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BEN LOVES FLYING ON HIS GRIPEN!

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Ben Hlongwane from Birchleigh North, Kempton Park on his powerful ride. Photo by Malereko Tae
Ben Hlongwane from Birchleigh North, Kempton Park on his powerful ride. Photo by Malereko Tae

NO ONE is born a good rider.

“To be a good rider you must keep your knowledge about bikes up to date.”

This is why Ben Hlongwane, from Birchleigh North in Kempton Park, takes each day step by step.

Q: What bike do you ride?

A: It’s a 2005 Suzuki 650 SV. I bought the bike second-hand in 2015.

Q: When did you start biking?

A: I started riding in 2015 with a brand new 2014 Motomia 200cc. It was my learning bike. Once I could ride from home to town and back, I bought the Suzuki.

Q: How was your first ride?

A: It was a struggle, but I enjoyed every minute of it. Because of my passion and determination, I got better and better every day.

Q: Tell us about your current bike?

A: It is a middle-weight bike, but it matches the speed of bikes with 1 000cc engines.

I call my ride “The South African Airforce Gripen” because it’s light and fast, but can also turn quickly like lightning.

Q: What colour is your bike?

A: My bike is black with a bit of red on top.

Q: Have you got any traffic fines?

A: I have none so far. I guess that’s because I ride cautiously and keep to speed limits.

Q: How often do you ride a week?

A: Every weekend.

Q: Tell us about your outfit?

A: I always ride in my outfit. It’s a leather jacket with biker safety boots, helmet, racing pants and gloves.

Q: Have you ridden any long distances?

A: The longest would be when I rode to Swaziland last year. I have also ridden to Nelspruit and Durban.

Q: Have you customised your bike?

A: Yes, I added a noisier exhaust. Noise saves lives – people must hear us coming from far away because they don’t see us.

Q: What is your dream bike?

A: The 1 000cc Yahama R1. I want to buy that bike before the end of the year.

Q: What do you think of other road users?

A: Many road users are considerate – especially taxi drivers, surprisingly!

I know everyone complains about how taxis drive, but I have found them good drivers. I do find that motorists are stubborn and don’t want to make way for us.

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