Adrenaline junkie turns to bike racer

Raymond Jaravaza

THAT moment when his knees almost touch the ground, when everything around him turns into a blur as the bike clocks over 200 kilometres per hour is what makes Abel Moyo’s world come alive.

For the ordinary man nothing is exciting about riding a super bike customised to clock speeds considered illegal by road traffic enforcement authorities but 25-year-old Moyo likes to think of himself as an exception to the rule. 

“I will be riding a Kawasaki Ninja super bike, which has been modified for endurance racing, some of the bike’s original parts such as lights, mirrors and other accessories have been removed to reduce the weight of the bike. 

“It’s been customised into a super racing machine,” Moyo says of the bike that he will be riding at the annual Three-Hour Endurance Race at the Bulawayo Motorsport Park, along the Victoria Falls Road. 

The Three-Hour Endurance Race on 7 December is the last event of the 2019 motor-racing calendar. 

Moyo is leaving no stone unturned for his debut professional motorcycle race. 

That he will be the only black racer in the motorcycle race means nothing to the biker. 

“I don’t feel intimidated being the only black circuit motorcycle racer taking part in one of the biggest races in Zimbabwe. The guys at the Bulawayo Motorsport Club have been supportive and are eager to see more young black racers joining the sport,” he said. 

He revealed that he had always loved to live life on the edge from a young age thus racing came as second nature to him. 

“I have always been an adrenaline junkie since I was a young boy. I played rugby at one time, which my parents considered a dangerous sport. It was only when I bought a sports car that I grew an interest in motor-racing. A couple of years later I switched to a bike and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that racing was the ultimate career for me. Honestly, it’s the speed and living on the edge that sparked my interest.”

Moyo has raced before and had a podium finish, but not at a professional level, and will be seeking to leave a mark at the Bulawayo Motorsport Club. 

In motorsport results in the top three of a competition are referred to as podium finishes and are considered official statistic, referring to the number of podiums a racer has achieved over the course of a season or career.

“This will be my first national circuit race in Zimbabwe and I’m looking to get at least a podium finish. Racing is fun and exhilarating but the ultimate goal is to win the race and that’s what I will be aiming for in Bulawayo. 

“Every racer wants to win championships, race in different countries such as South Africa and overseas,” he added.

Moyo will be using a bike from the Monroe Racing Team in South Africa. 

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