Motorcycle Philippines

It was a day to show off skills of all sorts –- from the smooth (to the not-so-smooth), to the ultra-focused, to the relaxed, to the fast, and even the furious — as lots of riders (and non-riders) from all corners of the motorcycling community (yes, even big bikes were there!) gathered together under gorgeous sunny skies, red, white, and green buntings, striking green and white tents, and dozens of colorful streamers flapping in the wind, at SM Southmall-Las Pinas on 18 October 2009, Sunday, for the second installment of the most exhilarating rider challenge ever to grace Philippine shores – MOTOKHANA 2009!

MOTOKHANA is organized by the National Racing Association (NRA) and presented by Castrol Activ Premium.

People from all walks of life – motor bikers, friends, family, supporters, even the common folk – were there to participate, ogle, and cheer on many outstanding rider talents the motorcycling scene has witnessed in quite a while.

A total of thirty (30) entries vied for 1^st to 6^th places in four (4) MOTOKHANA categories, namely:

• Solo – SCOOTER
• Solo – UNDERBONE
• Solo – SMALL MOTORCYCLE
• Team – TWO (2) RIDERS IN TANDEM

After several hours of late morning and early afternoon practices maneuvering through a combination of nine (9) easy, medium, and difficult MOTOKHANA course lay-outs, timed practices and two (2) runs per participant (with their better time shaded in gray), here are the official MOTOKHANA-II / SM-Southmall, Las Pinas event results:

Motokhana2 Results

*Best Time of the Day

**Did Not Finish. DNF was given for penalties such as incorrect entry into a layout, not following path of travel and not finishing / was unable to complete the course.

(Here’s one for the MOTOKHANA (hand)books though — but it happens! One of the entries in the solo classes ran out of fuel. You all can then have a very good guess on what happened next…)

For obvious reasons, the Solo-Underbone category, which is currently the most popular motorcycle model locally, had the most entries with fourteen (14).

Competition was tight, with many of the participants seriously gunning for the top plum, as shown in their fierce attacks of the course layouts.  But despite the increase in rivals, MOTOKHANA-I / Liberty Center, Mandaluyong event champ Maverick Azurin still came out the winner with a time of 1.42.28, which he achieved on his second run on a Honda XRM110. Azurin’s closest competitor, and returning participant, Philip Bonza, riding a Kawasaki ZX130, came in second with an improved 2^nd run time of 1.47.93. First time MOTOKHANA rider Ado de Leon, also on a Honda XRM110, was third with a 1^st run time of 1.51.28.

The Solo-Scooters were also in “bakbakan” mode with MOTOKHANA-I victor Jhay Aguilar and close rival, Liberty Center/Mandaluyong edition second placer Mickey Mazo, fighting it out for first.  But Mazo took it this time, charging on a Honda Beat and clocking it at 1.41.65 during his 2^nd run. Yamaha Mio owner Aguilar made it tight for second at 1.42.09 on his 1^st try.  Jhay’s brother, Michael Aguilar, on a Mio as well, and a MOTOKHANA newbie, made it a family affair of sorts, by copping third, also with a 1^st run time of 1.47.43.

Reynan Buccat, also a MOTOKHANA novice, clocked the best time of the day at 1.37.13 on his first run. Achieving this automatically gave him the victory in his class of Solo-Small Motorcycles on board a Honda TMX150. Underbone participant and second-placer Philip Bonza, relying on his trusty Honda XR200, was also second in this category with a 2^nd run clocking of 1.52.03, while third was Wewe Magdangal, on a Kawasaki KMX Motard, with 2.13.41.

The Team Event (riders of two in tandem) was well represented with five (5) entries, considering that that this MOTOKHANA category type is the first of its kind ever to be conducted in the country.  And the participants did not disappoint!

All entries displayed quite impressive team work — some had flawless synchronization, while some had off-key moments as far as harmony was concerned.  Coming out on top was Team Toda of Underbone class, back-to-back winner Maverick Azurin and MOTOKHANA-II Small Motorcycle conqueror Reynan Buccat with a better 2^nd run time of 1.42.59. Following them were the Aguilar brothers, Jhay and Michael, representing Team Playride with 1.47.51 on their 2^nd run, followed by Team-Ba of Mickey Mazo and Ivan Bañes, with a combined effort of 1.47.89 on their first attempt.

Participants received Castrol dry-fit jerseys and magazines from Playboy (Philippines) and Manila Bulletin Sports Digest together with their Php500 registration fee.  Those who purchased Activ Premium oil at the Castrol booth also had a chance to pick-a-prize – a handsome, black and light gray Castrol windbreaker jacket, of which some were really fortunate to have won!

After the competition proper, the course was then opened for free, to everyone and anyone who wanted to try the MOTOKHANA lay-outs at the SM Southmall, Las Pinas south parking area.

The NRA would like to thank the other sponsors of MOTOKHANA:

Teknic Leathers, Aeromed Ambulance Transport, and Racegear. Media partners include IRTV, the Manila Bulletin, the Manila Times, Businessworld, the Daily Tribune, Inside Racing Magazine, Mo2rista Magazine, Cruising Magazine, Manila Bulletin Sports Digest, and Playboy Magazine (Philippines).

