Hi kawans, just rode my bike to the office today for the first time ever. Reflecting back to when I first started this thread up till today, I want to thank everyone for your advice and also thoughts on things.

It's been a journey getting on the bike and 'putt-putting' around in first gear around the taman to getting on the highway today.

I'm sure there are many more things to learn but now that I'm officially commuting, I hope there will be more opportunities for me to learn and at a faster pace.

If you ever see a rider with a White Helmet on a Leoncino, that'll be me, learning the ropes and tyring not to get killed. Hahah, gimme a *beep beep*.

Ride Safe, everyone! And a Blessed Christmas to all!!

Thanks for sharing. All across the board, I've been hearing the MT-07 maintenance is pretty OK considering it's a bigger CC bike. And riding it in my school has given me a feel of what this bike can do. I'm starting to get why they call it the 'Master of Torque'. Hahah

By the way, I think everyone has their own definition of 'ride fast' la. For me, even 110km/h is considered fast but that's coming from a 'greenhorn' rider

The chap who sold me my current bike did tell me, he's giving me 6 months at most and I'll start to realize the difference between a 250cc and the bigger CCs. With my current bike, I'm going up and down my gears but at the driving school, sad to say I've only needed to stay on 1st gear most times on the MT07. He further added, one year at most, I'll be looking to upgrade. Hahah, which is kinda true..

Already looking at bikes to move up to and the few in my shortlist. 2nd Hand of course...
- MT07 V1
- Z900
- TNT 600

The MT07 still cost quite a fair bit on the second hand market even though it's quite an old bike with no ABS which is quite surprising. Don't understand why I should spend a chunk more money on the MT-07 when the Z900 could be had for a few thousand more and it comes with ABS as standard. The MT07 is light though, I'll give it that...

Oh well, guess I still have a few months more to go before deciding. Hopefully by mid year, the 2nd hand market will be a bit more reasonable..

(By the way, I've managed to cross the 'Titi' consistently thanks to all your tips, kawans . How I just gotta nail it when I finally go for my JPJ exam. Hahah)

Damn bro... glad you're ok. I don't speed that much but I always try to leave a 'safe gap' when I'm on the road. Have had my fair share of encounters with these people who turn without signaling or looking at their phones while driving.

Even when riding, I've noticed WAYYYYYY too many people watching videos on their car entertainment unit or handphones which always sends shivers down my back..

Thanks for sharing. Definitely like that the Z900 is lighter than the Z800 and more powerful. Just that it's a bit over what I'm prepared to pay for a bike unfortunately. But we'll see how it goes.

The z800 feels like a beast when stationary and when it needs to be push it around. And somehow, I don't feel as steady / stable even when I can flat foot the bike. Dunno it's due to the weight or weight distribution, but yea, that's just me. I'm a greenhorn though.

In terms of weight, the MT07 is perfect and the power itself is just enough for me. But you're right, NO ABS and the engine sound seems a bit of a bummer though. I like a 'bassy, thumpy' note to the exhaust note. Understated but enough to rattle my soul. Hahah

Eh not yet, boss! I'm still on my L license but I've been riding a lot and taking my required '16 hours in the driving school' sparingly. I'm down to my last 3 hours in the driving school then I'm qualified to take my JPJ exams. But then again, we'll see.. I'm not in a rush. More inclined to get some 'real world' riding experience first before taking the JPJ exams like bro @jaycee1

Hahah, same with me. I also queue behind cars but now I'm more confident to lane split edi. Just that sometimes, there'll be jokers who will horn you from the back even when you're going 50 to 60 lane-splitting.. nothing beats 'real world' experience though and I find riding on the roads actually developed my skills faster. Just gotta be safe and remember loved ones so you don't do anything stupid.

No Z650 for me coz somehow I don't feel a 'connection' when I see the bike. Don't know why. In case you're wondering about the 600cc on my list (the TNT600) it's because I'm looking at a custom cafe racer built on a TNT600. Hahah, not the stock TNT 600. The stock TNT 600 just doesn't appeal to me too

Yeaps, definitely. That's why I started on a 250cc. Gotta say it helped me to learn fast as I'm less worried about killing myself but just concentrating on getting where I need to go and learning the intricacies of throttle control and road craft.

As for enjoying the riding journey, I gotta say I'm enjoying every moment of it.

I used to spend anywhere between 1.5 hours to 3 hours on the road heading back from work. Now, it takes me 40 minutes of conservative riding.. it's a game-changer..

