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Motorbikes - Owning one. The real experience?

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Rich_UKExpat
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Post by Rich_UKExpat » Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:17 pm

EADG wrote:With a pompous nick like that, why do you have to ask the question in the first place?
If you are referring to me and the 'Rich' part in my username then you need to rethink before posting. My name is Rich. :roll:

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Post by Rich_UKExpat » Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:22 pm

Seems a mixed bag of views on the riding experience in Singa. Guess I await to find out myself. n

I am sports bike fan, and ride one here in the UK.

Pasir Gudang has already caught my eye and I be planning a few track days there hopefully!

I've not real plans to commute, but use the bike for leisure. I thought maybe buying a naked street bike for the first year would be best to pick up the local area and explore with a view to move onto a sports bike later.

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:26 pm

Rich_UKExpat wrote:
EADG wrote:With a pompous nick like that, why do you have to ask the question in the first place?
If you are referring to me and the 'Rich' part in my username then you need to rethink before posting. My name is Rich. :roll:
:oops!: :shit: :mrgreen:
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by ksl » Sun, 10 Jan 2010 11:44 pm

EADG wrote:With a pompous nick like that, why do you have to ask the question in the first place?
:lol: Like that one even if shit does happen! Besides all the Rich one's i know in the UK are called Dick, though where i'm from up da north lad, it's more like dickhead ! No offence Rich, We just like to have the crack on here, now and again :wink:

My sisters guy sold his firebird, for a monstrous BMW, he's a big racing fan too.

Singapore drivers are some of the worst i have seen, though you can read them like a book, like strong eagle says, it's getting used to the way they drive, so more awareness is needed.

I can almost guarantee on smaller roads, they will always be over the mid line when turning, it's like look out I'm turning! :lol: :lol: they have this problem of myopia and don't react until it's too late, so it's up to you to be on the ball! They think the highway code was written by Robin Hood :)
Last edited by ksl on Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

Rich_UKExpat
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Post by Rich_UKExpat » Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:01 am

ksl wrote:
EADG wrote:With a pompous nick like that, why do you have to ask the question in the first place?
:lol: Like that one even if shit does happen! Besides all the Rich one's i know in the UK are called Dick, though where i'm from up da north lad, it's more like dickhead ! No offence Rich, We just like to have the crack on here, now and again :wink:

My sisters guy sold his firebird, for a monstrous BMW, he's a big racing fan too.
Clearly not from the same parts of the north as me then and most surely 30+ years my senior to refer to someone called Rich as 'Dick' ;) :P

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Post by ksl » Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:02 am

Rich_UKExpat wrote:
ksl wrote:
EADG wrote:With a pompous nick like that, why do you have to ask the question in the first place?
:lol: Like that one even if shit does happen! Besides all the Rich one's i know in the UK are called Dick, though where i'm from up da north lad, it's more like dickhead ! No offence Rich, We just like to have the crack on here, now and again :wink:

My sisters guy sold his firebird, for a monstrous BMW, he's a big racing fan too.
Clearly not from the same parts of the north as me then and most surely 30+ years my senior to refer to someone called Rich as 'Dick' ;) :P
Your right there son! Anyway Singapore is a good posting mate, but not like the good old days of the late 60's I hit the place in 70 when the guys were pulling out. So it appears our ruler commands that i come back for a life sentence.

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Strong Eagle
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Post by Strong Eagle » Mon, 11 Jan 2010 5:33 am

Rich_UKExpat wrote:Seems a mixed bag of views on the riding experience in Singa. Guess I await to find out myself.
Note that the people who find Singapore riding experience a positive one are actual riders... daily.

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Post by sillingw » Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:58 pm

agree with the other bikers, I ride a big BMW and have done for nearly 4 years, converted my UK licence to a singapore licence - no problem. Good gear is available. Like anywhere else, drive defensively, I find the biggest scares I get are from the riders of the little bikes, you really do have to look behind before changeing lanes, they come out of nowhere and they are as prevelent as mosquitoes (and just as big a pest) The only other one that makes me notch up awareness and surroundings is a big black luxury car.

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Post by mrHomeLook » Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:03 am

dont worry abt costs for now. all u need to know that owning a motorbike in Singapore is a lot cheaper than taking public transport. so just come here and get the bike. u will not regret it
MR HomeLook

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license

Post by yaqushi » Tue, 09 Feb 2010 5:18 pm

Hi,

this is my first post, maybe somebody with experience can answer:

1.
What day counts for this one year period driving bikes with the international license? I came here already a couple of month ago, does the first entry counts or the day when you get your work permit?

2.
Also, would it make sense to buy a bike now in Germany and ship it off together with the furniture in a sea-container when moving here, or better buy it here?

