Motorcycle Journeys

I wish I had the balls to ride a motor bike/ scooter here, but I don't. Seen too many carcasses on and beside the road. And been hit by some chick on her scooter while riding my bike around this small town. Lucky for me she came off second best.
 
nosox said:
I wish I had the balls to ride a motor bike/ scooter here, but I don't. Seen too many carcasses on and beside the road. And been hit by some chick on her scooter while riding my bike around this small town. Lucky for me she came off second best.
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Quite right too. I had been riding scooters for over a decade in the UK before I came to Indonesia, I did thousands of miles scooting up and down the country and I hold a full bike license. If on the other hand, like so many expats, I hadn't had any experience of riding bikes before I came here I don't think this would be a good place to learn. My own bike experience gained in the UK has saved me from serious injury on more than a few occasions.

On a side note: I read recently that due to the high accident rate among young Aussie tourists here in Bali, travel insurance companies have stated they will not cover them against serious injury or medivac if they -

Ride without a helmet
Ride whilst not wearing adequate protective clothing
Ride whilst drunk or wasted on drugs
Ride without holding an Australian motorcycle license that would entitle them to ride a similar motorcycle in Australia.

If I am not wrong these insurance company decrees are all ready in place, obviously these young kids in Bali either haven't read the small print or adopt the attitude (as we all did at their age) it wont happen to me ill be alright. Given the numbers you still see riding round on scooters without a helmet, or a shirt, half pissed, and obviously lacking any motorcycle experience.
 
A recent conversation with a young woman here with the Peace Corps reveals shes not allowed to ride a scooter AT ALL, and no bicycle riding without a helmet.
I also rode in Canada for quite a few years, still not prepared to do it here
 
Scooterindo said:
Quite right too. I had been riding scooters for over a decade in the UK before I came to Indonesia, I did thousands of miles scooting up and down the country and I hold a full bike license. If on the other hand, like so many expats, I hadn't had any experience of riding bikes before I came here I don't think this would be a good place to learn. My own bike experience gained in the UK has saved me from serious injury on more than a few occasions.
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I only ride motors here but have to admit, without previous experience I think I would be walking or taking a taxi everywhere. My experience was always bigger bikes, 650 and up but the experience is still a lifesaver. I drive totally defensively. I trust no one on a motor or Mobil to do the proper thing. My sight of what's going on starts 100 meters ahead of me and fortunately, I have peripheral vision. I know how to use my mirrors and know what to do in case of trouble to keep me and my wife if with me at a lessor risk of serious injury. I have no qualms pointing my finger towards someones eyes who is trying to to cut me off in traffic. I like to stare right into the eyes of drivers being assholes too. They are not used to that what so ever and most just stop abruptly. Compared to the majority on Indonesian roads I am a man mountain on the road. So, I get noticed. I make sure I get noticed just in case. I am in all likelihood the Mad Bule on the streets of Bandar Lampung. I may drive and jockey like Indonesian drivers but I think I come into it much better prepared from my earlier experiences.

Of course, if in Jakarta, I am renting a car and driver or calling Grab or something.
 
Weeelll... the time is almost here. I fly out from Yangon for Jakarta tomorrow afternoon and will be on the road to Bogor by Tuesday. I'm very excited to get back to the island I last visited in 1991.

Another question. I'm packing just a medium sized backpack for the two week trip. I really don't want to bring a light jacket if I'm not going to need it. As you saw in the itinerary in the OP, I will be motoring through the Dieng Plateau... the hills of Jawa Barat.... on some early mornings, I'm anticipating. I'm pretty good with the cold though; I have layers of natural insulation.

Jacket... pack it or leave it?
 
Pack yr jacket it's rainy wheather on Java and the weather forecast don't look to good for the coming days.
 
I ain't leaving Jakarta without a good tas hujan... I suppose that's good for the cold too.
 
There is not a day that I don't see an accident involving a motorcycle. There are probably millions in the DKI alone so the chance they are involved is big.


And on Bali; hey you're young so you think you're invincible anyway, right?
 
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Well, the great motorcycle journey isn't starting off too well.

Didn't get into my hotel room until 11:30 PM last night because of confusion over which kounter Informasi I was supposed to wait by. It was odd being at Terminal 1 at CGK though. That little semicircle where the pickups happen looks a lot different than it did in 1986, but it's still the same basic structure.

This morning, armed with the names and phone numbers of six different motorbike rental shops, my plan was to secure a bike quickly, motor up to Bogor by the afternoon and see the famous Botanical Gardens. Instead, I'm sitting at a warung kopi in JakBar preparing to spend another night here in town.

Of the 6 numbers, two didn't work at all. Two rang and rang and didn't pick up. One guy wouldn't have a bike available until tomorrow, and that one fully automatis at that. Finally got through to one guy who wanted to bring the bike to me. I didn't like that, wanting to see the machine before anything. So I asked if I could meet him at his shop which I knew was at a place called Apartment City Park in Cengkareng, JakBar. He said give him 15 minutes to get there. I was was out in Tangerang still, so I knew it wouldn't be a big deal. I SMSd him from the taxi when we got stuck in traffic. It ended up taking 90 minutes to get from Tangerand to Cengkareng, and the guy had turned off his phone. Then it rang, but he didn't pick up. I tried again and again, sending pleading SMSs... no response. What kind of business is this?

Back to square one. I figured out that the couple of numbers that didn't work were because they were SMS or WhatApp only numbers. I've sent messages. No responses. I need to get back in touch with the guy who had the bike for tomorrow because that's what it likes like I'll be going with.

