By Frankie Chee

Singaporeans are known for their love affairs with cars, but some are changing gear to two-wheel wonders -
motorbikes.

Speedsters go for the grunt of a BMW tourer that they can push to the limit on long road trips.

Others take the road less travelled, getting down and dirty on dirt-bikes, scrambling over tough terrain astride noisy Kawasaki scramblers.

Then there are Singapore's breezy riders - men and women in leather jackets and shades who have taken a shine to the chrome of a Harley-Davidson, with its high handlebars and Hollywood cachet.

For others, a small sporty scooter is a hoot. Italian Vespas, once the transport of old uncles, ride again, this time customised with airbrushed artwork.

Whatever a rider's needs, there is a motorcycle to suit his taste, as well as a bike tribe to become part of (see other stories).

Which is just as well, because amid the gloomy economy and rising transport costs, these two-wheelers are cheaper to run than those four-wheel contraptions Singaporeans are so fond of.

Parking, petrol, ERP charges and the like are significantly lower for motorcycles - sometimes up to one-third cheaper, say riders. That, along with the ease and joy of riding, is why motorcycles are their chosen mode of transport.

Indeed, the number of motorcycles on Singapore roads has been steadily increasing - from 130,964 in 2000 to 143,482 last year. A smaller bike can cost about $2,000, while upmarket and bigger models can cost more than $40,000 - enough to buy a second- hand car.

The MotoGP motorcycle races that could come to Singapore as early as 2011 will throw more attention on these machines.

Whatever tribe riders belong to, they are driven by the same passion.

As business development manager Dennis Quah, 31, a Harley-Davidson owner, puts it: "Even though I enjoy driving my car up north, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells first-hand from behind a helmet visor or goggles is truly fantastic."

Indeed, motorcycle groups organise rides up north regularly, with some going as far as Thailand and beyond.

Mr Quah, who is on the Harley Owners Group's committee, says: "We organise monthly trips, but the furthest is our annual Phuket bike trip.

The bike "brotherhood" does not just include men: Safety supervisor Azyanti Kosnan, 38, goes on bike trips with fellow riders about four times a year, once doing a round-Malaysia ride in 1992.

"You get to test your endurance and skills while getting to know your machine better. It's very different from riding on the streets of Singapore," says the owner of a 1,000cc Kawasaki GTR.

Owners of smaller bikes like to cruise up to Malaysia, too. Scooter-riders such as technician Nazry Aris, 27, and 33-year-old driver Paul Nge may ride bikes of only 200cc, but they too have made trips past the checkpoint at Tuas.

And if you have the image of bike riders as gangster hell-riders, think again. Across the island, different groups of bikers often hop on their machines to raise money for the needy.

For example, last Saturday, the open-air carpark at Stadium Crescent swarmed with anything from stuttering scooters to roaring Harleys, all for a good cause.

More than 300 riders turned up for a Deepavali and Hari Raya charity ride which raised $4,000 for the Singapore India Development Association and the Tabung Amal Aidilfitri Trust Fund.

Ramle Ismail, 40, founder of Riders Aid, the group which organised the ride, says: "In the eyes of the public, bikers are hooligans or rowdy, so this is a way to educate the younger riders."

Still, while it is a fun hobby, roaring around on a motorbike is not all easy riding. It can be dangerous, too.

Some, like teacher Noor Hasnah Adam, 34, have been involved in nasty accidents.

She recounts how, in 1993, she was forced to jam her brakes when a car cut in her path and she was flung onto the road.

Worse still, her hand got caught on the bike of a fellow rider who was not aware of this and ended up dragging her from Lornie Road to Stevens Road.

All the while, she tried to free her hand which was being pulled towards the rear wheel, but failed to do so. Fortunately, the rider stopped in time and Noor ended up with only a few bruises and burns from the bike's exhaust pipe.

But the horrifying experience did not make her hang up her helmet. The freelance composer and writer says: "When I'm riding, I feel free."

This article was first published in The Straits Times on Nov 2, 2008.

For more The Straits Times stories, click here.