Getting down and dirty at Kustomfest 2018

Oct 10, 2018

Any reason to get thirty thousand of my new best friends together is a great reason to jump on a plane and fly a couple of thousand K’s. KustomFest has been running for the past 6 years and always held in Yogyakarta. Today it is arguably Indonesia’s largest custom bike, car, bicycle and die-cast toy vehicle shown in the entire archipelago. Not sure why the last is important, but so you know, there were three whole tables dedicated to Die Cast pimped out painted vehicles. Hundreds of bikes from far-flung corners of Indonesia descend on Yogya for the two-day festival which is always a great idea to pack up our dog and pony show and jump on their coattails. We set up a mighty fine-looking booth and portrayed our wares. People knew us, knew about us or came with their mates. What always astounds me is not the big American and English customs, of which there are plenty, it’s what they do to the little local 200 cc’s that pique the interest. Mini versions of the choppers. Built by people who are cash poor but rich in patience and time. Meticulous in detail. We met friends from last year and made a tonne of new ones. People stopped by chewing the fat for five or more before moving on. We grew tired of our little bit of turf, spelled each other to allow us to traipse the aisles looking for cool new stuff, talking to other brands and basically soaking up the ambiance of it all. This wasn’t our first rodeo, we were here last year. The Yogyakarta Expo halls are set right in the middle of everything, between the airport and the town centre. Yogya is like most large Indonesian cities, from the street the portico is a mess of urban sprawl that seems to be sewn together with the cacophony of electricity and communication cables anchored to posts. Never upgraded only added to. On Saturday I wanted to see it’s soft gooey centre and pieced the façade by wandered up a side street away from the halls. I’d only gone a few hundred metres down the single lane bitumen before built up broke away to reveal a rich creamy heart of rural. Kids on bikes and backstreet workshops. Rice fields sandwiched between tall walls of single buildings. Afternoon gave way to evening and the crowd swelled as people finished work and headed down for a distraction. As we drifted towards night a chance invitation from Arfn one of the partners at Bkyrd Kustoms in Bali saw me at closing time astride a Royal Enfield 500 and part of an élite hitting the ring road for a tour of the town. People ride at night here. We passed many a little posse of riders, obviously there for the KustomFest, who were doing the same. We were about nine riders deep, most from Eiger Adventure, spread over four Himalayan’s, a few 500’s and a 350. The night, cool and inviting, after a day that was like warm soup aggravated by bad airconditioning and hoards of people. We rode until the date clicked over and we found an all-night eatery. We exchanged quips about marketing to an Indonesia audience, the idea of doing more than we presently can and the CC's of the bikes. We dined on fried rice and salty fish. Washed down with warm tea or orange juice. A little after one we paid the bill and pointed our rides home. Sunday was a repeat of Saturday. However, the number of punters were a little lighter and slowed by a late night compounded by little sleep, well, the day, it dragged on. The high point of the day was early evening when The Hydrant, Bali’s premier rock-a-billy band, once again came to Yogya to entertain. So much energy in a four-piece, magnified when they dragged a friend from the audience KustomFest comes around but one time in the year. That’s in itself a pity. Images and Text by Ano Mac

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!