Light the Fire set to Va-Va-voom this month
South Africa's 'Biker Queen', Seipei Mashugane will be among the best entertainment, stunts and motorcycle exhibitions at the second annual Light the Fire biking lifestyle festival from 30 April to 1 May at Dezzi Raceway.
THE second annual Light The Fire biking lifestyle festival will bring the best entertainment, stunts and motorcycle exhibitions to the KZN South Coast from 30 April to 1 May at Dezzi Raceway.
This year, South Africa’s ‘Biker Queen’ Seipei Mashugane of Double-Up Mzansi Style, will add her touch of royalty to this year’s event.
An icon in the biking world, Mashugane has blazed the way for fellow female bikers by making a name for herself as a strong woman in a largely male-dominated world.
After being discovered by a scout in Soweto during her teens, Mashugane started cycling competitively for a few years until having her first child when she was 21. Several years later, Mashugane found a desperate need to rediscover herself so she started with something she had truly loved, the freedom of the two-wheeler, except this time, she opted for a motorbike.
“I chose an 1800 Yamaha, a massive 365kg machine, certainly not a starter bike,” laughed the mother of two. “Biking really saved my life.”
After battling to park her motorbike in Soweto’s Vilikazi Street, she sought assistance from a fellow biker, Tebello Modiko, who introduced her to the biker club, Soprano’s.
“I found a real sense of brotherhood in that club,” she recalled. “It opened up a new world to me. I was now interacting with these big biker men. I used to be scared just looking at them, but they turned out to be the sweetest men ever, and they all had such respect for me.”
She soon realised that the majority of women in the biking world were passengers, not bikers themselves, which is what prompted her “1in9” ride in 2009. This represents one woman riding across nine provinces in nine days, elevating the position of women in the biking world while raising money for charity. She was soon discovered by eTV show, Double-Up Mzansi Style, who provided her with the invaluable opportunity of taking her supporters along with her on this journey, discovering South Africa.
Mashugane also co-hosted the Motorcyle Diary on Radio 702, where she tackled road safety issues, lifestyle, events and gave reviews on the latest bikes.
“I have been privileged to have ridden with almost every club and tried a number of different motorbikes,” she said, adding that she couldn’t pin down a favourite. “Bikes are like people, they all have different characters and purposes.”
The Biker Queen currently rides a 1098 S Ducati and VT 1300 Honda, but wants her last bike to be ‘the godfather’ of all bikes, the Harley Davidson.
Mashugane said she was extremely excited to be included in the Light the Fire festival, “It really is open to everyone,” she explained. “If you love two wheels, then no matter who you are, come and enjoy. It brings the lifestyle of biking for the whole family to enjoy.”
The event, sponsored by the KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs in association with Nkosi N Projects and Integrated Concepts, promises an impressive line-up of activities, entertainment, exhibitors and outrides to the South Coast tourism hot spots.
There will be a number of cash prizes for winners at the event in a variety of categories.
Tickets cost R80, R50 for pensioners and children under 12 years and R350 for VIP tickets. Limited VIP weekend passes which include the Rooftop Pool pre-party at Hillbillion Estate on 29 April 2016 are only available from info@thesociallink.net
