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GIVI Asia Sdn Bhd

  • Anita Yusof will begin her Global Dream Ride 2 (GDR2) in a few days’ time.

  • GDR2 will cover 70 countries.

  • She was given a grand send off last Sunday from GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd’s headquarters in Bukit Beruntung.

Famed Malaysian globetrotter and explorer Anita Yusof will begin her Global Dream Ride 2 (GDR2) in a few days’ time. Also known as the Malaysian Iron Lady, Anita will cover 70 countries over 7 continents this time around, as a continuation of her first GDR three years ago.

She was given a grand send off last Sunday from GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd’s headquarters in Bukit Beruntung. Datin Seri Paduka Marina Mahatir was present to express her admiration for Anita and wished the brave explorer a safe trip.

Also present was the GIVI staff headed by Managing Director Mr. On Hai Swee. GIVI is proud and happy to work with Anita as their Brand Ambassador as she embodies the company’s spirit of exploration. We would like to add that some of the products you and I use were tested by Anita during GDR1 and again in GDR2.

Bike groups such as GIVI BELLA lady riders and Lanun Bikers then escorted her to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

As of this writing, Anita told us that she’s currently in Cape Town, South Africa. She’s been reunited with her Yamaha FZ150i and getting it back to running condition after a year of hibernation. GDR2 will get rolling in a few days after she’s sorted out the necessary documents with the South African authorities.

Actually, Anita is about to embark on Phase 2 of her GDR2 tour, since she had covered Phase 1 last year when she rode around South Africa then to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Lesotho.

For Phase 2, she will travel from the south (Cape Town) to the north (Cario, Egypt) of the African continent.

Phase 3 will see her crossing over to the Arabian Peninsula to ride through Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Azerbajian, Georgia and Armenia.

Anita will then turn north toward Eastern Europe, the Scandinavians and Nordkapp in Phase 4. There, she will have to stop riding for 3 months during winter and plans to “hibernate” in her friend’s house in Macedonia.

She will continue riding after winter and head west to Central Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland in Phase 5.

She will cross the Atlantic Ocean to North America for Phase 6 and travel to Central America for Phase 7.

Phase 8 is allocated to South America and the Antartica.

From there, she will cross the Indian Ocean to Australia to being Phase 9.

The final Phase 10 will take place in Timor Leste and Indonesia before she heads home to Malaysia.

Anita added that she funds this trip herself and doesn’t see the reason why she needs to use the rakyat’s money for such a purpose. GIVI supplies the riding and adventure gear, while Yamaha sponsored her bike.

We hope to bring you constant updates of her ride from time to time. You may also follow her on her Facebook page >>> HERE <<<.

We wish Anita all the best during her ride.

 

  • The GIVI Bella group organized the GIVI Bella Ride to Pangkor.

  • The group consists of all lady bikers.

  • The event also saw the handover of the Women Riders World Relay to the group.

The GIVI Bella group organized the GIVI Bella Ride to Pangkor 2019 from 14th to 16th September 2019. The event was the second GIVI Ladies Ride & Camp event and formed the next leg of the Women Riders World Relay.

GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd. is now fully supportive of bikers of all ilk and gender. Take for example the GIVI Bella group, which consists of lady bikers only. The group has grown strength to strength with through many activities along with GIVI since their inception just a number of months ago.

This second edition of the Ladies Ride & Camp activity came hot on the heels (no pun intended) of the popular first edition, which proved popular among lady bikers.

The Women Riders World Relay, on the other hand, seeks to empower lady bikers around the globe. GIVI was represented by Brand Ambassador Anita Yusoff who received the Women Riders World Relay baton from the group “Bad Girls Throttle.”

The ride was flagged off from GIVI Asia’s headquarters and factory in Bukit Beruntung. A total of 22 participants joined the event.

The convoy took the ladies to the jetty at Lumut, where they transferred over to Pangkor Island for some fun on the beach. The campsite was right at the beach. The participants also set up some fun and games. They even had an aerobics class the next day.

What’s the beach without a BBQ? The GIVI Bella prepared and made the BBQ themselves, which is even more satisfying than calling for catering.

The group then rode home on Malaysia Day while flying the Jalur Gemilang.

Here’s looking forward to the next GIVI Bella event and GIVI Ladies Camp & Ride.

PHOTO GALLERY

  • The GIVI Explorer Adventure will be held in Malaysia this year.

  • Called the GIVI Malaysian Adventure, participants will ride from 20th to 29th July, covering 2500 km of Peninsular Malaysia.

