Thu, 21 Dec 2000 14:27:26 -0000
From: simon @ millennium-ride.com
To: sponsors @ millennium-ride.com

2k/11/11
Blues in the Bush

2k/10/26
Alice headed West

2k/10/19
SE Oz, going north

2k/10/11
Flores Report & Proposal

2k/09/25
Sydney update 25.9.00

2k/09/17
Olympic mania, Sydney
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+ more

Welcome to new sponsors from Singapore! If you didn’t expect to be on this news list thereby virtually accompanying me on this round the world motorcycle ride simply remove yourself! (I added your email address because you helped in some way other than by making a personal donation.) By the time you read this I'll be heading north through Malaysia to Thailand, where I’ll spend Christmas and the New Year.

I've been very busy on this island/city state, running around like the proverbial blue-arsed fly, just like everyone else here. It's one of those places where life happens at 100mph: everything is so expensive that all spend all their time and effort earning maximum cash, second only to Hong Kong they say. I activated my Motorola phone with a local 'hi-card', gratefully accepted the use of computers, fax machines in various offices and slipped into Singapore life with gusto! Some days I got into the office at 8.30am and finished 10 or 12 hours later. It was a bit of a novelty to be back in this situation after a year on the road, but I can safely say that after these weeks I can’t wait to get away from it all again!

This place is so clean: littering will set you back a S$1,000 fine, dropping cigarette butts is illegal and chewing gum is banned! It’s the most high-tech place I’ve been. The airport consistently wins international awards, the Mass Rapid Transport system (metro) is second to none, great screens on Orchard Road (the world’s shopping mecca) show videos, and all set against high-rise buildings of engineering wonder which at night are lit up like a space station. Singapore is one of the world biggest ports and has a services-based economy. Neighboring countries tell it to slow down or they’ll never catch up. Cash calls the tune and most tourists stay only a few days.

[43kB 640x480] Fundraising cocktail Singapore.

I was here to relieve them of some those heavy wads and to get some of my gadgets sorted out. Leading the roll call of honour is Mitsui OSK Lines and Cougar Logistics, whose fundraising cocktail netted S$2,000 (US$1,300). My bike has been in some pretty strange places on this trip but I’ve never ridden it round the corridors to the top floor of a 5 star hotel! Shell Singapore came in with a pledge for S$1,000 which they will pay when a bank account is sorted out for the Flores Project (not an easy task here with all the red tape). A few other corporate donations are possible but I’m not getting my hopes up - the inevitable disappointment always hurts. Nevertheless Psion donated a whopping 32MB flash disk for my palmtop and de-corrupted my email programme (I was so pleased to have only lost my contacts database) and Motorola swopped my world phone for a new one as it was playing up. 50,000km of single cylinder vibration was bound to take its toll sooner or later. CLS Asia fitted new antennas for the tracker system so go ahead and check it out at www.millennium-ride.com.

I was staying in Bencoolen Street (the backpackers area of Singapore at S$11 for a dormitory bed, about my most expensive accommodation since being on the road but less than nothing by Singapore standards) until last Sunday when I met Maharajah at the HOG Toy run. He runs a diving and currency exchange shop and rides two Fatboys and a 996 Duke though not at the same time! My front brake caliper got stolen in Bencoolen Street, can you believe it, "In Singapore of all places" went the front page of the newspaper. Thanks to Looi’s Motors who donated the replacement.

FLORES PROJECT

There is a healthy motorcycle culture here, I was talking to the clubs (HOG, Storm Riders Motorcycling, Team 27 and EasyRider) about two things. One was the Flores Project as they are all into charity fundraising. This was their opportunity to support a new idea in Asia whereby motorcycles themselves save lives, and that the added value of their donation would far exceed the bottom line since the potential for the idea to spread throughout Asia is phenomenal. Singapore bikers could lead the way! But it’s difficult for people to see the big picture and there were mixed reactions. Full credit to Sven Olof the HOG President when he organised a public meeting at TetraPak, but it was raining that evening so he was the only HOG member there! Ha ha what’s new?

On the other hand the Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries based here reacted positively, maybe a donation will be in the offing, and we’re going to fly Wili Bala up to Taiwan in March for their annual meeting. I’m not sure whether to go myself, though I’d like to take the opportunity to check out the intelligent transport system up there which bans motorcycles from toll roads. It would be good to take my bike itself over there simply to get busted to make a point. In the same vein it’s a difficult decision to fly even Wili there or anywhere to promote the Flores Project. The S$3,500 raised towards it so far could easily be blown on promotional trips for him, and with no guarantee of donations to show for it we could be back to square one. One man all trained up, plenty of medicines and nurses, but no way to make the connection with patients, or is it patience?! The Indonesian motorcycle producers are thinking about supplying some free bikes for the project.

I sent our project to the UN Development Programme office in Jakarta. They said they only give funds to joint projects with governments. In effect they will only help if we arrange things in such a way that corrupt Indonesian officials can cream some off into their back pockets. Well we’re not playing that game, that is why Wili is establishing a new NGO: we want independence. Let’s see if ASEAN or the World Health Organisation can be a bit more positive.

RIDERS RIGHTS

This is Asia where the global motorcyclists’ rights movement has no representation. But the globalisation train is picking up speed and the industry is driving. Unless motorcyclists themselves help lay down the track our freedoms will end up in the nackers yard with 78 decibel anti-tampered bikes. So for the next few countries I’ll be laying it out straight to the clubs and other riders. Riders in Australia, Europe and North America are organised, and thanks to the FIM we meet every couple of years to talk about global threats to our rights. Why is Asia absent? I won’t buy excuses about it "not being in our culture", if it’s motorcycling you’re into then you must be at that table.

The Singaporean ERP Everyday Rob People road pricing scheme charges bikes less than cars, about 60% I understand so it’s not too bad. There are four cameras on the gantries so bikes’ front number plates (yes sorry my Aussi friends) show up real good. But bikers are stung badly with road tax resulting from a study the methodology of which I understand was not open to public scrutiny. Democracy here is ahem a bit of a misnomer what with an invisible opposition party. This was all a bit too sensitive for people to talk about, they would whisper to me! Anyway that’s no reason for Singaporean riders not to take an interest in global matters.

While we're at it, I'd like to publicly thank these riders' rights organisations and clubs for sponsoring this ride with cash in US$:

ABATE Illinois and its branches through Marcia Wills and her team (total amount still rising must be nearly 2,000)
Harley Riders Dubai (800)
FIM (500)
AMA (500)
NAmMC Union (500)
Canadian M/cAssn (325)
MAG Victoria (100)
MRA WA (100)
Ulysses Vic (100).

Most importantly though MAG UK/MAG Insurance with the Year 2000 Carnet des Passage cost of US$3000. got that? A BIG PLUG FOR MAG UK - this has nothing at all to do with the fact that the 2001 premium is due :) The carnet des passage is a temporary import document for the bike. Biggest cost in the budget. In fact anyone at all is welcome to cover the cost of this :) Surely there are plenty of insurance companies out there who'd be more than happy to help :) In return for high profile PR :) I wouldn't want to get stranded in Thailand now would I? :)

I’m hitting the road again tomorrow, the excitement is rising! The bike is all serviced, Maha’s wife gave me some new socks and her sister mended my riding gear. Mad max heads north.

[78kB 640x480] HOG Singapore Toy Run

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Simon

ps: all Corporate Sponsors who donated over US$500 or who donated items of this value are welcome to send more publicity stickers to:

Simon Milward c/o Maharajah S 20A Sea Avenue Singapore 424241

..so I can add them to the bike when I get back here in March.