fees 5 per cent lower than its competitors, which comes up to taking a cut of about 15 per cent commission. Other existing food delivery platforms in Singapore can charge up to 35 per cent commission.

How This Impact Consumers - CHEAPER Deliveries!

From now till March 16, AirAsia Food is offering a two-week free delivery for orders within 8km to encourage users to download its app and starting ordering through AirAsia Food.

Orders can be made through AirAsia's app, where flights can also be booked, or via the AirAsia Food website.

To order through AirAsia Food or to explore their platform, you can head to the AirAsia Food website here:

https://www.airasia.com/food

AirAsia Super App (Apple): https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/airasia/id565050268

AirAsia Super App (Android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.airasia.mobile

AirAsia Group’s chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said AirAsia Food will be cheaper because it is no frills and cuts out extra services.

He said AirAsia Food won't have maps for consumers as a way to cut cost: "We don’t think you really need to know where your driver is, because that costs us.”

AirAsia is intending on moving into the fresh produce delivery market in Singapore next, with a firm target on local incumbents GrabMart.

After Singapore, AirAsia Food plans to launch in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines in 2021.

The most ambitious idea is the plan to launch -- within the next two to three months -- a yearly pass where customers can book unlimited flights from Singapore to another Southeast Asian country and enjoy free food delivery.

The article below is contributed by Robin Low (@mainman on SBF):

Credits: https://robinlow.medium.com/electric-motorcycles-in-singapore-888adb754083

We are probably not ready for disruption in Singapore yet.

Yes, the first registered electric motorcycle I’ve seen has arrived in Singapore, and no, it is not a Tesla or a Superbike — it is actually a very utilitarian Aidea AA-cargo — 3 wheeled bike.

I’ve owned and ridden a Zero Motorcycle, and it feels exactly like a big motorcycle, except that it is completely silent, torquey, and has a short-range.

Not a bad bike, easily goes 140km/h, but the range is only about 200km per charge.

My other motorcycles have about a 300–400km range and go faster.

I’ve owned many other motorcycles before, from old carbureted bikes, and now riding fuel injection motorcycles. And I’m curious about electric vehicles and how they start to progress.

So after some research, here is some information to let you learn more about electric motorcycles (in Singapore).

1. They need to adhere to international safety/homologation standards as well as local requirements.

Like any vehicles that go on the road, they need to be homologated and pass certain standards. There are rigorously tested before you can even buy one. As electric vehicles are new, the standards are almost always engineered for safety.

Unlike PMDs, homologated electric motorcycles need to go through more stringent tests and documentation needs to be submitted. When the electric motorcycle is homologated, you can buy the insurance and get a license plate to ride it on the road like any other motorcycle.

2. Charging standards (Combined charging system, CCS).

A nationwide electric vehicle (EV) charging standard TR25:2016 has been established for the EV charging system in Singapore, so all-electric motorcycles need to comply with that standard.

Singapore adopted CHAdeMO and Type 2 charging. Under TR25, there are two national public charging standards: Type 2 (AC) (slow charging) and Combo 2 (DC) (fast charging).

However, there are a few charging standards in the world. There are type 1 connectors and type 2 connectors. There are also Direct DC charging which are way more advanced that can change the way electric vehicles are charged. But don’t worry, many of these new electric vehicles are equipped with multiple connectors.

Tesla also has their own charging standards which offer superfast charging.

Charging electric vehicles is way more advanced (and heavy) than your normal charging of your PMD. All-electric vehicles will have Battery Management System (BMS) and it is responsible for managing the optimum performance of the battery pack.

Overcharging and deep discharging can degrade the battery, and the BMS determines the right amount of current that can safely go in and communicates with the motor controller to prevent cell voltages from going too low. BMS also does cell balancing as the individual cells may hold charges differently over time.

BMS will auto step down AC current and convert to DC for charging.

In the case of the Japan Built Aidea electric motorcycle, it has a Japanese Quality Controlled BMS for charging, and another BMS for the battery which also monitors the temperature, voltages, and current as well.

3. Motorcycle safety.

All-electric motorcycles need to be tested for safety as well. The brakes, suspension, motors need to perform as they should. For now, the brake system is the same hydraulic disc brake system found in all motorcycles, so there is no difference between electric bikes and petrol bikes.

For this bike, a standard three-wheeler bike or a trike. (Class 2B motorcycle) The width fits perfectly into a motorcycle parking lot and it is no different from any other trike.

It has a windshield and a roof, and for our tropical weather, it also has windshield wipers and spray nozzles to clean off dirt and water for safer riding.

The electric motors are also power rated, and there are generally 2 classes, L2e (Don’t need a license but not available in Singapore) and L5e (require a motorcycle license to ride on the road and the highway.

Generally, electric bikes have a lot of torque, and they accelerate fast but don’t expect them to have a high top speed.

Suspension-wise, most electric bikes need to be tuned to the weight. This Aidea electric motorcycle has a unique articulated tilting/suspension: a system for rear 2 drive wheels. So it can be quick, nimble, and safe.

4. Storage Capacity.

When you have a lot of torque, why not carry a lot of cargo?