  • The ride includes witnessing the GIVI Rimba Raid 2019 at Janda Baik, Pahang.

Called the GIVI Malaysian Adventure, the prestigious ride comes to our beautiful Malaysia this year. For 10 days from 20th to 29th July, the convoy consisting of worldwide GIVI dealers and riders will enjoy the best of what this amazing country has to offer.

The adventure is also held conjunction with GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd.’s 25th Anniversary in Malaysia. As such the event will begin from GIVI Asia’s headquarters and factory in Bukit Beruntung, Selangor. It is here that most of GIVI’s polymer motorcycle cases are made. The participants will tour the facilities prior to the flag off.

Participants will ride a host of motorcycles including the Triumph Tiger 800 XC and XR variants, the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC and XE, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis and Kawasakis.

Particular attention is given to the Scrambler 1200 XE as one of the riders will race it in the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019.

The adventure’s itinerary includes riding to Malaysian landmarks such as the leaning tower in Teluk Intan, Kelly’s Castle, Belum Rainforest and Temenggor lake, Pulau Redang, before heading back to the historic city of Melaka to visit A’ Famosa, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Stadthuys, Jonker Walk among others.

Pulau Redang

From Melaka, the convoy heads to Janda Baik, Pahang for the GIVI Rimba Raid Janda Baik 2019.

You are welcome to witness the international event. It will be held from 26th to 28th July at the Rimba Valley Motorcamp (please see the map below).

The adventure will end at Genting Highlands on 29th July.

We have participated in the GIVI Explorer Adventure on two previous occasions: South Africa in 2015; Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam in 2017. Apart from those, the adventure had covered the Patagonia region in Chile, Colombia, and Morocco last year.

The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure in 2017

While it may seem like vacations in exotic places (indeed, the bywords for the ride are “Explore, Enjoy”), the GIVI Explorer Adventure is the rolling test lab for the company’s new products. This is about taking R&D onto the road, in the real world, before they are further refined, manufactured and finally sold to bikers like you and I. Thus, the GIVI Explorer Adventure is an important event.

So see you on the road!

  • The Trans-Mongolia 2019 adventure will cover 20,000 kilometres over 65 days through 11 countries.

  • It will push off on 21 August and end on 24 October in Paris, France.

  • There is a total of 12 bikes, supported by 4x4s.

How’s this for an epic motorcycle adventure? The Trans-Mongolia 2019 adventure will cover 20,000 kilometres over 65 days through 11 countries.

The adventure is organized by the group called 4×4 World Explorer which consists of hardcore adventure riders and 4×4 drivers. They’ve organized the Trans-Andes, Trans-Amazon, among others in the past.

 

The upcoming ride which will begin on 21st August 2019 will ride through Thailand, Laos, and China before reaching Mongolia, hence the name. However, instead of turning back once they reach the country, the group will continue onwards through southern Russia (circumventing the Central Asian countries), Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany and finally ending in Paris, France on 24th October.

The bikes and 4x4s will then be shipped back to Malaysia.

 

Expedition Leader, Mr. Thomas Foo presented some of the details during the launch at the Explorer Outfitter outlet in Publika, Kuala Lumpur.

“It is like seeing seven different worlds in one ride,” he said. The riders will be supported by a number of 4x4s.

The 12 motorcycles are the BMW G 310 GS, sponsored by Tian Siang Motorrad in Ipoh, Perak. While they don’t seem much to some out there, the small capacity, single-cylinder bike is reliable and tough enough to stand up to the challenges during the trip. But in case anything breaks, it’s an easy fix compared to more complex models. Besides that, the lack of weight will soon be the rider’s best friend when the going gets tough. Would you prefer to ride on through or wrestle with a heavy bike? That’s why almost all world travelers including Anita Yusof opt for simple, lightweight bikes.

GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd. also played their part by sponsoring touring equipment to the riders. It’s a huge list but here are some of them: X.01 Tourer adventure helmet, B32 Bold Advance top box, PWB02 waterproof waist pouch, CRS02.AX Comfort rain suit, VEST02 high-visibility vest, and a new, taller windscreen. GIVI Asia Managing Director Mr. Oh Hai Swee and Marketing Manager Sam Sharman were present during the presentation.

The Trans-Mongolia adventure will be flagged off on 21st August in Putrajaya.

Please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/4x4worldexplorer/ for more details.

PICTURE GALLERY

  • GIVI Asia celebrates their 25thAnniversary today and launches the 2019 line-up of products.

