I've been using Angkas for well over two months now. From my house near Pasig City Hall, I've never had to wait longer than 15 minutes for a ride. Average is around 10 minutes of wait time during early afternoon. I started using Angkas not because it's a cheaper alternative, but because of the time I save versus taking an Uber or Grab. Without any promo codes, a ride from Pasig to Makati is usually around P116. An Uber or Grab ride would be anywhere from P130-P160 during these times. As you can see, the difference isn't much, but I save about an hour's worth of travel time.
Being a former motorcycle rider myself, I relish the opportunity of being able to ride different kinds of bikes everyday, even if I'm a pillion rider. I've been riding since I was 9, when my dad gave me a 50cc Yamaha Jog and my granddad gave me a 50cc Honda Tact in a span of a few months. I've had all kinds of bikes from underbones to standards. I only stopped riding because my wife thinks that all bikers are "chickboys".
Angkas bikers are usually chatty, and one of the things I usually ask is why they chose their bike. In my opinion, scooters are the best for Angkas bikers. Why? There are no gears, no clutch, good seating position, compact dimensions, and low seat height. These attributes are the best for weaving in and out of traffic.
Here are some of the more memorable bikes that I've ridden and a short review of each:
Honda RS125 - This bike has such low clearance. The bottom always scrapes humps. Disappointing.
Bajaj/Kawasaki Rouser 180 - Smooth and powerful. My favorite out of all the Angkas bikes.
Honda CB110 - I thought it would be underpowered, but it's sufficient even with my 200 pound carcass on the back seat.
Euro RKS 150 - Vibrates a lot, like my Chinese Honda Wave copy (Loncin 125). Would be tiring to ride for long trips. Your hands and legs will be numb after an hour of riding. Looks good, though.
Yamaha Mio - I understand why this scooter is so popular. Low seat height, easy to drive. Gets a bad rap for having a low ground clearance, but I've never experienced any scraping over humps. The Honda RS125 is much, much worse.
Suzuki Skydrive - Same ride quality as the Mio, but a bit more powerful. This would be my choice if I were an Angkas biker.
Kymco Super 8 - I'm not sure if I was wearing tight pants, but it was hard to get on to, and the seat seemed too wide.
