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GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019

  • GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 was the biggest and best to date.

  • Such a huge event will send ripples through the region’s motorsport scene.

  • Take a peek of the excitement in this video.

GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 may be over for close to two weeks now, but many are still reminiscing over the biggest and best edition to date.

The scars may have healed, broken bikes fixed, the glow of winning slow fades but memories will remain forever with the competitors.

Surely the spectators who showed up in droves were amazed to no end seeing heavyweight (read: expensive) adventure bikes being used for such purpose instead of blasting down Karak and parked outside Nanyang Kopitiam and Starbucks Gohtong Jaya (10% discount here for “BMW bikers” says the receipt, but they give it to all big bikers). Perhaps it was even more heartwarming to see the excitement of the children. Who knows, they may dream of owning such a bike when they grow up.

The GIVI Explorers who rode in with the GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 were equally, if not more awed at the event. Bear in mind that among these men and women from 16 different countries have large motorcycle rallies in their backyards. For example, Jeremias Israel who was an ex-HRC Dakar Rally rider who also took park in other world-class rallies. The Chilean even took part in the Janda Baik race and came away mighty impressed with the event and may well return. And then there were GIVI Explorers from Australia, Mexico, Thailand, Italy, and so forth. These are nations where motorcycle rallies are the norm. Yet, they were impressed with the organization and scale of GIVI Rimba Raid.

But if the event was amazing, it’s due to the extraordinary effort and hard work put in by the organizers led by Dato’ Captain Nik. He had only a number of people to rely on. It wasn’t merely a case handing the competitors their jerseys and telling them to ride through the jungle. If planning a trackday was hard enough, no amount of imagination can tell you how hard it was to plan and execute GIVI Rimba Raid. And yet there were critics.

Let’s not forget GIVI, of course. Together with the Rimba Raid crew, the GIVI crew had spent four days and nights to set up Kampung GIVI, ILMU and the surroundings along the track andoff the track.

Which brings us to the motorcycle manufacturers and sponsors. We have one question: Who says off-road riding on dual-purpose motorcycles isn’t a big thing?

BMW Motorrad sees the event as an opportunity, hence sending in their dealers (Auto Bavaria this time) at each edition, since many competitors ride the GS anyway. Ducati had the presence of mind to brand their Scrambler albeit last year, as they had to consolidate at Art of Speed this year. Bombardier were there to promote their latest side-by-sides, buggies and ATVs. But where was Honda? Yamaha? KTM? The field was filled with bikes from these brands. A little support to the competitors riding their brands would’ve gone a long, long way.

Anyhow, we hope that you enjoy the video. We can’t wait for the next GIVI Rimba Raid.

  • Day 8 of the GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 was scheduled to coincide with the GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 from the very start.

  • It was GIVI’s second year of involvement with Rimba Raid.

  • The overworked GIVI and Rimba Raid crews did a superb job to prepare the event.

Day 8 of the GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 was scheduled to coincide with the GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019 from the very start.

There were a number of reasons for this. Firstly, it was the second edition of Rimba Raid with GIVI’s participation. Secondly, it was a great opportunity for the GIVI Explorers to witness the event first hand. Thirdly, it was GIVI’s 25th anniversary in Malaysia.

Rimba Raid has definitely grown from a hobbyist event set up by Dato’ Capt. Nik Huzlan just 5 years ago. Whereas last year’s GIVI Rimba Raid at Mat Daling drew in 105 competitors from 11 countries, this year’s had to be capped at 150 participants from 16 countries.

The overworked crews from Rimba Raid and GIVI had set up the event areas at Rimba Valley Motorcamp, ILMU and flag-off point extensively by the time we arrived from the National Elephant Sanctuary at Kuala Gandah.

Like at Mat Daling, the competitors convoyed to the flag-off area a short distance away from ILMU. There, they were let loose one at a time by Dato’ Capt. Nik, Joseph Perucca, and On Hai Swee.

We then rode to the finish line at Kampung GIVI at the Rimba Valley Motorcamp. The GIVI Malaysian Adventure marshals helped to ride our bikes in. It’s a much better solution rather than convoying in en masse on the dirt road as there was heavy traffic going in and coming out of the area.

We had spent about an hour at the flag-off point for pictures and such. The first finishers including Gabit Saleh, Bee Wong, Alex Wong and a few more were already at the parc ferme. (You guys are crazy!)

Alex Wong (left) and Bee Wong (right)

GIVI’s envoy in the race, ex-Dakar racer Jeremias Israel was there, too. However, it was a heartache for him and us GIVI Explorers as he crashed the specially-prepared Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE and retired. He had swerved to avoid a course marshal and went down hard. Thankfully, he was unhurt. It was hard to see the disappointment on his face. But that’s racing.

The Explorers had a great time mingling around with the riders and were moving about everywhere snapping pictures and selfies. Remember, the GIVI Explorers were from 14 countries so those images are circulated around the world.

At lunchtime, GIVI arranged for a number of dirtbikes for the Explorers to ride to a farm. The smiles under their helmets were very visible as soon as they got on! They were led by four marhsals, including one lady.

The farm consists of a few fish rearing ponds and the Explorers got right into fishing mode. Everyone caught one. GIVI somehow managed to convince the Rebung Restaurant to serve lunch in the jungle, so we ate while watching race competitors blast by.

We went back to Kampung GIVI to follow the rest of the race. Evidently, the course was much harder this time. Only 17 of 40 Class A competitors completely the race. A Thai rider nursed his cut hand and almost-destroyed bike back to the finish line and then shouted for the medic like in war movies. He actually finished fourth overall!

We stayed until the prize-giving ceremony. Dato’ Capt. Nik commended all those who joined regardless of where they finished.

I guess we could say that joining GIVI Rimba Raid itself was a personal victory in itself for each participant.

The Explorers were entertained not only by a basker band, but also by Sam Sharman who worked the mike and Joseph Perucca who played percussions!

GIVI Rimba Raid will definitely be bigger next year. GIVI’s white and red together with Rimba Raid’s green and yellow logos are now synonymous with each other, working symbiotically rather than merely alongside each other.

Let’s hope the adventure continues.

Please click on this link for our report on GIVI Rimba Raid at Janda Baik 2019.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Seven.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Six.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Days Four and Five.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Day Three.

Please click on this link for GIVI Malaysian Adventure 2019 Kick Off.

 

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