Biker and off-road biking enthusiast Andrew Kokan during the interview
at his garage in Nairobi on 21, 2014 . Photo/DIANA NGILA
Thirty bikers assembled at the
Kenya-Tanzania border in Namanga, their bikes polished, engines revving
and their cheers resounding across the busy border town.
No
this was not a protest; neither was it a congregation of the infamous
boda boda operators, these were biking enthusiasts from across the
country awaiting the arrival of the Jubilee Riders.
After
39 days, going through 11 borders, the Jubilee Riders arrived in the
country a fortnight ago, being welcomed by a host of their fellow
bikers.
The team was on a charity mission to raise funds by riding down to South Africa and back.
Among the joyous riders are members of the Cruizin Bikers MC (Motor Club) of which Tumaini Muthiga is a member.
BARELY OUT OF DIAPERS
Muthiga was barely out of diapers when he was introduced to motorcycles.
His father would carry him around on his 125cc Honda bike, a thrilling experience for the then six-year-old.
By the time he went to high school, he was a seasoned rider.
Andrew
Kokan, an adventurous biking enthusiast joined the team that escorted
the riders back from the border town. He picked up biking at 15 on a
visit to Mt Elgon with his father.
“One of the workers there had a small 175 Yamaha GT. I rode that and that was when the love affair started,” he says.
An
avid cyclist as a young boy, Sam Odegi’s transition to motorcycles
seemed to be the natural flow of things. Moving from the pedal-powered
bike to the motorised vehicle, he still finds his thrill on the roads.
Muthiga,
Kokan and Odegi are just but some of the bikers in the country who get a
thrill from touring on their motorcycles. They may have a passion in
common, but their taste in motorcycles is quite different.
Muthiga prefers cruisers and among his possessions are an 1800cc Yamaha Silverado Road Star and an 800cc Suzuki Boulevard.
The
Road Star which is a cruiser, just like the name suggests is for
cruising across the country. Harley Davidsons and other similar bikes
fall in this category. Muthiga and his fellow bikers travel every
weekend across the country.
Kokan, on the other hand,
owns a Yamaha Supertenere 750cc touring bike. The motorcycle serves as a
multi purpose off and on road. Living in Kajiado, it also helps him
beat the daily traffic as he journeys to his garage along Mucai Drive,
near Royal Nairobi Golf Club in the city.
Touring the country, he has explored with his friends the Mara, parts of Turkana and even Kerio Valley on bike.
On
his part, Odegi prefers smooth tarmacked roads for his rides. His
Ducati 900 is a speed bike or a racer. Its optimum performance is on
smooth roads.
Biking in the country has picked up among the young and young-at-heart as a hobby not just a means of getting to the office.
The
biking culture has become so large that enthusiasts have gone as far as
to form groups like the Cruizin Kings MC, complete with a hierarchy,
membership structure, fee and agenda.
Most groups and
clubs are formed depending on the types of motorcycles the members have.
There are quite a number of biking clubs in the country.
The
different clubs are formed from the types of bikes used by the members.
And they include Racers/speed bikes, choppers, motocross among others.
'FUN WHEN RIDING AS A GROUP'
“It
is fun when riding as a group as you can explore together,” says Kokan.
It is from these clubs and bonds between bikers that he has been able
to ride to different destinations like the Mara, Namanga, Turkana, Kerio
Valley and other areas in the country. You are also able to learn more
about your bike.
Muthiga who initially had a speed bike
chose to move to the more relaxed cruising bike to meet his needs. As a
member of the Cruizin Kings MC, he wears the clubs jacket and adheres
to the rules set by the club when he is on the road.
“We are a fraternity of business people. To join our club, you must be introduced by a member,” he says.
The
newly introduced applicant will be taken through vetting before the
board sits and deliberates. New members are issued with the club’s
jacket after which they part with a joining fee followed by a monthly
membership fee. The group meets for business, charity and social
agendas.
As a requirement of the Kenyan law, all riders
of motorcycles above 50cc must be licensed. This is also a requirement
for members seeking to join a motorcycle club.
“When
looking to biking, one must evaluate whether the bike will be for a
hobby or a means of commuting to determine the type of bike that you
will be using,” says Odegi.
Due to the different types,
the user needs to know so as to get a bike that suits their needs. When
doing long distance, a bike with a higher capacity is what will be most
suitable.
According to Kokan and Muthiga, a new rider needs a small bike, one whose weight and height they can handle
.
.
“You
must get a bike that you can handle. There is no point in having a bike
that is too big where you cannot pick it up should it fall,” says
Kokan.
As a member of a biking club, there are several advantages.
According
to Kokan, everyone has a different style of riding and different
experiences and in coming together, on is able to learn from the other
members.
This is especially handy for new riders who
are yet to learn the ropes. Muthiga has been able to bring in parts for
his bike through his biking club.
The chairman and co-founder of the Cruizin Kings MC club, Shiloh Fausnight has contacts in the US to facilitate this.
Buying a bike is one thing, maintaining it another. You may need to change plugs, servicing and fuel, just like you would a car.
Motorcycles
can cost from Sh500,000 like Kokan’s Yamaha up to and above Sh2.5
million like some of the cruisers in Muthiga’s club. Once you have full
gear, you will not need to buy more things.
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