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.