IPOH: If he is not busy cutting hair, barber K. Govthaman would most likely be restoring vintage motorcycles.
The 58-year-old has been repairing old motorcycles since he was 16 and often works on them at his barbershop in Buntong during his downtime.
“I was trained by my father in barbering skills. However, when I didn’t do well in my studies, I opted to venture into motorcycle repair work at my uncle’s shop in Pusing,” he said when met at his shop.
“It eventually turned into a hobby. I spent about two years learning the skills in Pusing and returned to Ipoh where I worked at other shops until I was 45.”
Govthaman said two years after his father’s passing in 2007, he went to Singapore and opened a barbershop where he stayed for 10 years.
He then decided to return to Ipoh upon learning of demand among locals for vintage motorcycle repairs.
“I wanted to continue my father’s legacy and also wanted to continue my hobby, so I ended up doing both.
“I have several old bikes that I purchased in the 1990s while people would also bring in their bikes for repairs.
“When there are no customers, I spending at least four hours a day working on them,” he said.
Among the models he repairs are the Honda C65, C70 and C70Z, many of which are more than 30 years old.
“I repair the gearboxes, capacitor discharge ignition systems and carry out maintenance and other necessary repairs,” he said, adding that he has fixed over 1,000 motorcycles.
“The restored motorcycles could fetch between RM3,800 and RM9,000, depending on their condition and model.”
Govthaman said he preferred working on older models as he was more familiar with their parts and mechanisms.
He added that he has never actively promoted his motorcycle repair services.
“I do it because of my passion. It makes me happy and it keeps me going,” he said.
Govthaman said he currently repairs about four motorcycles a month, depending on the availability of customers and his time.
His barbershop is open daily from 9.30am to 7.30pm.
