Bikes here, bikes there bikes everywhere

He never thought it would grow this big. And for Tom Leber, the growth of motorcycling in this country means only one thing – more fun.

Leber, the retired president and general manager of Wyeth Philippines, only wanted to ride his motorcycle as often as he could when he put up the Mad Dog Motorcycle Club in 1994. It all started in his garage at his Dasmariñas Village home. From a small group of nine Harley-Davidson diehards, Mad Dog has grown into an international club of motorcyclists with members in 13 countries, including the United States and Japan.

Leber was here last week for the first Bike Week Philippines, a gathering of motorcyclists and motorcycle enthusiasts that Mad Dog organized. He was surprised to see so many bikes – from a 1942 Harley that still runs, to the newest BMWs. "Motorcycling has really grown in this country," he observed. "It was really good to see all these people, including young children, interested in motorcycles. With more and more people living the motorcycle lifestyle, it would be more fun to ride to different places of this beautiful country."

Bike Week Philippines lived up to its promise as the biggest motorcycle event in this country’s history. Some 100,000 people came at different hours at the Bike Week Village at The Fort in Taguig, while hundreds of serious riders joined the trip to Subic last Monday, staying overnight at the former US naval camp and riding back to Manila yesterday.

Sponsored by the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), BMW Philippines, Shell Advance Motorcycle Oils and Norkis-Yamaha, the first Bike Week turned into a bike show cum week-long party cum bike camp. There were games, raffles, live band concerts, and lots of bike items and food for sale.

Leber said such an event would not have been possible nine years ago when he started riding his Fat Boy in the Philippines.

"There were only very few riders then. But the good thing about the Philippines is everywhere you go people are friendly. We went to every imaginable place in this country and the local folk – even the old women – welcomed us warmly," he recalled.

The Pennsylvania native was already 45 years old when he bought his Fat Boy, his first brand new bike. All his life, Tom was a "car maniac," having had his first car – a 1958 Chevy – when he was 15. He learned how to ride bikes from his friends and brothers.

It was only when he was assigned here, though, that he bought his first motorcycle. "That bike means so much to me. It was a 1994 Fat Boy and I was born 1949. I bought it the year my first daughter, Sarah Jane, was born. And I bought it the year we put up the Mad Dog," he remembered. "And hey, 1994 was a year of the dog."

Leber said Mad Dog virtually set the stage for the setting up of other motorcycle clubs in the country. Before its creation, no single club can claim to have international membership. Mad Dog, over the years, grew to have members from different countries who are either immigrants to the Philippines or are working here.

"Mad Dog also opened up a whole new way of life for Filipino motorcyclists," Leber declared. "At Mad Dog, all we want is to have fun. We don’t want politics, we don’t want intrigues. We just want to have a good time with our bikes and with our fellow members. It is more a brotherhood than a social club."

Such is now happening to other clubs as well. During the ninth National Convention of Motorcycle Clubs, which was held on the third day of the Bike Week, thousands of delegates from different groups in the provinces were one in saying that their respective groups now shun politicking and are doing their best to promote brotherhood among their members.

The convention focused on the theme "Big Or Small, The Road Is For All." Simply put, it meant that respect should be promoted among all users of the road regardless of the vehicle they ride – be it a hulking BMW, a noisy Harley or a humble scooter or moped.

Tom said he sees much promise for motorcycling in this country. Now living in Thailand, he said given another 10 more years, majority of Filipinos would switch to motorcycles. "And we will have more fun by then," he said.