My first scooter.

 Fri. 3.12.2021

After my first motorcycle, a Honda 90 cc (BN 3950) bought in Section 14, PJ, in 1965, after 2 Honda Cubs (1 stolen at the Kelana Jaya commuter station) and 1 Modenas kapcai, all 3 registeration numbers now forgotten, after 2 superbikes bought simultaneously in 1991 (a Honda CBR 600 cc no.BDP 600, and a Kawasaki Vulcan 750 cc no. WCR 6600), and after the last kapcai Yamaha LC 135 no. NCA 211, bought in 2007, I took delivery of my first scooter, a Yamaha NMax 155 no, SD198T (my house no. is 198) on 1.12.2021. It took XL Motor Sdn. Bhd. Bukit Rasah, Seremban 3 months. I paid a booking fee of RM 200 on 7.9.2021. I don't know if this was because of operational slow-down because of Covid 19, or just a marketing ploy. I'd almost wanted to tell Memi to change shop or model. He chose this particular make and model. He was footing the bill !

It's been a wet 2 days here, including yesterday morning. So it was only after 4 pm yesterday that I was able to test-ride. My 7-year old granddaughter insisted on following. Since her 2 twin brothers were taking a nap, I hurried her and off we went. We rode all the way to Pasir Panjang, PD, and turned back via Telok Kemang. It was starting to drizzle. We left the house at 4.30 p.m. We reached home at 7 p.m. I never broke 70 k.p.h. Running the brand-new engine, you know.

Memi came home early September, and took the old kapcai to buy cigarettes or something. When the 3 of us were chatting in the porch, he commented that the old bike isn't stable. There was a fall several years ago, but the bike rides ok to me, although there is an imbalance when taking a corner at speed. So I retorted "buy a new one lah". He surprised me by agreeing to it.

The old kapcai was supposed to be traded in for a cheap 1,600. Cheap because a Yamaha LC 135 pre 2010 is very popular, to both riders and thieves. There is no "cut-off" in this earlier model, and for a 135 cc motorcycle, it's surprisingly fast. I had touched 150 on an extended stretch. That's almost 100 mph, bro ! Even now this 14-year old bike can easily do 140. Such was the situation with these Yamaha LC 135's, my original insurers refused to continue the cover. I had to look around for alternative underwriters, and found one insurance agent on the second floor of an old shoplot near the Seremban wet market. The office is crammed with files from floor to ceiling, and I had to deal with a middle-aged Chinese woman who spoke to me from behind iron grilles, like the goldsmiths who are scared of being robbed. With the pandemic SOP, I had to renew the road-tax from outside the office, through another set of iron grilles. Phew !

After 1 month from booking date, I called the salesman, Ruslan. He had cautioned me about the stock for this model. I had visited 7, yes 7, dealers in Seremban before coming to Ruslan. No one had any ready stock of  the Yamaha NMax 155. Ruslan also didn't have stock, but if I was willing to wait for at least 1 month, he could try to get it for me. Now after one month the stock was still unavailable.. The second month was a repeat performance. Just before the end the 3rd month of November, Ruslan called with the good news. But he said he also had  bad news. The price had changed. I protested on the phone. He said to come over and discuss.

The original price agreed upon was cash OTR 9,800. I advanced 200. Now they want 500 more. After an exchange, I finally relented. I know every agent has a different price. That one in Senawang quoted 11,500 cash, 1,200 more. With a back box & rack, and  an additional insurance cover for "all riders" it came to 10,966. Memi gave me 9,500. Adik was supposed to give 1,600 for the old kapcai that he wants, instead of being traded-in. But so far he'd only given me 1,000. So I had to make up the difference of 466. Now, compared to the 7 K I doled out for the kapcai 14 years ago, this was like gratis.

Really, I'm grateful  No. 3 son had said this was his gift for my 77th. birthday, which falls on Sunday, 5.12.2021. Jayos said it's a lot of money for a birthday present, and I agreed. Lucky you, Jayos added. Ong whatsapped just now. He has been one of those who warned about motorbiking at this age. "Be careful" he said. I have to. After the PD ride yesterday, the scooter behaves different from a motorcycle.

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