Category: Class 2B

Lane Splitting: Safe or Not?

20/1/2017

Lane splitting has always been a controversial topic. It's not illegal to do so in Singapore (and many parts of the world) but the maneuver is consistently frowned upon by many drivers. I started driving 15 years ago so I understand where drivers are coming from. Now that I'm riding, I must admit that lane splitting in super heavy traffic is a wonderful thing but I do feel that certain kind of lane splitting should be avoided as it poses a danger to the vehicles being 'split' and more so the rider who is attempting it.

Everyone has an opinion on lane splitting so I shall avoid imposing my opinions on others. Ultimately, the rider has to assess the degree of risk he/she is willing to take based on riding skills, the conditions of the road and traffic.

Below is a list of assumptions/conditions that I imposed on myself when it comes to lane splitting:

Lane splitting increases the risk of an accident due to the reduced space that a rider has and the increased blind spots of vehicles that the rider is entering. If I do get into an accident while doing lane splitting, I must be ready to accept that it's my fault. In many cases, insurance won't be on your side simply because we weren't taught in riding school to ride in the small space found in between lanes
Size matters. Riding in between two trailers or long vehicles is suicidal.
I avoid lane splitting above 50km/hr or when traffic is already moving at that speed. What's the rush??? Safety trumps over the few minutes that can be saved...
If another rider is coming fast at me to lane split, I'll just go back to the lane and let him pass.
I tend to lane split if there is a train of bikes lane splitting. I like to be the last as I don't like the pressure of having another bike following me closely (yes, I'm selfish...lol)
Lane splitting in wet conditions should be avoided due to the white paint markings being slippery. But I ride a three-wheeler so I don't abide to this rule :D
Don't straddle or stay too long while lane splitting. Apply the 2-second rule.
At traffic junctions, I either go to the front (lane split) or just stay in my lane. Sure you risk being hit from behind if a vehicle is coming at you at 100km/hr... life ain't perfect...

Check out my youtube video of how I lane split. Aside from not doing it all (good for you!), do share your best practices of lane splitting!

Safe Riding!

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Farewell Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS FI

15/10/2016

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Last shot of the Pulsar :(

Today I bid farewell to my first bike which I bought new in Dec 2015. Unlike the Honda CBR, the Pulsar served me well. It's steady to ride and has more than enough power for Singapore roads.

Yesterday at around 10am, I met up with the new owner, Sherman at LTA (Sin Ming) to do the vehicle transfer. Surprisingly, it only took 15 minutes to get the paperwork done. The officer who attended to us said that it gets very crowded in the afternoon, on Saturdays, and right after COE bidding so take note!

Spent the evening washing the bike and sprayed a fresh coat of lube on the chain. Can pass off as a new bike (and still under warranty until December)!

I advised Sherman to go riding with me around Seletar airport to get a feel of riding the bike. It was like a farewell ride and I'm sad to let it go. Hope the Pulsar would serve Sherman just as well as it had served me! Ride safe bro!

Coming soon, Class 2A :D

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Brompton - A foldie in Singapore

18/9/2016

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My 4-year old Trek Alpha 2.1, hooked up to an Elite Digital Smart B+ trainer for virtual cycling on Strava

Having rediscovered my interest in cycling in July 2016, I've started putting serious mileage on my 4-year old Trek road bike. Sadly, riding a road bike feels unsafe on our Singapore roads. While it can move relative fast at +30km/hr, it's not fast enough to keep up with traffic. Hence I would ride the Trek on low traffic areas such as Seletar Airport or the surrounding Park Connectors.

I signed up for the OCBC Cycle in October so I needed to level up my fitness quickly. Riding on my road bike for short distances (i.e. less than 20km) can be a chore as you need to look the part when riding on a road bike (like wearing cycling jersey, helmet, gloves, cycling shoes...). So I turned to virtual cycling portal, Zwift. It's been great experience as hooking up the Trek on a smart trainer allows me to cycle on somewhat real-life conditions. Buuuuut, you can't improve by just riding at home and I really wanted to ride long distance outdoors.

After a short search online, I got myself a used 1-year old 6-speed Brompton via Togoparts.sg for $1900. While I don't plan on bringing this bike on public transport, the abilty to fold up is a nice option. You can see the photo below of how I strapped the Brompton on my Yamaha Tricity with a pair of Rokr straps.