  • The launch was presented to the media and dealers from around Asia.

  • The company launch 15 new products today and there will be more to come.

GIVI Asia celebrates their 25th Anniversary today and launches the 2019 line-up of products. The launch was held at the Grand Ion D’elemen Hotel in Genting Highlands.

The company also organized a convoy for the Malaysian motorcycle media to kick off the proceedings. The ride began at GIVI Asia’s headquarters and factory in Bukit Beruntung. Foreign dignitaries and dealers were given a tour of the factory, before heading up to Genting Highlands.

2019 Range of Products

GIVI has always strived hard to provide the best solutions for all riders in every conceivable situation. As such, they boast some 75,000 products of all types. The launch of the 2019 range adds to this massive collection.

Showcased at the launch were hard cases, soft bags, waist bag, waterproof garments and helmets.

Hard cases
  • Monolock B32N-Advance Bold Top Case. An “upgrade” of the popular B32 Bold, it features a pair of stainless steel rods on top of the lid, an elastic net strung between the rods and a backrest. The 32-litre case and its features caters to riders who tour, but do not want a larger case.
Monolock B32N-Advance Bold
  • Monolock B270N Top Case. A compact but aerodynamic 27-litre case for riders who want something compact yet stylish. GIVI fitted it to a number of motojournalists’ motorcycles to gain more insight to their use. The lid also has a carbon fibre-like panel to impart a sporty look.
  • E23 Monokey Side Case. These new side cases offer 23-litres of storage capacity each, but small enough to be mounted beside scooters, kapchaisand lightweight adventure bikes. The lid has handles on both ends, enabling more items to be tied down on top of the lid. They also feature prismatic reflective strips for extra visibility, hence safety.

  • G12 Fixed System Centre Case. The G12 centre case replaces the ubiquitous “basket” of kapchais/scooters. It has a 12-litre load capacity hence the rider can store items such as his wallet, phone, etc. It’s secured with a lock and waterproof.

Rider Tech Range

The Rider Tech range consists of soft backpacks, waist bags and saddle bags.

  • RBP03 Rider Tech Camo Backpack, 15-liters.

  • RWB05 Rider Tech Camo Waist Bag, 3-litres.
  • RSB01 Rider Tech Saddle Bag, 15-litres.

Waterproof garments

GIVI is also synonymous with high quality waterproof garments. New products are:

  • PRS04.AX Prime rainsuit.
  • CAM01.AH Camouflage rain suit.
  • CRT01.AX Comfort rain trouser.
HPS M30.1 Cielo Helmet

GIVI adds more colour options to the HPS (Head Protection System) M30.1 Cielo helmet range.

  • Mod Ice White.
  • Mod Black
  • Slide Titanium.

On hand to brief the assembled media were Mr. On Hai Swee – Managing Direcor of GIVI Asia and Mr. Joseph A. Perucca – Overseas Operational Manager of GIVI Groups.

L-R: Mr. On Hai Swee, Mr. Joseph A. Perucca, Mr. Sam Sharman

A question was brought up if GIVI Asia will open new GIVI Point concept stores in Malaysia. Mr. On answered that the company is currently looking to expand to other states in both West and East Malaysia. He also stated that there are GIVI Specialized dealers currently in place and they serve specific motorcycle types.

On another question regarding GIVI’s sponsorship and involvement in Rimba Raid, Mr. Perucca said that he was surprised at the turnout in the 2018 event. As such, the company will continue their involvement for 2019 and hopefully beyond.

Ms. Anita Yusof, GIVI Asia’s Brand Ambassador was also present at the event to promote her new book, Global Dream Ride (Siri 2).

While the media event ended in the afternoon, Asian dealers descended on the hotel for the official launch in the late evening and through the night.

PHOTO GALLERY

  • The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 headed to GIVI’s factory in Vietnam.

  • This is the birthplace of GIVI’s rainsuits and soft luggage.

  • GIVI carried out a CSR program called “Riding for Reading”.

17th November 2017, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Today marked the most important day of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 itinerary.

We were slated to visit GIVI’s factory in Vietnam, situated not far away from the hotel, where we were going to see not only how some of GIVI’s products were made, but more importantly, to attend a special Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

We left the Merperle Crystal Palace Hotel at little later than usual, with the sun already up and shining. The rider with CBR600RR was back and we sure hoped he knew which way we were headed. We were worried about running headlong into HCMC’s traffic, that’s for sure.


