Sunday, November 25, 2012

Ang Honda Bravo Ko

Ang Honda Bravo Ko

by Edgar Garganta on Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 11:51am ·
Outstanding ang performance ng Bravo. Nabili ko Bravo ko last December. Average distnce travel ko ay 2,000 kilometers per month.  Regular ang maintenance ng Bravo ko. Honda motor oil, Havoline motor oil at Castrol motor oil ang ginagamit ko. Sa ngayon, stick to Havoline ako. Pero baka mag shift ako sa elf. Sa regular maintenance na ginawa ko, halos motor oil lang ang pinalitan not until pag dating sa 16,000 kilometer reading na. Nag palit nako ng drive chain (EK brand na heavy duty) at denso iridium spark plug. Medyo mahal lang pero satisfied ako at ayoko ko rin tinitipid ang Bravo ko.

Mula ng pagkabili ko, ang naging problema ng Bravo ko ay busted dim headlight at busted rear park light. Although, gumagana pa ang filament ng bright light at ang brake light, pinalitan ko na pareho. At 4 times ako na flat tyre. Napalitan ko na rin rear tyre ko after 16,000 kms dahil pudpod na. Original Bravo tyre pa rin ang pinalit ko, galing sa Bravo na nagpalit ng dunlop tyres.

Hindi pa ako tinirik ng Bravo ko. Hindi pa rin ako pinalya. Fastest speed na naitakbo ko ay 110kph downhill from Tagaytay. Nagagawa ko na rin ang full throttle for about 1 hour sa Bravo (actually, palagi) at wala syang problema. Walang overheat at walang palya until now.

Medyo alerto lang ako sa hataw kasi parehong drum brake ang preno ng Bravo. OK naman ang rear drum brake kasi malakas din naman kumapit sa kalsada. Narasan ko na rin magmuntikan ng ilang beses. Dalawa lang naman ang pwedeng mangyari sa biglang preno ng stock na Bravo, ang mag fishtail at ang skidding on one side sa biglaang preno. OK naman, stable ang motor, wag lang kabahan ang rider baka mawalan ng control.

Sa Bravo ko, nakakaya kong iwanan ang xrm 110, wave 100, raider j 110. Ilang beses ko silang nakakasabay at kahabulan sa kalsada. Isang beses palang ako naunahan sa dami ko nang encounter, yun ay dahil short distance lang ang tinakbo namin at lumiko na ako. Pero, di ko sinasabi na malakas ang makina ng Bravo, 100cc lang sya. Bravo can only do so much. Ang sekreto dyan ay ang gamay o pagkakabisado ng rider sa motor, skill ng rider sa pagmomotor, experience ng rider at ang lakas ng loob.

Ang hindi OK sa Bravo:

Generally OK ang Bravo. Kakaibang body design nya. Wala kang makitang imitation sa design ng body nya. Pero "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", so kanya-kanyang gusto yan. Ang pinaka malapit nyang kamukha sa Philippine market ay ang raider j.

Meron lang mga ilang parts na sa akin ay hindi masyadong nakaka-appeal sa ibang rider o would-be buyers. Isa-isahin natin.

handle bar - yup, marami talagang turn-off sa manubela ng Bravo. Pero actually, pareho ang handle bar ng Wave at Bravo, except ang sa Bravo ay hubad at tinakpan lang ng plastic cover kumpara sa Wave ay naka cover ang buong cowl ng headlight, signal lights, at gauges. At tulad ng Wave, hindi madali mag modify ng handle bar ang Bravo kasi hindi available ang parts for modification sa market. To modify, kailangan customize mo mismo. Marami na rin ang nagmodify nito sa mga members ng Philippine Bravo Riders Club (PBRC). Pioneer dyan si archer22. Meron din sa Mindanao area PBRC member. It takes ingenuity to modify Bravo's handle bar.