Folded Brompton on the back of Yamaha Tricity. I used two pieces of Rokr Straps.

I gave my used Brompton a full servicing after getting it from its previous owner. Also swapped the original saddle to a Brooks B17. After struggling to climb Benjamin Sheare's bridge on the default 50T chainring, I bought a smaller 44T, giving me -12% ratio at the lowest gear. Planned to change the grips to an Ergon GP1. Here's a couple of pic of my Brommie:

So how does it feel like riding on a foldable bike?

Well, this is not my first foldable bike. My 2008 Dahon Speed D7 is my first which currently resides at my workplace as an exercise bike. In terms of speed, given the same effort of riding, the Trek is naturally the fastest (averaging 25km/hr), followed by the 20" wheels of the Dahon (20km/hr) and then the 16" wheels Brompton (18km/hr).

I recently did my longest ride on a bicycle yesterday for a total distance of 75km (4hr 30min). I rode 90% on Park Connectors which was mostly a pleasant experience. There were some constructions going on which required some detour. Note to cyclists who are crossing over from Pasir Ris to Punggol, the Lorong Halus track is undergoing renovation works so have to take a long detour via main roads in order to reach the pedestrian-only bridge.

My Brooks saddle hasn't broken in yet so my butt started to ache at the 40km mark. By 50km, I started to "bonk" due to lack of carbo and electrolytes (burned 2400 calories on this ride).I was almost in tears for the last 10km... but it felt great when I reached home... Need to have a better fuelling strategy or go at a slower pace for my next long ride.

Overall, the Brompton is a great bike. I feel like riding a well-built vintage car. It is slow and heavy at 13kg but that's what it is supposed to be. To enjoy the surroundings and take life easy. If I want to go fast, there's always the Trek. But we don't live in picturesque mountains of the French alps, so I don't feel motivated to ride long distance on the Trek. I really like the front block which allows me to fix a bag carrier. Once I can cycle 100km in 5 hours without bonking, I might consider touring on the Brompton.

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Honda CBR 150R Fixed! Insurance Claim Almost Done!

12/6/2016

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I'm finally back at work after 2 weeks of rest at home. Managed to attend to most of the outstanding matters related to my bike accident.

The Traffic Police's letter to collect my bike from its compound somehow didn't reach me after waiting for 10 days but I managed to get a softcopy via email on the 11th day from the investigation officer assigned to my case. If you fail to collect your bike within 2 weeks, you'll have to pay $20 per day of storage! Ouch!

My workshop towed my bike on the same day when I got the letter. Inspected the bike the next day and saw the damage to the fairing (right side), front mud guard and some minor dents here and there. The repairs only took 3 days and I was charged $674 which included a new OEM front brake. Bike looks even better now especially after removing the stock stickers. Very happy to be able to ride my CBR again.

Also had my bandages removed and my doctor said that I can use my arm as per normal but advised me from doing anything strenuous for the next 6 months. The photo of my surgery scar looks nasty and I've been showing off to my colleagues to save me from lengthy explanations.

Lastly, met up with my insurance agent, who has been serving me for 20 years. Helped me completed the claim forms and it only took Great Eastern to reimburse Raffles Hospital in less than a week! Now waiting for the hospital to issue me a Final Bill and refund me back the 80% claimable amount that I had to pay upfront. I will then have to complete another set of forms to claim at least another 10-15% of the balance from my 2nd insurance coverage. Payment by Medishield Life was a miserable $1200. So do yourself a favour and get a private medical insurance... I later discovered that a colleague (S'pore PR) of mine had a similar injury last year from a bicycle accident. His total bill from NUH was only paid $5,000+ which was fully covered by his insurance. I was really puzzled by the big disparity when compared to my $26,000 bill. The main difference was that he had to wear a sling for 2 months after surgery while I was able to use my arm immediately after surgery. I guessed my operation was super high standard... oh well... no complaints.

Contacted my reservist unit that I would not be able to do my annual shoot and IPPT this year. They told me that I will be exempted from such activities but still do my reservist in August doing admin work... how nice... Will post a pic of my CBR later.