I feel that for now, electric bikes work great for delivery and logistics. With a lot of torque, they can carry a lot of loads.

I feel that this Aidea AA-Cargo bike is a great example. It is a 3-wheel vehicle (13-inch large-diameter wheel — 1 front wheel and 2 rear) equipped with right and left independent rear suspension, windshield, wiper, and roof. It provides a large loading platform with a maximum loading capacity of 100kg.

Fitting a big box in the rear with 2 wheels for stability, make delivery safer. The 2 wheels and rear suspension system is dedicated to load-bearing and has the best center of gravity to be stable.

Is it time to buy an electric motorcycle?

I feel that the technology is starting to get matured but local laws and the policy environment have not caught up yet.
I do agree that driving/riding electric vehicles are 0 emission and great to go around with, but in Singapore, there is a lot of talks, hypes, and even fuel hikes, yet it still costs a lot to own one.

e.g foreign countries have good incentives for owners to turn in ICE for electric motorcycles

Like buying a hybrid car earlier, taxes do not make sense for cost savings unless you are in the logistic business. There will be a lot of cost savings if you ride 70km a day like a Singpost dispatch rider and the fuel cost you save will be significant.

Currently, the insurance companies have not caught up and it will be hard to buy vehicle insurance. There are also not enough charging stations although when they are built, it would also mean that the early adopters can charge without any competition.

Sadly, duties, reg taxes, and taxes already overwhelming the ICE with a zero growth, would create an even high entry barrier, especially for such safety and quality-built motorcycles like the Aidea, with a higher price, due to its tech and battery alike all EV.

Even though the government seems to want to promote electric vehicles, policies make it a penalty for early adoption = until the dubious mfg come in like our PMD and PAB

Robin Low

During Singapore Budget 2021, there was a notice that the petrol duties will be increased across the board. This has a direct impact on drivers, riders, and commercial vehicles who ply the roads everyday.

To lessen the effect of this petrol duty increase at the start, DPM Heng Swee Keat shared some rebates, grants, and one-off payments that will be paid out to owners of vehicles to soften the impact of this duty increase.

While information was sacred during the budget announcement, we now have official confirmation from LTA on the items that will be paid out as well as the time frame.

Basically, there is going to be:

• 60% road tax rebate for 1 year
• additional PDR (petrol-duty rebate) to be disbursed from mid-May either via GIRO or PayNow ($80 for Class 2B bike owners, $50 for Class 2A bike owners, no PDR for Class 2 bike owners)

There is no need to sign up for these rebates, they will be automatically credited to your account as registered in your LTA record or SingPass.

What do you think now that we have more clarity on the scheme? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the comments section below!

If you'd like to find out more on what was shared earlier and also look at a real life example, please refer to our earlier article here:

Yesterday, on the 16th of February 2021, the official Budget 2021 of the Singapore government was unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. It was a budget that was looked forward to by most as we wanted to see what sort of assistance, grants, and changes will be made to the living costs of ordinary Singaporeans during this unprecedented pandemic.

While some increases were to be expected as the government digs deep into the reserves of Singapore to help those in society that requires more aid, we also looked to them to give grants and support in various other aspects that would help Singaporeans tide across this period.

Being SingaporeBikes.com, we will not touch on most of what was introduced at Budget 2021 yesterday, but there was a particular section concerning motorcyclists and bike owners in Singapore that might affect you to a certain extend, depending on what class of motorcycle you have, and how much you use your bike.

Scroll to the end of the article for a real-life example of how this would affect your bike ownership!

Increase in Petrol Duty (per litre)

There will be an increase in the duty of petrol of 23.4% (or absolute 15 cents) for RON98 petrol grade.

There will be an increase in the duty of petrol of 17.6% (or absolute 10 cents) for RON92 and RON95 petrol grades.

This essentially means that the variable cost of using your motorcycle increases the more that you use it as this fee increase is peg to actual fuel consumption, i.e. distance that you travel on your motorcycle. Most motorcycles, with the exception of high-powered superbikes like Ducatis, the Yamaha R1, or the BMW S1000RR, uses either RON92 or RON95 in Singapore so we can expect most bikers to be affected at an increase of $0.10 per litre, or an average of $0.50 per full tank fill-up.

Rebates to Bolster Petrol Duty Increase

While the government has taken the difficult measure of increasing our petrol duty to offset eating into our reserves over the past year to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to encourage the use of EV modes of transport moving forward, they have realised that most bikers use our vehicles to work, maintain our livelihood, and thus have sought to introduction additional measures and rebates to soften the impact of this duty increase.

There would basically be a:

1. One-off road tax rebate of 60% of your annual road tax payable
2. Petrol duty rebate in cash ($80 for owner of Class 2B bikes, and $50 for owners of Class 2A/2 bikes)

Regarding road tax rebate (from LTA):

Quote

The Government will grant road tax rebates for petrol and petrol-hybrid vehicles for a one-year period from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022. The current enquiry result does not include the road tax rebate from 1 August 2021 to 31 July 2022. Please refer to the Press Release for more information.

In the short run, this would mean that you would actually be better of cashflow wise, and depending on the motorcycle that you ride, it would be an estimated 1-2 years before the long-term effect of higher cost of petrol will start to kick in.

