SINGAPORE SLINGSHOTS
Camandthecashed-upcowboyswenthardafterdark
Cam Donald
Fast Lane
C
lassic Groff’s
column about his
time in Singapore
two editions ago
triggered a flood of
memories from when I was
based there while racing.
Contrary to his
observations, there actually
is a thriving sportsbike
scene in the port city,
but it’s not easy to find,
and most visitors will see
little opportunity to ride
anything besides a small
commuter bike.
My first sponsor while
racing in Asia, and good
friend, Joe Lee had a bike
shop that specialised in
performance parts and
accessories. I worked there
between race weekends,
picking up or delivering
parts and, literally, being
the tea boy (they drink A
LOT of tea).
Joe’s shop was a hub for
local sportsbike riders to
gather, and I was always
blown away by the big-
dollar bolt-on parts fitted
to their bikes. We’re talking
the latest R1s, GSX-R1000s
and ZX-10Rs ridden daily
with BST carbon-fibre
wheels, Ohlins suspension
front and rear and race-spec
radial-mounted Brembo
braking systems that were
light years ahead of regular
stuff at the time. In fact, it
wasn’t uncommon to see
bikes fitted with bolt-on
parts more expensive than
the bike itself!
I was accustomed to
Australia where most new
supersport bikes have a
slip-on muffler fitted to
extract some extra decibels,
but little else in the way
of modifications. The
irony in Singapore was
that, due to strict noise
emission regulations, they
all retained the standard
exhaust system!
Being immersed in the
scene through the bike shop
meant I quickly learned
how to get the most out
of a sportsbike, finances
permitting. During the day,
a sportsbike was a status
symbol to commute on, or
ridden to beat the crowded
city streets. Once the sun
had set, however, the real
fun would start. Joe’s shoptypically closed late, 9pm
the earliest, but it was often
10pm before tools were
down. The lads would then
meet up for a late supper
and plan their ride. The
arterials would thin out
around midnight, so this
was the time to get going.
Riding in the hills after
dark in Australia is like
playing Russian Roulette- it’s only a matter of time
before you hit wildlife. In
Singapore, the best roads
are ridden under the cover
of darkness.
I’d tag along as the group
zigged zagged between
the major arterials before
sidetracking onto twisty
link roads. Larger business
blocks and industrial areas
also held some surprisingly
fun sections of road. These
short and sweet sections
would be deserted in
the middle of the night,
allowing us to hoon to
our hearts content. Road
conditions are superb, with
the surface as smooth as
most racetracks.
Another bonus of night
riding was the cooler
conditions, which starkly
contrasted with the day’s
tropical clamminess. Shorts
and t-shirts were swapped
for jeans and vented jackets
for a bit more protection.
As much as we all wished
for louder exhausts, the fact
we weren’t making much
noise could be why we
rarely attracted attention
from local law enforcement.
Singapore is often seen as
being a strictly policed city
but, to be honest, compared
with Australia, it’s not so
bad. Their speed camera
tolerances and fines aren’t
nearly as harsh as ours.
While visiting Joe’s
shop last year, I found
the local scene still going
strong, but the fitting of
big-dollar bolt-on parts
isn’t quite as popular. The
ever-improving quality of
standard components is a
big reason for that.
If only I was in town when
Groff visited. I could’ve
borrowed some bikes and
taken him out on a ride. I
can imagine the locals still
talking about Cam’s mate,
the whitewizard.I t wasn’t uncommon to see bikes
fitted with bolt-on parts more
expensive than the bike itselfMOTORCYCLE TRADER 125