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ACCIDENT!!! HOSPITAL & HEALTH INSURANCE IN SINGAPORE

29/5/2016

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I am sad to report that I had experienced my first motorcycle accident about two weeks ago. Ironically, it happened along a stretch of road devoid of traffic as I wanted to avoid just that, traffic... I was riding my Honda CBR150R at around 50km/hr and was approaching a sharp S-bend... upon exiting the S-bend, managed to reduced speed to about 30km/hr but my bike was already too close to the grass curb on the left. My bike touched the wet grass and I instantly skidded to the ground on my right side.

Thankfully, I only skidded for about 3-5 metres due the slow speed but the fall was very hard and my right shoulder took the full brunt of the impact. As I came around, I felt a sharp pain on my right collarbone and realised that it could be a fracture. I also felt bruised around my hip area too but I was able to slowly stand up. There was no other visible injury as I was well covered in my riding gear - gloves, mesh jacket, riding shoes and full-frame helmet. Had I worn my riding pants, my hips would not have been bruised.

A good samaritan stopped his vehicle and helped me raise my bike up. He was about to give me a lift to the nearest hospital but the pain around my shoulders was excruciating when I was about to sit in his van. The driver was concerned that I could have suffered other injuries and urged that I call an ambulance-which I did. A short while later, I was transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. I later discovered that some riders would not call an ambulance as Traffic Police may fine the rider ($+demerit points). Well, considering the pain I was in and the "ulu-ness" of the accident location, calling for an ambulance was a good move.

Looking back, I was not really surprised about the accident, considering the location and timing of the accident. I shall not talk too much about it other than to continue advocating the importance of riding with proper gear as falling off a motorcycle is almost a certainty in Singapore. Had it not for the paddings on my mesh jacket, I would have suffered worse injuries. Damage to my bike was minimal but that was the least of my concerns.

Let me share a bit more on what happened AFTER i was transported to the hospital.

TAN TOCK SENG HOSPITAL (TTSH)

My experience at TTSH gave me a first hand experience of Singapore's so-called first class health system. If you want to skip my long story, I can give you one quick summary... you will only be given priority in a Government hospital if they think you are dying...

The hospital's A&E area was packed with patients and I wondered if their illness were serious enough for them to be there in the first place. Most of them were calmly lying on the beds while I was the only one reeling in pain. But I'd gave them the benefit of doubt as they may be seriously ill. After 2 hours upon arriving at TTSH, the A&E doctor showed my x-rays and confirmed that my right clavicle was fractured. As I was in a lot of pain when I moved around, I requested to be warded so I could see a specialist and get immediate treatment.

The doctor then told me that there was a severe bed crunch with a 32 HOURS wait for a bed! Even if I could get one, the orthopedic could only see me 4-5 days later. To my disbelief, the doctor advised me to go home and come back the following week. I found it hard to believe there were that many very sick patients or those with a pain level of 10. I asked the doctor of my other options and she couldn't give me one. As I have private medical insurance (PMI) with Great Eastern, I asked if I could be transferred to a private hospital. The Doctor told me the situation at private hospitals could be the same and discouraged me to go that route. I thought "Bullshit" and true enough after calling a few private hospitals, there were beds available. I requested to be discharged so I could go over to a private hospital --- on my own...

Total cost at TTSH = about $300 (with 7 copies of x-rays so I don't have to go through x-ray again)

I'm not going to give a bad review of TTSH. The hard working doctors and nurses are working at over-capacity. If you can afford it, go private, if you can't, pray that your illness is not so serious. Check out the link of how bad the bed situation is in Singapore: https://www.ttsh.com.sg/page.aspx?id=6105

RAFFLES HOSPITAL

4 hours after the accident, with a heavy dose of pain killers, I got discharged and took a cab to Raffles Hospital. Here's a timeline of my experience at Raffles Hospital:

11.30pm - left TTSH
11.50pm - arrived at Raffles Hospital
12.05am - triage
12.30am - warded (2-beded)
8.30am - met the orthopedic. I opted for surgery as my clavicle was fractured in 4 parts
5.00pm - got ready for surgery
6.00pm - in surgery
9.30pm - surgery successful and had my dinner
1.00pm (next day) - discharged with two weeks hospitalisation leave

Amazing right!!!??? I got treated and was home within 36 hours! The service at Raffles Hospital was top notch. Prompt service, close monitoring, yummy meals...

But wait!!! What's the cost like?