Enough of numbers, they give most of us a headache. So, what does this ACTUALLY mean for you as the end user - Let's look at a real life example:

Yamaha NMax 155

• Fuel capacity: ~6 Litres
• Fuel economy: ~43km/l
• Road Tax: $62.56 per year
• Average mileage per year: 20,000km
• Price of RON95 (previous/now after petrol duty increase) $2.15 / $2.25

Savings:

Road Tax Rebate: 60% X $62.56 = $37.54
Petrol Rebate: $80

Total = $37.54 + $80 = $117.54

Petrol Cost Per Year (Increase):

20,000km / 43km/l = 465 Litres per year
465 X $0.10 increase = $46.5

Time to breakeven:

$117.54 / $46.5 = ~ 2.5 years

This would mean that within the first 2 and a half years of your bike ownership, you would be better off cashflow wise due to the road tax rebate and petrol voucher, however, after this initial period, the actual cost of ownership and expenses pertaining to travelling on a motorcycle would increase.

What would this mean for you? Do you use your bike as a weekend toy or are you a food delivery rider? We reckon that with this petrol duty increase, those that use their motorcycles for delivery work would be much more affected than those who use their motorcycles less.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

As we enter the 2nd year of the pandemic in Singapore, it is good to take heed of the selflessness and generosity that our fellow human beings have done over the past year, to help others in time of need and giving back to the community.

Within the motorcycle industry here in Singapore, established company Chong Aik International Pte Ltd is one such company that has continuously given back to society via their charity drives and have gone to great lengths to ramp up their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic situation here in Singapore.

Through their charity arm, Wheels of Love (Facebook) - Chong Aik looked towards B. Halal, purchasing daily necessities for the less fortunate. We couldn't have said it better ourselves, from Chong Aik - “We wheel together to bring love to our less-privileged community through talent volunteerism!”

So what do you get when a nice Chinese towkay hears the story of a makcik who has all these Hari Raya cookies but nowhere to sell them?

Mr Steven Teh from Chong Aik buying over 300 bottles of Icebox cookies on the B. Halal app and donating it to the needy, with the help of our good friends at Muhammadiyah Association of Singapore.

Chong Aik's staff were out in force, picking up the cookies and then delivering the treats, along with over 2,000 bottles of water to the Muhammadiyah Association of Singapore.

All three parties didn't know each other before this Ramadan, and have come together to do good for those who need help.

We hope this can set a good example of those within the motorcycle industry, established businesses, and also fellow bikers, to always think of our blessings and reach out to help the less fortunate in our society, so that we can all make it through these tough times together.

We'll be checking in with Chong Aik on when their next charity drive will be so stay tuned if you'd like to help out. Details to follow!

Article syndicated from The Straits Time - Shaffiq Alkhatib

SINGAPORE - Two women working for well-known motorcycle retailer Mah Pte Ltd will have to spend time behind bars for their roles in misappropriating nearly $570,000 from their employer.

Mah Pte Ltd is the authorised and exclusive distributor for well-known brands in Singapore such as Triump, Aprilla, Piaggio, Vespa, Adiva and the likes. Mah Pte Ltd started out in the early 1970s and have grown to become one of the most established and well-known motorcycle dealerships in Singapore.

Singaporeans Kamalasari Kamaludin, 36, and Sayeeda Nafisa Osman, 38, took monies meant for the company from at least 457 customers who were making instalment payments.

They used the funds to cover their personal expenses and have made no restitution, the court heard.

Kamalasari was sentenced on Friday (Jan 29) to four years and four months' jail after pleading guilty to two counts of taking part in a conspiracy to commit criminal breach of trust.

She also admitted to two counts of dealing with the benefits of her criminal conduct.

Sayeeda was dealt with earlier. She was sentenced to three years and 10 months' jail.

The offences took place in 2014 and the following year. Both women stopped working there in November 2015 after their crime was uncovered.

On Friday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Chng Luey Chi described how the women siphoned the monies.

Both had used their roles in the company to fool Mah Pte Ltd into believing customers were defaulting on instalment payments.

Kamalasari had worked in Mah's legal department, and was involved in preparing documents on customers who defaulted on their instalment payments to the firm.

Sayeeda worked as a cashier and had access to all of the company's computer systems.

The DPP said sometime in 2014, Sayeeda asked to borrow money from Kamalasari. The younger woman replied that she had no cash to spare. The women then hatched the plan to misappropriate the monies.

"They would collect cash from customers who were making instalment payments... When a customer handed the instalment payment to Sayeeda, they would issue the customer a manual receipt instead of keying it into the computer system and generating a receipt from there.

"This would ensure that the payment was not captured in the computer system. They would then retain the cash given by the customer and split the cash amongst themselves," said the DPP.

Their offences came to light that month when the company's finance manager checked on a customer's overdue payment and discovered that he had already paid up.

The manager conducted a thorough check and realised that the two offenders had been collecting many instalment payments from customers and siphoning the monies for their own use.

She alerted the police Nov 24, 2015.

DPP Chng said that Kamalasari transferred more than $200,000 of her ill-gotten gains into her bank accounts in 2014 and 2015.