We travelled on city roads for a short distance before we started veering into a smaller road flanked on the left by one-storey houses and a river on right. The road condition was good, despite a few patches covered in gravel awaiting their asphalt cover. Hot and dry conditions meant the lead bikes throwing a thick cloud of dust into the air.

Soon we arrived at the GIVI Vietnam HQ and were welcomed by the smiling staff. We were ushered directly to the large entrance to the factory, where a reception had been prepared with light snacks and drinks. We attacked the bottles of water and Pepsi as if we had just left the desert.

Also, there were the Italian Ambassador to Vietnam and the Head of the Italian Trade Delegation, along with Hendrika Visenzi.

Two of the Vietnamese crew had dressed up in the traditional Vietnamese dress, called áo dài (pronounced “Ao-Yai”). Yes, they were pretty.

The GIVI Explorers were then separated into two groups for a grand tour of the facilities. Our group was led by Giorgio Della Rosa, the Factory Manager and designer of GIVI’s riding gear.

This was the birthplace of GIVI rainsuits and soft luggage.

We saw how different materials came together, being cut to exact dimensions by using a hydraulic press or laser cutter, the stitched together by highly trained professionals, before being QC’ed and packed.

We saw the very same tankbags, soft luggage and waterproof we were wearing being assembled right there.

In the meantime, the GIVI crew had taken our helmets to a room in the administration building, where two ladies pinstriped on our names and national flags on one side of the chinbar.

The GIVI Explorers and other guests were then ushered into the conference room for lunch and the GIVI charity event called, “Riding for Reading.” This GIVI CSR initiative aims to assist Vietnamese children in primary schools by meeting short-term and long-term needs. For the near-term, GIVI donated writing and drawing utensils; and health insurance and scholarships in the long-term.

A spontaneous fundraiser was set up among the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 participants, to which everyone was more than happy to contribute. A total of USD 800 was raised.

The kids came to meet us soon after, and it was a happy and emotional experience for all involved, as Ms. Visenzi and Mr. Perucca handed the items to them.

As Mr. Perucca said in his speech, the GIVI Explorer adventures have always been about learning and giving, rather than being just riding across the world.

With the Riding for Reading program done, GIVI presented gifts to the Explorers. First was renowned Vietnamese coffee, packed together with a set of serving cups, and the traditional Vietnamese conical hat called nón lá (translated as left hat).

It was time to say goodbye to GIVI Vietnam and head to our stop for the day. A few of the Vietnamese crew also joined us on the ride.

We cut a south-southwesterly course toward Cần Thơ (pronounced “Kan Ter”), the main city in the Mekong Delta, where the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea. The river life figures heavily here, including a floating market.

Unfortunately, one of the bikes developed a puncture and we arrived way after dark so there was no chance of us going anywhere.

Click here for Day Five (Part Two) of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Five (Part One) of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Four of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Three of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Two of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day One of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

 

PICTURE GALLERY

 

  • True to the GIVI Explorer spirit, we explored downtown Ho Chi Minh City after dinner.

  • Ho Chi Minh City is thriving with 7 to 7.5 million motorcycles.

  • The city’s main charm is the mix of classical and modern buildings, and rich heritage.

13th November 2017, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam – The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 participants freshened up and boarded a bus specially chartered to transport us downtown for dinner.

GIVI did so to mercifully spare us the hassle of having to suit up again, and ride through that traffic.

https://www.facebook.com/BikesRepublic/videos/1840524289311881/

A VIP had joined us by now. She was Ms. Hendrika Visenzi, daughter of GIVI’s founder, Mr. Giuseppe Visenzi (the first two letters of his name became GIVI). The Hevik sub-brand was under Ms. Visenzi’s charge (HEnrika, GIvi, Kappa). She rode with us from this point on.

Ms. Hendrika Visenzi

The local guide on the bus announced that the restaurant wasn’t far away and we had time to shop at the Takashimaya Mall nearby, before getting back together for dinner. That sounds great, maybe I could get something for family and friends back home.

As usual, it was already dark by 7pm and the roads seemed to be fully illuminated by the headlamps of the scooters and mopeds. There are 7.5 million motorcycles to HCMC’s population of 10 million.

It was explained that HCMC has a chronic parking problem, therefore the motorcycle was the perfect tool. The rich would have their drivers drop them off at their destinations and the driver would continue to drive around in circles until their bosses are done with their business. Hence if the city was a body, motorcycles are the blood cells. There were many Grab Bikes too!

It was also pointed out to us on how the bikes were parked – squished together as if they were bicycles. The owners of these motorcycles will park them inside their living rooms when they get home.