MOTOKHANA is also a partner event of official website www.motorcyclephilippines.com

The third edition of this year’s MOTOKHANA will be on 08 November 2009 (Sunday) at Super 8-Ortigas Ext., Cainta (beside Ever Gotesco Mall).  Registration starts at 9:00 am.

For more information, please contact the NRA Secretariat at tel. no. (02) 725 3949, mobile no. (0917) 820 2391, or email nra@motorcyclephilippines.com. Also check posters and print ads for details.

See you all at Super 8-Ortigas — and let the challenge continue!

The 2009 FIM Asian Supercross Championships sanctioned by NAMSSA, UAM and FIM shall be hitting the city center of Manila on Sept. 25-26, Friday night and Saturday night racing under the lights. The night event shall be held from 6pm to 10 pm at the SM City Bicutan – NAMSSA Speedworld Circuit.

International riders from Philippines, Australia, Russis, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Iran with classes of international riders shall be at the 65cc level at 9-12 years old; 85cc Junior riders from 12 – 15 years old and the MX 2 Pro together with 10 other national categories supported by FIM ( www.fm-live.com) , CAT Monarch equipments and PCSO( Philipine Charity Sweepstakes Office )

National riders from Philippines of the regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao headed by Kenneth San Andres from Bulacan and JC Rellosa from Bicol shall be heading the cast of the Philippine Team. The Asian Motocross Tour has recently visited Puerto Princessa City, Philippines & Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and shall also be heading to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the next round and shall bring the top NAMSSA Philippine Team riders to represent the country.

On Sunday post event there shall be a Asian Motorsports Academy for Motocross held by foreign instructors at the said circuit, for the further development of the Asian talent in the discipline for motocross to further the Asian talent as a feeder to the World Motocross Grand Prix events.

The NAMSSA is the sole authority in the Philippines as the governing body for two & three wheel motorsports today issuing competition licenses in all races and the safety stamp of international standards by virtue of its affiliation with the Federation Internaitonale de Motocylisme and the Philippine Olympic Committee. For more info reach us at 63.917 8479785 or at www.namssa.org

Rev those bikes people!

It’s Track Day once again at the Batangas Racing Circuit on August 23, 2009, and fulfill your need for speed…

Organized by the National Racing Association and presented by Bridgestone Tires, Track Days allow your inner Rossi or Stoner come to life — but mind you, keep it real, too.  Know your skill level and stick to it.

Registration fees are Php950 for big bikes, while its Php500 for small bikes, inclusive of lunch and drink.

Bikers love Track Days because it let’s them ride fast around a circuit, yet feel safe and have lots of fun with other riders. Whether you’re a novice, experienced, or expert Track Day participant, everyone feels right at home. Riders are grouped into skill levels, so there’s no pressure, no anxiety, no stress!

Make sure, too, that before coming to the track, you’ve got your gear all nice-smelling and ready. The NRA usually requires full leathers (1 or 2 piece zip-together), or a textile equivalent with complete armor (and when we say complete we mean back, shoulders, elbows, knees. Some even have hip armor!), full-face helmet (sorry, no half, open face, or modular helmets), full-fingered leather gloves, and leather boots.

Fuel can be purchased at the track for your convenience, but its preferable you’ve got your gas tank all good and full (you wouldn’t want your bike to sputter in the middle of a session, in front of your fine, macho club mates, would you?) While we’re at it, you might as well check your tires, pressure, oil, and all that other stuff you check on your bike before an honest to goodness ride around the track.

And what makes NRA Track Days really great is that we’ve got a team of trained professional ride marshals to guide participants around the track, medical and ambulance stand-by’s, trained track marshals, and a competent staff to make your track day experience worry-free.

We’ve also got fun races going on in the afternoon (we told you, riders in NRA Track Days have lots of fun!), and participants get to win prizes (not cash, but something really cool!  We promise!)

As an added treat, TradeTech Marketing will be there, displaying, as well as selling the latest in textile riding jackets — with built-in air bags! Go check them out!

Sponsors include Teknic, AeroMed Ambulance Transport, and Easy Trailer, with media partners Inside Racing, Mo2rista, and www.motorcyclephilippines.com.

For more information, call the National Racing Association at tel. no. (632) 725 3949 or mobile no. 0917 8202391.

See you at the track!

NEXT TRACK DAY ON AUGUST 23, 2009 AT BRC!

Despite the heavy rains in Manila, a good number of participants showed up on Track Day on May 31, 2009 at the Batangas Racing Circuit, organized by the National Racing Association (NRA) and presented by Bridgestone Tires.

Some riders and event regulars who already committed to attending Track Day, suddenly turned back because of the pouring rain in the country’s capital, thinking that the foul weather was the same in Batangas. But several gutsy motorcyclists who did not want to pass up on the track activity, were pleasantly surprised when they were met by sunny skies at BRC.

