The first time I went to Singapore (S'p) it was not by choice but rather by chance. The plane I flew stopped in this wonderland on the way to Asia. I had read about being caned for breaking the law in a minor way, laws against chewing gum, and restrictive rules of all sorts. I also read however that there was an authorized Harley Dealer and I thought, what the heck, why not stop over, explore and visit? For the visit to the Harley shop I had images of walking down a dirt road to a bamboo hut covered in palm fronds and seeing a few old bikes in various stages of disrepair. Well let me tell you how wrong I was with all my preconceived notions.




Immediately leaving the airport, which in itself is a world-class facility, I was totally impressed with the four land divided highway heading into town. It is straight, smooth, clean and lined with the lushest foliage I have ever seen near a metropolitan airport. S'p is an island nation and city, and it was amazing, clean and orderly. It is also technologically advanced beyond what I find in most American cities, having a great light rail, superb bus lines, and honest taxis at reasonable rates.



Heading into downtown I witnessed some of the most uniquely designed skyscrapers ever in a neat and compact business central zone. Various ethnic neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Little India, Arab Town, and the Quays are very distinct and authentic with the residents all living in cultural harmony.




At the ultra-modern and fully-equipped factory authorized Harley store I discovered a friendly bunch of people and I was fortunate enough to be invited by them to several biker group function. One such party was the tenth anniversary of the Warpigs MC (Motorcycle Club), which was held at the old governor's mansion on one of the many beaches an island has to offer. All clubs were invited and the camaraderie was infectious.



Another party was the thirteenth anniversary of the HOG Chapter held on Sentosa Island accessible by bridge. I was impressed with table decorations, linen, china and silverware set up on a pristine white sand beach for a superbly catered dinner. Again, the hospitality was as good as it gets and I was treated like royalty. They practice the brotherhood we depict in our movies.





The concept of this photo shoot was threefold to not only show you what the bikers ride in S'p but also to show the sights which are different in every photo and to enhance it all with a bit of the ever popular feminine pulchritude found about. I would recommend that visitors look up each of the backgrounds mentioned in the photos to learn more about this largely misunderstood nation. It is magnificent and interesting.





There was so much to write about I could easily digress away from the topic I inadvertently planned to feature, a story about riding in a foreign country. The traffic was moderate. Maximum speed limit signs were posted everywhere anywhere. Lots of restrictions are strictly enforced and make Singaporean bikers long for biking "American Style."



They are not able to make any modifications to their bikes other than bolt on accessories and many of those are "illegal." No choppers are allowed on the island period - custom non-production manufactured are not allowed. Of course, no loud pipes are allowed and helmets are required.




All vehicles must have a transponder (Caltrans style) for entering the central zone that has a toll fee while some areas are off limits entirely to motorcycles. The import duty of 12% should make your sticker shock less alarming. And lastly, they drive on the wrong side of the road, thanks to a long British occupation.





The island is only about 10 miles wide and 22 miles long. This doesn't afford riders lots of long-ride opportunities, so it can get a bit repetitious for the locals, but extremely well cared for roads, rolling topography, and tropical vegetation keep bikers company on short rides. Scenic it is, beyond imagination, with photo ops at every turn. While it may be a photographers delight, it is not a bikers dreamland.




Given that there are over five million people on the island the size of Manhattan it leads to a scarcity of the open space and limited parking. With respect to parking, if you are unlucky enough to leave your scoot in an inappropriate spot you may get the "Boot." The "boot" is an iron wheel clamp that requires a visit to the nearest police station and bail to the tune of about $50.





S'p is fortunately connected to the mainland of Malaysia by a bridge, so it is possible to venture north on long rides with some preparations as travel between countries has its regulations, such as passports are required. Still with all these conditions there are thousands of riders and the local HOG chapter has 280 members.



There is strong desire to ride and the old school hollywood re-creation of '50s and '60s biker lifestyle is the undercurrent of motivation. Motorcycles, and in particular, custom motorcycles represent freedom everywhere.



S'p is an amazing destination, and I was very fortunate to find myself dropped into the Emerald City.




Technical collaboration by Chris Brixi -Singapore HOG.