Meet Achi - My Yamaha Mio Gear

Update update ulit! ^ __ ^

Dati di ba naka-Rusi Korak ako, si Skywalker... Ngayon po ay naka-Yamaha Mio Gear na po ako.

Meet Achi, my baby... my noble steed... my loyal friend na kasama ko sa lahat ng mga rides, mga semplang, etc. etc...

Mas marami pa akong experience sa pagra-ride na kasama ko si Achi kesa kay Skywalker. Pero actually pareho lang silang dalawa, bumabagsak din at sumesemplang kasama ko. Hehehe...

Kay Skywalker noon, parang dalawa or tatlong beses ko yatang nabagsak yung motor na yun. XD

Si Achi parang dalawang beses din pero natuto rin talaga ako. Si Achi na kasi yung ginagamit ko nung mag-umpisa ako mag-City Riding talaga.

Si Skywalker is more of unang motor ko, unang lab lab ko. Pero ayun, nandun na siya sa tatay ko ngayon. Siya na ang owner ni Skywalker. Meron din kasing sad story yang si Skywalker noon. Hindi ko na siya nababayaran ng consistent. Kaya yung tatay ko ang laging sumasalo. T^T

Mula din noon eh hinayaan ko na sa kaniya yung Rusi Korak. Sad lang pero at least natuto na rin ako ngayon. Na-fully paid naman na ni Daddy si Skywalker kaya marapat lang na sa kanya talaga si Skywalker. Maingat si Daddy doon sa motor na yun kaya hanggang ngayon mukhang bago pa rin.

Fully paid na rin si Achi, by the way. Hahaha!!! XD

Pinilit ko rin talagang mabayaran in full, at pinilit ako ng mga kapatid ko na matulungan ako. Parang may 2 or 3 payments talaga na sila rin ang sumalo - nakuha ko kasi si Achi nung parang malapit na ako magkaron ng mental breakdown sa trabaho. Lumipas ang mga 1 year, nag-resign ako kasi talagang hindi ko na kaya. So wala na akong pambayad ng motor!?! Pinagsabihan ako ng brother ko na wag na wag ko talagang hahayaang hindi mabayaran ang motor ko dahil kapag nawala ang motor ko, mas lalo akong "pilay." Kasi mawawalan ako ng mode of transport. Imbes makaka-raket raket sana ako or makakapunta sa mga job interview, lalo pang mawawala yung kakayahan kong makagalaw mag-isa kapag nawalan ako ng motor.

Iba ang appreciation ko kay Achi. Ayaw ko siyang ibenta kung sakaling kukuha ako ng manual na motor (kasi gusto ko pa ng manual na motor - kahit isa lang, kahit hindi mataas na CC).

Si Achi ang naka-witness halos lahat ng dinaanan kong paghihirap for the past 2-3 years.

Kay Achi ako natuto nyang mga change oil, magpalit ng air filter, yung pagdadala sa mekaniko at kumausap ng mekaniko, at marami pa.

Tsaka kahit kumuha ako ng manual na motor, gusto ko may automatic pa rin. 

Para kapag napagod ako sa kaka-kambiyo, pwede ako magpahinga at mag-scooter ng ilang araw. XD

8 Years na Pala Itong Blog... Wala pa Masyadong Laman... XD

Hello po ulit mga kaibigan. :P

8 years old na pala itong blog ko, wala pa masyadong kalaman laman. Hahaha!!! XD

Antagal kong na-tengga, sobra. Palagay ko dahil din sa dami kong pinagdaanan nitong past 3 years. Pero, the more likely reason, is wala akong consistency pagdating sa paggawa ng mga bagay bagay. O_O

Kadalasan kasi, meron lang akong mga guiding principles sa buhay pero ayoko talaga masyado nagpa-plano. Ngayon ko na lang natututunan yan. Unti unti ako natuto gumamit ng planner. Actually, grabe, ka-babae kong tao, wala akong maayos na planner.

Antagal kong tengga, pero out of those 8 years, eto at nagmo-motor pa rin ako. 

^ __ ^

Yan ang talagang hindi natanggal - yang pagmo-motor. For some reason, naka-klaro talaga utak ko diyan.

Kanina lang galing akong Cavite, parang wala lang yung biyahe. Ramdam ko mga lubak lubak, yes, pero hindi ko ramdam yung pagod masyado. Siguro kasi medyo maluwag ng 6:30 AM. 

So ayun... Nagbabalik po ako ulit...

Hindi ko nabasa yung mga comment sa previous blog posts ko at ayun nga. Na-tengga, super.