My medical bill came to a staggering S$26,000($30,000 after my last treatment in Oct. 99% reimbursed)!!! All paid upfront! Apparently, that's how medical insurance works in Singapore's private hospitals. Pay first, claim later... (afternote: some insurer will cover the deposit so know your plan well).

Thank God for the two hospitalisation plans that I took up 10 years ago... I hope to be able to claim at least 80% of the total costs.

So folks, even if you are not riding a motorcycle, it pays to have health or hospitalisation insurance, preferably one that covers private hospitals, as the bed crunch in government hospitals is real (ps: I'm not an insurance agent). It's really a sad situation whereby having $$$ really makes a whole world of difference in getting medical treatment. Mind you, I'm not a rich person, just one who has been saving a lot over the years...

The Medishield Life that our government has been pushing for the past few years is practically worthless as you can't secure a bed or get immediate treatment unless you are really dying... If not for my private health insurance, I would have to suffer for weeks. If I had little savings, I would be forced to take the non-surgery option, requiring me to be in a sling for 4-6 months... some people could be out of job if that happened... sigh... to my bikers readers, make sure you get a decent medical coverage. It's $30-$60 per month and should be the first type of insurance you should get before thinking about Life or investment-type of insurances. As my wise friend once said to me, $$$ can be earned back. Life cannot...

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Time flies!

21/4/2016

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What??? It's already 4 months into 2016???

Well, three major things have occured in my life recently- (1) the arrival of my 3rd child :D (2) getting posted to a new workplace to do a big project (3) getting promoted!

With new responsibilities, I have little time for everything else but I'm still into riding and will continue to cover more on my blog this year... I have spent a bomb on motorcycle gear, hanging out at BHH, Motoworld, Regina, and Dainese (JR). My standard riding gear is as follows:

a) Helmet - Shoei Neotec (super-duper comfy modular helmet)
b) Jacket - Dainese Chrono Tex (Black/Bronze)
c) Shoes - Gaerne
d) Pants - Resurgence (I don't wear it to work though)
e) Gloves - Alpinestars Scheme (Dry) Taichi Drymaster Blitz Protect (Rain)
f) Bag - Dainese D-Exchange Large

Oh... i also got myself a second bike in March! Yup! It's a 2-year old, good conditioned, Honda CBR 150R! I should have gotten the CBR as my first bike instead of the Bajaj... then again, the previous owner may have done something to the bike to make it a joy to ride. The clutch is light and the throttling is oh-so-smooth (not as powerful but can still reach the same top speed as the 200CC pulsar, if not faster). Despite being a sports bike, it's actually more comfortable to ride than the street bike! My 2A bike would most likely be the Yamaha YZF R3! Hehe... you can watch my ride on the Honda on my Youtube channel:

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Riding my Motorcycle to Johor Bahru (JB) from Singapore via Woodlands Checkpoint

27/12/2015

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My very first trip to JB on my motorbike and I had to be stuck on a strange traffic jam at the Woodlands Checkpoint...

I have been monitoring the traffic conditions at the Causeway this past few days which had been smooth going. I thought I satisfy my urge of going to JB on my bike on Sat, 26 Dec 2015 at 10pm... the plan was to get to JB and back to Singapore in 15-20 minutes but to my horror, I ended up in a one-hour traffic jam at the Singapore side... judging from the annoyed looks of the Malaysians, this jam was unusual...

I was feeling very anxious as this was the first time that I'm crossing the causeway on a motorbike so I wasn't mentally ready to attempt a ride with traffic that was wheel-to-wheel (as opposed to bumper-to-bumper). It had been barely two weeks since I had gotten my licence and I started to regret this late night escapade. I prayed that I could scrapped through the jam without making a fool of myself, or worse, getting hurt.