For each count of criminal breach of trust, an offender can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined.

A 41-year-old man was arrested for suspected drink driving after causing a collision at a carpark in Jalan Sultan on early Friday morning (Jan 29 2021). More pictures and full video below of the altercation between the suspected drunk driver and the Traffic Police!

Kudos to our Traffic Police for keeping calm despite the situation and the driver being uncooperative!

The police said they were alerted to an accident involving a car and five motorcycles at the carpark of 500 Jalan Sultan at 5.01am.

No injuries were reported.

The driver can be seen repeatedly brushing off the police officers and refusing to budge from his car seat.

A circulated photo also shows the affected motorcycles in a heap in front of the car.

The car driver was subsequently arrested for suspected drink driving.

Police investigations are ongoing.

It's so painful to see all those motorcycles being crushed by the actions of a supposedly drunk driver. Never drink and ride, or drive for that matter. Please stay safe on the roads!

Full video:

An article that has been posted on The Straits Times opinion pages just yesterday, where a reader has chimed in to comment that Singapore should update its speed limits on our expressways, to be more inline with other countries and our neighbours where the limits are usually at 110km/h, instead of the 90km/h that we currently have.

He argues that as cars get safer, more advance, are able to stop in shorter distances, and many of the other benefits that have come with technological advancements. He also believes that with a higher speed limit, this would enable our roads to be more productive and reduce travelling time.

Full excerpt from Mr Yeo Thye Lye below:

Quote

Finally, a main obstacle to the driving experience here is the speed limit. Currently, we have three different speed limits on our expressways - 70kmh, 80kmh and 90kmh.

I suggest that the Land Transport Authority raise the speed limit on expressways to 110kmh. This is similar to the expressway speed limit in many other countries, some of which have more vehicles that are older than those in Singapore, and roads that are not as well maintained as ours.

A higher speed limit would also increase the traffic flow, reduce travelling time and improve productivity.

Yeo Thye Lye

While there are some merits to his points, and we certainly feel that Singapore could do with a slightly higher speed limit, there are an opposing camp that prioritises "safety" over getting somewhere quicker.

Earlier this month, soldiers from 11th Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence Battalion (11 C4I Bn) took part in a Reconnaissance (Recon) bike training. A key responsibility of these Recon vocationalists is to gather information in a timely and stealthy manner. Recon bikes can operate across all terrain and are heli-portable. They provide mission load support and manoeuvrability over long distances. 

History of the 11 C4I Bn:

Knowledge is power. Reconnaissance vocationalists are tasked to obtain vital information without being detected. Stealthily, the “eyes and ears” of the SAF provide the Headquarters with accurate and timely reports to be analysed, giving Our Army the upper hand. The Department of Military Intelligence (DMI) was formed on 9th February 1966, located on Pearls Hill. In 1969, the Air Photo Unit and the School of Military Intelligence (SMI) was established. A Sensor System Wing was established in 1998 in SMI to provide expertise for the development and training of Intelligence Sensor Systems for the Army.

On 11 October 2004, the 1st Military Intelligence Battalion was created to provide the Army with a full spectrum intelligence capability, especially for Island Defence and PTCO as well as to spearhead the development and delivery of a 3G Intelligence capability. 10 and 11 C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence) Battalions were formed in 2011. They were created to provide faster response to support the High Readiness Core (HRC) in security operations and PTCO, and to support the combined arms brigade by providing them with a comprehensive situational awareness of the battlefield.

In recent years, the Reconnaissance Tab (“RECON”) was launched and presented to all RSTA Commanders and troopers. This serves as a symbol of excellence, instilling pride and purpose amongst all reconnaissance-trained soldiers.

The next generation aims to provide more precise and timely intelligence to enable swift interdiction of PTCO and conventional operations. This is enabled by harnessing on new intelligence domains; strengthening analysis via technology, and connecting intelligence entities via a common secured network structure.

Photos by PTE Isaac Loh and REC Basil Sim (Army News) - Courtesy of The Singapore Army

We are proud of our boys in green, thank you for keeping us and Singapore safe! Are you able to identify what kind of bikes are used by the Singapore Armed Forces? Maybe they should upgrade to Suzuki DRZs or some KTM 390s? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!

CandyMotor, one of Singapore's most established and popular bike accessories shop, launched their towing service as an additional arm of the business just 1 week ago on the 12th of January 2021 with an announcement made on Facebook. Just barely 5 days since that announcement however, they have had an incident with a customer that has hogged headlines all over Facebook and various riding groups today (17th January 2021).

Apparently, based on various sources that we have seen, a customer (Mr Yusof) reached out to CandyMotor on Sunday morning at 9am to request for a tow at 10am at Tampines Street 22. CandyMotor being ever efficient, reached the location at 930am instead of the initial estimate time of 10am only to be faced with a cancellation request from the customer.

Said customer then proceeded to block CandyMotor's towing number from WhatsApp and no further correspondence was had, and there was no offer of payment even though the towing truck has arrived at the location as requested.

