2020 Malaysia Ride
It was a rather impromptu trip with my fellow Ducati Monster mate Arjun, around early February, when COVID-19 had already forced China into a lockdown and the first cases have arrived in Singapore and Malaysia. Working in healthcare meant that my leave was threatened to be cancelled everyday. Thankfully the situation was under control at that point (which it certainly isn’t now- mid April) and we managed to squeeze in a quick 4 days trip to Malaysia. Due to the limited time available I elected to focus on riding some of my favourite roads from last year's trip, around Cameron and Genting highlands.
Route Overview:
Trip itinerary:
Singapore - Cameron Highlands - Gua Musang - Genting Highlands - Sepang Circuit - Bukit Tinggi - Singapore
Useful information:
Tropical climate, hot and humid with regular scattered thunderstorms year-round.
Average daily temperature of 25-35C at sea level.
2 Monsoon seasons:
- Northeast monsoon affects east coast (Oct - Mar)
- Southwest monsoon affects west coast (to a lesser degree) (May - Sep)
Rains are usually heavy but brief (1 hour or less), and all underpasses on the highway have areas for riders to take cover and wait out the storm.
MYR 10 = USD 2.40 = EUR 2.10
Street food cost about RM5-6 per meal.
Restaurants cost about RM10-15 per meal.
Hotels cost about RM50-100 and above.
Road condition is generally average to good.
As with most of Southeast Asia, vehicles flashing their headlight are meant for you to get out of their way.
Interesting trivia that I just found out: the prefix of roads is specific for each state and is the same as the starting letter of the state's vehicle registration plate. For example road N32 at Negeri Sembilan becomes B32 once it crosses into Selangor, and cars from Negeri Sembilan have plates that starts with 'N' whereas cars from Selangor starts with 'B'.
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Day 1
It is the most unfortunate that Singapore does not have a quality bike rental company. The bikes for rent here are all at least 15-20 years old and poorly maintained, bought by the owners at scrap metal prices to be thoroughly abused in the final moments of their road legal life, before they face the certain scrapping once their ''COE'' runs out (the “Certificate of Entitlement”, a 5 or 10 years license to own a vehicle in Singapore- renewing it can cost as much as a used bike itself).
In the end I rented myself a KTM Duke 390 and Arjun got a Suzuki DRZ400SM. These 2 bikes are similar in many ways- single cylinder, 400cc, around 40hp & 150kg, yet they ride very differently. Whereas the KTM feels more advanced with its counterbalanced engine that is tuned for top end, the Suzuki felt decidedly old school with its distinct thumps & vibration. The KTM is also compact and small whereas the Suzuki, being a supermoto, is suspended high and feels like a larger bike due to its higher centre of gravity.
After meeting at my place in the early hours we rode straight to Tuas checkpoint and made our way across the border. Traffic was almost nonexistent and we cleared both customs promptly without trouble. At Gelang Patah Petronas petrol station we were shocked to discover Arjun’s front tyre had literally 0 psi of air pressure, the tyre valve was also shot and it was difficult to pump air into the tyre. Not surprising given the condition the bikes were in. In the end we figured out how to fill up the tyre and after checking that there’s no leak, we started our journey in earnest.
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| Arjun not impressed with his flat front tyre. |
Early morning ride is always pleasant in our tropical climate as this is when the air is cool and comfortable before the hot sun rises. The wind blast from cruising at 110-120km/h took some time to get used to but it wasn’t too tiresome given our modest cruising speed. About 135km after the previous fuel stop Arjun’s DRZ showed symptoms of low fuel level before cutting off completely. After fumbling around for some time only did we remember that it has a reserve tank- our first gen Ducati monsters of similar age do not have such lifesavers (I learned of it the hard way before). The bike then started immediately and we made it to the next petrol station for petrol and light breakfast.
Steadily we made our way up north, resting at Seremban R&R (Rest & relax stations- little pit stops along the North-South Expressway with toilets, eateries and often petrol stations) and skirting past the hot and crowded KL city centre to reach Tanjung Malik R&R. By this time the sun was already shining bright and weather was hot- ample of hydration & food is necessary to maintain concentration and avoid the deadly heat fatigue.
