DEUS KUMPUL KUMPUL RIDE

Apr 03, 2021

After a helluva hiatus, we were finally able to resuscitate the Deus Sunday ride. Rebranded and flying under the brand new name of the Deus ‘Kumpul-kumpul’, which literally means ‘Get Together’ in Bahasa Indonesia.

For the first foray, we thought it best to keep things manageable and invited a select few from other garages and riding groups around Bali to join us. Eleven Garage, Bckyrd Garage, RSM Garage, Afternoon Cruisin, Excel Turbin and G6K. Thirty from them and with the Temple Rats we were forty neat.

Meeting at the Temple at eight, though individuals trickled in until after nine, there was the usual meet and greet as well as a gander at the rides before the heat of the day told us to saddle up. Some housekeeping first, let everyone know what we were doing and where we were going. Undoubtedly the group would get separated along the way.

An hour until pit stop one, the Tegelalang Terraced Ricefields. We sort of got everyone in and out and on time and headed through the top edge of Denpasar along the bottom of Ubud before turning left and heading into the hills.

Sure enough, we had splintered into three parties, that surprisingly enough, arrived within minutes of each other.

Parking up and chatting, we eagerly awaited the van and its cargo, a supply of iced Deus coffee latte’s. The thought stuck, you couldn’t do this pre-pandemic. Back then the road would’ve been back to back tour buses and throngs of tourists that surge, to and fro, being attacked by touts who pick off the stragglers and lure them into shops and bars. Today the place was almost empty except for us. Shops and restaurants boarded over. Hibernating. Deserted.

We drank, saddled up and moved on. Kintamani in our sights, another forty minutes up the hill. The incline proved tough for a few of the older bikes and they fell, by the way, needing an additional rest stop or two to make it up on the rim. A beautiful clear day greeted us there. The view of Mt Batur sitting smack bang in the bowl of an ageless volcano the backdrop. The air crisp and crackling. Gone was the temperate climate left a couple of hundred vertical metres behind.

The group camaraderie had taken hold and people mingled and circulated. Other groups rode past. Road bikes in one. Old Vespa’s in another. We weren’t the only ones taking advantage of this day.

The last leg of the outbound journey, we’d get there in another forty. The first ten minutes took us off east around the rim of the extinct volcano until a right fork plunged us south and back down towards Gianya. Market gardens and small villages were strewn the length of the one-lane road that was masquerading as the main thoroughfare. We flashed past with all our built-up momentum and enthusiasm, plunging deeper and deeper into that wonderful vague blur of green. What started out as one after another still managed to fracture up into three groups. With the exception of three stragglers in, the rest of us made it there almost on the dot of one.

Off to one side and down below the canopy hidden from view, a small warung laid claim to the foot of the concrete bridge that straddles this breath-taking valley. This was our final destination. We all clattered down the numerous steep moss-covered stairs to alight at her base. People spread out into the floor of the jungle. The line of the lowest point was traced through her base by a bubbling brook that gave life to everything around. Clothing discarded and in underwear, the available swimsuits, people slid over the big stones and slipped into the cooling waters, washing both the road and any lasting effects of the morning away.

We set about awaiting our lunch, the establishment was booked and had promised our fare, however, they’d awaited our arrival to begin to prepare, this laid our afternoon somewhat bare. A beer or two while lunch cooked? why not. It was then we noticed that most of the Garages had a little sideline in Arak and wallowing in the cool waters little flasks soon appeared and you knew the effects were working as bird song disappeared behind laughter.

We drank then ate and then talked for a good hour and more. Laughter echoed up and down the ravine. All good signs the day had gone well. The afternoon encroached pushing us to pack up our things, we all moved up and out of this chasm of enchantment.

One last distraction before people headed for home. The Slow Race. Who could cross the dirt-floored carpark the slowest? A balancing act on bikes. We ran through several heats until there was a final four. The Vespa nearly had it before the foot on the floor giving the prize to the XSR155. An unlikely candidate but a well-deserved win. But come to think of it, after the day we’d all had. We were all winners.

When all was said and done, we set off home.

Can’t wait for the next one!

ENGLISH TEXT BELOW

Setiap tahun, teman-teman kita Tasix Adventure—penyelenggara petualangan ban berlumpur dan adrenalin berbahan bakar terbaik di Bali—mengadakan acara akhir pekan berkemah yang sangat dinanti-nantikan. Mereka menamakannya “ The Wild,” dan jujur saja, tidak ada kata yang lebih pas dari itu.

Ini bukan sekadar acara; ini adalah petualangan wajib bagi siapa saja yang mencintai tanah, tantangan, dan persahabatan yang hanya bisa terjalin saat tertawa melihat teman lain terjatuh.

Hal tentang The Wild adalah misterinya. Kamu tidak tahu ke mana akan pergi, bagaimana sampai di sana, atau apa yang akan kamu temui—seperti hidup, tapi dengan lebih banyak asap knalpot.