Shops lined the road, selling everything from foodstuff to house stuff.

In the meantime, mopeds kept zipping by. One fast guy swerved through everyone else and was closed to being squeezed like a bug between our bus and a car. Ronald, Enrique and myself were seated at the front and we started yelling. Man, that puckered us up real good.

Other impatient riders would hop onto the sidewalks, sometimes against the traffic.

Our guide was right, our makan place wasn’t far from the hotel, but even he miscalculated the amount of time we needed to get there.

I took us more than an hour to get to the restaurant and it was already too late to visit the mall, so we decided to foot it to dinner. Here’s another adventure: Crossing the never-ending stream called “the road.”

The trick was to see an opening, then step confidently onto the street and keep walking in a steady and predictable manner. That allowed the local riders to guesstimate where you’re headed so they could go around you. Ismadi and I said a prayer, and I almost had my eyes closed when we crossed en masse.

We made it!

We also noticed that all bikes were fully stock and most glaring of all, no bike had any luggage tacked to it (due to lack of parking space). Well, except for one scooter which carried a B32 top case! That was enough to send us all into a celebratory mood!

Dinner was at the 3T Vietnamese BBQ Restaurant on the rooftop of the Temple Club Restaurant. Superb food! I’m allergic to seafood so I hammered on the Vietnamese spring rolls and chicken all night.

A group from GIVI Vietnam had also joined us. Joseph explained that it was through these hardworking individuals that we were enjoying the exclusive line of riding gear during the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Here’s a personal note to them (hope you guys are reading this): The gear were truly amazing. Both the new jacket and pants kept me cool when it was really hot. They fitted my body well and allowed lots of freedom of movement without flapping in the wind. Also, all the accessories worked. My favourites were the X-45 Fibre helmet, Hevik Lumbar Support belt, and the Technical T-shirt. Well done!

Now, where were we? Oh yes, dinner.

We went out on foot again after the thoroughly satisfying dinner and chartered every trishaw we saw at a square. Sure, we were swamped by traffic again at first, but we didn’t care by now as every GIVI Explorer was laughing and giggling like children. A few Explorers took to riding the trishaws instead of being ferried. GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 happened on three wheels, too! Hah!

It was only now that I discovered just how beautiful HCMC was! I was shooting pictures of the guys around when I spotted, first an M48 Patton tank with Vietnamese Army insignia, followed by the tail section of a Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter jet and Bell UH-1 helicopter in a compound! Being a military history buff, I asked the trishaw uncle, “Is that the museum?” He just smiled and shrugged. Then I heard, “Yes, that’s the War Museum” from behind somewhere. I looked around to see a young couple wearing surgical masks on a scooter to the left. “But it’s closed now,” said the rider in perfect English. I thanked him and they nodded. Whoa! I have to come back here!

It was during this time that it occurred to me how HCMC has thrived. HCMC, known as Saigon at the time was the capital of South Vietnam, and had been the scene of battles and bombings during the Vietnam war. Being the first “televised war,” there were many enduring images from Saigon, but perhaps the most famous was of choppers airlifting civilians from the US Embassy (Operation Frequent Wind) on 30th April 1975, which marked the Fall of Saigon and end of the war.

It’s been forty-two years since then and Vietnam, although remaining a communist country, had opened its borders to trade and tourism.

Our convoy of trishaws rounded an intersection and a large classical cathedral like those you’d find in Europe came into view. it turned out to be called Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, just like the one in France. It was built by the French in 1863 and completed in 1880.

On the other side of the street was a beautiful classical building, the Saigon Central Post Office. Completed in 1891, it was designed by the architect Gustave Eiffel, the French civil engineer who owned the firm which built the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

We stopped for a photograph session, then continued onwards past the river front of the Saigon River. Here, we saw European-styled luxury hotels, exactly like those you’d see in movies. And up the road was a large cruise ship at the Saigon River Dock. An ultra-modern skyscraper with an open-air deck shoots into the air on the opposite side.

That’s the charm of HCMC. Classical colonial buildings amidst modern buildings and modern lifestyles. We stopped at the Nguyen Hue Walking Street and continued on foot. This stretch encompasses more classical and old buildings converted to shops and hotels.

There was a concert here along the median between the lanes. The Explorers stopped for ice-cream at the foyer of The Reverie Saigon, HCMC’s most luxurious hotel. Wisnu and I spotted a brightly lit building about 500m to the north and decided to investigate.