Hahah, my daily journey on the 250 tells me I might need something more powerful soon due to the high percentage of my journey on the highways. That's why I'm looking at something above 600cc for a more comfortable longer ride.. But that's only after at least 6 months, a timeline I set for myself as a bare minimum to not get ahead of myself.

It's rough around the edges for sure and not as nice a the bigger bikes I've tried, but I've gotta say I'm in love with the aesthetics Happy with the purchase and I'm enjoying all my rides and learnings with it.

For now, I'm just going to try every bike I can and see if anything tickles my fancy. One thing's for sure, I'm set on a naked bike above 600cc..hahah

Hmm, I hope I don't get to that level of complacency that soon. I make it a point to say a quick prayer and also to remind myself that I need to get back home safely to my family. Hoping that could help me focus and keep my mind on what's important.

But a good point regardless, to always err on the side of caution when out on the road. I've had my share of stupid on the roads enough to know you can be the safest person out there but all it takes is for someone to lapse and down you'll go.

Hopefully when I'm looking to upgrade, bikes with ABS will be more within my budget. heheh

Hahah, ain't that the truth...It's a dangerous kind of 'racun'. But I keep focus by reminding myself, you just need to get yourself from Point A to Point B without getting caught in jams. Anything else is nice to have, but not necessary.

But of course, we always look at ways to improve the 'commute'. For me, one of the key things I'm looking at is stability on highways and that I don't sound like I'm stressing my bike especially when I'm going above 110km/h when the roads are clear.

Hence, the lookout for my next bike being above 600cc.

Yea, the only thing is the MT07 I'm targeting does not come with ABS. ABS itself bumps up the cost of the bike by quite a lot.. And if I'm already getting a bike without ABS, might as well look at cheaper options like the Benelli TNT600. Hahah, and it's an inline 4 for that nice exhaust note.

No doubt, the MT07's reliability is right up there as I've spoken to a few owners and they mentioned aside from the usual maintenance, will run like a champ. So definitely will be tempted if something comes up with the 'right price'.

Decisions decisions, but no rush as I'm still enjoying and learning during my commutes on the Leoncino. Slowly building the confidence to lane split and filter through slower traffic which I'm surprised didn't take me long as I took the advice to 'just do it' literally.

Yea. I'm glad I started on a 'smaller' bike instead of going straight for the bigger bikes. I felt it was easier and less stressful figuring and trying new things. More forgiving per se, and the size makes it very easy to 'cilok' between traffic. Hahah

Bringing my bike above 100km/h really shows me the bike is 'nearing' it's upper limit. That said, I've not sped a whole lot on highways but I do understand my bike is only a 250cc, so can't really ask much of it also. But it's a great bike to learn and gain some experience on. I think my max was 120km/h but my inner voice was already slapping the back of my head telling me to roll off on the throttle. That and the vibration from my bike...

I'm not much of a speed freak so I do try to use the motorcycle lanes on Federal Highways but my God, the bumpy roads and reckless riders is a nerve-wrecking experience in itself. I don't know if that's just my bike setup but I feel the roads are crazy bumpy and uneven which surprises me that the kapchais can whiz through at the speeds they're going.

Belum upgrade lagi though I'm already capable of doing so. Still with my Leoncino. Hahah, figured I better get a few more miles under my belt before even thinking of upgrading as I'm realizing more and more how the bump up in power might not be a good idea especially on our motorbike lanes.

Been riding on the Federal Highway motorcycle lane and I'm experiencing firsthand why everyone's complaining. Uneven Roads, crazy sharp curves, unexpected potholes, deep drainage grills, speeding kapchais, last but not least, the flooded parts. Gotta say it's a great learning curve for me though. Felt like I'm learning faster being thrown into the thick of things. Hahah... touch wood, I've not gone down on my bike yet.

By the way, what's the official take on the Federal Highway with a big CC bike? Motorcycle lane or no? How do you otais on bigger bikes find our motorcycle lanes?

Just as an update, I've been riding as much as I can and enjoying each and every minute on the road. Cut down my travel time from 2 - 3 hours per day to just 1 hour which translates to more time with family. It's calming to ride steadily with the drone of the exhaust just cutting in over my earplugs. Almost therapeutic.. I cannot stress this enough but I couldn't have done it without everyone's thoughts and push to go out there and just ride. Thanks everyone

One thing I can't deny the motorcycle lane on Federal Highway is good for though, it's to 'train' you with all the 'obstacles' so you'll be on your toes each time you're on it

Some of the things I feel have developed tremendously over the course of my commute is that I'm much more confident taking the turns at speed and using my rear brakes to control the bike. I used to exclusively brake using my front which is not the best way to stop the bike, I know...

