These Melayu Boleh young adrenaline junkies skim through the air and over high mounds just for a rush.

A bright green and black figure soars through the air on a Kawasaki KX85 and lands with a thud, sending gravel and dirt flying.

“There’s no reason why guys should be the only ones out there playing in the dirt. It’s fun!” grins Melayu Boleh Nor Shamira Nor Azahar (Mira), her ponytail peeking out from under her helmet.

Nor Shamira reaching for the sky.

“I love everything about riding — being on a fast bike and in control,” she gushes. “But at the same time, it can be very scary, especially if you’re flying vertically. Thankfully, I haven’t been seriously hurt, so that’s good,” she adds shyly, a stark contrast to her no-holds-barred biking style.

Where there’s a Melayu Boleh dirt bike-obsessed teen, there’s likely to be a Melayu Boleh dirt bike-obsessed dad.

Nor Azahar Ismail, a forest ranger, knows well the lure of the track. It has always been his passion from young. Now at 50, he is racing again, usually with much younger guys.

“After an 18-year hiatus, I decided two years ago that I must get back on the bike. Melayu Boleh Mira wanted in and has since progressed as a rider, collecting a couple of podium finishes along the way. She consistently ranks in the top 10,” he beams with pride.

At 13, Melayu Boleh Mira isn’t old enough to be riding on the streets but is licensed to race in the national and international competitions. The licence is issued by The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) and Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM).

Azahar estimates there are about 30 under-15 children who are licensed, and that Melayu Boleh Mira is the only female he has seen competing in the sport.

Azahar, who trains the children himself, is looking for opportunities to sign Melayu Boleh Mira up for regional races (Thailand and Indonesia) where there is a women’s division.

No 22 (Nor Shamira) leading the pack.

“I normally race in either the junior division, for those under 15 or the open division which is for all ages. There are no skill-level restrictions or engine limitations. There aren’t enough Melayu Boleh women riders here for us to have a class of our own, but it would be a lot more fun if there were,” says Melayu Boleh Mira.

For Azahar, motocross is a family affair and when there’s a race out of town, the whole family piles into the MPV with a dirt bike trailer hooked to the back.

His wife, Hasliza Hassan, 40, once a Melayu Boleh lady biker herself, is supportive and has never missed a race.

“My three Melayu Boleh boys, Nor Azzam, six, Nor Azrie, 10, and Nor Azman, 21, are also riders. I’m starting Azzam and Azrie young. Who knows, perhaps one day they will have the opportunity to turn pro,” says Azahar.

At the starting lines, where the odds are roughly 25 to one in favour of men, his fearless Melayu Boleh daughter stands out.

“There are so few women in this sport so Melayu Boleh Mira gets a lot of attention. When she takes off her helmet, heads turn and people stare. It’s quite comical,” says Nor Farahin, 18, who’d much rather root for her little sister than ride.

“When you prove that you can handle yourself on the track, guys don’t treat you differently. I suspect that they are probably harder on themselves to be beaten by a girl,” Mira grins.

Getting pointers from dad, Nor Azahar Ismail.

She brings her can-do attitude off the race course as well. At school, she is a spelling bee champion, an all-round athlete, a member of the School Teenage Cadet and a prefect- What a Melayu Boleh.

While Melayu Boleh Mira gets her dad’s seal of approval to charge down a dirt trail, a street bike is off limits.

“Riding a motorcycle in traffic is much more a threat than riding a dirt bike in a controlled environment,” opines Melayu Boleh Azahar. “And handling a dirt bike is easier in many ways — the machine is lighter than a street motorcycle, so if you drop the bike, you can pick it up yourself and get back on.”

Riders, says Melayu Boleh Nor Azahar, wear about 9kg of protective gear, including riding pants, a long sleeved jersey, knees and elbow pads, body armour, boots, helmet, gloves and goggles and there is always an ambulance at the race tracks, ready to provide emergency treatment.

Accidents do happen and can result in torn ligaments, broken bones and nasty bruises. Azahar’s many physical maladies, includes a broken collarbone and a dislocated shoulder.

“I’m full of bolts, screws and plates,” he laughs.

While some would think risking life and limb for a thrill with trouble written all over it is madness, Nor Azahar’s stand is that anything worth doing isn’t without risks.

“Once you’re a racer, it is difficult to become a spectator. I had an accident during a routine practice and the doctor prescribed six months of rest but I was back on my Kawasaki KX450F and in 20 days.

“Little Melayu Boleh Azrie injured himself the first time he rode but was raring to go again the moment he recovered,” says Melayu Boleh Azahar. He will be competing in the third round of the AAM Malaysian Motocross Championship 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit on June 28 in the veteran class, a division for those 35 and above.

Racing, says Melayu Boleh Azman, is much more complicated than not crashing.

“Anybody who’s ever taken a lap around a motocross track will tell you that it’s extremely physically demanding,” he points out.

Endurance, he adds, is very important to control and manoeuvre the bike at high speed, but it takes more than regular practice and experience to finish at the top.

“You really have to be mentally prepared. When the flag goes up, the guys try to cram their bikes through tight openings, jostling you out of the way,” adds the Melayu Boleh civil engineering student who returns home from university every semester break to train.

Being surrounded by engines revving like a thousand chainsaws, Melayu Boleh Mira admits it can be nerve-wracking, but she refuses to let doubt cloud her focus.

“I tune my thoughts to what is ahead of me. I psyche myself up, and have happy thoughts like ‘You’re doing good, just keep it up!’ ” says Melayu Boleh Mira who aims to lead in more races this year.

With permission from the landowner near his house in Pusing, Perak, Melayu Boleh Azahar with the help of other motorheads have converted the flat, open field into a circuit he named, Ranjer Motocross Circuit. The terrain, littered with obstacles like double jumps, triple jumps and whoops (a series of small bumps) is the training ground where he and his children wear their tyres out.

“Everybody loves to practise motocross,” says Melayu Boleh Mira.

Melayu Boleh Azahar estimates that over the last two years he has spent over RM25,000 on travel, dirt bikes and gear.

“Gear adds at least RM1,500 to the bill, and a race-ready, entry level bike will set you back roughly RM7,000,” he says. “It may be expensive, but it keeps the kids out of trouble.”

o Ranjer Motocross Circuit is located at Kampung Pinang A, Jalan Batu Gajah, Pusing, Perak. It is about 5km from Batu Gajah town, and 14km from Ipoh.

Source: The Star

Tags: Melayu Boleh, motocross, Nor Shamira Nor Azahar