Old enduro bike resurrected in memory of a loved one.

Some people do it for themselves. Others do it in memory of their loved ones.

Such is the case of this 1978 Kawasaki KE100 Enduro bike which was brought back to life to remind the owners of their late father.

Rovie Palomo, a 31-year-old project manager for a telecommunications company, said the KE100 they own holds a special place in their heart because it was the same bike their father was using for commute back in the day.

"Large parts of our lives that bike is because he left the memory of my late father," he said.

Rovie as a kid.

Rovie of San Ildefonso, Bulacan barely knew his father since the latter passed away when he was just one year old. But he came to know his dad because of the tales related to the enduro.

"If we have an occation like family reunion that bike is also included in the pictures" he said.

Since his father passed away in 1985, Rovie’s brothers took over the use and maintenance of the bike. It was later handed over to him during his teens when his older siblings went to Manila for college. He left the bike in Bulacan when it was his turn to study in the city.

"Every sibling in the family that now worked have started to neglect" explainded Rovie.

Rovie planned to restore it back in 2012, but he was working in Singapore back then. The plan was delayed further when life took over: he got married and had a kid.

It was four years later when he got the chance to resurrect the motorcycle. His plan was to unveil the bike just in time for their grand reunion which will be attended by his family and close relatives.

Rovie said he was forced to take the bike to Pampanga where they could work in secret.

"My wife's brother Sherwin Cunanan, is a very good in painting bikes, and the mechanic is from Pampanga, cousin of my wife Kim Malonzo is very good in repairing two strokes he's only 18 years old." he explained.

Also helping finish the task is a mechanic named Abok.

They toiled for four months, removing the rust, the faded paint, and the gunk of old oil with mixed with dust. They also sourced spare parts from an old motorcycle shop in Pampanga which stores parts used in two-stroke bikes.

They also searched for an expert chrome worker who could bring the bike’s shiny parts into life.

"We finish the bike hurriedly because of november 1 due to the fact that we have a family reunion. I want to surprice them, even my kuya, brothers and my mother, they don't know that I have restored the bike." said Rovie.

It was an emotional moment when they unveiled the bike in from of his relatives.

"They were happy, they even said that the bike resembles my late father when they saw the bike, even my mother looked at the old pictures she said very likely". said Rovie.

And just like the old days, this old Kawasaki KE100 became useful again.

"We used the bike with my brothers when we go to the market, service for work just like my father used to." said Rovie.

Ain't that sweet.