CandyMotor in due frustration (which is completely understandable) then proceeded to post on Facebook about the incident and at 1230pm, the said customer reached out to CandyMotor and threatened legal action under the PDPA act as his phone number was published within the screenshots of the conversation. CandyMotor has since hidden the customer's phone number in their subsequent screenshots.

You can see the conversation screenshots attached:

The original post on Facebook has garnered over 300 comments and over 300 shares as of the time of this publication and has gone viral with bikers in Singapore divided over who is in the right and who is wrong.

From our unbiased perspective (SBF does not have any ties to CM or Mr Yusof),

What the customer could have done better:

• He could have offered a small token of goodwill payment for the trip made down by the towing team although the towing was not required in the end
• He could have followed up with CandyMotor promptly when the service was not required so as not to incur time and fuel wasted by the towing team
• Not block the CM team but instead engage with them on a suitable settlement for both parties

What the CM team could have done better:

• Not publish the customer's contact details as this is in violation of the PDPA act
• Follow up with customer from another number privately
• Require pre-payment before dispatch to customer's location
• Put SOP's in place to prevent or reduce instances of 'aeroplane' customers
• As a business, there will always be such pitfalls and 'bad' customers - to take it in their stride and learn from this

It is very rare in any incident for any one party to solely take all the blame and responsibilities and from this, we can see that both parties could have taken certain steps to mitigate this issue.

What do you think? How would you react if you were in this situation? Let us know in the comments section below!

P.S. If you ever need a tow, SBF has a consolidated list of towing services around Singapore so that you will never be left stranded! You can find the List of Motorcycle / Bike Towing Services in Singapore here:

P.P.S. Support Ms Candy and her team and show them that not all bikers are 'pilots'!

We have reached out to Mr Yusof for his side of the story and this thread will be updated with new information at a later date.

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Organised annually by long-time Singapore motorcycle and parts distributor - Chong Aik International, COVID restrictions did not stop the good folks over at CAI to continue their charity drive for this year - albeit without the long convoy of motorcycles that usually accompanies the event - Presenting the Wheel of Love (WOL) 2020.

There was no motorcycle convoy rumbling down the road at the Chong Aik International Wheels of Love (WOL) 2020 on Dec 27.

Nor was there a loud send-off or large gathering at the 10th anniversary of the annual charity event.

Despite the Covid-19 restrictions placed on Singaporeans' lives and WOL, the spirit of giving was not lost.

Motorcyclists and pillions from 18 groups traded their wheels for brisk walking to deliver 100 sets of mattresses, pillows and bed sheets to needy residents at Eunos Crescent.

Mr Steven Teh from Chong Aik International said: "We had to turn away many bikers who wanted to volunteer because of the (Covid-19) restrictions. But Covid-19 doesn't mean we stop helping others."

After the morning's safety briefing at Geylang Serai Community Club, 50 bikers and grassroots volunteers split into two groups to deliver the items to rental flat residents at Eunos Crescent and Geylang Serai.

At Eunos Crescent, things got underway with the arrival of guest of honour Mohd Fahmi Aliman, an MP for Marine Parade GRC for Geylang Serai and Mayor of South East District.

He rode pillion on a motorcycle and it was his first time supporting WOL.

Mr Fahmi said: "Most residents are feeling the pinch but what is important (for events like WOL 2020) is that we have to care for them. These may be small gestures, but it tells them they matter."

The volunteers broke into smaller groups and spread out to the nearby blocks carrying the bedding items, some by hand while others used trolleys.

Those who were designated blocks farther away resorted to piling the items into MPVs.

Beneficiaries from Block 12 Eunos Crescent, like Madam Sakmah Sampar and her husband, waited eagerly as they spotted the volunteers walking past basketball courts towards their homes.

Madam Sakmah, 64, said the new mattress and pillow will be useful as she looks after her five grandchildren.

Volunteers took down names of frail beneficiaries who were unable to install the bedding items to bed frames. They would receive help on another day.

A few doors away, another resident Madam Teo Bee Hua was delighted with the items. She lives there with her husband, a recovering cancer patient.

Madam Teo, 68, said she will be sleeping on the new mattress, adding: "There's only the two of us, we have no children. It is a good feeling when others think of you."

In two hours, the sweaty volunteers had completed their tasks.

WOL 2020 organising committee chairman Mohd Nizam Eli, 51, said when it comes to charity work, bikers are willing volunteers.

In the last 10 years, WOL has supported hospitals, needy residents and welfare homes.

He said: "While we cannot accommodate all bikers for this year's WOL, the main thing is that we maintain and keep the spirit of volunteerism alive."

Article syndicated from thenewpaper.

It always warms our heart when the biking community comes together to help out and do good for the less fortunate in Singapore. We are blessed with being healthy and able to ride our bikes which we love, and we should always give back to the community when the chance allows. Good on Chong Aik International and all the volunteers who have come together during this event.

Do check back often as we will be sharing on events which you can join in to support our community. Kudos!

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Starting on Jan 4, 2021, Singapore's Housing and Development Board (HDB) will conduct a trial of a smart parking system at Punggol Northshore.

This system, Parking@HDB, is the latest addition to the suite of smart features in the waterfront district, where smart-enabled Build-To-Order (BTO) flats have just been completed.

