Biker Boy: Wicked Wallop motorcycle party still packs a punch
Motorcycle event at Kranji getting more recognition
Wicked Wallop 2019, a motorcycle event that took place on Saturday at Carros Centre in Kranji, is fast becoming one that is recognised around the region.
Its fourth edition has grown and is seen not only as a motorcycle party but a celebration that focuses on lifestyle, custom culture, music and people.
Wicked Wallop's organiser Jap Loh told The New Paper: "In the first year, we had only 200 people attending, but on Saturday, over 2,000 people came. We have always been funded by sponsors and we are hoping for a presenting sponsor some day."
About 40 per cent of vendors were from overseas, including Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. They sold T-shirts and fast food and provided services from tattooing to haircuts.
Some participants stood behind the lines as mini off-road bikes raced on a special track while nearby, BMX riders did gravity-defying stunts.
There is even some chatter that a version of Singapore's Wicked Wallop may be taken overseas, to which Mr Loh said: "It is in the pipeline so far, but nothing is firm yet."
Despite Saturday's scorching heat, many came out to show off their rides - new motorcycles and also custom ones that competed in a few show categories.
Among them was a raked out Thunderbike concept motorcycle owned by Mr Helmut Achatz, a 59-year-old German engineer living in Malaysia who spent RM200,000 (S$66,000) building it.
He also brought along his show-stopping 1951 Ford F100 V8, 6,200cc truck.
Some motorcycle clubs from Malaysia were also invited to Wicked Wallop, and their members rode their motorcycles to the party.
There were others, like Mr Thomas Phang, 32, who came to test new motorcycles at the Mah Pte Ltd booth, where visitors could try out a four-wheel scooter.
The aviation technician said: "This is an opportunity to test new motorcycles from different manufacturers under one roof."
The party-like atmosphere started at about 2pm with a convoy of motorcycles, followed later by about 60 older motorcycles, and went on into the night.
These early F, A and S series plate motorbikes were ridden by their owners wearing safety masks as a symbol of solidarity, given their rides are affected by the National Environment Agency's ruling on pre-July 2003 motorcycles that are slated to be taken off Singapore roads as they have been deemed to be "more pollutive".
One of them, Mr Patrick Ng, who owns two creative agencies, told TNP that he has been put in a dilemma.
All six of his motorcycles are affected by the ruling that has a $3,500 cash incentive if older motorcycles are deregistered .
Said Mr Ng, 42, who rode in a convoy to Wicked Wallop on a 1946-registered Matchless 350cc: "If I scrap my motorcycles and take NEA's offer, I will get back about $21,000. But I am afraid I will lose a part of Singapore's motorcycling history."
Others have also shown support to those affected by the cash-for-deregistration scheme. An online petition called Save Singapore's pre-July 2003 motorcycles has garnered about 8,000 signatures since Saturday.
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