The Crew & The Machines

Five completely different machines, five completely different riding styles, and somehow we stayed together the whole way. That's the thing about group rides — the pace negotiation happens silently over the first 20km. In this case, it wasn't even a negotiation. The Zhong Shen Scrambler had a factory-imposed top speed of 100km/h, and that was that. Everyone rides at 100. No discussion needed.

The Trip In Brief

Day 1 // The Run Up

Causeway Crossed, Highway Opened

Early departure from Singapore — the kind of early that separates actual riders from people who say they'll go and don't. Woodlands Causeway in the morning before the lorry queues build up is the move. Cross fast, clear customs, regroup on the Malaysian side, and get moving before the heat sets in.

The North-South Highway up to Malacca is honest riding — about 5 to 6 hours each way. Nothing dramatic on the road itself, just a long freeway stretch that gives you plenty of time to settle into the bike and sit with your own thoughts. The Sport Bike could've done it faster. The Street Bike would've been happy to push. But with the Scrambler hard-limited at 100km/h, the whole convoy cruised at the same ceiling — which in hindsight made it a safer, more cohesive group ride than it had any right to be. The Zhong Shen's speed limiter was the unelected pace car nobody voted for and everyone quietly benefited from.

A few petrol and rest stops along the way — Petronas or RnR, wherever the formation naturally slowed down. This is where group rides actually live: engines off, helmets up, everyone checking in before the next leg.

Fenix Inn — The Right Call for Bikes

Accommodation was Fenix Inn in Malacca. For a group riding in on bikes, this was the correct choice. The hotel locks its gates overnight — all five machines secured inside the compound, no one's sleeping with one eye open wondering if their bike's still there in the morning. In 2011, finding a place that actually understood motorcycle security wasn't a given. That gate gave the whole group peace of mind and made it a proper overnight instead of just a crash stop.

Evening — Stadthuys, A Famosa & Dinner

After checking in and dumping the gear, the group headed out on foot to do what you do in Malacca — walk the heritage core. Stadthuys, the bright red Dutch colonial building that's been standing since the 1600s, is the kind of landmark that makes you stop and actually look. A Famosa — what's left of the 16th-century Portuguese fortress — is nearby, and in 2011 the area was a lot less touristy than it is now. Easy to move around, low pressure, good for a group that just spent 5-6 hours on a highway.

Dinner was the priority after sightseeing. Malacca has no shortage of options — the group ate, rested, and let the day wind down properly. No rush. The bikes were locked behind Fenix Inn's gate. Nobody had anywhere to be until morning.

Day 2 // A&W and The Ride Home

The Breakfast That Doesn't Exist in Singapore

This needs context. In 2011, A&W had no presence in Singapore. The last outlet had closed years before, and the chain had effectively become a memory for anyone who grew up with it. So when you're in Malacca and there's an A&W on the map — you go. You just go.

The whole group went. Curly fries, root beer floats, waffles, the full spread. It sounds like a small thing but it wasn't — this was one of those meals where the food is only half of it. The other half is the fact that you can't get this at home, and everyone at that table knew it. One of those moments that gets remembered not for what it was, but for what it represented: a reason to make the run.

Pack Up, Roll Out

After breakfast, bags loaded, gear on, bikes retrieved from behind Fenix Inn's locked gate. Brief regroup in the carpark — same five machines that arrived, all present. The ride home is always a different feeling from the ride out. Less anticipation, more reflection. The highway south was clean, the Causeway crossing was manageable, and everyone was back in Singapore before the day got old.

No breakdowns. No wrong turns that cost real time. No drama worth documenting — and in a group ride, that's actually the best possible outcome. The machines all behaved, the riders all kept each other in sight, and Malacca delivered everything it was supposed to.

Why This Ride Matters

2011 was a different era of riding in Singapore. Group rides were organised through forums and word of mouth. No apps, no GPS mounts on every bike, no GoPros. You showed up at the meeting point, you made sure everyone had the route written down or memorised, and you went.

Five riders across five different machines — a Sport Bike, a Zhong Shen Scrambler, a Super 4, a Phantom, and a Street Bike — all making it to Malacca and back at a comfortable 100km/h. The speed cap that should've been an inconvenience turned out to be the ride's best unplanned feature. And the A&W will always be part of the story.

Context — Why This Trip Mattered

This was not some high-speed touring trip or luxury vacation. Borders had just reopened after the long COVID shutdown, and the simple act of crossing into Malaysia again felt strangely emotional. Even the usual checkpoint process felt exciting — because for so long, travelling was something everyone had taken for granted without thinking about it.

My younger brother was still relatively new to longer rides. This became a milestone trip for him. For my younger sister, it was also one of her first longer-distance drives out of Singapore. Three people, two modes of transport, one destination.

The Trip In Brief

The Ride Up

The journey itself was surprisingly smooth. Traffic was manageable, weather stayed cooperative, and the ride north felt calm rather than tiring. Instead of rushing, we took our time and simply enjoyed the freedom of moving again.

Having both a motorcycle and a car in the same convoy means constant communication — the bike is more flexible but the car dictates rest stop timing. It worked. Everyone arrived in one piece and in good spirits.

Arriving in Malacca

Once we reached Malacca the atmosphere immediately felt slower and more relaxed compared to Singapore. The streets around Jonker Walk were lively again after COVID restrictions eased. Tourists were slowly returning, shops reopening, and there was this feeling the city was waking back up. We checked in, rested briefly, then headed out to explore on foot.

The Chicken Rice Ball Failure

One of the first things we wanted to do was try the famous chicken rice ball shop near the Jonker Street entrance. It was closed. A little disappointing after travelling all that way with it in mind — but honestly it became part of the trip memory itself.

Instead of forcing another plan, we wandered and ended up getting ice kacang from the famous dessert stall outside Jonker Street. Under the heat, after all the walking, that cold bowl tasted better than expected. Sometimes the failed plan becomes the more memorable part.

The Rotating Tower

One memorable moment was the rotating observation tower in Malacca. Sitting inside while slowly rotating upward to the highest point gave us a full panoramic view of the city. Nothing extreme, nothing adrenaline-filled — but peaceful. From above, Malacca looked calm, colourful, and nostalgic in a way that is hard to explain. For a short moment, everything felt slow again.

Dinner — Lok Lok at McQuek's Satay Celup

At night we ended the day with lok lok and satay celup at McQuek's. The place was crowded, lively, slightly chaotic — exactly the atmosphere that makes Malaysian food experiences memorable. Picking skewers together, waiting for the broth, talking nonsense after an entire day outside. Those simple moments became the highlight of the trip. No expensive restaurant needed.

Heading Home

The trip was only 2D1N but it felt refreshing enough to reset the mind. Before returning to Singapore, we bought Ramly burgers back for the family — one of those mandatory Malaysia traditions that somehow always happens. The ride home felt much easier. Confidence had increased, everyone relaxed more, and the first long-distance nervousness had completely disappeared.

Why This Ride Matters

This trip was not about luxury, speed, or major attractions. It was memorable because it marked the return of freedom after COVID — and the first proper long-distance experience shared between three siblings still building their confidence on the road. two motorcycle, one car, one simple overnight adventure across the border. No major problems. No dramatic stories. Just a peaceful trip that quietly became special over time.