kick start - Walang kick starter ang Bravo kaya time and time again, this has be a topic of debate for pinoy riders. Personally, mas gusto ko ng walang kick starter ang Bravo.Maraming paraan para mag start ang motor kapag drain ang battery. Push start ang pinaka madali. Syempre, ang Hondo Dio hindi pwede sa push start dahil automatic transmission, kaya siguro nilagyan ng kickstart. And besides, masisira lang ang sapatos sa kickstart. Sayang din ang Nike. Isipin mo in economic-wise perspective. Kapag meron kick start, mas mahal mo bibilhin ang motor, di ba? Kung wala naman kickstart at pag dumating ang panahon na mahina na ang battery mo na di kaya ang electric start (siguro after three years), dun mo ngayon maisip na dapat meron kickstart di ba? OK, pero ayaw mong ma abala lagi kaka kick-start para gumana lahat ng electrical components mo kaya bibili ka agad ng battery. So malamang, tatlo o apat na beses mo lang gagamitin ang kickstart, balik ka na naman sa electric starter, di ba? 3 years ulit bago masira ang battery, tapos tatlo o apat na beses mo lang gamitin ang kick-start. E kung ganun, mas maganda pang walang kick-start (lesser engine weight at walang naka usling lever na maaring maka sagabal sa pagmamaneho, na kasama pang linisan at langisan para di kalawangin) dahil pwede naman i-push start ang motor. Sinubukan ko na mag push start, walang kahirap-hirap, maniwala ka.

passenger footpeg - This is the one I hated the most with the Bravo. Ang foot rest sa likod ng Bravo ay naka weld sa swing arm. Functional naman, di ba? Meron mga ibang modelong motor na ganito rin, naka weld sa sweing arm. Ang ayoko dito (sinubukan ko rin umangkas sa Bravo ko) ay kapag nag si-swing ang swing arm, sumasama ang tapakan, meaning akyat-panaog din ang paa ng angkas. Sa humps, mararamdaman mo ang pag galaw ng paa mo kapag pasahero ka. Medyo ok lang yun kasi dahan dahan naman tayo sa humps. Ang problema, kapag long ride na at sa mga lubak lubak. ramdam na ramdam mo ang bugbog mula sa paa hangang hita kapag pasahero ka. E di ba, usually ang inaangkas natin ay ang misis natin. Imagine mo na lang ang discomfort nila sa ganitong apakan. Unlike sa ibang motor, meron sariling footpeg bracket na naka-attached mismo sa batalya kaya di gumagalaw ang apakan.

no gear indicator - Kung baguhan ka mag motor, malaking bagay sayo na makita mo kung saan gear ka na. pero hindi advisable na lagi kang tumingin sa panel mo, delikado po. "Eyes on the road, please". Kapag nasanay ka na magmotor, mapapansin mo na di pala kailangan ang gear indicator. Actually, bihira ang model ng motor na meron gear indicator. Sabi nga ng matatandang rider sakin, tatlong beses ka lang titingin sa panel ng motor: bago ka mag start, pagkahinto sa traffic para malaman mo kung nasa neutral ka at paghinto mo. Un-necessary na yung tingin ka ng tingin.

drum brakes - gaya ng sinabi ko, drum brakes ang harap at likod ng Bravo. Di talaga masyadong kumakapit ang preno sa harap. Pipigain mo nung husto. Di tulad ng naka disc brake (at least sa harap na gulong), konting piga lang kapit agad. Mas meron control sa motor, safer at mas maganda ang handling. Eto ngayon ang problema, walang model ang Bravo na meron disc brake!

steady headlight - this ain't a problem. most sports (big) bikes have this kind of design. Walang problema at walang mali sa ganitong design.

Basically, ang mga ito lang naman ang major differences sa features ng Honda Bravo compared with xrm and wave and other underbones in its class.

53 kilometers per 1 liter of gasoline:

The Honda Bravo can go up to 53 kilometers per 1 liter of gasoline based on experience. Maybe it's because of the body's sleek design and lower engine displacement, along with Honda's reputation for fuel efficiency.

Try to scrutinize it's design:

steady headlight - all sports bike are designed like this. why? for aerodynamics. aerodynamic structure of the bike should remain steady throughout, unlike if any part deviates like the cowl (on those mc that sway along with the handle bar) when turning the steering handle, the wind drag will be deflected to different directions that could affect aerodynamics...meaning great wind drag. High wind drag means slower acceleration, more engine stress, less fuel efficiency.

like I said above, there's nothing wrong with this design. If you're a seasoned rider, you know this. if you can't see my point, try doing this. ride your bike. what's your average speed? 30kph, 40kph, 50 kph, 60kph? let's use 30kph. on a curve road, continue to follow the road at 30kph. how do you steer? do you turn your steering bar? Of course not! you'll be out of control. what you'll do is to firm your hold on the steering handle and slowly drop the bike to its side (left side to left curving road and ride side to right curving road). You'll not be turning the handle bar, whether you are using both models (steady headlight and the one that go with the handle bar). The more faster velosity, the more straight and firm will you hold your steering handle. So there's no much difference on how your lights will project forward. The bigger difference is when you're running at 5kph or less and you are steering at full. What could be the instance of that? when you make a U turn or at heavy turning. But at 5 kph, can't you see what's coming your way? will a 5kph speed cause a fatal crash, much less a serious one?