Also, avoiding bumps and potholes should train my awareness and bike control as I noticed don't have to look directly at the obstacle to avoid it. Hence, avoiding the dreaded target fixation.

Gear upshifts and downshifts have also been much smoother as I learn to feather clutch and rev-match. So all said and done, it's a win in my books. No riding school can substitute the real life 'saddle experience'.

Not sure if it's the same for everyone though.. hahah

I keep an average speed of around 80 with burst of 100 on the straights in the motorcycle lane, all good and dandy. The problem comes when I commute on the actual highways, that's when you can really feel the 250cc being stressed pushing 115 (Dare not go faster also coz the bike seems light and shaky).. and this is where I really feel the limitations of the bike. All things considered, it's a nice bike to ride, just not when you hit the highways.

You know what they say la... no replacement for displacement

For now, I'm just going to focus on riding techniques and also building on my roadcraft. But of course, keeping an eye out for bike deals and also reading up about bike issues and maintenance so I'll be better prepared once I take the jump to a bigger CC bike.

This post has been edited by JPlaSMaY666: Feb 25 2025, 01:43 PM

Ok, I see where the confusion stems from. I understand front brakes are where most of the stopping power of the bike comes from.

Hahah and thanks for pointing it out. Let me clarify, I'm trying to say I've been exclusively using the front brakes only which is not the best way to stop the bike. Did not touch the rear brakes AT ALL.

What I meant was, I'm working/practicing towards learning how to use both front and rear brakes together which is a challenge to do right and something I'm learning as I'm told that's a skill that can help better control the bike and stop faster.

Even now, I'm only starting to keep the bike in gear with throttle while I'm taking turns. I used to have this bad habit of pulling the clutch during turns to smoothen out the engine braking which is dangerous as I'm told.

Loads to learn but I'm practicing as much as I can.

This post has been edited by JPlaSMaY666: Feb 26 2025, 05:57 PM

Yea, that was one of the main concerns I had when it comes to using the back brakes. But touch wood, haven't skidded yet. Must be due to me riding like an old man. Hahah

I do notice using the rear brakes allowed me to control the bike better during slower maneuvers..especially important during lane splitting.

Yea, using the rear brakes on the titi really made a difference for me. Don't touch the front brakes, tap rear brakes, eyes forward all the way... crossed it without issue.

But reality is, riding on the road is different from riding in the driving school.

As it is, I just recently started lane-splitting and gosh, it's quite stressful when you're already going 60kmh between cars while all the kapchais are behind forming a bee line. I find myself shifting to the side to allow them to clear before I continue to lane-split.

I don't think my bike width or clearance is the issue, it's my confidence but utilizing the rear brakes have helped me to better predict and control the bike so hopefully, I'll be able to continue honing my skills without any incident..

Left Hand, feathering clutch with no throttle is what I've been doing for slow speed maneuvers. With the added rear brakes. Still not confident whenever I have to let one hand off the handlebars for whatever reason. Hahah

For figure 8s, I've never used the throttle, only clutch, but with both hands on the handlebars la.

Never really tried standing up while riding except when I'm going over a particularly sharp bump. But will add that to my retinue of practice the next time I hit my usual 'open spot' for practice.

Thanks for the pointers!

Entering my 4th month of commuting on my bike. Have more or less acclimatized to riding on highways and motorcycle lanes with a more confidence than when I first started.

Some stuff things I would like to ask the sifus here though

- Each time I get on the bike, I still get that little uneasy feeling for absolutely no reason at all. I had these feelings when I first started commuting on the bike but I thought it was just greenhorn jitters but 4 months in with regular commutes 3 or 4 times a week, I still get that feeling albeit it's a lot lesser then when I started. Is this normal?

- While lane filtering/lane splitting, I could be going between 55kmh and 65kmh amidst slow or stopped cars but there will be speeding kapchais overtaking me and whizzing through, cutting dangerously. I do give way as soon as I notice people speeding and coming up fast behind me while lane splitting/lane filtering but these bikers will 'shoot the gap' no matter how tight the space is without allowing me to cut into the left or right lane. Am I doing something wrong? Am I going too slow? How fast is too fast to lane filter/lane split?

- Going on the motorcycle lane, I noticed some riders tend to cut during tight turns or through tunnels when it's clearly dangerous. It's quite unnerving especially when you're managing the turns and another bike just cuts into your lane forcing you to brake. I do ride based on traffic flow and I don't think I'm going too slow as I tend to overtake quite a bit especially when there are other bikes going slower than 60 - 70kmh. Is this something you guys faced as well when it comes to using the motorcycle lane?