The concert was over by now and the street was reopened to light traffic. Pretty Vietnamese ladies caught our eyes. We stopped opposite the Rex Hotel to shoot a few pictures when we spotted a Bentley Continental GT poking its nose out of a side street.

We kept walking and discussed about the ride as we hadn’t done so since this GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 first started. We were roomies during the GIVI Wilderness Adventure 2015 in South Africa. But we kept getting distracted by the Vietnamese girls. Oh yes, friends have warned us about this.

We arrived at the building. It was gorgeous, beautifully restored and maintained. It was the HCMC City Hall. We got busy photographing it when we heard the roars of sportscars. They were Ferraris and Lamborghinis and they charged down Nguyen Hue Street.

The group had finished their ice-cream and caught up with us there. They too started shooting the pictures of the City Hall. We continued walking and ended up at another prominent classic building, this time it was the Municipal Theatre of HCMC, but better known as the Saigon Opera House.

Built in 1897 by French architect Eugene Ferret, and restored in 1995, it was shaped like Opera Garnier in Paris. Right opposite was an old building, with a large “Louis Vuitton” signage on top of the entrance.

The left side of the building was boarded up as the authorities are building an underground MRT system.

From here, we took taxis back to the hotel in District 7 and called it a night. I regretted that decision as there’s so much more of HCMC to be discovered. For a few Explorers and myself who had been here the first time we vowed to return. The memory of the traffic had faded into oblivion.

Click here for Day Five (Part One) of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Four of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Three of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Two of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day One of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

 

PICTURE GALLERY

  • The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 Explorers left Cambodia behind for Vietnam on Day Five.

  • Downtown traffic was the main concern as we neared Ho Chi Minh City.

  • Vietnam proved to be another contrasting experience.

13th November 2017, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – It’s time for the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 to leave Cambodia (for the time being) as we pushed forward to Vietnam.

The weather stayed clear all morning, thankfully, but the downside was it was starting to get hot by 8am as we prepared to head out from the Phnom Penh Hotel.

Apart from crossing the great Mekong River at Naek Loeung, the rest of Cambodia was uneventful, to put it succinctly. with more small towns interspersed with paddy fields along the way. Traffic was moderately heavy with the usual mopeds, large SUVs, among those huge Peterbilts and Mack trucks, and of course, more mopeds. It may look like there are many curves and corners along the way, but it was straight in reality.

Courtesy of GIVI Explorer and Nikkasit

Still, am just happy to be here to see a whole different country.


And that notion brought along a surprise as we reached the Cambodia-Vietnam border crossing at Moc Bai.

Just as with the border crossing from Thailand, there were a number of casinos on the Cambodian side, and they were called glamourous names such as those in Las Vegas. We didn’t get to find out if “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” tho’.

The Moc Bai Border Crossing consists of beautifully constructed buildings in the traditional Vietnamese style. The administration building was no doubt modern, but it was unmistakably Vietnamese. We stopped to wait for the organizers to sort out the paperwork, while we took photographs with the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 banner, to stamp the evidence that “we were here.”

Then as we were running around with our cameras and our phones, the marshals announced, “Okay, let’s go!” What? Wait, that was just like 20 minutes. We waited for almost an hour to cross into Cambodia a few days prior.

I noticed a blue and yellow Honda CBR600RR among us for the first time. It had a loud exhaust, semi-slick tyres, but no mirror and he was way up front of the pack.

It turned out that he was our guide to the hotel from the border. The Vietnamese authorities prohibits the entry of overseas motorcycles, unless you’re guided by a government-designated guide.

So nevermind, since we’ve only 100 kilometres to go to Ho Chi Minh City.

We were swallowed up by packs of mopeds soon enough. Well, “pack” isn’t the correct word, but swarms would be accurate.

Before I proceed further, please allow me to state on record that this isn’t a criticism of the way people ride and drive in their own countries. Instead, it serves as one of the episodes in the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

We had been briefed earlier by Joseph about the traffic in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. I’ve seen pictures and documentaries about Vietnam, so I made an offhand joke with a few guys that we might be surprised to find a local sitting on one of the boxes when reach the hotel.

Right in the thick of it, it was disconcerting at first, but conditioning, survival instinct and defensiveness kicked in as the mopeds crossed right in front of us, or overtaking one another without checking behind or alongside, etc. The duty to avoid them and stay save therefore fell squarely on the shoulders of each Explorer. Still, that didn’t mean being aggressive, instead one should be assertive. Oh yes, there’s a huge difference between the two.

