'Flood motor': Not just for fun but to also help others

PERMAISURI: Two village youths not only proved their prowess in modifying motorcycles that can move in deep water, but also use them to help others.

More interestingly, Ikram Shahidi Mat Kail, 25, and his brother, Muhammad Zakaria, 23, who lived in Kampung Banggol, Setiu, used their creations to reduce the losses of fish farmers by retrieving fishes that had escaped from ponds due to the flood.

The story of these two young men was once highlighted by Bernama last year, when they rode them to play in the floodwaters, but this time the motorcycles were used to go the locations of nets used to trap fish.

"Last year, after our story viraled, many people contacted via Facebook to congratulate us. There are also those from Thailand, Japan, the United States and China ... at that time we used Modenas Kriss 110 and Honda C70, but this time it only involved the Modenas Kriss 110 with modifications such as for ‘motorcross’.

"The success of riding through floods prior to this makes us more creative and we can complete the unique modification on the motorcycles in less than an hour," said Ikram Shahidi.

To complete the water-crossing mission, they modified plastic bottles to replace the oil tanks while the carburetor, air ducts to the carburetor and exhaust pipe ends were all positioned higher than normal motorcycles to allow the motorcycles to move at high water levels.

During a recent Bernama visit, the motorcycles were not only still functioning when completely submerged in water but were also able to move fast even though the water level was already at the level of the rider's neck.

Usually they would go to the flooded areas in the morning and set up nets in relatively deep flood areas.

Their efforts were not in vain because the fishes that escaped from the nearby ponds were often caught, including during the visit, when they managed to catch an African catfish weighing four kilogrammes in just 30 minutes.

"This fish will be handed back to the breeder and put back into the pond. Some of the breeders here are our own relatives and we know each other. We do not ask for any payment, just to help but sometimes farmers give a little money as a token of gratitude.

"Recently, some villagers asked us to take their children out of the flooded area by riding the motorbikes, it is safer than wading through the water," he said.

When asked what they wanted to do in future, Ikram Shahidi said they would continue to help the villagers during the monsoon season and were ready to help modify the motorcycles of interested parties.

-- BERNAMA