Just around the corner is an event that many speed freaks write into their calendars in indelible ink. It’s the RaceSA one kilometre run up country dubbed The Fastest in the Land and the Cape petrolkoppe are getting ready.
Bobby Nitro spoke to two of the two-wheel racers who will be representing in Gauteng. They are Joey Razak with his fairly new Kawasaki H2 and Mustapha Singh and his BMW RR1000.
Now, Bobby has always marvelled at the sheer guts of these biker kings, wondering just what it must take to test that 300km/* mark without the comfort of a roll cage.
Joey, 38, of Milnerton, says: “My target this year is to be comfortably over the magic 300 mark, the Kawasaki is a fresh bike and I’ve never tested it on a 1km track but I have done 298.8km/* over 800m.”
Joey describes himself as “an adrenalin junkie of note”, also owning a race ready 1992 Mk2 two-litre GTi. His bike history includes a 2006 Z750, a 2009 ZX10 then the 2013 model.
He says: “Biking has always been my passion, but I must say it can be testing at times getting the machine just right. To the newcomer I’d say, you never just get on a bike, it takes years of practice to get to the place where you can try these speeds. You have to really stick with it to achieve your goals.”
Basically, don’t try this at home!
Joey, who describes himself as knowledgeable when it comes to the innards of motorbikes, says he doesn’t do the mechanical work himself. He leaves it to Infinity Performance, who have helped him with a flash tune and header, among other mods.
He says: “Thanks to Infinity Performance and to RaceSA for giving us this opportunity to come out and play.”
Another rider who uses the expertise of Infinity and its owner, Jaleel Firfrey (another rad biker you may have read about in these pages), is Mustapha Singh and his BMW RR1000.
Mustapha, 32, of Athlone, is also targeting that magic 300 mark come 6 August. He has a standard to uphold in that he is the fastest naturally-aspirated man on two wheels in SA, with 298.8km/* at last year’s event.
He says: “Jaleel has done a couple more tweaks since last year and we are well positioned to improve on the record.”
Now we can write about the motors, the men and the track, but what Bobby always wants to know is how does it feel to be hurtling through space at these insane speeds. It’s a phenomenon that has consistently evaded description. Mustapha describes it.
He says: “I’ve tried lots of thrill rides, rollercoasters and the like, and getting on a bike, honestly, it’s better than sex. There’s no better feeling.”
Well, that feels like the closest we’ve got to the description of the lure that high speed biking has for so many.
With regards to advice Mustapha has for anyone wanting to get into this sport, he says: “I dunno, man, just start somewhere and go for it.”
Bobby also spoke to Shahiem Bell, who was on hand taking pictures.
Shahiem says, rather colourfully: “Many have the perception that those who ride motorcycles, must be tool boxes missing a few spanners because of their own fear of mounting one, or any motorcycle themselves. We sure don’t blame them, if you hear about the speeds these guys are doing.
“What I have learned today, spending time with some of Cape Town’s fearless, is that it’s really their passion that makes them so. These gentlemen are your humble guys who just love the rush of their blood, through their veins. I do really admire them for their ability to pilot these ‘crotch rockets’ and their passion to continuously wanting to go quicker.”
All the best to the local crews travelling to RaceSA’s upcountry event.