Swapping four wheels for two-wheeler

RIDING a motorcycle isn't for everyone. Let's get that out of the way straight off the bat. There are some people who like the comfort of their cars, and who prefer being cosseted and pampered. I don't hold it against them, if you can attain or afford such luxuries why not indulge once in a while.

Then there is the case of coordinating oneself to actually handle the different intricate tasks when operating a motorcycle. It requires the rider to be aware of everything around them, even more so than drivers.

Other road users become dangers, busy intersections are obstacles that need extra concentration to be navigated and the weather can either be a blessing or the ultimate equaliser.

Scooters, or similarly built smaller motorcycles, are even less to worry about. They're more agile and less compromising. Big bikes, those with higher engine capacities, weight and power, now those are the tricky ones.

If you find yourself daunted by the prospect of having to operate a manual motorcycle, let alone a big bike, maybe you should really think about whether it is something you're actually prepared to take on.

Learning how to ride a smaller motorcycle and taking what you learn onto a bigger bike takes some time, and for the uninitiated there's a brief moment where you find yourself asking, "What have I gotten myself into."

Surprisingly enough, it is a moment of clarity, laced with adrenaline to the 'Nth' degree.

For me, that happened around 10pm in the evening. I was on a Harley-Davidson, and suddenly the thing began vibrating like a jack-hammer because I was in the wrong gear and I'm trying to keep it all together. A far cry from the 125cc Yamaha that I re-learnt how to ride on, something that's probably a third of the weight and an engine ten times smaller.

So why put yourself through such an episode? Why run the risk of getting hurt or losing control.

I don't subscribe to the idea that those who look to swap four wheels for two are just adrenaline junkies, looking for absolute danger or extreme moments of speed to satisfy their fixation for "living on the edge".

What people don't realise is that riding is a skill, one that's quite useful to learn, but more importantly the concepts and ideology behind rider safety and awareness is even more beneficial than anyone could ever imagine and is grossly underestimated.

When a person is riding a motorcycle, scooter or even bicycle, they are at their most vulnerable, and at the mercy of other road users and the elements.

Every single aspect of taking to the road, compared to in a car, is magnified. Even the road quality and surface comes into the thinking of riders, something that doesn't even cross the mind of your average driver.

It's these small things that make it such a different approach and way of thinking, and to be honest is what a driver should be thinking when they take to the road.

But they don't. Drivers who don't ride, will not think like a rider.

There is still a question that needs to be addressed though. And that question is "why go through all the hassle", in particular those on big bikes, to go riding?

Well put it this way, coming from a guy that spent 16 years not touching anything with two wheels before coming back to re-learn and attempt to master the discipline, it is an experience that is exceptionally rewarding.

So much so that I cannot imagine anything that comes as close here in Brunei Darussalam. Maybe if you had a drop top super car like a Ferrari 458 Spyder you might have a case to argue.

Why not learn how to ride? It's a great skill to have, and it really does add another dimension to your ability behind the steering wheel. No wonder there are all these people typing out FTW. Forever Two Wheels. Even for a novice like me, I get it. The Brunei Times