For a start, the trial will be carried out at one car park, PL80, said HDB in a press statement on Wednesday.

PL80 has 1,000 lots, serving the flat owners of smart-enabled housing precincts Northshore Residences I and II. Both precincts span 12 residential blocks with 1,402 flats.

Among the first four features to be tested is the seamless entry and exit. The car park will not have gantry barriers; instead, vehicle plates are registered via cameras.

In-app notifications will also be included in the trial. Motorists who park short-term will receive these alerts in real time for the start and end of parking sessions, and on parking charges incurred.

Those who park in an unauthorised lot will receive an automated alert informing them to shift their vehicles, if they have downloaded the app. They will face a fine if they do not remove their vehicles. Smart cameras are installed in the car park to detect motorists who park illegally.

Also to be trialed is the option to pay parking fees with credit or debit cards through the Parking@HDB app.

Parking charges will be automatically deducted when a vehicle exits, without the need for motorists to manually activate the app. This means they do not need to insert cash cards into the in-vehicle unit or worry about insufficient funds.

Moreover, the trial will include overhead colour-coded light indicators which signal availability of lots.

Other features will be introduced progressively, HDB said. For instance, based on usage data collected, the system will allocate lots to meet varying demands on a real-time basis.

Motorists who download and use the Parking@HDB app can park for free for their first three sessions at PL80.

HDB will later extend the trial to other car parks in the Northshore district in tandem with the completion of the BTO developments.

Residents and motorists are welcome to submit their feedback with HDB. Based on the trial's results and feedback, the statutory board will then explore the feasibility of implementing the smart parking system beyond Punggol Northshore.

HDB on Wednesday also announced that Northshore Residences I and II have been completed.

About 85 per cent, or 1,192, of homeowners at the two BTO projects have collected their keys as at Dec 14.

These flats are equipped with smart distribution boards and smart sockets, which help residents monitor their energy consumption, including for specific home appliances.

These built-in fittings also enable homeowners to more easily adopt smart home solutions. In other words, any appliance - lights, fans or coffee makers - that is connected to a power source can be controlled with a mobile app. The smart distribution board replaces the conventional distribution board in HDB flats.

Beyond the flat, residents can also look forward to more reliable estate services. Sensors will monitor and issue alerts when the maintenance of common amenities such as lights and lifts is required.

Estate management is expected to be more efficient as well, given new technologies such as smart lighting at common areas that adjust lighting levels based on human traffic patterns.

"The completion of the first smart precincts in Punggol Northshore is a major milestone in HDB's smart journey which started in 2014," said the housing authority's chief executive officer Cheong Koon Hean.

The two precincts are the first batch of smart-enabled BTO flats to be rolled out by HDB. Punggol Northshore is the country's first public housing district to test smart technologies right from the design stage.

"As HDB enters its seventh decade, it will continue to tap on smart solutions and adopt bold ideas to create the best possible homes for Singaporeans," Dr Cheong added.

What do you think of this smart parking system? Would you like to see this implemented in your housing estate? Technology have enabled us to be much more efficient and effective in our daily lives but this would also mean a trade-off, no more illegal parking and for delivery riders to tailgate into an estate to make a delivery (not that we condone this!). Let us know your thoughts and comments in the comment section below!

The latest news to hit our shores in the past days would definitely be the fact that we are going to have a new locally manufactured motorcycle that is made in Singapore - and it's electric only to boot! Presenting.. The Scorpio X!

Mr Melvin Goh - of Eurosports Auto (who is also the local distributor and agent for Lamborghini) has embarked on his next journey, and unlike its petrol-powered high performance cars, it is looking towards EV and the future, producing EV 2-wheel scooters for our local roads.

Scorpio Electric (which the company is called) recently raised US$6.3M in its latest fund-raising round to fund this venture and it's looking towards demand for electrification and greener modes of transportation to justify its business model.

Mr Goh also mentioned that the price of the scooter when launched in 2022, is expected to cost between S$25,000 and S$30,000 including COE. Power-wise, it is comparable to a Class 2B scooter and the motorcycle will have a range of around 200km, which we reckon is sufficient for Singapore's roads.

While that might seem like a high price to pay for a Class 2B scooter, Mr Goh did mention that they are targeting the premium market and will not seek to compete with bargain-basement priced Japanese scooters. Another point to consider will be the charging infrastructure available in Singapore and this would make or break their forecasted demand numbers.

While electric cars in Singapore are slowly taking off as owners are able to install such charging stations within their home compound if they are living in a landed property, buyers of scooters are usually staying in public housing and thus would not have access to the same infrastructure available to them.

With 2 more years to go before the Scorpio X will be available to the public, we're hoping this is enough time for them to sort out the teething issues present. We are always for a cleaner environment, greener technology, but are also realistic to the fact that market forces of demand, supply, pricing, and viability will take precedence over saving the earth, especially for the end users.

What do you think? Will this business and motorcycle be a hit or miss here in Singapore and around the region? A local manufacturer also tried to produce motorcycles in Singapore many years ago but folded due to the high cost. Will Mr Goh be able to do things differently? We'll find out soon enough.

