Shooting the Blowpipe Run

ANY FEAT worthy of testing man’s mettle will inevitable draw unto itself those who want to pit their bodies and minds in a battle of will, skills and strength.

It’s the reason why motorcycle riders from across Borneo are pushing the limits of their physical and mental capabilities on the Blowpipe Run (BR) — a 1,300km transnational trek of the highway connecting Kuching to Kota Kinabalu (KK) by way of Brunei.

There are no awards, no cheering crowds, and barely any social media fanfare to mark the occasion of a completed challenge. A sense of personal satisfaction and acknowledgment from biking peers seems to be more than enough reward.

Mostly, it’s just one person (perhaps more if others are in town) to officially witness their time of arrival at the end point and greet the exhausted rider with a welcoming handshake into a small but growing circle of men and women who have beaten the road, the elements and themselves to complete the BR.

Pioneer ride

The BR is a local nod to the ‘Cannonball Run’ (formally known as the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash) — an unofficial, unsanctioned automobile race in the US which gained popularity and a cult following among US motor racing fans through a series of races in the 1970’s as participants raced from the Atlantic Coast to the Pacific Coast from New York to Los Angeles.

The BR was conceived by Alex Wong — best known as the award-winning singer-songwriter SingleTrackMind — but he has accumulated an impressive resume of accomplishments in various fields over the years, including national jet ski champion, business entrepreneur, and motorcycling enthusiast and author.

Wong first got the idea for the BR in 2011 when he decided to do a scooter tour from Kuching city to Tawau, Sabah, over a period of several days.

“The cannonball is a weapon which was used in every state in the US. The blowpipe is a weapon which is common to the whole of Borneo — Kalimantan, Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak use it. The answer is the blowpipe — which is how I came up with the name,” he recalled.

Like the Cannonball Run, the BR connects two major cities on opposite coasts. Its start-end points are the cat statue opposite the Grand Margherita Hotel in the centre of Kuching, the state capital, and the giant marlin statue in the heart of KK, Sabah’s capital city. The run can be done in either direction — from Kuching-KK or KK-Kuching.

Riders will also have to consider the five border crossings each way, requiring them to clear through Malaysian and Brunei immigration. The Kuching-KK route entails eight stops at the four Sarawak-Brunei and Brunei-Sarawak CIQ points, and one stop at the Sarawak-Sabah border.

Much like sharp darts being launched out of a blowpipe towards their target, those attempting the BR aim to find the most efficient route to their destination and complete it within 24 hours on the same calendar date on their own without help from anyone.

Wong’s first two attempts — Kuching-KK and KK-Kuching respectively — had to be aborted due to mechanical problems but third time was the charm. On Feb 25, 2011, he left KK at 3.33am on a KTM 690 R Duke. He arrived in Kuching 19 hours and 57 minutes later at 11.30pm, becoming the first person to officially complete the BR.

Since then, the BR has attracted riders from all over East Malaysia and Brunei — even from as far afield as the United Kingdom and Australia.

To date, there are more than 30 riders who have completed the challenge, whether solo or as part of a group. A number of them are members of Pemoda, Brunei’s biggest motorcycle association, some of whom have also completed the ride multiple times whether as solo riders or as part of a group.

The steeds of choice for the challenge run the gamut — rumbling big bikes, powerful cruisers, sleek road racers and even the humble kapcai — suggesting it’s the riding experience which is valued and takes precedence.

Regardless of what time they clock or how big (or little) a motorcycle they use, each rider who completes the BR proudly wears the Blowpipe Run patch on their motorcycle jackets.

Originally, the BR only catered to solo riders but as more people showed interest in participating, more categories were added. Presently, there are four main categories, depending on the CC of the bike, with each category sub-divided into solo rider and duo-trio-group.

The current fastest solo ride across all categories officially stands at 11 hours 34 minutes from Kch-KK over 1,282km, BMW R1200 GS, set in January this year.

In March this year, Wong again set a precedent by being the first person to complete the BR three times (Kch-KK, KK-Kch and Kch-KK) over four days. Whether this will kick-start another challenge in terms of number of BR rides completed over consecutive days, remains to be seen.

Close community

There is a close-knit community which has formed around the BR.

To get a BR attempt recognised, it has to be verified from start to finish. Persons attempting the BR must inform Wong or the designated individuals in advance of the intended date of the attempt, time and point they will depart from.

Telecommunications technology and social media are integral parts of the experience with riders using their smartphones or GPS to verify their time of arrival at certain locations.

Riders take selfies with their motorised steeds at identifiable landmarks — usually at petrol stations with signage clearly displayed — and upload them to social media in real time. This helps other riders keep track of their progress as well as to be able to quickly spring into action should a rider require aid or someone to come rescue them.

Some riders also time their rest stops to catch up with friends in the Borneo motorcycling community along the way who are usually more than glad to ride out to meet them and cheer their fellow riders on.

Road to success

The BR is not an easy challenge by any means. Countless attempts have failed or been called off due to concerns about riders’ health, unpredictable weather, technical problems, riders getting lost and motorcycles running out of fuel.

