BIKERS - Riding the Web

People searching for websites on motorcycling are often lured towards the sites of different manufacturers. Then they go to sites catering for more specific needs – sports bikes, dirt bikes, cruisers, tourers, scooters and others. Going further, they reach sites that give tips on safe riding, racing, and different techniques.

But after a while, these people yearn for a site that is close to home, something they can call their own.

Fortunately, there is one. And it’s called Motorcyclephilippines.com.

This website, developed by Englishman Frank Woolf, is by all measure at par with more famous sites in the United States and Europe. Professionally designed, the site is very user-friendly, allowing visitors to easily find their way around. The home page prominently displays the most current news on motorcycling in the country, with sidebars for other stories and information of importance or interest.

Visitors wanting to know more may opt for the News page where they can read about different events, races, meetings and other developments. Other information available are a list of the motorcycle dealers and distributors, sellers of parts and accessories, mechanics and repair shops and more than 50 motorcycle clubs complete with the contact information of their representatives and their upcoming events.

From newbies to veteran riders, the website is truly a treasure chest of information. For visitors with a little bit more time on their hands, the website offers write-ups and reviews of different rides and destinations, reviews and descriptions of biker-friendly restaurants and other establishments, and countless pictures of bikes, bikers, events, and places.

Motorcyclephilippines.com recently signed a deal with e2door.com to provide visitors with an online shopping avenue. Before the deal, the site already had a Classified Ads section for new and used motorcycles, parts and accessories. Now, with e2door, the site sells things like jackets, helmets, and others from abroad – all to be shipped to one’s home and be paid in pesos.

The most important thing about Motorcyclephilippines.com, however, is its role in unifying to Filipino riding community. Through its Forum section, anybody with an access to the Internet can post a question or a comment. The Forum serves as a link between individual riders, their clubs, and even their friends here and abroad.

The Forum section has grown to such proportions as to merit being considered a separate entity in itself. With membership growing at a rapid rate each day, the Forum has areas for general interest, rides and meetings, bikes and accessories, motorcycle racing, motorcycle safety, motorcycle rights, and even jokes. Private Forum is also offered for clubs and associations to allow their members some privacy.

Frank Woolf, the man behind the website, sees Motorcyclephilippines.com as his personal mission. A native of London, he has lived in Asia for the past 30 years and has a Filipina wife. With his background in engineering and graphic design, Woolf began working on the site as a challenge to learn and understand the new techniques of web design. He only wanted a site that would list dealers and mechanics and allow riders to share information.

Obviously, the site has grown to proportions way beyond his expectations. With over 2.7 million hits in the month and over 20,000 regular visitors, Motorcyclephilippines.com truly mirrors the motorcycling community in this country.