The island of Lombok, formed around a volcano over 3,700 meters high, has become known in motorcycling circles for the recently built Mandalika Racetrack. It is also an amazing place, a true paradise worth exploring.
This should be the line between heaven and hell. In one direction, there is a wonderful view of the incredibly lush green island covered in tropical forests, the sea surrounding the island, playing with a thousand shades of blue, and the most beautiful cloud formations in the sky above us. In the other direction, a huge chasm opens, at the bottom of which there is a gigantic lake, behind which is a volcanic cone, a boiling and smoking chimney. And this is just the period of his peaceful sleep.
On the Indonesian island of Lombok, I’m standing on the edge of the still active 3,726-foot-tall Rinjani volcano, which last erupted on September 27, 2016. However, the cold and windy weather seems very unreal. In our latitudes, trees no longer grow above 2,000 meters, and the world of eternal snow begins above 3,000 meters. On the other hand, the volcano on the tropical island is covered with primeval forests right up to its edge, and here the temperature never goes below zero even when the sun sets in the ocean. The mountain, which is sacred to the locals, is shrouded in clouds most of the day.
Since I have an Indonesian wife and I traveled with her to the island of Java in 2014, I wanted to explore other islands in the huge country, preferably by motorbike. Mandalika Raceway opened two years ago on the island of Lombok and has since hosted the MotoGP and Superbike World Championships. I decided to take a chance and take one of the World Championship rides around the island with Diane.
Following the example of the local population, with a small motorcycle, because, as has been proven many times, there is no more pleasant and useful means of transportation on the roads without roads and narrow streets of cities and villages. Kawasaki Indonesia has provided us with the W 175 TR. This is a very popular member of Kawasaki’s retro series in Southeast Asia, a classic little scrambler, of which we only know the W 800 here. Having picked up the bike from a Kawasaki dealer in Mataram, the capital of Lombok, we first had to make sure we could somehow fit the necessary luggage for the week on board and find a place for ourselves on it. At first we felt like this particular monkey on the grindstone, but over time we figured out what to clamp where leaving enough room for us too.
The full article is in the latest 06/2023 issue of Motorrevü laber You can also read on the page! The newspaper can be found in newsagents or it can be ordered by subscription! More information on the latter on this connection Located.