One of the most challenging aspects is fatigue as riders undergo significant mental and physical stress when riding a motorcycle for hours at a time over long distances, experienced rider Silas Evenstarr told thesundaypost.

Silas’ first attempt came less than four months after Wong completed his pioneering run. He managed to complete it successfully, clocking in at 13 hours 10 minutes on his 2010 Kawasaki Z750, shattering the then record of 17 hours.

He currently holds the record for a person completing the most number of BR challenges — six times as a solo rider, and once with a pillion rider.

Silas attributes his continued success to the meticulous planning he does before each ride — from the fuel tank capacity of his bike to the number and duration of fuel and rest stops as well as the quantity of fuel he needs to make it to his next planned stop.

At the time of his first attempt, he was a relative newcomer to long-distance motorcycling but that did not deter him. He already knew the road from Kuching to Miri fairly well, so he spent a lot of time familiarising himself with the route from Miri to KK. He also methodically built up his physical and mental endurance over time — much like a marathon runner — by gradually undertaking and riding over longer and longer distances — first to places like Damai and Bau, then to further locations like Sibu.

The then-budding rider also sought advice from more experienced riders like Wong on how to handle motorcycles and getting to know the capabilities of their motorcycles. Over the years, he has also signed up for and helped to organise a number of defensive riding courses to upgrade his skills as a rider.

Silas advises those attempting the BR for the first time to do their research as even experienced riders have failed to complete the ride due to inadequate planning and failure to have contingency plans in place.

“The BR is both a technical and tactical ride. Anyone can attempt it but I would advise beginners to have put in a good 5,000 to 10,000km in the last three months.”

Safety mindset

So far, none of the riders who have attempted or completed the run have been involved in accidents. Wong hopes it will stay that way although he knows the odds in general are not favourable to motorcyclists on the road.

While less than stellar road conditions along certain stretches and traffic conditions all add to the challenge, it is the attitude of road users which is the most significant factor in completing the ride safely.

On the biggest dangers for motorcycle riders attempting the BR, Wong and Silas both identified road users who make sudden turns or stops, often without signaling. This tends to happen at the junctions of smaller roads, connecting various villages to the highway, or when vehicles try to overtake each other.

The only recourse riders have is to continually assess their surroundings, not take things for granted and ride defensively at all times. In other words, riders have to pro-actively take responsibility for their own safety as well as for that of other road users.

“Everyone who has done this, did so reasonably — with commonsense. No one’s going out there being an idiot trying to commit suicide. That’s not what the BR is about. It’s about travelling at a consistent speed that is not dangerous,” Wong noted.

“I’ll be lying if I said there is no element of danger. Obviously, there is, but I know myself. There is a certain line I will not cross. If I’m not sure about passing a truck because I can’t really see further ahead, I will not go for it. You might argue someone else would but I am not the sort of guy who would do it. I’d rather not break the record. That’s a sensible rider.”

Silas concurred, emphasising the BR objective was for riders to complete the Kuching-KK or KK-Kuching route within 24 hours on the same calendar date, pointing out that going faster may not necessarily lead to better times.

“The top few times are all by riders who have attended riding courses, have better skill sets, better vision and riding abilities and are more defensive even when riding at speed. The rider’s capability is another factor, so the fast times are actually due to ability and attitude. You need to have a defensive mindset to ensure safety if not, it will be reckless and we don’t want anyone to ride recklessly.”

Silas acknowledged there will be riders who will be tempted to push the needle on the speedometer but said it should not come at the expense of their safety and the safety of other road users. He urged riders attempting the BR to ride responsibly, saying on the road — right or wrong — motorcycle riders usually ended up on the losing end.

“All we can say is it (the road) is not a race track. So while we are testing the limits of our endurance, we should not be testing the limits of our riding capabilities. A closed race track is where you test the riding capability of the rider and the reliability of the bike. On public roads, you have to drop it down 20 to 30 per cent from your max ability and max out on your planning and endurance. Get fit, go train, sleep well, eat well and drink well. Plan all your stops well. It’s down to planning and endurance but don’t push the limits of your riding skills. Because the public and road users are not ready for you to come by at 30, 40 metres per second.

“You are not supposed to be trying to beat your times — you are only supposed to be completing it within 24 hours. There is really no reward for being the fastest and we don’t want it to be that way. I think there is more recognition to being a live rider as opposed to being someone who killed someone on the road or who caused a bad accident on the road. I think it’s pointless,” Silas told thesundaypost.

That being said, BR founder Wong expects the fastest riding times for the various BR categories will only get lower and that it is only a matter of time (no pun intended) before the current records get bested.

“The first time I did the run, there were two ferries. And now there is none — they have been replaced by bridges. And one day it’s going to be the Pan Borneo Highway. So the times are going to be (comparatively) ridiculous,” he said.

For those who want to find out more about the BR, visit the Blowpipers Borneo Motorcycle Group page on Facebook or contact Alex Wong or Silas Evenstarr via Facebook.