My 2018 - This is my Hobby: Riding to Feel Free

My Ride

My love affair with motorcycles started way back 2007, when my father purchased a motorcycle as a transportation service for his small lending business. It was a silver and a semi-automatic. Now, I have always loved bicycles; but motorcycle was becoming the fastest growing trend back in the days and upon seeing my father's motorcycle, I could not help but borrow and try driving from time to time. On the same year, I bought the same model for myself: a white Honda Wave 125cc.

Meet Shinichi, which means first born. Obviously, my then girlfriend @essiehime named it because of the Japanese meaning and her favorite anime character: Shinichi Kudo from Detective Conan.

At first, I liked how convenient it was having a ride to get me to and from work and school. Being a working student, I need a ride to make my trip faster and with ease. However, it grew on me. I now enjoy driving that I almost want to travel using my bike wherever I go.

From Cons to Pros

They say that no matter how careful of a driver you are, motorcycles are accidents waiting to happen. During a rainy night in my 2nd year of driving Shinichi, I didn't notice the stop light at the intersection turn red so I had to press the breaks real hard. Since it was very slippery, my rear brake failed to kick in which sent me flying 2-3 meters off my bike. Luckily, I didn't have any major injury. It was in the middle of the night so there were only one or two vehicles passing which slowed down when they saw me. I am truly grateful that the only things that were crushed were my newly purchased phone and my ego.

The accident caused trauma. I left Shinichi at home. I even planned to return it to the motorcycle dealer however after a week or two, I suddenly missed the feeling of riding, of being free on the road. So I went back and tried again. This time, I became more cautious and conscious, every moment I felt something was wrong with Shinichi, I immediately replaced it and had it fixed.

The accident did not stop me from riding. The drive between school and work gave me a moment of peace. The wind that touches my skin, the bright of the sun that shines on my face, gave me a moment to think and contemplate. The freedom from waiting in line to get to the bus or jeepney. The feeling that I am not caged just like in a car, and that feeling that I can get anywhere I want at any time {as long as the time permits}.

For 10 good years, Shinichi stuck with me through high and low roads.

My Journey and Learning

Since I started riding when I was still a working student, my fund was not enough to ask for a mechanic every time I need it, so I taught myself to do things on my own.

Maintenance such as change oil and tune-up is the most expensive one. So I learned everything, from the importance of every part of my bike up to the viscosity of an oil for my engine. Through asking questions to my mechanic, reading materials online and watching youtube, I absorbed everything quickly. It does make a difference when you really like what you are studying about. (If only all subjects back then were about motorcycles).

Within a year, I learned to change my own engine oil, clean my carburetor and air filter, adjust camshaft, and even replacing breaks. Since I learned to do these things, I fell more in love with my Shinichi. The feeling of assurance that after setting the mood of the bike, my ride will be safe and sound.

Driving a motorcycle could be dangerous from a point of view of some. Seeing news about motorcycle accidents, even seeing it live on the street is really scary. But for me, it is all the moment of being alone that I love. In every ride, I get the feeling of being a bird soaring the sky. Having two wheels, balancing and banking in every corner, I fly. In motorcycles, it's like I am talking to our nature especially those long rides. It's like Mother nature is hugging me and keeping me safe at all times.

Driving a motorcycle has become my hobby. In every moment that I am stressed and sad, I'll just grab my keys, start my engine and drive. Don't get me wrong, I don't drive 120 km/hr, maybe the fastest I could go is 100km/hr. Given the right equipment and safe place to practice, maybe I could try racing but until then I refuse to jam my motorbike between cars while on the road. The hell if other motorcycles are fast and feeding me dust, at least I am safe.

I don't race in a small road, but every time I have a chance driving on a bigger road, I try hitting 100 km/hr. But on my own alone. No race. Purely love for driving. Whenever I encounter someone revving on the red light, I don't respond. And when the green light's on, I let them go first. So what if I can't tail them, I love my life more than my ego.

After 10 years, I felt like my bike became too small for me, (I, eherm, became, eherm, bigger) so I thought about getting a car to be my service to work instead. I tried, and I even test drove some but there was really something wrong and missing. I couldn't feel the vibe, literally and figuratively. In the end, I let go my Shinichi to friend and got my Ronda.

I actually planned to purchase a 400cc one but since I am new to full manual drive, I brought home a Bajaj Rouser NS150 and named it Ronda because of my new bike's model is Rouser. Go figure. LOL!

I now have a new ride which is exactly 10 months old as of this writing. Ronda gave me new experiences. Having a 150cc engine. the torque is much bigger and stronger. I struggled during our first week together because I have yet to get accustomed to manual driving. The clutch gave me headache, and most of the time a dead engine in the middle of the road. For 10 years in my old bike, I was just pressing a throttle, shift gear without clutch and break so this is really new to my reflex. Thankfully, after just one month, the ride became smoother.

This is where the fun begins again. Since the engine set up of this bike is different from my first one and much more complicated, I went back to a motorcycle shop services and started learning all over.

I mentioned that Ronda gave me a new experience, Yes! with its size and torque, I can now drive even up to 140 km/hr. Never tried though, and still no race but this time I met a group of riders that travel out of town. I joined their group, and over the last month, I had my first ride with them. We drove for 6 hours and toured around the province of Bulacan, Philippines.

It was a great experience but admitedly, my back pain stayed for 2 days. Still I enjoyed and had fun on the ride. Aside from meeting people, we drove on the road where trees were the only shades. Green rice fields left and right and carabaos mooing somewhere. I felt again the gentle hug of mother nature.

I really love driving a motorcycle. With my current position at work, I needed an outlet where I can destress and contemplate. This is also the reason why I started my series here in Steemit.

Hopefully, next time, I get to own a Kawazaki Z650 for a new experience.

So, see you on our next ride!

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This is my entry to @anomadsoul's CONTEST: My 2018 - This is my Hobby | 100 SBD in Prizes!, and this is my hobby.

Thank you again for this opportunity @anomadsoul and @blocktrades for sponsoring the contest. More power to both of you.

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Thank You!

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