Tahun ini, The Wild yang berlangsung pada 7 Desember 2024, mengumpulkan 135 pecinta motor enduro, trail, dan cross di Desa Kopi, Tabanan. Tepat pukul 9 pagi, kami berangkat menuju Desa Gesing, Singaraja. Rute tetap dirahasiakan hingga hari acara, meningkatkan sensasi penasaran dan antusiasme. Dengan dibagi menjadi beberapa kelompok kecil, kami melengkapi diri dengan perlengkapan motocross lengkap untuk menghadapi tantangan musim hujan.

Perjalanan? Murni magis. Jalur berkelok melalui permata tersembunyi Bali, di mana setiap tikungan menawarkan pemandangan yang memukau atau hampir membuat jantung berhenti. Rute tahun ini menghadirkan medan tanah liat merah—dijuluki tanah "keramik" karena teksturnya yang licin dan keras saat basah. Untuk melintasinya, diperlukan teknik khusus yang disebut “paddling the throttle,” sebuah manuver yang mendebarkan dengan motor yang sering bergoyang liar. Dari kejauhan, mungkin terlihat lucu, tetapi saat di atas motor? Ceritanya berbeda.

Setelah menempuh 68 kilometer petualangan liar, kami tiba di perkemahan di puncak bukit yang sudah dipenuhi tenda-tenda peserta lain dan deru knalpot. Destinasi selalu mencuri perhatian, dan yang satu ini tidak terkecuali—tempat tinggi dengan pemandangan 360 derajat yang menakjubkan dari laut, gunung, hingga kota.

Saat hujan turun, tenda-tenda didirikan, dan malam itu diisi dengan berbagi cerita tentang penyelamatan heroik dan kecelakaan yang menggelikan. Dan tentu saja, ada balapan. Bayangkan sekelompok pengendara penuh semangat meluncur di perbukitan dalam kekacauan yang terkontrol. Balapan tahun ini termasuk duel 1 lawan 1 yang seru di sekitar puncak bukit, dengan peserta menyelesaikan dua putaran penuh adrenalin.

Bukan soal menang; ini tentang hadir, tertawa, dan menikmati momen. Para pemenang dan peserta tercepat yang mencapai puncak bukit dirayakan dengan hadiah, tetapi senyuman, persahabatan, dan kebersamaan membuat semua orang merasa seperti juara.

The Wild tahun ini benar-benar sesuai namanya, bahkan lebih. Petualangan, tawa, dan cukup banyak tanah di gigi untuk menyebutnya otentik—kami tidak akan menginginkannya dengan cara lain. Terima kasih yang sebesar-besarnya kepada semua peserta yang menjadikannya pengalaman tak terlupakan. Sampai jumpa di petualangan berikutnya!

Every year, our mates over at Tasix Adventure—Bali’s finest purveyors of muddy tyres and fuel-driven adrenaline—host their much-anticipated camp-out weekend. They’ve named it “Wild,” and honestly, there’s no better word for it.

It’s not just an event; it’s a pilgrimage for anyone who loves dirt, daring, and the kind of camaraderie you can only forge while laughing at someone else’s wipeout.

The thing about Wild is that it’s shrouded in mystery. You don’t know where you’re going, how you’ll get there, or what you’ll find—kind of like life, but with more exhaust fumes.

This year’s Wild, held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, brought together 135 enthusiasts of enduro, trail, and cross motorcycles at Desa Kopi, Tabanan. The route was kept a secret until the event day, heightening the thrill of the unknown. At exactly 9 am, they shared the destination, Desa Gesing, Singaraja, Divided into small groups, we geared up with full motocross kits to tackle the rainy season’s challenges.

The ride? Pure magic. Twisting trails through Bali’s hidden gems, where every turn promised either breathtaking views or breathtaking near-misses. This year’s route featured red clay terrain—nicknamed "ceramic" soil for its slick, hard texture when wet. Navigating it required a special technique called “paddling the throttle,” a nerve-wracking maneuver that had bikes swaying wildly. From a distance, it might have looked hilarious, but on the bike? It was a whole other story.

After 68 kilometres of this wild adventure, we arrived at the hilltop campsite already alive with the buzz of activity and the roar of exhausts. The destination always steals the spotlight, and this one was no exception—a high-altitude perch offering stunning 360-degree views of the sea, mountains, and city.

As the rain came down, tents went up, and the evening was all about swapping stories of heroic saves and laughable crashes. And then there were the races. Picture a pack of overexcited riders tearing up the hillside in what can only be described as controlled chaos. This year’s races included thrilling 1-on-1 duels around the hilltop, with participants pushing through two laps of sheer adrenaline.

It wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing up, laughing, and embracing the moment. The race winners and the fastest hilltop arrivals were celebrated with prizes, but the smiles, the camaraderie, and the shared triumphs made everyone feel like champions.

This year’s Wild lived up to its name and then some. Adventure, laughter, and just enough dirt in your teeth to call it authentic—we wouldn’t have it any other way. A massive thank you to all the participants who made it unforgettable. See you on the next adventure!