After one more rest stop at Tapah R&R, we headed up Cameron highlands via the narrow and twisty route 59 (Tapah old road). It started drizzling at the start of the climb and the road turned pretty damp, so we took our time and enjoyed the ride and the gradually falling temperature. Despite the slippery surface we did start to carefully explore lean angles on our bikes- the tight and twisty nature of the road is perfect for it.
We stayed at the clean and comfortable Sleepbox hotel where I stayed last time- still as pleasant as before for only MYR25/night.
Day 2
Today we tackle the great route 185 from Cameron highland to Gua Musang, and then ride down to experience riding heaven in the form of route 102 from Sungai Koyan back up to Cameron highlands, before heading down to stay at Bukit Tinggi
We started our journey around 8:30-9am after breakfast, continued north on route 59 past Brinchang township and joined route 185 towards Gua Musang. The first section of the road where we passed by Lojing viaduct (which is the second tallest bridge in Malaysia) was shrouded in thick fog. A few kilometres after as we descended below the cloud level the road immediately cleared up and the sun was out drying up the road.
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| Foggy morning ride. |
With the road dry C185 was simply glorious, with its never-ending string of high speed curves that continues all the way downhill. The tarmac was smooth with plenty of grip, wide runoff and no traffic too so we were encouraged to start pushing and have fun. It was an exciting run.
After Gua Musang we rode south towards the town of Sungai Koyan. I had previously thought that this section was just some mundane B roads but was pleasantly surprised to find a brand new highway: the R8 Gua Musang Expressway. It was fun having the road all to ourselves and exploring the top speed of our little 400cc bikes. At Sungai Koyan we were once again at the foothill of Cameron highlands. We first had some local Malay food before swapping bikes and rode uphill on the sublime C102 that connects to Ringlet.
Route 102 is similar to 185, but with even smoother tarmac, wider road, more gradual inclines, and better visibility through corners. And this perfection of a road continues for a good 60 kilometres. It was simply first-rate and felt almost meditative flowing through bends after bends. When we stopped at Cameron Water Dam just 20km out of Ringlet there were only huge grins on our faces. This is pure riding heaven.We then U-turned and sprinted back to Sungai Koyan for petrol and food, it was all big fun. This is a road that every motorcyclist here should visit. After Sungai Koyan we continued south towards Bentong and Bukit Tinggi. Passing by the congested towns of Raub and Bentong was hell when compared to the riding heaven we just experienced at 102, what a huge contrast.
After Bentong we joined the infamous Karak highway with its continuous high speed sweepers (120km/h and above). Karak is the stuff of legends where local riders and drivers alike go to "test their vehicles". Search for it on Youtube and you will see plenty of videos that are excellent examples of 'dangerous riding' lol.
After putting our luggage at my house near Kampung Bukit Tinggi we headed to the ever popular Genting Highlands with its huge sprawling entertainment complex. The road there was tighter than Cameron Highlands', with hairpin curves and steep gradients. The road though 3-lane-wide and fenced was bumpier and with more traffic. It was nevertheless quite enjoyable still and we climbed all the way to its peak at 1,865m. At the peak it was drizzling, foggy and cold. Took us awhile to find Sky Avenue entertainment/casino complex's multistory carpark and it was covered in thick fog, which felt dreamy in tropical Malaysia.
We walked around the mall and had dinner there before heading back down. By then thick fog had rolled in and visibility was about 3 metres tops. The thick fog, drizzle, wet surface and steep hairpins were reminiscent of my recent Vietnam ride when I rode in similar conditions at Quan Ba Heaven Gate Pass and crashed. After descending below the clouds though the road became dry and was well illuminated. We rode uneventfully back to our accommodation.
Day 3
Today I planned to ride the fantastic Bukit Tinggi hill climb then head towards Kuala Klawang route 32 before going to Sepang racetrack to catch the MotoGP winter test.
