Yamaha bike tires

After 3 long years and 10000km my tires on the bike finally started to give up the will to be round, full of air and possess any form of tread. They still stopped me dead in my tracks and never faltered and not once did I get a puncture. I always knew these things were short lived but I think I pushed that a bit too far with the length of time I took to get new ones.

So after discovering a rip in the front tire and knowing full well that the tire would give out when I least needed it, I opened the wallet and spent 400k on 2 tires for the bike in order to feel road safe and reassured again.

I sent one of the boys from work to get me some new tires, that in itself caused me worry as the language barrier is pretty big when it comes to buying tires. However, he went to the nearest Yahama service station and got 2 new ones and a good job he did too.

So now I am riding around on IRC NFs and NRs (whatever that means) with huge amounts of tread, the right amount of air in them and a feeling of not safe riding anymore. The road from Semanggi to Slipi is mainly concrete road with the lines running the same way as the traffic so in the rain it felt rather uncomfortable and more slippery than normal. 

The tires tread allows me to stop instantly which has proved useful recently as I am here to tell you that I could stop very quickly otherwise I would be posting about life in hospital!

Thats what it looks like, if you are not asleep by all this, do read on.

Because there are little or no checks on the condition of motorbikes and I unaware of any legal requirement for tread like the UK, there is little reason to ensure you are legal, safe of course but legal I guess not. However I do know that keeping the bike in a good condition will help keep me in a breathing condition as long as I am alert enough to know what is happening all around me. I guess the other question I should ask, is about the reduced visibility from a full facial helmet and whether using a half helmet is better?

My existing helmet is on its way out, dropped too much, the vents dont seem to work as well and the glass is scratched and damaged so I will start looking for another. This one has lasted the longest as I have managed not have it stolen from the bike, mind I do take it everywhere with me if the bike park looks or feels unsecure, which is well, often or nearly all parks.

Back to the fuel debate. I have almost given up with Pertamina due to the inconsistency of service stations and the service given, also the hardship to get pertamax without insisting someone serve me it. So I have switched to Shell Super which seems to be OK. It is 9950 a litre which is slightly cheaper than Pertamax and almost twice as expensive as the regular subsidised fuel, but that's OK. Shell service stations are always empty, you always get served quickly, always handed a receipt whether you need one or not and the cashier works in a booth so you get someone else sort the payment out. I like all that. 

Photos courtesy of Panoramio

Riding from my house to work there are 2 Shell service stations, one in Mampang and one at Slipi by the DHL building, and on the way home, there is one which is between Permata Hijau and Pessangrahan.

I am pretty certain that the price of fuel will continue to rise and so I will stay away from Pertamina and enjoy the quiet life at Shell. My next task is to get a sticker from Shell for the bike. I will ask.