Pero I hope maka-interact ko po kayo ulit. ^ __ ^

Hindi ako komportable magpakita ng mukha, at gusto ko kasi talaga ihiwalay yung corporate working life ko sa personal shizzies ko. :P

Love you all! ^ __ ^

This Blog is My Outlet

I would like to be blatantly honest with what I post online...

Sadly, however, I'm not very comfortable in my own skin. I'm very sensitive and I need to be emotionally prepared when somebody gives me either positive or negative feedback.

That's why I've set up a completely separate online account... a completely separate persona beneath a motorcycle helmet - Kai, The Lady Rider. 

I've always wanted to create a blog about my good and bad moments just so I could document them and come back to them after some time to see how much I've grown and what I had to go through. Actually, I already started this kind of thing when I was thirteen years old. I had a diary. It's still with me up to now but I don't write on it too often these days. It's more of a treasure now.

Perhaps I could help other people out, as well. I don't know. I just wanna do it. That's why I'm staying anonymous. Well, not fully anonymous, though. I post a lot of pictures in Google, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Surely, someone will recognize me someday. For now, I'd just like to get off my usual circle, explore the digital world, and be fully open about my thoughts, opinions and experiences.

Rider Ka Ba Talaga???

(My thoughts back in March 2017...)

Tanong ko yan sa sarili ko more than anyone else.

Sa totoo lang kasi antagal kong natigil sa pagmomotor (like... more than 6 months. T^T) tapos ngayon si Skywalker ang gumagamit eh si Daddy. Mas naging useful pa ngayon yung motor ko sa tatay ko kesa sakin.

Napapatanong ako sa sarili ko kung rider ba talaga ako o hindi kasi nga antagal ko natigil. Na-engganyo lang ba talaga ako ng pinsan ko? Dahil ba sa pagkakaroon ng boyfriend kaya ako nawalan ako ng oras sa pagmomotor? Sobrang duwag ko ba talaga sa kalsada? Ano raw bang ikinakatakot ko? Sabi pa ng boyfriend ko bakit daw ba ako kumuha ng motor in the first place kung talagang hindi ko pa kayang harapin yung takot ko?

Ewan... Hindi ko alam kung dahil dito pero kasi nga po... sa sobrang pagka-overthinker ko... Nasa-stuck ako sa buhay. Kung tutuusin napaka-ikling oras lang sana para gumaling ako sa pagmomotor pero instead, na-stuck up ako ng ilang buwan dahil sa sobrang kaka-overthink kapag niyayaya akong mag-ride nina Kuya. Gusto kong masunod yung kahilingan ko na mag-ride kami sa isang village. Kumbaga, sanayin ko muna yung sarili ko na gamitin yung motor ko bago ako sumabak sa kalsada. Minsan din naman naiisip kong lumabas sa kalye mag-isa. Andaming beses ko nang naisip pero hindi ko pa rin yan nagawa. Ewan ko ba.

Rusi Gremlin / Mojo / Korak Parts List

Hey Guys. :)

I haven't had any posts in a while so I'm posting something useful. Hehe...

Rusi (and other China-made motorcycles) are a big hit here in the Philippines. They're affordable and have good quality (believe you me). Hehehe... 

Spare parts from the manufacturer are okay but to be honest, they're a bit more expensive (brand new) than spares for other motorcycle brands (brand new / 2nd hand). Some parts are compatible anyways and it's important to note that a lot of us here live off second-hand parts from other people. XD

Well... motorcycle parts are indeed "standard" but we wanna get the most bang out of our buck right? Hehe. Cheapest we could find for the best possible quality. :P

I ain't much of a motorcycle junkie so... to make my/our lives a bit easier...

... here's a list of Rusi Gremlin / Mojo / Korak spare parts equivalent (other models and information may be included) from other brands:

(Disclaimer!!! My rider friends just found this list as a comment from the Facebook group RUSI Bike nation)

Battery - 4L / 5L

Brake Caliper (Front) - Honda Wave 100

Brake Caliper (Rear) - Honda XRM 125 / Suzuki Raider 150

Brake Shoe (Rusi Rango) - Honda TMX

CDI - Lifan 110

Clutch Cable - Suzuki Shogun Pro (adjustment needed) / Lifan 110 (no adjustment needed)

Clutch Lining - Honda Dream

Clutch Arm Spring - Honda Wave

Front Brake Pad - Honda Wave 125

Front Caliper Cover - Yamaha Mio

Headlight Bulb Size - H4

Lever - Suzuki Raide 150 (clutch side needs grinding)