Bukit Tinggi hill climb as it should be called is a 8.5km long stretch of well-paved, twisty, car-free road that winds its way up to Bukit Tinggi hilltop. It is generally safe as the speed is not too high, and lean angle can be more safely explored here. The radius of the curves are tighter and more technical than Cameron or Genting highlands', which means you can even knee down at semi-sensible speeds.
Arjun and I were prodding the limits and we managed to scrub off all of our chicken strips on these cheapo rental bikes. There were a few groups of local sportbike riders here too and everyone was having immense fun. We swapped bikes and did another climb and visited the hilltop temple of the four-face Buddha to pray for a safe journey ahead.
Our aim was to head towards Sepang circuit via a loop past the fantastic route 32 near Kuala Klawang. However a moment of blunder brought us way east to Temerloh which is about one third of the way to east coast. I opened google map which then directed us into some palm tree plantation with unpaved road. We decided to just U-turn all the way back and take the most direct road there.
We cut through some annoyingly heavy traffic at KL City and proceeded southwards towards Sepang. We finally reached the circuit around 4:30pm. Even before parking our bikes we could hear the roar of the prototype machines powering down the back and front straights. It was very loud and became deafening as we approached the grandstand. Earplugs are a must here if you want to protect your hearing.
It was quite an experience seeing the MotoGP guys hard at work flying around the racetrack. We saw the Marquez brothers in formation shadowing each other, Crutchlow lifting his front wheel when powering down the back straight, Zarco getting to grips with the Ducati GP19, Aleix on the all new Aprilia bike, and Vinales, Quartarato, Dovi, Miller... etc. It was sensational to just be there to watch our heroes riding, and to listen to the thunder of the prototype machines. As a spectator it was impossible to tell who's better because even Tito Rabat and Sylvain Guintoli looked mighty fast and skilled- which no doubt they are. Near the end of the session Rossi gave us a nice long wheelie down the front straight. What an experience.
Before heading back we sneaked into an empty parking lot of the track (by tilting our bikes to go past a low barrier) and had some fun doing wheelies and burnouts. When riding back Kampung Bukit Tinggi I shadowed Arjun as his rear light was not working. It was a great day.
Day 4
Today we decided to ride the Bukit Tinggi hill climb again before heading back to Singapore. It turned out to be a bad decision...
We did 2 runs again like yesterday, and pushed the limits even further. I could feel my rear stepping out slightly during one of the downhill run and scrapped my boots many times (didn't wear a slider though). There were more weekend warriors today however traffic was still non-existent. It was all bloody good fun and we were absolutely thrilled. What an end to our perfect riding trip.
However, disaster struck during the very last downhill run. For some reason things always happen during the final run- it's something that I'll keep in mind from now on. On one fateful left-hand corner, Arjun went wide and crashed. Thankfully he was ok, however his bike hit a rock when sliding, cracking its alternator cover and engine oil was leaking out. The handlebar clamp was broken too and the bike wouldn't start. With the help of my cousin who stays in KL we called for towing which cost dearly.
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| I paid for the whole tyre so I'm going to use the whole tyre |
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| Huge ass nail |
When loading up our bikes I noticed that my rear tyre was punctured by a nail- and what a huge nail it was. I still wonder when I hit it and whether I really pushed the bike to its limits all along with a punctured rear tyre because it could've ended really badly...
In the end we reached Singapore around 8:30pm and I returned my bike uneventfully. Arjun however was charged an exorbitant amount of money for what is essentially minor repairs. Suffice to say the next time we'll definitely be riding our own bikes to Malaysia instead.
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Overall I'd say that it was truly fantastic short ride. The roads around Cameron highlands were simply marvelous, Bukit Tinggi hill climb was equally fantastic as always, whereas Karak highway has always offered adrenaline-filled rides.
For Arjun though the experience was more bittersweet, however as the saying goes if a problem can be fixed with money then you don't really have a problem. Afterall it's the good times that will be remembered most- I'm sure years later we will be remembering the time we sprinted down route 102 and Bukit Tinggi hill course instead of the crash.
As of writing (May 2020) most of the world is still in lockdown, including Malaysia and Singapore. I can't wait for the day when the borders reopen as I'm itching to bring my new ride to Malaysia 'for testing' as they say...
LY
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