Rafiki beats concrete jungle
Professional motorcycle racer, Nyiko 'Rafiki' Baloyi flew Limpopo's flag high when he recently placed fifth in the World of Motorcycle (WOM) racing series in Welkom.
POLOKWANE – Nyiko, who has been riding quadbikes since the age of seven, says he hopes to one day compete on the biggest motorcycle stage in the world; the MotoGP.
He added that his passion for motorbikes and racing was fueled by his neighbour who is a member of Sapa Yopa Motorcyle Club.
Speaking to BONUS about his race, Nyiko says his confidence was low during his practice sessions and, as a result, his lap times were disappointing.
“I qualified in 11th position. I wasn’t happy with my performance but the race itself wasn’t difficult, just challenging, as I was racing with a BMW S1000 instead of my usual Yamaha R1 or BMW RR.”
Nyiko says he hasn’t been racing much since the Covid-19 pandemic, but that he is now adding more track time to his schedule, not just to practice, but to improve his fitness levels. “Motorsport requires fitness and I need to get my body into shape for my next race, which will be in East London on 7 and 8 May. I’m hoping to lift the trophy in that race,” he said.
Nyiko says the support he received over the past week has been overwhelming and he thanked his family, friends and sponsors for being there for him.
“The support they give motivates me to push even harder.
I would also like to thank Remon Eithen from Josty Wagen Auto Shop for the beautiful paint job,” he concluded.