Anyway, most of us started to struggle further along, including the hardworking Marshals who were getting overwhelmed. They had nominated me as their assistant marshal after the first day, so we did what I we could to open a path for the rest of the convoy.

But most of us started to get an inkling of something was wrong as we kept riding in the same traffic for two hours without getting anywhere. Worse of all, there wasn’t even a split second to check out the sights.

Remember the guy on the CBR? With no mirrors and being prone on the tank, he couldn’t look behind to see where we were. He had been briefed back at the border crossing to take another route (Joseph and Giorgio are familiar with Ho Chi Minh City) to avoid the gridlock, but he had guided us down the very route we had wanted to avoid.

So, we ended up covering 25 kilometres in two hours.

However, all of us made it to the Merperle Crystal Palace Hotel safe sound and that was what mattered the most.

It had taken us the better part of a day to cover the 289 kilometres from Phnom Penh. By comparison, that distance (minus 3 kilometres) was the same as travelling from the Rawang R&R to the junction of the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (the new Penang Bridge). But, that’s what an adventure is: Experiencing something totally different from everyday norms.

Click here for Day Five (Part Two) of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Four of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Three of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day Two of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

Click here for Day One of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017.

  • Day Four of the GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 took the GIVI Explorers to Phnom Penh.

  • The GIVI Explorers stopped at the 800-year-old bridge in Kampong Kdei.

  • They got a taste of some truly chaotic traffic with vehicles buzzing around everywhere.

Phnom Penh, 15th November 2017 – As we GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017 Explorers had breakfast and prepared our bikes for the next leg of the adventure in Siem Reap, the rain came down on us.

We pondered if the occasion has finally arrived to test the new GIVI rainsuits (made specifically for this GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure 2017). One of the Thai marshals, Nok (full name: Sitthithat Ritthikraironnaka), consulted his weather radar app, and informed us that it was only a passing cloud that’s headed away from out travel route.

We hopped our bikes as soon as the rain subsided, as we had been delayed for an hour. Today’s destination was Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, 315 kilometres away.

Again, we rode through the slightly chaotic urban Cambodian traffic before breaking clear and opening up in the countryside. Much of Cambodia is very flat, with rice paddies on both sides of the road. The rain had turned the roadside laterite into mud and some of it had been thrown onto the road surface itself, so we took it easy.

We were actually travelling south, adjacent to the great Tonle Sap Lake to the west (on our right) but heavy foliage and built up areas obscured our view. Shame.

There were many cows grazing and chewing on their cud serenely right up on the road shoulders. It panicked me a few times initially as I’ve grown wary of livestock crossing the road back in my wife’s kampong in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, prompting me to stick my leg out to warn the other Explorers behind. But it had been unnecessary as the ones in Cambodia stayed off the roads. “Cows here are much smarter,” remarked Giorgio Dalla Rosa, GIVI Vietnam’s Factory Manager, when I recounted the experience to him.

By the way, speaking of the word kampong, villages in Cambodia are incidentally called the same as we do in Malaysia, for instance Kampong Kdei, Kampong Thom, and so forth.

We rode 63 kilometres out before the marshals called for us to pull off the road on another ornately designed bridge, similar to the one we saw at Bayon yesterday. Just as well, the heat and humidity had returned after the downpour.

Known as the Kampong Kdei Bridge, and officially known as Spean Praptos (some called it the Naga Bridge), it was also built in the 12th century during the reign of that Jayavarman VII guy, the same King who commissioned the construction of the temples we visited in Siem Reap.

The bridge was one of the world’s longest corbeled stone-arch (same building technique at the temples in Angkor) bridge and one of the few Khmer Empire’s bridges to have survived to today. The stone railings on both sides end with carved articulated cobra heads.

Anyway, we noticed a few locals shooting pictures of us with Nikon DSLRs as we maneuvered our bikes to park along the bridge, and as soon as we got off, the same ladies were already there with the pictures they shot and mounted, “Photo, photo, Sir? 5 dollars.” Wow! Their speed was even more impressive than their enterprising spirit!

However, the locals (without DSLRs) had also come out en masse to greet us. Well, more like to witness this group of bikers on big bikes attached with all sorts of space-aged equipment visiting their kampong.

It was heartwarming to see the children smiling in all their innocence when we waved at them.

Later, we watched as a mini bus unloaded a crowd of loud tourists (no prizes for correctly guessing where they’re from) before commencing with our own photography and drone video session of the convoy crossing the bridge.

We then continued on our way riding on a wet dirt road. I love offroad riding.