Off to the Aston Cengkareng. I forfeit the money I paid for my reservation in Bogor this evening. My schedule is all messed up now. Skipping Bogor and going straigh to Pantai Carita tomorrow.

I hope.

At least Cengkareng is an odd little armpit of Jakarta. It's a weird mix of old and new. Massive condo complexes constructed to look like old colonial architecture. Big wide roads with canals running through their mediums that actually don't smell nearly as bad as they did 30 years ago nor as they still do in Yangon.

Maybe now that I'm in the DKI, at least I can get a beer. No place around the Tangerang hotel had any.

Anyone have any idea what to do in Cengkareng?


Oh, PS, as I was sitting here typing this, a motorcycle wiped out on the road in front of me.
 
Joko said:
Back to square one. I figured out that the couple of numbers that didn't work were because they were SMS or WhatApp only numbers. I've sent messages. No responses. I need to get back in touch with the guy who had the bike for tomorrow because that's what it likes like I'll be going with.
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Do the numbers start with something like 021 or are they 08xx-xxxx ? Because what you say is very unlikely; I don't know anyone using his cell phone number for WA or SMS only.

Maybe now that I'm in the DKI, at least I can get a beer. No place around the Tangerang hotel had any.

Anyone have any idea what to do in Cengkareng?
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Not too far from the airport is a (rather) new mall on your right side. If you are willing to take an Uber car or taxi, I would suggest Central Park mall. It is not too far, still on the west of Jakarta. There are some nice restaurants and bars and you can sit outside with a beer etc. (All Chinese.)

Good luck.
 
Ahhh Joko... I am so sorry but your post made me laugh.

As FP says - Welcome [back] to Indonesia

Go buy yourself a fuckit bucket you will need one - it is a useful vessel to dump in all expectations on entry to RI :)
If it all goes tits up- grab a ride to Bandung and you can borrow my scooter :)
 
jstar said:
Do the numbers start with something like 021 or are they 08xx-xxxx ? Because what you say is very unlikely; I don't know anyone using his cell phone number for WA or SMS only.



Not too far from the airport is a (rather) new mall on your right side. If you are willing to take an Uber car or taxi, I would suggest Central Park mall. It is not too far, still on the west of Jakarta. There are some nice restaurants and bars and you can sit outside with a beer etc. (All Chinese.)

Good luck.
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Yes, I've got numbers that start with both those digits... The 021 numbers didn't pick up. Those are landlines I'm guessing?

Anyways, I called back the guy who said tomorrow. He's bringing by a fully automatic scooter tomorrow... ugh.

Cengkareng is chock full of massage places and karaoke bars. A place right across the street has a banner offering a 90 minute massage WITH lunch and dinner.... for only 100 ribu... Lunch AND dinner? I don't think I'd want to hang around that long. It also has a completely opaque glass door and no windows... Hmmm... I wonder if I'm going to be offered a happy ending.
 
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Joko said:
Yes, I've got numbers that start with both those digits... The 021 numbers didn't pick up. Those are landlines I'm guessing?

Anyways, I called back the guy who said tomorrow. He's bringing by a fully automatic scooter tomorrow... ugh.

Cengkareng is chock full of massage places and karaoke bars. A place right across the street has a banner offering a 90 minute massage WITH lunch and dinner.... for only 100 ribu... Lunch AND dinner? I don't think I'd want to hang around that long. It also has a completely opaque glass door and no windows... Hmmm... I wonder if I'm going to offer me a happy ending.
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Try to stay positive, the main thing is to enjoy the journey.
PS- an auto scooter rents out for about 20k a day in Bandung.
 
Love the video, I hope you can continue your journey without too much hassle.
& How lovely to meet up with a childhood friend :)
 
Scooterindo said:
Completely wrong on so many levels
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..,and what levels may they be ?

.., so apart from Jakarta toll roads, AFAIK there is no restriction on bikes using them, especially in Bali .
As for the rest of my bike comment and your opinion they are wrong on 'so many levels' - to me that sounds like just your opinion , as I have mine , please explain ?

.., Before living in Indonesia full time, I did rent scooters for months and months at a time for well over a 10 years period with the latter part finally settling on the Yamaha Jupiters over the auto scooters , ie; until I finally made the full time move here and then I purchased a Yamaha Scorpio 225cc ..., That was 10 years ago now that Ive been riding that 225cc Scorpio full time ever since.

Not once ever - have I ever felt, nor been disadvantaged due it its larger size over a scooter, but I have been 'advantaged millions of times over and over by the added power. I can guarantee It will go anywhere a scooter can 'and more' , plus do it more safety and with more control due to its taller seating position and better handling and stability.

Also faster YES .., but not from sheer speed (although it much faster than a scooter) , but faster as in your overall journey and comfort from doing that quick overtake , and spotting and getting through the gaps with a quick throttle twist being the difference where a scooter just cannot compete - that leaves all the scooters still stuck in the pack and struggling not to rub handlebars with each other .

I still stand by my original comment 100% even without bringing up those hills and mountainous roads or the extra load carrying capacity (whether it be surfboards, Travel bags, Givi Boxes, panniers , groceries or rear passengers)
 
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I suppose its not really a journey yet as I was still stuck in Jakarta during the events of this self-depracating blog and video...

My Indonesian Family

As for this moment, I'm getting back under the covers. It's freezing here in Dieng!
 
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