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Dr. Frazier Adventure in the Phillipines Photo Gallery

A friendly rental agency in Angeles City not only had larger, well maintained motorcycles for rent at a reasonable daily rate, but offered helmets as well as free advice on a wide variety of attractions.

Dr. Frazier throws caution to the wind as he continues his world travels in the Phillipines. Read the full story here Dr.Gregory Frazier Risky Adventure in the Phillipines.

Pictured is my adventure motorcycle for two weeks. The only problem I encountered was a flat tire, and I carried my own tools and inner tube to make that roadside fix.

Pictured is one of the famous jeepney buses, this one “Big Joe.” They were an inexpensive form of transportation, the down side being they would fill quickly and were not air conditioned.

The jeepney was originally made from US military jeeps, but now is manufactured from a truck body.

Pictured here was a customized off-road jeepney that reflected, literally with the polished stainless steel, the owner’s tastes.

Motels were common and reasonably priced like this one for $30.00 per night with air conditioning and cable television.

This Swiss motel and restaurant hosted a contingent of Swiss and German tourists that confirmed it was a good value at $35.00 per night and food was acceptable to their Swiss/German palate.

Near a beach I found this bungalow motel for $40.00 a night with security parking for the motorcycle, clean swimming pool and well stocked bar and restaurant.

There was a helmet law in the Philippines and it was well enforced. My advice is to bring your own.

One of the most popular eating places in the Philippines was the Jollibee chain. It offered fast food and competed well with McDonalds and Wendy’s, both of which were around, but not as common.

Like Ronald McDonald, the Jollibee welcomed guests. He took care of my helmet while I ate a hamburger, fries and drank a Coke inside the air conditioned interior. An armed security guard with a loaded shotgun made sure no one took off with my helmet.

The pictured coffee chain could have been transplanted from the USA, in fact it likely was.

Gasoline was plentiful, sold at modern stations, and reasonably priced.

This ferry carried me ($1.00) and the motorcycle ($11.00) to the next island of Mindoro.

Beach life was common. Hotel rooms ranged from $25.00 per night to several hundred, depending on the health of the travelers budget.

This was a sample of a road one local resident told me was, “Can do, yes, can do with big motorcycle if you are good driver.”

This stream was “can do” but only in the dry season, like this pictured time.

When the season was “wet,” like during monsoons, the pictured bridge was the only way across the river for motorcycles. There were several planks missing, but the space not wide enough to prevent a motorcycle wheel from going over the opening.

A good gravel road like this one was the hunting ground for several bandits in the far north. Local residents and police recommended traveling in a caravan. I foolishly ignored their advice, but got lucky and missed paying the “road tax” to the bandits, twice.

Another jungle track the local residents told me could be done on my big motorcycle with luggage. It got done, but slowly and neither the motorcycle nor I was pretty when finished.

This river was the road through the high walled canyon, cooling refreshment after spending several previous hours in 90 degree heat with higher humidity.

The Eighth Wonder of the World, the Banaue rice terraces.

Small displacement motorcycles (mostly smaller than 125 cc) would ride on the foot paths between the rice fields. My larger motorcycle would have slipped off and taken a bath.

An armed security guard was posted at the gate to this motorcycle parking lot at a large shopping mall to prevent theft.

Motorcycle taxis, or tricycles, with enclosed sidecars, were a cheap form of transportation for those not wanting to ride a jeepney.

In the wet season both motorcycle taxi driver and passengers were protected. This was a 110 cc motorcycle.

This Kawasaki motorcycle taxi had a front roll bar or cage to support a piece of clear plastic when it was raining.

A common “beater” motorcycle taxi, this one pictured had just unloaded a group of six school children.

The modified rear suspension on this motorcycle taxi was obviously an afterthought.

A Harley-Davidson was a rich man’s ride when the import tax was equal to the purchase price.

For cruising and highway use, this Honda served its owner well. The engine size was about one half the displacement of what it looks.

This used Honda VFR was selling for nearly 75% more than it would on the streets of the USA.

This tricked-out Kenbo motorcycle was a 150 cc displacement model.

Spotted in Manila was this highly modified “sport bike.” Notable was a shark tail rear fender.

This “touring” Kawasaki, with custom tank cover and luggage rack, sported the only tank cover I saw in the Philippines.

Do you like using a top box? This one would carry a passenger and camping gear.

An order of Chinese food could be delivered to a motel by this delivery motorcycle. A tip was appreciated but not expected by the driver.

The driver of this motorcycle did not sit on a seat but stood on the base platform.

Ironbutt? That is what the owner of this motorcycle would need for sitting on the hard pan seat.

Risky motorcycle driving resulted in the motorcyclist sliding under the left front fender of this bus.

I was following the bus as the motorcycle parts started coming out from under the rear nearly causing me to crash. It was a lucky day for me, not so lucky for the motorcyclist under the bus rear wheels.

This motorcycle taxi was more like a truck than the usual sidecar model taxis used.

There were many tricked-out small displacement models, like this blue Honda.

Along with the motorcycle under the bus was the motorcycle pilot. Ride hard, die young.