Borneo Biking Cross Country Adventure

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If you love biking than you will love ridding in borneo, Sabah provides one of the best scenic views along any roads towards touristic places. However this demands on the location you would like to visit, roads are mostly sealed but to have a more adventure i suggest maliau besin using a duel purpose this is one of the most exciting places for a bike tour. Make sure you are insured though.



Borneo Cross Country Biking 6 days 5 Nights.

Bike: dual purpose scrambler 150cc
Made: Malaysia
Engine: 4-strok air cooled.
Top speed: 120km/h
Fuel capacity: 8.5ltr / not incl 2.5 ltr reserve.

Day 1

Day and the time that we where waiting finally arrived on the 11th March 2008 as we heated up the bikes at the Beverly hotel Parking area ready to ride out for our 6 days journey touring around Sabah. Since this was the first ever touring with a 150 duel purpose motorbike that is perfect for of and on road. Our Journey took us across Villages and hills as we weaved through the Crocker range it was a great feeling, we stop by a local restaurant for some refreshments. We continued to the Refflesia sanctuary along the road and visited for while as it was one of the attractions during the Tour. Since the journey was still a long way we mad hast departure from the Rafflesia centre to my surprise the bike was performing well no hiccups and was running at 120 km per hour. We arrived Keningau town at noon I was inform by one of my clients that his bike couldn’t start as the leader of the group inspected the bike and found the problem, the fuse was blown the good thing about this bike was if the ignition didn’t work you can use the kick start. We took the bike to a local bike shop for some minor repairs as the group went for lunch I stayed with the bike to find out more about the reason why the fuse had a blow out. Apparently the cut off fuse was the cause we replaced the old one with a new one and the bike was performing as it was suppose to.

We check in to a Hotel and had a two hour rest before dinner, I inspected all the bike for the next day journey which was the highlight of the tour, traveling on gravel and muddy road.

Day 2

After breakfast I inspected the bike again to ensure no problems to the bike at 0830 we headed out refuel the bikes and mad our way through sealed road for about an hour. As we got closer to the starting point of the gravel road we stop for a 20 min rest and enjoyed the view as we where fare away from civilization and only the green rainforest all around us and the sealed paved road. We mad good time as we reached the gravel road the clowds was starting to gather and we anticipated rain as we road throught the rough road there was patches of muddy pools the bike was performing perfectly with Toby tires and good suspension it looks like riding on sealed road, however the best part was yet to come. After a 1hour and 30 min ride we stop for lunch at the road side and started to refuel the bike, just another 30 minute and we will be at the gate of the Maliau basin. Since the leader was up front most of the time I informed him to look out for a sighn post that indicates that we where already there, however he missed the sign post and went a head about 13 Minutes from the gate. I went after them and got them back to the gate we packed up all we needed for the 30 km ride in to the study center and told the clients about the road condition. As we journeyed on the road became muddy and mostly had deep depration I realize that the guest was trying very heard to ride through most of the time they where skidding and getting stuck in the mud but was having fun. We stop a few time waiting for other few who was at the back trail, even the 4 x 4 pick up was sliding and getting stuck so we had to Waite. Muddy, Dirty and tired one of the rider was to tired to ride so i told him to follow the 4x4 in to the study center, i told the other to go on a head and i will follow suit from behind after i took some rest. The road was really getting worse the bike was skiiding all over the muddy road the hardest was ascending hills as the bike didnt have much traction. the tires was full of mud which mad it almost no thread to grip on the ground. I was hopping to get a glimpse of wild life but since we where making a lot of noise with bikes i didn't think we would have any chances.the bike was doing well with the condition of the road and getting sink in mud i was impressed with this malaysian mad bike. Finally as i took a turn in to yet another muddy pool i saw the roof of the study center. i arrive the study center at about 1700hrs as the guest went to check in I washed up the bikes and did a check up on all bike. My clients was siting on the steps waiting for my arrival as i was about 30 min behind.

Dinner was at 1900 hrs we did a briefing for the next day’s event.


Day 3

After a heavy breakfast we proceeded to the sky bridge about 5 minutes walk as we got there the gate was locked and the ranger who was suppose to remember the key number forgot it. But finally we manage to get through the gate, the sky bridge was about 60 to 70 mitres above ground there was not much to see as it was already 0900hrs in the morning. The best time to observe is in the early mornings and late evenings most of the birds are out by than scavenging for food. We hurried down and headed back towards the study center to ride out since the road was still muddy we decided to load the bike on to a 10 tone truck to bring the bikes out to the gate as it would be a hard ride and we would get really dirty. By the 16 km the truck broke down we found out that the gear box was totally smashed…how…well we didn’t ask what was important was to get to the gate before 1300hrs as our journey to tawau was another 4 hours of hard riding. By the time we reach the gate we where covered in mud we had our lunch and proceeded for tawau. we didnt stop until we reach kalabakan town to refuel the bikes and did a rough check up on the bikes hust to be sure nothing was loose.

1730hrs just in time, we check in and had an hour of rest before dinner.


Day 4

After breakfast we stop by a bike shop to change oil and re check and tighten any bolts or screw that was loosen after yesterday’s ordeal. We continue to a car wash to wash up the bikes after all the washing and checking up we left tawau 3 hours late it was a 3 hour ride from Tawau to batu putih. Along the way we stop at a local restaurant for lunch and continued the journey half way to laha datu one of the bikes was having some problems My client ask me to try out the bike and see what was the problem so i did. After test ridding the bike I came to conclusion base on my experience the carburetor was having some trouble it sounded like there was water in it. I explain tot the client and he insisted that the CDI was at fault than we decided to get the bike up on the our support vehicle and continued to Laha datu. Since we got to laha datu at 1700hrs there was no time to make it to Batu putih so we stayed for the night in laha datu. It was a pitty as we where suppose to stay overnight and do a river cruise and stay with a family there.

Day 5

Early wake up I took the bike to the bike shop and explain to the mechanic about the problem and sure enough after he clean up the carburetor it was it was as good as new. I was confidant about the bikes performance so we mad our way to mile 32 the junction to sandakan. The ride was smooth we where running at 120km at 1145hrs we stop by the road side to refill the bikes and headed for sepilok orang utan just for short while. We had lunch at the sepilok centre and mad our way to poring hot springs which was another 4 hours and 40 minute ride.

We arrive poring at about 1645 just enough time before dark we check in and my guest went for a sulpher bath at the hot springs.


Day 6

Last day of the journey and it felt great an achievement…knowing that we where the first to take up the challenge biking around Sabah in 6 days and finaly we where almost back to where we started. We set off at 1000hrs taking our sweet time and stop by Kinabalu park for lunch and had the time to visit the timpohon gate as well. We set of for kota Kinabalu at 1400hrs and arrived the Beverly hotel at about 1630hrs I check in my guest and took them for dinner before they flight back to japan.


Sorry not much photo's...i will post them once i have down loaded them in to my computer...

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Photos

Ride to live
Cross country duel perpose

Kawasaki KR150
Best if you want to feel the thrill of taking good sharp corners up to Kinabalu Park

DMX150
This bike went through hell and back.

The trak that we took
it took total 6 Days and 5 nights a\over 1000 km

DMX150
Actual bike, Honda Engine tech uses push road tech.

Storm Trooper
Want to join me.

Comments

[craig]

Borneo bike trip
Hi Brenden, I saw your Blog it was Great!!!!! me and 2 others are doing a bike trip in July in Sabah. I would like to ask you some questions please about riding in Sabah. Could you please give me your Email? I tried [e-mail] and it Didn't work. My Email is : [e-mail] Thanks Craig Kerschner