Oil Cap - Yamaha Mio

Pipe - Honda Wave 100

Rear Hub Rubber Damper - Honda Wave 125

Rear Brake Pad - Kawasaki Wind 125

Rear Brake Master - Shogun

Rear Set - Honda XRM Trinity

Rotor Disc (Front, 220mm) - Yamaha Nouvo / Yamaha Mio

Rotor Disc (Rear, 190mm) - Yamaha Mio (Disc diameter is a bit smaller, uneven wearing of pads)

Rear Shock - Kawasaki Fury 250mm (stock height) / Yamaha Sniper 240mm (lowered height)

Spark Plug - Yamaha Mio (short)

Sprocket - Honda XRM / Honda Wave 428

Throttle Cable - Suzuki Shogun Pro / Honda Wave100 (adjustment needed)


... Hope this helps. Just keeping this here for you and me. :) ...

Meet Skywalker (Rusi Korak Limited Edition)

Hey guys! I missed you! Haha! I haven't blogged in a while now. A month, was it? Shit.

Anyway, I'd like you all to meet my baby. His name is Skywalker -- that's another thing about me; I'm a Star Wars nerd. He's the black motorcycle on the picture below.

Skywalker (black) and his twin sister, Chuchay (white)

Skywalker's Specifications 

(or at least those that I currently understand)

I'm not really into specifications and all the technicalities. Don't expect too much. I'll probably update the specs as soon as I understand them. I have to understand them if I want to save up on minor repairs. Just sharing these things for my and other riders' benefit. These are just bits of wisdom that I got from the user manual, from the dealership, and my friends:

Brand: Rusi (Official website: http://rusimc.com/)

A little interruption here... I don't even know why they put up this website. It doesn't contain anything practically useful, believe me. Their facebook pages (yes, pages) are more reliable but I won't write about that in this blog. I'll create another one dedicated to Rusi motorcycles. 

Model: Korak Limited Edition

Displacement (cc): 110

Fuel: Premium Gasoline, 98 Octane Rating  

(This was just my choice. The sales personnel from the dealership told me we could use any gasoline type)

Fuel System: Carburetor

Gear Shift Pattern: N-1-2-3-4 

(rotary -- one more click down from 4 and it goes back to neutral)

Starting System: Push/Electric and Kick Start

Suspension (Front): Telescopic Fork

Suspension (Rear): Mono Shock

Tire Pressure (Front): 28 psi

(acquired knowledge from other Rusi mini-bike users)

Tire Pressure (Rear): 30 psi

(acquired knowledge from other Rusi mini-bike users)

Transmission: Manual (also available in semi-Automatic)

Price (straight cash): Php45,000 

(as of July 21, 2017)

Price (Installment - 2 years): Downpayment - Php5,000 | Monthly: 2,575

(less Php300 if paid early)

Price (Installment - 3 years): Downpayment - Php5,000 | Monthly: Php1,945 

(less Php300 if paid early)

IMPORTANT!!! Hazard switch is not available for this bike. My nephew helped me tap a hazard switch on the signal lights. Oopss... Sorry, Rusi. Haha! XD

So far, those are the things that I know about my bike. Not a lot, I know. Still learning. Lady Rider in waiting... :P

Update on Me and Skywalker

Skywalker is mostly in our garage and I rarely get to use him. My dad and my brother are the ones who take Skywalker out for a ride. I'm not even sure if we're done with his "break-in." His twin sister Chuchay already has lots of mileage. Well, my nephew (Chuchay's owner) is already an experienced rider. I'm so proud of him, already riding for two years. :)

Right now, I'm practicing control of my clutch on first gear; managing those small tight spaces in our garage with all other cars parked on the side. That exercise is still very helpful because riding here in the Philippines is pure insanity. You never know when an accident might occur. It's best to know what to do in every type of situation - small tight spaces included.

It's a little sad but I can't take Skywalker out just yet. I've only been riding motorcycles for five months and I've only had experience with manual transmission when I bought him. So that's about three weeks of experience with manual. 

Questions and Apprehensions About My Motorcycle Choice

Since I got my motorcycle, many people have been bombarding me with questions and apprehensions. I have my reasons for not getting a semi-automatic (as advised by my cousin). I'll write about them in another blog. Those reasons are probably products of overthinking and my background on occupational health and safety. Those reasons need a blog of their own. With that, I want to bring Skywalker to Cavite where I can religiously practice every weekend. My dad doesn't like this idea and he says I can just practice in Antipolo on the highway in front of our gate. HIGHWAY. Marcos HIGHWAY where there are lots of crazy-ass pedestrians and motorcyclists who counterflow when traffic is heavy.