shroud - shroud is designed to maximize wind capture on a downward force to maximize cooling of engine and steering control of the bike. xrm has similar design but wave doesn't. ang wave meron pallikpek na gustong gusto ng mga bumbay.

front fender - the front fender is designed sleek and less tyre-fender clearance for aerodynamics. xrm and wave are designed with bigger front fenders and mounted higher compared with the Bravo. so both types create more wind drag than that of the Bravo's.

net weight - the Bravo has relatively lesser net weight compared with xrm and wave series. Wala kasing kickstarter, passenger footpeg brackets, etc. Less weight means less stressful for the engine...meaning, maximum engine capability.

Riding the Road to Life


Riding the Road to Life

Starting my motorcycle going to work, I asked children playing in my front What they want to be when they grow up. They gave me instant positive answers. They thought they will always get what they wanted ( a good altitude). How I wish I would be child for the whole of my life. But growing up and growing old happened. Maturity comes naturally. But, I found out the world is not pleasant as I was thought.

Ten years ago I came in Manila carrying nothing but loaded with wonders and hope that I would find my fortune. I was excited I finally able to run from home and very frolic about it. Same thing happened to other young people too. Living in the grassy island and seaside of Masbate, I had always thought of my self as islander kind of people and couldn’t imagine myself being in touched with fast and busy city life.

Manila is not desirable to me. It’s noisy, crowded and carbon filled place, different from my island I loved. Arriving, I was amassed seeing from the instance of my bus door different heights and glittering city lights. I was just immediately fall impressed with what I found a city of my dream. I was here and I call myself manila boy, an easy recruit. I don’t expect my conversion it just happens.

Living miles away from family and friends is not easy. Yes these are a pathetic words, I know you know it already but, I tell you, knowing something is definitely not the same as experiencing it. I learned the hard, twisted, muddy and flooded ways. I have lost in the big city and learned where to find out. A mistake big or small is not embarrassing. It gives you a hint not to repeat again. I warn you, if you think that you have all figured it out, and then think again, because chances are you will lose just like I was before.

Fast track to last few months. I found myself lessemployed, employed but having an undesirable working environment and almost broke.  I tried to read the entire self help- book but it does not help me much, I learned the hard way. Again, whoever blinded me with the idea that I was different and hard to get? Those are the days where the hardest of my life here. More than once I was tempted to resign and longed to face the uncertainties, confusion, disillusion, and all the sad, dirty facts of life. But, a million times over, I decided against it.

Slowingly, I was thinking of my pride. What would happen if my friends and family ask me if I returned home empty handed. Nevertheless, I was a lowest mammal when I came here what they expect of me. My profile is not fit for that telenovela-ish damsel in distress, but if anybody tried at directing a soap opera such as my life, I would complain it. If it wasn’t for my ridiculous but luckily well-timed vanity, I would have thrown the towel of surrender. I thought myself as survivor in this city jungle full of torn and dikes. To the very least, I am thankful that I have life.

Fast forward to this very night, I have come to retrospect my life. Many things and events added up to lead me to this crossroads. If you apply for a job in the Government Agency it is prevalent that you should have “Know-who” not “Know-how”. But now I am the one who see the consequence. It paralyzes the functions of the office. A paradigm shift is recommended. But I will not recommend it to them I will apply it to myself. On this night, I tried to shift myself of asking “where-to” but instead I asked “How-to”. Put all the ingredience under one pot to cook Tinula and regret the taste. I think things would be easy if we know how and also what.

Breaking the fast, I have come to sort my past, now I see my life as a rider. Books and the things that I learned in school and in my work were my training wheels. They got me started, but eventually I had shed them and do the balancing and maneuvering on my own.

But  the ride doesn’t end there. Learning how to ride is an easy part; choosing the right path to my desired destination is really what matter most. Chose the path that you really like most. If you ask me what path I really like, that path was the one that carve out for me. What is it? SECRET.

It is studied that life is not a consequence, you design your life. You ride yourself for your destination. The roadblocks and detours under my way is one heck of my ride. I won’t sell my soul for anything else on this world.

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