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It is 700 klms from Jeddah to Khamis Mushayt.
I was forced to make this ride when I unexpectedly made a deal in Jeddah for a Magna 750 in swap for my Daihatsu 4x4 and it had to be done there and then. I had only gone to test the bike and show the Daihatsu so I had taken my crash helmet and a leather jacket but nothing else.When the dealer said he wanted my car straight away I thought OK no problem it's a nice sunny day, after all it is Saudi, I will ride back down the coast. Big mistake, I got 75 klms down the coast road and was stopped by the Police,what the f**k have I done now ? This very nice Policeman explained to me that this road is too dangerouse for motor bikes,I explained to him that being English I was used to F**k Wits and that I have ridden thousands of miles in this country but no go, I must go back to Jeddah. I turned back but then later turned off to go through Taif and over the mountains,second big mistake. Before I reached Taif I was stopped four times by the Police and had to explain why I was riding a motor bike to Khamis Mushayt and the fact that I worked for the Saudi Air Force and had to be in work the next day. After having another cup of tea with the Police Captain he said you can go now but it is raining in the mountains please be carefull,yes,yes, OK let me get going. The climb out of Taif was steep and the higher I climbed the foggier it became and the rain started,as I got to the top the rain was getting heavier but being a 'rufty tufty biker' I kept going.After a while the sun came out and dried me off, as I came down a valley I could see flashing lights in the distance, it was a car accident and the car was on it's roof in the middle of the road,as I aproached the accident I slowed right down and could see that the driver was still in the car. The Police took one look at me,stopped what they were doing and pulled me in,checked all my papers and asked me loads of stupid questions,this process took a good fifteen minutes when I reminded them that the driver was still in the upside down car to which they said no problem he is dead. On my way again and it's raining and foggy and getting dark and I've been stopped by the Police six times. I have just entered a town and it is raining hard, as I approach some traffic lights another F*****g Policeman waves me to the side of the road , I show him my papers and he makes shore they get soaking wet. On my way again and in the same town at another traffic light I am waiting in the que and beep beep beep, it's another F*****g Policeman, WHAT !!! I shouted and he said, Honda, very nice motorcycle.
By this time I still had 400 klms to go and it is dark and cold, my clothes are soaked through and I am in the middle of nowhere. At every petrol station that I stopped at they thought I was mad when I put my arms around the engine to get warm.
I arrived at my compound at 23.30hrs after thirteen hours having been stopped by the Police fifteen times and not booked once. I just got off the bike outside my villa and got a very hot bath.
There is much more to this story but I don't have the time to go into detail.
I get my new Burgman 650 next week, but not from Jeddah.
Cheers
Ian
I was forced to make this ride when I unexpectedly made a deal in Jeddah for a Magna 750 in swap for my Daihatsu 4x4 and it had to be done there and then. I had only gone to test the bike and show the Daihatsu so I had taken my crash helmet and a leather jacket but nothing else.When the dealer said he wanted my car straight away I thought OK no problem it's a nice sunny day, after all it is Saudi, I will ride back down the coast. Big mistake, I got 75 klms down the coast road and was stopped by the Police,what the f**k have I done now ? This very nice Policeman explained to me that this road is too dangerouse for motor bikes,I explained to him that being English I was used to F**k Wits and that I have ridden thousands of miles in this country but no go, I must go back to Jeddah. I turned back but then later turned off to go through Taif and over the mountains,second big mistake. Before I reached Taif I was stopped four times by the Police and had to explain why I was riding a motor bike to Khamis Mushayt and the fact that I worked for the Saudi Air Force and had to be in work the next day. After having another cup of tea with the Police Captain he said you can go now but it is raining in the mountains please be carefull,yes,yes, OK let me get going. The climb out of Taif was steep and the higher I climbed the foggier it became and the rain started,as I got to the top the rain was getting heavier but being a 'rufty tufty biker' I kept going.After a while the sun came out and dried me off, as I came down a valley I could see flashing lights in the distance, it was a car accident and the car was on it's roof in the middle of the road,as I aproached the accident I slowed right down and could see that the driver was still in the car. The Police took one look at me,stopped what they were doing and pulled me in,checked all my papers and asked me loads of stupid questions,this process took a good fifteen minutes when I reminded them that the driver was still in the upside down car to which they said no problem he is dead. On my way again and it's raining and foggy and getting dark and I've been stopped by the Police six times. I have just entered a town and it is raining hard, as I approach some traffic lights another F*****g Policeman waves me to the side of the road , I show him my papers and he makes shore they get soaking wet. On my way again and in the same town at another traffic light I am waiting in the que and beep beep beep, it's another F*****g Policeman, WHAT !!! I shouted and he said, Honda, very nice motorcycle.
By this time I still had 400 klms to go and it is dark and cold, my clothes are soaked through and I am in the middle of nowhere. At every petrol station that I stopped at they thought I was mad when I put my arms around the engine to get warm.
I arrived at my compound at 23.30hrs after thirteen hours having been stopped by the Police fifteen times and not booked once. I just got off the bike outside my villa and got a very hot bath.
There is much more to this story but I don't have the time to go into detail.
I get my new Burgman 650 next week, but not from Jeddah.
Cheers
Ian
