Bernie heads to Vietnam where all of his racing skills from Bathurst and the Isle of Man TT come into play on a Honda Air Blade scooter! What a hell of a lot of fun!
‘I can feel my heart beating, pounding. The blood pumping through my veins, my sweaty palms. I am surrounded by motorcycles, scooters, pushbikes. I can’t see the front of the pack, there is a push from left, right and centre with surrounding pilots trying to improve their start!
Bernie headed to Vietnam for a new career selling fruit but nobody would buy any off him so he had to come home…
G’day Everyone!
There is no room to move, I am anxious, not quite sure how this is going to work out. The anxiety of the moment triggers me, transporting my mind back in time to a similar experience in my life, my first race start at Bathurst as a D grade road racer, where I am astride a little Yamaha RZ250, taking up the 95th grid position with an entry of 105 other 250 production bikes at Bathurst, one of the world’s most dangerous motorcycle road race circuits, equal to the Isle of Man TT course, which I raced on.
Read Bernie’s last column here…
My plan for my Bathurst start was formulated with Hatto senior, his instructions were simple “Mate when you think you see that flag drop just nail it! Nobody is going to notice you jump the start that far down the pack”! There is a story that goes with my first Bathurst ride, one day I will share it with you.
I’m not at Bathurst, I am not on a RZ250, and I am no longer a teenager. I have arrived as a tourist in the two-wheel crazy country Vietnam, with no plan other than to hire a scooter or motorcycle and explore Vietnam. I am sitting in the middle of utter chaos, there is no other way to explain Vietnam traffic, its road system is very unique. I’ve ridden a motorcycle in China before, however Vietnam’s traffic system is an extremely different story again. Vietnams dependency on two wheels for transport includes bicycles, mopeds and scooters, I have never seen so many motorcycles, scooters and pushbikes in one location, it’s pretty cool…
Taking up the 95th grid position with an entry of 105 other 250 production bikes at Bathurst
As I feel this vacuum of movement pulling me into a bustling intersection, I notice the flag hasn’t dropped! The lights are still glowing red, but we are all away negotiating the intersection, with traffic coming from left, right and centre, we negotiate the loitering traffic not finished with the same intersection. My Bathurst start was crazy, there was a pile up in turn one better known as Hell Corner for good reason, this start in Vietnam felt no different!
The traffic lights we were facing had a well illuminated timer counting down the time left on red, I clearly saw our lights still showing 4 seconds when the scream of two-stroke/ four-stroke scooters, motorcycles and vehicles started roaring away. I nervously react and go with the crew before I get run over, I soon realise this is life in Vietnam and with a giggle I get on with it!
This dodgy, crazy stream of traffic I find myself in works and flows through the intersections like a swarm of small bait fish in the ocean navigating obstacles, spearing left or right of the reef, or its predators, I have chosen to adapt to the locals way of using the roads, follow observe and do what others are doing, fit in and learn. I giggle again and laugh to myself with every new experience.
The Honda Air Blade 125 was no Fireblade but perfect for the crazy Vietnamese traffic!
The Magic Number!
I learn that just 4 seconds to go on red is the magic number, at this point you open your eyes, your mind, observation skills, tune your head in, observe, observe, observe and go, pinning the throttle to the fast setting. Wow I think to myself this is exactly like my first 250 proddie race at Bathurst, the baptism of fire at Bathurst was crazy, there was yellow flags out all over the mountain and 105 motorcyclists all wanting to make a name for themselves.
The learnings of spatial awareness combined with whom is around you, behind you, ahead of you, get your mind turned on, concentration, observation, skills, constant scanning, planning, scanning is a vital part of your success at Bathurst and equally as vital for any motorcyclist in Vietnam. This level of intensity is cool, it’s what attracts me to two wheels.
Riding a motorcycle in Vietnam is like a real life version of Mario Kart. I constantly find myself negotiating a range of moving and static obstacles, hazards which may have included faster, slower motorcyclists or the family two wheel SUVs (basically a motorcycle or scooter with five on board) the commercial operator using his two wheels to transport live chooks, ducks, produce to the markets, cyclists, cars, tractors, old diesel carts, old diesel trucks, wheel barrows, you name it!
Vietnamese roads are not only a source of transport, but the roads are also lined with small business operators conducting their commercial enterprises. Everything from the famous and extremely yummy – Ba Mi, coffee, food, meat, fish, produce, hardware, all the business is conducted in the gutter or on the sidewalk, which adds another layer of hazards to this crazy world.
The Mighty Air Blade 125
I have chosen the mighty Air Blade Honda scooter, a 125cc four-stroke scooter, the perfect choice of weapon for the Danang street challenge, it’s nimble, has the ability to select different engine modes, with low speed and high speed engine settings. The mighty Blade gets away as quick as anything else we encounter, steers well, came fitted with a set of Balderlini racing slicks (tread gone, like my hair ) for $8AUD a day, yew!
I am a fast learner in this traffic, essentially your success hinges on your ability to be open minded, flexible, and is vital for survival. It’s been about an hour of riding and I feel I have got it semi sorted, I arrive at the front of the pack most times, I am cruising with the throttle pinned, using the horn instead of brakes, I haven’t quite taken to planking yet, however I consider this option as a tourist peels my stickers off, roaring past with his T-shirt flapping in the wind!
I am a fast learner in this traffic, essentially your success hinges on your ability to be open minded…
Then nan fly’s past me, I have a chuckle and look in the mirrors, I notice I am about to be engulfed by the group behind, obviously I am still learning, you see I had rolled the off for little things. Simple everyday Vietnamese obstacle examples really, they iinclude a variety of hazards as previously mentioned, however this roll off is my reaction to a scooter being directly ridden at me obviously riding on the wrong side of the road! Trucks and cars participate in the same insane activity, then old mate decides to walk his water buffalo down the road, would you roll off?
I love how the Vietnamese people use horns to communicate their intentions to pass, advise other road users of their existence, yet no one uses the horn as a road rage tool, it’s pointless getting upset with the ever-changing conditions you face, if you are having road rage, you’re a boof-head and you probably won’t make it here.
Ah, Vietnam!
I start to fall in love with all this craziness and I know this is going to be a cool adventure! Over the city riding we plan a trip inland; the ride takes us through the hills and regional areas, we covered over 300km in a day, two up, we experienced some amazing roads for motorcycles, enjoyed some of the best coffees, local foods, taking in the surroundings on one of the hottest days I experienced during the trip. What I loved about this ride was the motorcycling culture we experienced in the hills, riders constantly enjoying the road, the scenery, the mateship that motorcycling creates, motorcycle life, passion, truly beautiful, without the harassment of coppers.
Riding a motorcycle is amazing here, there is an amazing motorcycling culture. The motorcycle is loved respected and passionately used. We book a ride that will take us along the China border, it is an amazing ride and one that deserves a story keep your eyes out for my next Vietnam story.
p.s – Make sure your travel insurance fully covers you for scooter/motorcycle riding in Vietnam for accident and injury, and that you have the appropriate licence to ride in Vietnam!
Life starts on two wheels, Bernie.
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