PETALING JAYA: The likelihood of accidents are high when there is reckless behaviour on the road, and unfortunately, bad attitude abounds on Malaysian roads.
This is the opinion of seasoned motorcyclists such as the president of Harley Motorcycles Owner’s Group (HOG) Malaysia Chapter, Choo Kai Mun.
“The club emphasises safe riding in a convoy and discipline on the road. When we ride in a convoy, we have road marshals whereas other super bikers ride as they please,” said Choo, 53, who also owns a Honda Gold Wing other than a Harley after riding for 19 years.
“I feel a majority of super bikers here have no discipline. When we’re riding in a (Harley) convoy, they cut in and out, and purposely speed to show off.
“It just comes off as bad attitude to us (Harley owners),” he said, adding that newer Harley riders are sometimes rattled by these unwanted intrusions into their convoy.
Choo, who happened to be riding in a Harley convoy on Sunday, said his convoy had a close encounter with some motorcyclists in the other convoy which saw a few of its members involved in Sunday’s crash on the Karak Highway.
Super Bikers Club (SBCM) Malaysia president Che Wan Mohamed Azuar Wan Daud said that younger motorcyclists had a tendency to show off, even when they were unable to control their rides well.
“Younger bikers try to outdo each other, while older bikers are more serious – we observe etiquette and we know our speed,” said Wan Azuar, 51, who added that the Karak Highway was not a safe place to speed.
For Datuk Borhanuddin Osman, ending up in coma after a motorcycling accident in 1972 did not stop him from resuming riding 38 years later.
“My wife is very concerned about my safety, so when I bought my latest bike I had to hide it for a while,” laughed the 59-year-old, adding that he started riding again in 2010.
Borhanuddin bought his first bike at 17.
He said that while most people like to ride in “clans” of bikers, he preferred riding with a few friends or just by himself.
“I think we’re more careful and we ride at our own pace. I think as a group we know ourselves well enough to know our limits,” he said.
Another big bike rider Low Boon Tat, 45, said many younger riders had a poor attitude towards road safety and courtesy.
“Many like to chase each other and show off,” he said.
– The Star