3.
I do have a german license since 1998 unlimited, but no PROOF of experience. So what if I buy a bike, ride it a few month and then during the converting process i would get only 2B - bad luck?
I am looking for a chopper in the 600-1200 class.

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Strong Eagle
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Re: license

Post by Strong Eagle » Wed, 10 Feb 2010 12:42 am

yaqushi wrote:Hi,

this is my first post, maybe somebody with experience can answer:

1.
What day counts for this one year period driving bikes with the international license? I came here already a couple of month ago, does the first entry counts or the day when you get your work permit?
The time begins with your entry into the country. Just be sure you sign up to take the basic theory test before 12 months from the date of entry is up.
2.
Also, would it make sense to buy a bike now in Germany and ship it off together with the furniture in a sea-container when moving here, or better buy it here?
Better to buy here... it is extremely hard to import a bike (not to mention expensive), and it your bike is older than 3 years you cannot import it at all.
3.
I do have a german license since 1998 unlimited, but no PROOF of experience. So what if I buy a bike, ride it a few month and then during the converting process i would get only 2B - bad luck?
I am looking for a chopper in the 600-1200 class.
It will depend how old you are. A number of people have bought large displacement bikes and ridden them for 8 months, then have asked for an unlimited license, and gotten it. But, this is not a guarantee. Singapore really doesn't want to grant unlimited licenses to youngsters who go out and kill themselves on 1200 cc sport bikes.

For me, the fact that I had been riding motorcycles for almost double the years that the young clerk had been alive sort of sealed the deal for me.

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Re: license

Post by yaqushi » Wed, 10 Feb 2010 9:14 am

Strong Eagle wrote:
yaqushi wrote:Hi,

this is my first post, maybe somebody with experience can answer:

1.
What day counts for this one year period driving bikes with the international license? I came here already a couple of month ago, does the first entry counts or the day when you get your work permit?
The time begins with your entry into the country. Just be sure you sign up to take the basic theory test before 12 months from the date of entry is up.
Thanks for the answer. Still didnt get it though: I came last year in November like a tourist, then went back, now im again here like a tourist, will go back in a couple of weeks. At some point of time in summer I ll be moving here. So what day counts? How shall one sort out, when the first day of entry the country was? In the passport will be tons of stamps showing dates entering Singapore. It has to be some sort of enrty date when one actually enters Singapore to stay here and live\work here, no?

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Re: license

Post by Jeppo » Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:36 am

yaqushi wrote: Thanks for the answer. Still didnt get it though: I came last year in November like a tourist, then went back, now im again here like a tourist, will go back in a couple of weeks. At some point of time in summer I ll be moving here. So what day counts? How shall one sort out, when the first day of entry the country was? In the passport will be tons of stamps showing dates entering Singapore. It has to be some sort of enrty date when one actually enters Singapore to stay here and live\work here, no?
The date should be based on when you entered to work here, previous visits as a tourist shouldn't count.

And don't get too hung up about the 12 months either, just do the test sometime in the first 12 months after you arrive to work here. It may just be me, but I've found the 12 month thing rather flexible. I moved to Indonesia in 98 and then to Singapore in 2004. Finally got round to converting my Australian license in 2008, 10 years after leaving there, and had absolutely no problem with converting and getting an open bike license.

Of course, I AM a freak so you may not be able to get away with what I do, but you really shouldn't stress so much about it, it won't help in the long run. Just do it and what happens happens.

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Re: license

Post by x9200 » Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:33 am

Jeppo wrote:It may just be me, but I've found the 12 month thing rather flexible.
It is definitely not just you.

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Post by hagar » Wed, 10 Feb 2010 5:16 pm

Strong Eagle wrote:
Rich_UKExpat wrote:Seems a mixed bag of views on the riding experience in Singa. Guess I await to find out myself.
Note that the people who find Singapore riding experience a positive one are actual riders... daily.
I am also a daily rider of a large cc Bike (1600cc) and fully agree with you Strong Eagle. The best parts of my day are the ride to and from work. My wife is also a rider (1200cc) and we very much enjoy the experience and the friendship of fellow riders. I did a straight transfer in 2001 to a class 2, my wife did it the hard way and started with a 2B and progressed over the next two years to a class 2 - she had no problems with the experience though.

I would also agree that the majority of Singapore drivers are quite bike aware and that over a period of time you become able to pick out and avoid the antics of the others.

Buying and selling Bikes in Singapore is also very easy - we have bought 8 and sold 6 in the last 8 years. Unless you are using a larger reputable dealer such as a dealership my experience would recommend that you do a private purchase rather than a smaller trader or local bike shop.

Overall riding experience in Singapore (and Malaysia) - very positive.

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