Full Straits Time video here:

Scorpio Electric website here: https://scorpioelectric.com/

Eurosports Global website here: https://www.eurosportsglobal.com/

Another day, and another incident which could have been avoided. Unfortunately in this case, 2 motorcyclists were involved in this accident which occurred on the 22nd of December 2020 at approximately 1740 hours. The incident happened along the AYE going towards the city just after Corporation Road.

According to reports on the incident, it was raining at that time and the roads were slippery and due to the rain visibility was also being hampered. Due to traffic building up in front, a motorcyclist was unable to avoid a car due the above situation and unfortunately rear-ended the car in question.

That was not the end of the situation however, as another biker was coming from behind and due to the accident that just happened seconds before, tried his best to avoid the fallen motorcycle and swerved to his left but stuck the fallen motorcyclist instead.

The second motorcyclist then ran over the first one and this propelled him and his machine onto the ground. We are unable to see from the video if they are physically okay immediately but we are all praying that our fallen comrades will recover quickly.

We are sharing this video not to shame the bikers and/or to pinpoint the fault being anyone's, but rather to remind all motorcyclists and bikers to ride safe at all times and to practice defensive riding and be very well aware of your surroundings. Especially towards the end of the year when Singapore enters into the monsoon period and rains are a common sight, it is especially important to maintain a safe following distance and to reduce our speed.

We will check back in with the involved bikers family and update once we hear back on the situation. The silver lining is that both bikers seem to be wearing full protective gear and hopefully this has gone a long way into ensure their injuries (if any) are kept to a minimum.

After watching the video below, what do you think about the situation? Could the accident have been avoided by the second motorcyclist? Or was he just in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Full video below:

BMW Motorrad Singapore has recently announced the delivery of the first unit of the BMW R 18 in Singapore and this unit was purchased by Mr Yong. In addition to being the first unit to be delivered on our shores, this R 18 was also not any ordinary R 18 but in fact the BMW R 18 First Edition.

The First Edition differentiates itself from the other normal R 18s by having double white striping artwork  and chrome design elements to give it an even greater tribute look to motorcycles of the past.

Powered by BMW’s most powerful boxer engine ever built, fuel your soul with the BMW R 18 First Edition - A timeless classic for pure emotion on the road.

Congratulations once again to Mr Yong, the proud first owner of the BMW R 18 First Edition in Singapore!

To find out more about the BMW R18, please visit BMW Motorrad Singapore's website here: https://www.bmwmotorrad.com.sg/en/models/heritage/r18.html

Or alternatively, you can visit their showroom at 315 Alexandra Road. Remember to mention that you are a member of SingaporeBikes.com (SBF) to get even better deals and discounts!

The Straits Times have launched a dedicated page on their website for motorists love driving and riding but due to the Circuit Breaker restrictions and borders being generally closed, to still be able to enjoy the perks of riding in tiny Singapore. You can visit the Straits Times special page here.

Riders even more so, are fustrated with the lock down due to our passion for overlanding rides, experience the sights and colours of our neighbours up north in Malaysia and Thailand and in recent weeks, we've seen more and more riders taking to social media to share their "overlanding" trips within Singapore itself.

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad famously said this to Singapore drivers in January 2003 when he was Malaysian Prime Minister: “If you like, drive on our roads, which are quite long, in Ferraris – they have Ferraris, you know – because in Singapore, you can’t drive very far.”

While Singapore’s expressways may not be as long as Malaysia’s, there is more than enough asphalt here to keep both keen and casual drivers happy.

To share with you just an example of what some local bikers have done, we have a post from Mr Ridhwan Salleh on his trip around Singapore that took him to many local areas which we otherwise might not visit during our daily lives. His mighty Yamaha MT-09 is not just the perfect touring machine for going up north, but even for touring in Singapore as well!

From Ridhwan himself:

Quote

 

It was a great experience and so much fun. I get to go to places which I’ve never been before and one of the best experiences was, I got to see wild monkeys chilling on the Grand Prix Circuit. Maa Sha Allah. Overall, I rode in rain/dry weather about 6+hrs.

Distance covered : 211km. 

Still a noob rider. 

Syukur Alhamdullilah and Ty The Great Singapore Drive

1 ) Top Up fuel
2 ) Tampines Link UFOs
3 ) Changi Beach Point (Added by me)
4 ) Tanah Merah Coastal Drive
5 ) Guraeme Restaurant & Coastal Wind
6 ) Lau Pa Sat (Added by me)
7 ) Mount Faber Carpark B
8 ) Mount Faber View
9 ) Seah Im Carpark
10 ) 99 Bends
11 ) Tuas Mega Port
12 ) Tuas Lamp Post No 1
13 ) 40 Tiang
14 ) Sarimbun Beach
15 ) Bollywood Veggies
16 ) Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (Added by me)
17 ) Kranji Dam
18 ) Rifle Road Range
19 ) Grand Prix Circuit (Road closure 730pm to 6am)
20 ) Pano of Grand Prix Circuit
21 ) Casuarina Tree
22 ) Soek Seng 1954 Bicycle Cafe

I didnt take food/toilet break, non smoker but I did refuel once cause dun wanna experience again no fuel at expressway

Keep Calm & Ride Safe everyone

Happy Holidays

 

Check out more of his pictures below and do share with us your overlanding journey in our forums.