Anyway, I survived the thrilling journey. Here's a quick recap of my experience:

1) Ride to Woodlands Checkpoint via BKE
2) Motorbikes use left-most lane
3) If there is a jam at the viaduct (after the Woodlands Road exit), get ready for a 1 hour jam to Customs
4) In a jam, bikes will squeeze in the single lane, queuing in a row of 4-5 bikes abreast.
5) In a jam, most riders will turn off their engines and slowly straddle their bikes towards the Customs...
6) In a jam, keep to your lane... don't be a douchebag by cutting into another lane...
7) In a jam, you can remove your helmet and gloves... some even watch movies on their phones or read a book!
8) In a jam, you will get "high" due to breathing in exhaust fumes... (wear a mask if you like)
9) In a jam, take it easy... there'll bound be riders accidentally stepping on your shoes or hitting your bike mirrors

Finally, be wary of what's in FRONT of you... always be ready to start the bike and move off when the traffic starts to pick up... it was really a thrill to ride abreast with 3-4 other riders... just be ready to brake and clutch in... be SUPER ALERT with sudden braking of riders in FRONT of you... DON'T BOTHER about the bikes beside and behind you. Keep to your lane, follow the bike in front and ready to brake in an instant!

Once you're about to reach Singapore's Customs booth, start the bike engine, ready passport and remove helmet. Hand over passport to the immigration officer. Quickly put on your helmet after the officer has seen your face. Move off after getting back the passport. Check blindspots before moving off...

As I left the booth, I encountered countless humps so I kept my bike to 1st and 2nd gear... once on the causeway, I went at 70-80kph and kept to the left-most lane. 5 minutes later, I reached the Malaysian immigration booth. Handed over my passport, no need to remove helmet, and then moved off... Welcome to Malaysia!!!

Going back, I noticed large signs that said motorbikes are to use the designated entry point. Spent a few minutes finding it. I managed to find the lane and there was no fuss in clearing Malaysian immigration. Same thing, gave my passport to immigration officer (no need to remove helmet), and off I went.

On the causeway, keep to the left-most lane. Upon reaching the Singapore checkpoint, I saw two entrance, the right lane is for manual checking of passport, the left lane is auto-self checking. Since my passport bio-metric, I chose the auto-self checking. Simply scan passport and fingerprint.

Next is checking of vehicle by immigration officer. Need to remove helmet here. The officer waived me off without checking my bike. I then had to "skilfully" manoeuvre my bike over numerous humps and a short while later, I'm on the expressway... sigh... welcome to Singapore... hopefully, my 2nd trip to JB on my bike would not be as "exciting" as my first!

I've provided a link to another rider's video of going through the Woodlands Checkpoint (off-peak). It's pretty much the same thing except that ICA has opened up an extra lane.

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Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS (Fuel Injection) - Riding in Singapore

20/12/2015

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I've been spending the last 4 days riding my new motorcycle as much as I could! It's really a wonderful feeling riding my own bike on the roads of Singapore! I live very near to Seletar where there are long stretches of road with little traffic... not good for a newbie rider to hone his skills in riding around our congested traffic but great in getting to know the bike.

The Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS (Fuel Injection) is strangely available in several overseas market except for its main base in India. Reviews of the Carburettor version of the Pulsar were very positive. The bike was not in my shortlist at the beginning until a friend of mine introduced me to the brand and was surprised that its performance is on par with the more popular and expensive KTM Duke 200.

Riding on the Bajaj has been great fun thus far. I'm doing my best not to ride the bike too hard for the first 1000km. It didn't disappoint when I had to squeeze some power out of the bike to overtake quickly or get out of a tight spot. While the bike looks decent and masculine, the finishing isn't that great. However, I have to bear in mind that the actual cost of this bike is only $5800 (yes, it's considered affordable in Singapore), notwithstanding the stupid crazy $6500 COE or registration tax that we have to pay to the Singapore government. So I'm going to overlook the finishing aspects of the bike and admire the 4-stroke single cylinder engine.

I can't wait to go full throttle on the bike. The bike is able to sprint from 0-60km/hr in 6-7 seconds and cruise at 100-120kph without much effort. Below are some photos of the Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS.

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Buying Class 2B Bike in Singapore - Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 ???

11/12/2015

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I've been itching to go window shopping for a motorcycle after getting my Class 2B licence just 2 days ago... Alas, I got so much work to do and it was only today that I managed to sneak out of office an hour earlier on a pretext that I needed to send a big box to a vendor... well, I didn't say when but I plan to do it on Monday when I'm on leave so it's not that I'm cheating or anything :D

I've already shortlisted my bike based on strict conditions (and strong recommendations from my colleague)...

