Not So Much What I Wanted, But More As To What Is Available.

[Bruce]

OK, I will admit that I have a boney ass. Fat belly... but boney ass. I had been riding on a Yamaha Sniper 135cc LC 4 valve automatic 4 speed bike. DId OK for me around town and I did put over 10,000 km on it over the past few trips. But the seat is narrow and HARD especially on those trips out of town.  

 

I wanted to do some more longer range traveling and I really was having trouble after about an hour riding on that seat. So I needed something more comfortable.

 

I looked at the Kawaski 220 Rouser, the Honda 150 Supremeo (a sporty version of the 155cc TMX) and this Yamaha 153 cc SZ 16. Between the 3, the Yamaha had the more comfortable seat. All are 5 spd manual clutch and all were priced about 64,000 to 68,000 pesos. The Yamaha was 66,000 pesos and I paid 7,000p down with 6 month financing so I can get back to the US and then send over a few payments to pay it off. This way it is not a huge dent in my current budget. I do not like the gas tank style, but I had no choice as I was buying the seat for 66,000p!

 

I added a Chinese made trunk on a custom mount, custom crash bars (crash guard locally) made from regular steel as stainless steel tends to break and rip into jagged edges, and a custom holster for my trusty 12,000p umbrella which has lasted me for 4 years here. And finished it off with having the mirrors cut and extended 2" (50mm here).

 

And to answer your first question as to WHY anyone would have a 12,000p umbrella..... It is a unbreakable carbon shaft... with a custom 1 5/8" steel trailer ball added into the end of the reinforced handle. Why a steel trailer ball? :thumbsup: Well, I will let Bob tell you about the physics involved in cracking a sterum......    

 

The only issue is that the dealer is unable to come up with proper paperwork for the LTO to isssue a tag. Which is no problem here, but I want to travel and that could be an issue. But in town, a simple FOR REGISTRATION tag, hand made is OK, will work for the life of the bike because the pulis... don't care.... I googled the dealer and the tag paperwork issue and found a few other people complaining about taking 4 months to provide the proper paperwork for the tag. I think, but I am not positive, that the dealer gets the bikes on credit in a 'group', and then the manufacturers hold the paperwork until that 'group' of bikes is paid for.

 

As for the Mini Bike, it was the one I bought used in the US and then cut into pieces and shipped over in a balikbayan box. I also sent a steel rod with instructions to cut the rod to size and insert into the tubular frame and weld back together.

 

The kids have a blast with it. 10 yr old boys driving all over town and at night too with NO LIGHT but a flash light and the pulis have not said a word. But it costs me 100p in gas every 2-3 days!  

 

Edited April 13, 2013 by Bruce

[i am bob]

Nice bike!  

 

But I gotta ask...  If your biggest complaint with the smaller bike was the seat, why didn't you just get a better seat made for it?

 

And, ahem, in regard to the physics involved in cracking a subject's sternum, you would be looking at the OW factor...  And that does not refer to just the subject's OW I"M IN PAIN aspect but rather "Optimum Whacking" factor which leads to said subject's OW I'M IN PAIN...

 

:mocking:

[Bruce]

Well I thought about the seat and did try several cushions but it really just made me sit higher and then high center of gravity was an issue. So rather than keep experimenting, I just started to look at other bikes. Also while the Sniper is a 135 and the new bike is 153, only 18cc difference, but also the new bike is a larger frame and more heavy duty. Samar is very hilly. Riding from Tacloban to Calbayog is about 110 miles. In the 110 miles there are maybe 5 stretches of road that are straight for 300 meters. Other than that, it is up and down and curves and more curves. While the Sniper can do it, the new bike does it with much more ease up the hills.

 

Too bad I can not get my Suzuki 400cc Burgman here! That is great comfort and at 500 pounds, still manageable for my old tired skinny arms. :hystery:

[robert k]

Bruce, the Burgman/barkalounger would probably make it too comfortable. :no:  Browsing some of the adds some 200cc to 250cc SYM scooters can be had but even used they sound relatively expensive. :th_unfair:

[Bruce]

Bruce, the Burgman/barkalounger would probably make it too comfortable. :no:  Browsing some of the adds some 200cc to 250cc SYM scooters can be had but even used they sound relatively expensive. :th_unfair:

 

I have seen a fer CHinese copies of the Burgman. Not a great fan of the Chinese except the women. I now have 3300 kilometers on this new bike. Carb issues in that it stalls out many times at low speeds when changing from 1st to 2nd or when in traffic and engaging the clutch. The dealer's half trained monkeys can't seem to grasp that the idle is set too low and the carb is not catching itself when the throttle is closed.

 

Also the safety feature to stop the starter from working when in gear unless the clutch handle is pulled in failed. Again the service monkey, after seeing me show in, in detail, that is is IN gear, and the clutch handle is pulled IN all the way, the starter is dead when the button is pushed.

 

He tried to tell me that it is 'designed' this way. I called him a liar which suprised him, and then I manually pulled on the electric wire cable that is going into the clutch handle along side the wire cable that goes down to the clutch. I managed to repoisition it and then the started would work when in gear and the clutch handle was pulled in. He did not know what to say......

 

The staff at the dealership are similar to the wait staff at the local restaurants. The lights may be on but no one is home. No deductive reasoning. I do see why many of us 'foreigners' get angry. I have been riding 40 years. I may not be able to speak the local language but I certainly know the mechanics of a motorcycle, but locally, I am viewed as the incompetent as I am not 'used' to riding a motorcycle built in the Philippines (this one is built in India.... again they do not know what to say).