Local professional biker races his way through the tracks
With practice and dedication, he won his first series of the Bridgestone Race last year.
Falling in love with cycling at a tender age, opened up the world of motorsport for Schoemansdal-born Sifiso Themba.
It all began in 1999 when he entered a 105-kilometre race from Schoemansdal to Komatipoort, which he described to be the toughest race, but enjoyed the experience.
He was raised by his grandparents and would enjoy watching Formula 1 with his grandfather after a long day of riding with his bicycle.
Fast track to 2013, he bought his first bike for light travelling and was taught how to ride by his cousin, Trusty.
WATCH: On the track
”I went for another riding lesson so I could prepare for a motorcycle license test which went well. I passed and enjoyed road trips. That’s where I got my foot in the world of motorsport. I realized it’s not as easy as I had imagined. I knew how to ride a bicycle, but a bike has a motor and different compared to a bicycle which requires more skill. They might come across as similar, but it’s different sets of skills and rules. I needed to go to the track for some proper riding skills,” he said.
His first session was hard and intimidating after three laps on the track. The bike was tense and the corners were sharp and too close to each other. It was a frustrating leg in 2015. With practice and dedication, he won his first series of the Bridgestone Race last year.
https://youtu.be/-tWqIWTZiws
“In January 2017, the chairman of the RedSquare Kawasaki ZX10 Masters Cup invited me to try racing. I told him I couldn’t. I mean I’ve seen the racers of that series, they were too fast and too good and I didn’t have either. My friend JP insisted I try it as it would help me prepare for the race and set my bike up. He supported me that day of my racing, which was a turning point.”
Themba has also founded his 63 movement for motorsport lovers. He’s currently working towards getting his merchandise into sports shops countrywide. He has a Facebook page iam63 which he uses to educate about professional racing and updates the latest news.