#1 - it has to be a street/naked bike (has to be upright)
#2 - it has to be brand new and looks good on me (I'm 5 foot 10 in and slim)
#3 - it should be 150cc to 200cc
#4 - it should cost between $12000 and $15000

My colleague, Joseph and I arrived at Jalan Bukit Merah at around 430pm. Joseph has a friend who runs a shop there so we dropped by the showroom to take a look at the bikes... actually, Joseph's friend is the distributor for Bajaj, a brand that I have never heard of until Joseph told me about it. All this while, I'm familiar with the Yamahas, Hondas, KTMs, and the usual European brands... so naturally, I was apprehensive about the Bajaj but after extensive research online, I've decided to give it a go. I've been eyeing on the KTM Duke 200 since day 1... I later discovered that it's built in one of Bajaj's factories so one of their newer models, the Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS and RS actually have similar engines to the KTMs! The biggest difference? The KTM Duke 200 costs almost $6000-$7000 more! As I intend to upgrade to a Class 2/2A bike, I decided to give the KTM a miss... furthermore, I tried the KTM and it felt a little small for me...

So I'm left with the Yamaha FZN 150 (version 2) and the Bajaj Pulsar NS 200. These two bikes were available at the showroom and the owner was kind enough to let me sit and try every bike, including 2 other bikes that caught my eye, the Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 and the Honda CBR 150.

Here's my take on each bike:

Yamaha FZN 150 - good riding posture. hard seat. good height. muscular and clean design.

Bajaj Pulsar NS 200 - large bike feel. good riding posture. good height.

Bajaj Pulsar RS 200 - most powerful bike out of the four... it is even larger than the NS! don't like the design... the stickers make the bike look too busy... handlebar looks strange too... it's a sports bike but has a more street bike riding posture... afterall, the RS is just a fully fairing version of the NS.

Honda CBR 150 - dunno why but I really love the looks of the Honda especially the red version... it has the same price as the Bajaj but not as powerful. The riding posture is not as low as I thought but... sigh... it's a sport bike and I'm not ready to ride on one as a newbie especially on Singapore roads... anyway... i hope to get the Kawasaki Ninja 400R once I get my 2A :)

In the end, I got the black Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS as it's the best value for money... the owner gave me a good deal, throwing in an engine guard, rain jacket and a centre stand for free. Also installed a Kappa 42 litres box. I paid the bike in full and will be able to collect on Wednesday!

I must say that choosing the Bajaj is based on me being sensible and the sum of all its parts. The 200 CC engine means that I have fully maxed out my licence... its horsepower and power to weight ratio is second only to the KTM Duke 200 which costs 50% more. It's also 60% more powerful than the Yamaha FZN which cost the same as the Bajaj. Looks wise, KTM is obviously the best looking bike IMO but way overpriced... 2nd would be the Yamaha and 3rd the Bajaj... the Pulsar doesn't look that bad and I hope it will grow on me eventually. I'm not too sure about the bike's reliability and maintenance. But Joseph has been going to the workshop for 20 years and the GM, Michael Tan, is a friendly bloke who also speaks good English. Sure that counts for something!

I really can't wait to try out the bike and would finally be able to put my GoPro Hero 4 to good use. I will provide more updates on my blog and YouTube channel soon! Stay tuned!

PM me if you want to know the price.

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Getting Class 2B Licence in Singapore: TP Motorcycle Test

9/12/2015

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Finally, the big day has arrived!!!

I woke up at around 530am after experiencing the usual nightmare of being late for the TP Test... it was raining the whole night so I felt relieved that it stopped by then.

I had a quick breakfast before heading out to CDC as I heard it'll be a long morning. There was a large group already assembled at the registration counter when I arrived at 7am.

A short while later, our instructors came along and requested for our NRIC and PDL for checking. I was given the number 13 (lol... lucky I'm not superstitious). There were a total of 51 testees (1st few first being foreigners, followed by Singaporeans, in order of seniority). Here was how the session went:

7.30am: We were given only one complete warm up around the circuit...

7.55am: We gathered at the training shed and were told to wait as our details were submitted to TP.