Image courtesy of GIVI Explorer

The GIVI Golden Triangle Adventure continued on its way after lunch. It was a great break from the Cambodian humidity, that’s for sure, as we gulped down jugs of water. Credit also need to be given to the Thai support guys as they would invariably bring in hot water and coffee for the Explorers.

We were greeted by heavy traffic in the form of mopeds and scooters, a few with more than two occupants onboard. The riders tend to overtake each other without checking what’s behind them, and I noticed none of them actually looked in their rearview mirrors, not once. So why do they have mirrors…? Well, nevermind.

We maneuvered around them as best as we could, but we were just as unaccustomed to them as they were to us. They’d cut pass our front wheels as if we weren’t there. On the other hand, we were worried about them being unaware of us having side cases and panniers – the local riders may think we’ve passed them and end up being hit by a box.

The Explorers got away safely and arrived at Phnom Penh Hotel, but a few of us went back out to shoot pictures for GIVI. With just four riders in the group, we rode in a super tight four-ship formation, preventing ourselves from being cut off.

We stopped at a beautifully opulent temple complex, all the main buildings seemingly encased in gold, starting from the gate itself.

Image courtesy of GIVI Explorer

But the best thing was watching Pietro Ambrioso, GIVI’s Official Photographer at work, shooting the photos for GIVI’s official catalogs and website.

We rode back to the hotel, witnessing how luxury SUVs cut into traffic, pushing plebs aside. But we were told that the traffic in Cambodia so far is only a warm up for the main event: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

It was here that I saw how the GIVI cases looked like after riding through the weather. They were more or less encased in mud, but no water nor soil got in. Thank God, ‘cos my laptop’s in there!

A few Explorers took to the riverside for some nightlife while many chose to rest for tomorrow’s ride into Vietnam.

Sumber imej: KPDNKK

 

  • Sejumlah hampir 500 sut hujan GIVI palsu telah dirampas dalam satu serbuan pagi ini.
  • Serbuan itu dijalankan oleh pegawai KPDNKK bersama dengan wakil dari GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd.
  • Pemilik perniagaan berkenaan telah menjual produk palsu ini di atas talian.

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  • A total of nearly 500 fake GIVI rainsuits were seized in a raid this morning

  • The raid was carried out by KPDNKK officers with representatives from GIVI Asia Sdn. Bhd.

  • The business owner sells the counterfeit products online

Kepong, Kuala Lumpur, 4th October 2017 – A raid was carried out by the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (better known as KPDNKK – Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan), under the jurisdiction of Tuan Haji Wan Mohd. Yusof bin W. Taib, Chief Enforcement Officer of the KPDNKK for the state of Wilayah Persekutuan.

Trustees of the GIVI brand had tipped off KPNKK after finding the suspect selling fake GIVI rainsuits on the 11Street.com online shopping platform.

KPDNKK proceeded to stake out the business owner’s modus operandi since May 2017, discovering that he had stored the fake GIVI rainsuits at his personal premises before transferring them to the rented warehouse in Kepong where they will be dispatched to the respective customers.

Courtesy of KPDNKK

A total of nine uniformed KPDNKK officers descended upon the warehouse at 11am, which they found locked by with a keycard access. The GIVI representatives who were present identified themselves to the workers at the premises but were refused entry. The business owner showed up 15 minutes later and was requested access by the KPDNKK officers.

Courtesy of KPDNKK

Upon gaining entry, the officers called upon the GIVI representatives to identify the products, at which point the business owner became belligerent and cut off the power supply, in an attempt to make off with the fake products through the backdoor. He even tried to provoke the parties by threatening that he had gangsters in two cars on standby to intervene.

A negotiation ensued among the officers, GIVI representatives and the businessman, resulting in the fake GIVI rainsuits being seized and a hefty fine issued.

The owner will be charged under Sec. 8(2) of the Trade Descriptions Act 2011 (Akta Perihal Dagangan 2011), pertaining to counterfeit goods with intellectual property infringements.

Under the Act, the business owner stands to face a fine of up to RM10,000 per item, or a jail sentence of not more three years, or both; for the first offence.

A total of 445 pieces of fake GIVI rainsuits were seized, worth RM22,500 on the market.

As a piece of advice: Buy GIVI goods from GIVI Point concept stores or official GIVI dealers. Please follow GIVI Malaysia’s official Facebook page (click here) to identify the original items. And remember, if a product is too cheap to be true, it usually is.

Renowned local lady adventure rider Anita Yusof becomes new GIVI Brand Ambassador.

(more…)

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