Motorcycle Culture

Cars and trucks, here in Puerto Princesa, are for goverment officials and business owners. Many get around by mulit-cab and by tricycle, and for those who do own their own private transportation, they drive motorbikes.

The fleet of private transportation in Puerto Princesa, like other parts of the Philippines, is made up of tricycle. These are small engined motorbikes with elaborate covered metal sidecars attached to them. Their small engines are likely not designed with the purpose in mind of carrying four people up hill, and often they are slow going and practically have the front wheel lifted off the ground when they are full. But they are what is available, and for many they mean a regular, if not limited source of income.

Many ride private motorbikes, and not of the big loud American sort, but rather the small sleek kind. The styles of these bikes range from the small wheeled variety that are more like scooters than motorbikes, to the fully decked sport bike with bright colours and a fancy plastic body. Many models are little more than dirt bikes. Helmets are optional and you don't see a lot of them. It is amazing that you don't see more accidents with the lack of a right of way system here. Wherever someone else isn't, that's where they drive. There are also garges and bike shops everywhere, and with so many older vehicles, I'm sure it is big business.