8.30am: We were given a full briefing by one of the instructors

9.00am: Wait for the TP Testers to come down

9.30am: TP Testers arrived... we gathered in the open, lining in rows of 5 (1-5; 6-10, 11-15, etc)

9.45am: The first 10 riders got to their bikes to begin the test

10.00am: I managed to get one of the best bikes in CDC (from what I heard)... i.e. Bike No. 72... and true enough, it was a good bike... smooth throttle... good braking... just have to be careful with bike going into neutral gear... happened to me twice...

a) Starting Point (wait for 1st Tester to wave at you to move off)...

b) Slope (no problem)

c) Figure 8 (gear stucked in neutral when going to 2nd gear but managed to recover and complete in time)

d) Crank Course (don't just exit as there will be bikes on both sides of the yellow box... practise safety first!

e) Plank (a bit shaky but survived! phew!)

f) Slalom (gear stucked in neutral again but managed to recover and completed safely)

g) E-Brake (no problem but exiting was a bit precarious as there were cars leaving CDC and blocking the exit lane... I'm thankful that one incoming car waved at me to go out first!)

h) Right Turn at Exit of CDC (lots of traffic. I was a bit too cautious... minus 2 points here for delay in moving off... better 2 points then immediate failure... Testee No. 14 overtook me at the stop line... (he failed though I'm not sure the turn he made was the cause of his failure...)

i) First Traffic Light Right Turn. I did ok here. I think I got minus 4 points for not checking blind spot before moving

j) Filter lane into Airport Road... timing was prefect as I had to stop first, blindspots check and move off. No problem.

k) U-turning... no problem too. Decided to let the big truck in the outer lane make the the right turn completely as I couldn't see incoming vehicle...

l) Right turn at Traffic Light to CDC... prefect timing again as traffic lights required us to stop first. Turned when green arrow lighted up

m) Left turn at Traffic Light to CDC... no problem

n) Left turn into CDC... no problem.. went slow here as there were many silly pedestrians crossing without due care

o) Returning back to the bike nursery... no problem... Again, don't rush in making the turn even if oncoming car is signalling to turn.

Passed my bike to the next rider. Told him it's a good bike (he passed). I then walked back to the registration counter feeling that I've given my best and the rest was up to God... by then, it's already 1030am.

A few of us waited downstairs chit chatting, waiting for the last rider to return before we go up to the 3rd floor for the debriefing and results... if your numbers are called by the instructors, it simply means that you've failed :(

11.15am... the first 3 numbers were called...16, 17, 18... then 48... then a few big numbers... then 14, 15... I started to feel good already as my group was 11 to 15... can't celebrate yet...

I can tell you the feeling was more nerve wrecking than doing your PSLE, GCE O/N/A examinations!!!

11.30am... by this time, about 20 of the 51 had left the room... after the last 2-3 numbers were called, instructors announced that we all passed! Yahoo!!! Cheers and claps all around!!! LoL!!!

Instructors then immediately made us watch a 10-minutes video of not taking our pass for granted... considering that accidents for bikers can be serious if not fatal...

After the video, we all stood up, raise our right hand and took the biker's pledge. Sounds lame but I'll do anything after passing...

We then received our official results (I got 14 demerit points) and handed over our booklet so that the instructor can scan and activate the booking for the Expressway Familiarisation Course.

You gotta wait for a short while to see all the slots being opened up. I almost logged off when I saw there wasn't a session in the afternoon. Glad that I managed to book on the same day so I need not take leave from work.

I came back later at 230pm to do the session. I will not spoil your experience by sharing with you the joy of riding on the expressway... but yeah... it was really fun :D

Don't forget to bring your Nets card + results + a passport photo + NRIC when applying for your licence at the Level 2 TP counter. I had to make a new one as my photo on my licence has faded. I'm more than happy to get a new one as it meant the SG50 logo will be on it!

So there you go folks!!! My 6 month journey of getting Class 2B Licence has officially ended!!! For a family and working guy like myself, it has been really exhausting and I thanked my wife for her support and taking care of the kids while I'm out having fun... errr... learning... hehehe... have arranged a special 5th wedding anniversary celebration for my wife and kids this weekend! Looking forward to a good rest!

Will share more about my experience of finding a Class 2B bike within the next few weeks!

Till then, safe riding and stay alive!

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About Me

Just your typical guy in his late-30s, married to a lovely wife + three small kids, living a life in tiny Singapore.

I'm not a professional reviewer but I do enjoy sharing things that are both good and bad.

As a lifestyle blogger, I practically cover anything that comes across my daily life. Hope you'd enjoy reading it!

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