KUALA LUMPUR,3 SEPT – A convoy of 120 Harley-Davidson superbikes – worth a total of RM22 million – kept dwellers and tourists enthralled as they did a 66th Merdeka Day ‘ride-past’ in the federal capital, today.
Members of the Heaven Respect Brotherhood Motorcycle Club (HRBMC) revved up their magnificent engines from the city’s ‘golden triangle’ of Bukit Bintang for a stop-over photo-shoot at Istana Negara, before completing their Independence Day celebration at the Hamawangsa Auto Mall at Pinggiran Taman Tun Dr Ismail (opposite Mutiara Damansara).
Club president Elvin Goh Tse Hsiung said the ‘ride-past’ (in contrast with the 66th Merdeka Day parade fighter jet fly-past over Putrajaya) was their way of demonstrating their show of patriotism for the country and to recognise the struggles of the past generation towards achieving independence from Britain in 1957.
“Apart from providing some rare entertainment to the public, the event was also an avenue for our members to let their hair down with an outdoor activity, enhance brotherhood and destress.
Heaven Respect Brotherhood Motorcycle Club president Elvin Goh astride his 1.9-litre Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special.
“Being a public holiday, the traffic was also smooth as our convoy was assisted by club marshals.
“The response was overwhelming with participation from riders from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Perak, Terengganu, Pahang, Penang and Sabah,” said Goh, a former Malaysia Airlines steward-turned-chef who now runs the Secret of Louisiana Restaurant @ The Lake in Plaza Kelana Jaya, SS7 in Selangor.
Their programme began with breakfast at the Capitol Café in Bukit Bintang and moved over to Istana Negara in Jalan Duta, just in time to witness the motorcade of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah returning to the palace after earlier witnessing the Merdeka Day parade at Putrajaya.
The event culminated with lunch at Hamawangsa Auto Mall, which also deals with Harley-Davidson superbikes.
Sabahan Goh, who was ably assisted by his wife Sharine Chua, son Aiden Goh and daughter Amber Goh, said the club members were mostly self-employed and aged from 30 years, with the oldest being Michael Lye, 74, from Ipoh.
Among the entourage were 15 women bikers, some of whom were pioneers of the club established in 2014.
Heaven Respect Brotherhood Motorcycle Club members at their stop-over at Istana Negara during their 66th Merdeka Day ‘ride-past’ in the federal capital.
The most expensive bikes were three 2-litre engine capacity Harley-Davidson CVO (custom vehicle operations), each costing RM380,000.
Goh himself owns a 1.9-litre Harley-Davidson Road Glide Special, worth RM180,000.
“As part of our corporate social responsibility, we also undertake environmental cleanliness projects at beaches, waterfalls and parks.
“We also occasionally organise visits to the lesser fortunate by handing out goodies to cheer them up,” said Goh, whose members have gone on rides all over the country, Indo-China, the Middle-East, Europe and the Americas.
He added that their plan next year was to organise trips to the Far East to China, South Korea and Japan and hoped to rope in more members.
The club, Goh added, also regularly organised safety-riding and training for enthusiasts, as well as bike-maintenance courses for its members. – airtimes.my