On the 21st of November, Leon Tay was riding along the PIE between lanes 1 and 2 and just before Exit 34 (Jurong West Avenue & Corporation Road) and noticed that there was a fallen tree branch along the road which was rather large in size.

Due to noticing it last minute and not having the time to reach, Leon unfortunately hit onto the branch and skidded. The accident also cause his rim to become deform and damage the tyres.

EMAS attended to the incident shortly after and Leon and his motorcycle were both taken to safety.

After the entire ordeal however, Leon then wrote in to LTA to inform them of the situation as he wanted to claim for damages and medical bills for him and his motorcycle due to the danger on the road that was under the purview of the relevant departments. However, LTA responded that all they could do were to feedback to NParks and the other departments to see what the outcome would be.

They have also asked Leon for any footage if available of said branch on the road to aid in their investigation. It would be noted also that EMAS mentioned that there was no sign of the mention branch on the roads when they attended to Leon.

Leon is appealing for any footage of the incident that occurred on 21st of November 2020, and if you have any such evidence, please e-mail or contact Leon at his Facebook profile here: https://www.facebook.com/tay.t.kong

This goes to show that a helmet camera or a mounted DVR could really help and assist in such times and all bikers should consider this investment for your own safety and pocket! Also be sure to take note of the details of all such incidents and highlight them to the emergency services attending to you (only if you are safe and well) to assist in such claims in the future.

We wish Leon the very best and hope he recovers soon and also can get the appropriate help that he needs from the government agencies.

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Now this is a really disturbing sight as shared by bro Dinie Razali about his Yamaha Spark 135 that was parked at his housing block's carpark located at Tampines Block 359A, Level 2B.

After coming back to his motorcycle which was parked overnight, he noticed that something was amiss as he could see that there were stray cables sprouting out from his handlebar area. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that both his brake reservoir hose as well as his IU cable has been cleanly cut off by someone (a vandal).

He acknowledges in his post that his noisy motorcycle might have caused displease to certain neighbours but they have taken it too far by tampering with something that could result in a very serious accident or even death.

We certainly hope that Dinie has made a police report as this case is very serious and the culprit could even be charged with attempted murder! If a motorcyclist or biker is making you unhappy with his exhaust note or riding antics, please leave a note or go through the proper channels like your local MP or LTA - tampering with the safety system of a motorcycle is a big NO-NO!

Riders, please always exercise due care and caution to those around you, and this incident is a very good reminder to all motorcyclist to check the safety and functionality of your motorcycle before every ride. It is very fortunate that Dinie manage to see the damage caused to his motorcycle before riding off, as this could have turned out a lot worst. 

Do you remember all the lessons, trials, and tribulations that you went through during your Class 2B days? And how your Class 2B license was so precious that after going through months of taking public transport to the driving centre you swore that you would never do anything to risk losing it? Well this rider apparently does not feel the same way.

Making its round through social media today is a video of this newly minted rider (P-Plate and all) - making TWO immediate failure mistakes within minutes of each other. On top of that, instead of apologising and acknowledging his mistake, he further went ahead to make obscene gestures at the driver of the car cam and went on to make the same mistake again at the next junction.

Don't be mistaken, we are not sharing this video to embarrass the rider or take the side of the car driver (we are all riders here too) - But instead we go out of our way to remind riders to KEEP SAFE and practice DEFENSIVE RIDING at ALL TIMES.

If the rider apologised after the first mistake, or not make an obscene gesture at the driver, graciousness might have taken place and this video would not be so viral. It is very likely that this video will catch the eye of a Traffic Police officer and that the appropriate actions will be taken. If the rider is indeed on probation (read: 12 points) - Then a suspension is definitely on the cards.

See below for the full video (and please don't repeat this mistake again):

It doesn't seem to be very long before there comes a complain or comment from the public to one of the news portals in Singapore like Stomp, Mothership, or even MyCarForum that someone spotted a TP lookalike or wannabe on the roads and writes in to ask if this is all legal.

Well, according to the Singapore Police Force's website:

Quote

The offence of personating a public servant carries an imprisonment term which may extend to 2 years, or with fine, or with both.  The offence of theft carries an imprisonment term which may extend to 3 years, or with fine, or with both.

While this mainly applies to people who actually impersonate a police office in person, this law might very well be able to reach vehicles, as the case in point here is.

We've not heard of anyone in Singapore who has been charged with having a vehicle (car or motorcycle) that is too similar to the ones that our police uses, but it certainly is a grey area.

We reckon if you stay within LTA regulations, not actually turn on or use the blinkers, and not harass other road users - you should be safe. But of course, YMMV and ideally, you can make your own rides stand out in many other ways other than looking like a Traffic Police (TP) officer.

At least with the new fleet of BMW R1250RT bikes that our TPs are using now, it's going to cost a pretty penny to emulate them so we'll probably see less of those around.

What do you think? Why do these riders make their bikes out to look like TP bikes? To avoid traffic and encourage people to move over or just a personal interest?

Let us know what you think in the comments section below!