• Called the Moto Guzzi Vengeance Challenge Ride, Moto Guzzi Malaysia organised the ride to Penang.

• The fasting month did not stop Moto Guzzi riders from riding.

• It was an fun ride as the riders got to enjoy their bikes in many different situations.

Many already know that the holy month of Ramadan is when Muslims observe the act of Puasa (fasting). But it goes beyond not eating during the daylight hours of the day. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and was the month when the Holy Quran was revealed. Fasting is the one of the Five Pillars of Islam, so Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, improvement and worship. Muslims are expected to increase their effort into following the teachings of Islam.

It the time to challenge our resolve as Muslims to resist temptation.

Hence this was the reason Moto Guzzi Malaysia decided to organize a special ride on 1st June 2018. Called the Moto Guzzi Vengeance Challenge Ride, it was planned as an iftar (breaking fast) ride over two evenings.

The destination this time was Penang. As usual, the participants congregated at The Gasket Alley first for iftar before riding north at night. Jeya Thevan was the head marshal this time, thus he conducted the pre-ride briefing.

Riding at night during the Puasa month is much welcomed as we didn’t have to bask under the sun. The group of 12 kept a tight formation from the start point.

However, it started to rain slightly as we passed Rawang, cooling the ambient temperature even further. At least it wasn’t the heat causing drowsiness.

We topped off our tanks at the Tapah R&R and got rolling again, under the rain, all the way to another stop at Sungai Perak. It was planned as a relaxing ride, so we took our time to enjoy the fresh cool air, the ride and the soft rumble of the Moto Guzzi 90^o V-Twin.

From there it was a straight shot to the Penang Island via the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (the new bridge). It was 2.30 am when we arrived at the toll plaza and there was no traffic to be seen. As a note to bikers, there is a motorcycle lane from the time you turn onto the bridge’s slip road and it’ll lead you to the toll plaza and all the way to Penang Island. However, please make double sure that you have a Touch ‘N’ Go card with you, especially at night as the counters are closed. Imagine having to turn around to get one or have some amount topped up into your IC at Juru.

Penang being Penang (it’s my hometown, by the way), turned left right, left, right, left countless times before reaching the Vouk Hotel Suites along Jalan Azlan Shah. At 3am.

Yes, we surely took our own sweet time. What’s the hurry, anyway? It’ll probably be even more tiring if we had blasted our way there.

We were given some time to freshen up and head back out to Nasi Kandar Line Clear for sahur (breakfast).

The group was given some free time until check out time at 1pm, but we’re not sure if anyone did go around Penang.

From the hotel, it was to Sheng Fatt Motor, Moto Guzzi’s authorized dealer in Penang, situated along Jalan Dato’ Keramat. The dealership provided top-class Penang hospitality, as the shop’s crew even helped us to park our bikes. Looks like Moto Guzzi owners now have a good home up north.

Mr. Sheng, Boss of Sheng Fatt organized a crew to lead us first to Fort Cornwallis for a goup photography session. The Guzzi’s looked especially great in that kind of setting.

Next, the Sheng Fatt boys ran point as they guided us to the first Penang Bridge to Harley-Davidson of Penang at Juru Autocity. The dealership is now fully operational for sales and aftersales.

We bade farewell and got back on the road again, this time towards our first stop at Sungai Perak. The weather stayed clear and hot all the way to that particular R&R before turning cloudy. That cooled down the air and road.

Although most of the riders fasted, none seemed to show signs of fatigue. Instead, they were smiling and laughing as they joked with each other.

It was over to the Foods Project Restaurant in Ipoh for iftar. We arrived ahead of schedule and that allowed us to rest up first. We kicked back a bit more after our dinner before getting on the road again, straight to the Tanjung Malim R&R.

A few riders went their separate ways from the R&R as they didn’t need to ride all the way to Moto Guzzi Malaysia. Not a single Moto Guzzi broke down or encountered any serious problem. But more importantly, everyone got home safe and sound without a single untoward incident.

In conclusion, it was a pleasurable ride. However, we didn’t visit many historic sites in Penang as it was just not practical to explore during fasting, then continuing with the ride after that. Moto Guzzi Malaysia has promised a ride which includes visiting places of interest in Penang in the near future, so stay tuned!

PICTURE GALLERY