Random Ramble – Ramblings of a Singapore Biker Boy

Help! Pump prices are soaring!

I was going through my day as usual when I received an alert on my mobile phone. It was a WhatsApp text message shared in a rather closed-knit chat group.

Alert! Alert! Alert! Daylight robbery taking place!

It appears that the petrol companies here in Singapore have raised their pump prices yet again. Prices have risen by 4 to 5 cents a liter across the board. A liter of 95-octane gas now costs S$2.61 – this translates to approximately US$8.82/gal or US$1.94/liter for the non-SG folks reading this. Yup! Gas prices in Singapore is heavily taxed.

As consumers, we hate high prices. It was natural for rants to start appearing. Some blamed the government. Some expected the government to step in to regulate prices. One even commented in curiosity that prices were climbing despite crude oil being at its lowest during this period of time.

Yeah – LOWEST!….. Or is it?

Bye bye R1200GS

I received the news from the insurer today. The cost of repair for the R1200GS was economically unviable. And thus, the 1200GS was declared totalled – a complete write-off.

My red steed immediately after the accident.

It’s been 2 wonderful years together and we’ve travelled some 40,000km. But it’s time to bid farewell now…

Postmortem of the crash helmet – Scorpion ADX-1 modular

A motorcycle helmet has a super-important role – to protect the skull in the event of a crash. It’s constructed with a hard shell – usually made of polycarbonate fiberglass, and an internal expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam.

The RIGHT side of the helmet took most of the brunt.

While the hard shell provides structural protection and is designed to NOT break in the event of a crash, the EPS is actually, surprising to some, intentionally designed to break in the event of a crash. The EPS / polystyrene foam absorbs the majority of the shock, preventing the crash forces from being transmitted to the head.

Failed Drive Shaft and Final Drive on my BMW R1200GS LC

My R1200GS left me stranded.

I was on my way to office on morning, merrily rolling along the usual morning traffic when I suddenly felt my rear wheel disengaged from the motor. Blipping the throttle only produced a cringe-worthy rattle with no power transfer to the wheel. And so I pulled to the side of the road and called BMW Assist.

I had to tow.

Grounded splines on the drive shaft mating surface.

Of Cows and Horses – The BMW R1200GS/A

Ever since someone planted the visual of a R1200GSA association with a cow in my mind, that image kinda stuck there. And since I have the R1200GS and not the GSA, I figured that I have that small window of opportunity to alter that mental image before someone else injects another visual…. LOL!

Continue reading “Of Cows and Horses – The BMW R1200GS/A”

Goodbye My Pulsar

It’s been almost 2 years, and we’ve traveled – REALLY traveled places together. It’s taken me to Malaysia countless times, and even to Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. It’s my first bike, and there’s always something unforgettable about first bikes that will remain in a biker’s memory.

But it’s now time to say goodbye, and the Honda CB400X has taken its place as my traveling companion.

YES! My Pulsar 200NS is sold!

Serve your new owner well, my faithful yellow steed… New adventures await! =)

Lupromax, really? Why you so scared?

I was going about my usual day activity this afternoon when my iPhone suddenly buzzed. Turns out, I received a facebook page comment and a private message at about the same time.

The facebook page comment read:

“Please share with everyone the technical details of your finding on this subject!!!! backed up with ISO testing not just you saying this is shampoo.”

At the same time, I received a private message from the same Continue reading “Lupromax, really? Why you so scared?”

Goodbye Pulsarians Singapore FB Group

In this digital age, content appear to be abundantly available online. A quick Google or Yahoo (does anybody actually use this term?) for something, and you’ll find useful and relevant content. But did you know that in the internet world, it is estimated that only 1% of people GENERATE content while 99% of the people CONSUME it? It’s called the “1% rule” in internet culture. (See wikipedia article here.)

It takes time and effort to generate content – digital or otherwise. And after it is generated, have you actually considered WHERE you host that content?

You see, when I first got my Pulsar 200NS last year, I joined the Pulsarians Singapore facebook group. Continue reading “Goodbye Pulsarians Singapore FB Group”

Singapore Introduces Luxury Tax on Motorcycles

The Singapore Budget 2017 was announced by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat yesterday. And in view of the recent lamentations from the motorcycling community of the record high Certificate of Entitlement (COE) prices for motorcycles – especially affecting the smaller motorcycles – the government has announced a tiered Additional Registration Fee (ARF) tax structure on motorcycles.

The existing motorcycle tax structure (Source: LTA website)

Under the existing tax structure, motorcycles are taxed Continue reading “Singapore Introduces Luxury Tax on Motorcycles”

Exposing the Engine Oil Bearing Friction Test / Scam

I’ve come across a couple of engine oil / oil additives companies that use the timken bearing test – also sometimes known as the “one arm bandit” test or bearing lubricity test – to display the efficacy of their oil or oil additive. I must admit that the test, being very visual, is extremely convincing. But did you know that this non-standardised test is practically useless in demonstrating the efficiency of oils? In fact, it can actually be (unscrupulously) manipulated.

So, the next time before you’re convinced of the “superiority” of any engine oils or oil additives using this demonstration, remember this – you might actually be better off using shampoo*!!

*on the bearing test only please. Do NOT use shampoo in your engine!