Participants had a chance to test ride bikes from Kawasaki Motors Philippines, Corp., namely the Fury 125R, the Barako 175, and the Rouser 200, a semi-big bike that KMPC will soon be introducing to the public. Some said the Rouser is a “beautiful bike” and couldn’t wait for it to be out in the market.

Several members of motorcycle clubs were present as before, such as Club 200, ATAT, Kawasaki Riders Club, Marahas, Bagwis (Manila), Promotor, Laguna Moto Club, Yamaha Mio MC, Ducati, LERAP, and the P**p**k Riders.

Riders who belonged to the Cebu Cyber Moto Club also flew in from the island province specifically to attend the NRA Track Day. They said they learned about the event from their friends from ATAT and also wanted to enroll in the Motorcycle Riders Course’s (MRC) Advanced Rider Training (ART) School. They said they were looking forward to attending the next Track Day, as well as the ART, this coming August 22 and 23, 2009.

Although the weather turned uncooperative early on in the afternoon, which cancelled most of the p.m. sessions and a scheduled fun race, quite a number of riders said the NRA’s Track Day was very orderly, enjoyable, and well-run.

John Gravez an English expat who was in the country for about three months when he learned about Track Day from www.motorcyclephilippines.com, and riding on a WR450 Motard, disclosed that he had also attended track days in England and in Qatar, but said the NRA Track Day was better organized than some of those he had participated in overseas. Superbike rider George Gerard, who uses a Ducati Desmosedici 1198cc MotoGP bike in the BRC races, commented that NRA Track Days are very well managed and that he will continue to be a Track Day regular because of its handling by the organizers.

An amusing attraction also came out of the stormy track day conditions.

Four riders (who will remain unnamed) refused to let the weather dampen their day and decided on a whim to ride around the circuit in the hard, driving rain. One of the “loony bikers” (as they were already dubbed), using the Kawasaki Rouser 200, and in his enthusiasm to ride BRC in the wet, however, sputtered on his first roundabout and suddenly stopped before the Yamaha corner (Turn 3).

Despite what seemed like an eternity trying to re-start the bike and getting utterly drenched in the process, LB1 had no choice but to wait for his fellow LB’s, who had already gone far ahead around the track, to help him out. When fellow LB’s finally got to LB1, they probably wished they could conk LB1 in the head when they found that the powerful Rouser had simply ran out of gas!

But LB1 still got to enjoy his soggy session at BRC after getting some assistance via a back ride to the fuel dump to purchase the much-needed gas for the Rouser. Suffice it to say that LB1 learned a very watery and soppy lesson (and for many riders as well) to always check the fuel gauge before going out on track (or for any ride for that matter…)

Sponsors of the NRA Track Day include Teknic Leathers, AeroMed Ambulance Transport and Easy Trailer, together with media partners Inside Racing, Mo2rista, and www.motorcyclephilippines.com.

For more information about Track Day, contact the National Racing Association at tel. no. (02) 725-3949, mobile no. (0917) 8202391, or email at mrc@motorcyclephilippines.com.

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Night Racing Supercross In Metro Manila:
Mayor Bernabe Supercross Cup Kicks Off June 12-13

The country’s top motocross riders will have their first taste of night racing when National Motorcycle Sports and Safety Association (NAMSSA)’s stages round 5 of the 2009 Supercross series in Paranaque City on June 12 & 13. Supercross, a popular spectator sport in the US will be showcased in the in event being organized by NAMSSA at the Speedworld Supercross Track located near SM City Bicutan.

Conceptualized to create an awareness of the motorcycle sport among enthusiasts as well as weekend mallrats forever in search of anything entertaining, NAMSSA’s supercross series is guaranteed to bring huge crowds to the venue considering its proximity to the mall and its accessibility to riders and enthusiasts from the metropolis and neighboring provinces.

Moto 1 will be held on Friday night, June 12, while Moto 2 is set the following evening. Official practice starts at 4:00 pm. The races in different classes will commence after the practice sessions up and last until the day’s final race set at around 10 pm.

“We wish to thank Mayor Jun Bernabe for supporting our endeavor,” said Macky Carapiet, President of NAMSSA. “We are likewise thankful to Mr. Benjo Bernabe of the Paranaque City Sports Department. We hope that we will be able to contribute significantly to their goals and objectives.”

An estimated 30,000 watts of lighting equipment will illuminate the racetrack using the state of the art CAT Rental Store HID Lighting. The circuit which was designed to comply with international standards for supercross was carved out with state of the art Cat Monark Equipment in the record time of two weeks with constant adjustments. Other supporters of the event are SM City Bicutan, GCG Racing Pipes, Topmaster, JBS Moto Shop, Flamboyant Construction, Signeffex, Inside Racing, motorcyclephilippines.com

The top winner of the event will be awarded the Mayor Jun Bernabe Supercross Cup. The series will showcase the country’s premiere riders as they square off for the top prizes in different divisions. Riders from Northern and Central Luzon, Quezon, Bicol, Leyte and Davao have also confirmed their participation. Monthly night races are scheduled up to round 12. For more info you may reach Mob: 0917-8479785, Globe Duo:216-5234 or email at namssa01@hotmail.com or check out www.namssa.org