Meanwhile, my cousin likes the Cavite idea since I'm still in the process of building my confidence on riding. One thing he has commented on is Skywalker's transmission. Hehe. He asked why I hadn't gotten a semi-automatic motorcycle. He has insight about my reasons but I've yet to explain to him. I hope he reads my blog.

With that, I'd like to point out that it's not really about what people say that matters to me. It's about how much I trust myself to ride. I sincerely appreciate these questions and apprehensions since a lot of my family members already had catastrophic accidents including my own dear little sister. Well, not little per se, she's already 24. But the accident was so catastrophic and life-changing to the point where my parents almost denounced us when she found out that all of her children are still involved in motorcycling. I understand that they don't want those accidents to happen again.

So for now, I'll do what I want. I'll ask my cousin to help me bring Skywalker to Cavite and I'll practice there. I love my cousin so much, he's so supportive about my decisions and the reasons behind them but he's still protective of the Lady Riders in his bike group. I mean, he's the one who got me into this in the first place. Haha! XD

For now, I'll leave you with that update. Let's hope the next blog comes out earlier. :P

Kelan Kaya Ako Makakakuha ng Motor? XD

Masaya ako para sa kapatid ko kasi nakakuha na siya ng motor. Hehe. Rusi SSX 200. Unlike before, hindi naman ako nakakaramdam ng inggit ngayon. Pangit pakinggan pero sa totoo lang andami ko nang kina-inggit sa baby brother ko. Hehe. Yung computer shop business na sinuportahan siya, nung tinuruan siya mag-drive ni Daddy, tapos ngayon sinamahan at pinayagan siya kumuha ni Daddy ng motor. Masaya ako para sa kapatid ko and advantageous din yun para sakin kasi makakapag-practice muna ako sa manual bago ako kumuha ng sarili kong motor. Bwahahahaha!!! XD

Pero bigla rin akong napatanong, kelan kaya ako kukuha ng sarili kong motor? Umpisa pa lang ng April and up til now excited talaga akong kumuha ng motor. Dumating nga sa point na sumama ang loob ko kay Daddy at nasabihan akong balat-sibuyas dahil sa mga pag-uusap namin about the dangers of motorcycling.

So ayun, I really couldn't say that my financial status is holding me back kasi kaya ko naman talagang gawan ng paraan na magka-pera. Medyo sa-id ako ngayon. Anak ng tokwa Taxi kasi ako ng taxi recently dahil sa 6AM shift ko. It's probably because masyado akong nasanay na nakiki-angkas sa mga naka-motor and it takes me a very short amount of time to get to work. Tsaka hindi ko alam, baka gusto ko yung convenience ng motor in terms of time kaya kahit napapa-taxi ako okay (?) lang kasi umalis ako sa bahay ng walang allowance, makakaabot ako.

Is it the thought that I should put my life in order before I get my own motorcycle? Or procrastination? What is it that holds me back? Ewan. Grabe ko ka-overthinker noh? Pero sige, puntahan natin yang mga aspects na yan.

Financially, I'm in deep shit. Yung credit card ko Php15,000 lang naman ang limit, hindi ko mabayad bayaran. And guess what, naka-max out yun. Wala akong savings na maayos. Php1000 lang laman ng passbook ko. Pero meron naman akong life insurance with investment kahit medyo kauumpisa pa lang. Mag-iisang taon pa lang yun. And this cutoff nga, andami kong utang maliban pa sa mga loan ko. 

Bakit kaya ako nagkaganyan? Isa lang maibibigay kong sagot. Magastos talaga ako. I fucking like convenience and not working too much. Hindi ako smart sa money ko. Or at least, hindi ko pa nababago yung gusto kong baguhin sa sarili ko, which is yung pagiging magastos nga. Lagi kong excuse na I have financial responsibilities sa family pero hindi naman kasi talaga mawawala yun. Ang gusto ko talaga is mawala yung responsibilities ko para matustusan ko mga kagustuhan ko (like yung motor) kasi nga magastos ako. Sabi nila makakatipid daw ako sa pagmomotor. Really? Sa case ko ewan lang ha. If I were to use a motorcycle to go to work everyday baka pwede. Pero hindi lang naman maintenance and gas ang kailangan kong i-take into account. May parking fee pa po, mga teh. :)

Konektado yan sa habits ko eh. Hirap ayusin ng sarili lalo kapag nasanay ka sa dynamics nyo sa bahay. Not sure I gotta explain this so I won't.

So kaya ko naiisip na "ayusin" muna ang buhay ko bago ako magdagdag ng kahit ano pang pagbabago. So kung kelan ako makakakuha ng motor.. Ewan. Most likely, matagal pa.