Sustainability Conversations ... Born to be Wild

Motorbikes provide many of the individual freedoms associated with cars, but with lower environmental costs:
- Less pressure on transport infrastructure than cars..
- Reduces commuter congestion
- Embodied costs are lower.
- Bikes also tend to last longer than cars.
- More efficient round town.
- Motorcycle emissions are generally lower than car emissions.
- Bikes use less fuel than cars.
- Bikes have a reputation for being dangerous. Statistics in fact suggest that motorbikes are less dangerous for other people than cars, and not as dangerous for the bikers themselves as is often thought.
- Bikes can be a lot of fun!
- Electric Motorcycles are starting to be a real alternative to petrol bikes.
Read the full article here

Motorcycle taxi operators waiting for passengers in a village in western Kenya’s Kisumu County lounge on their various machines – but Alfred Omondi’s plug-in electric scooter stands out from the crowd.

Surrounded by motorbikes running on polluting fossil fuels, Omondi sits astride his solar-powered rechargeable motorcycle, which uses technology developed by students from the University of Nairobi.

Solar Motorbikes

Charles Ogingo, Robert Achoge and James Ogola – all final year students – have built a system they call Ecotran, which captures the sun’s energy, stores it in batteries, and uses it to charge a motorcycle’s electric motor.

(Read the full article by By Leopold Obi here)

Yassie, pronounced “Jazzy”, grew up pure Capetonian but eventually settled in Pretoria, the capital city of South Africa.

Looking at Yassie’s lifestyle he most certainly seems to ride his Harley Davidson 2010 Softail CVO Convertible more than he works. How does one get so hooked on Harley and the lifestyle of H.O.G. that comes with it? According to Yassie, he had the opportunity to observe the HD machines and lifestyle closely. He fell in love with the musical rumble of the Harley Davidson engine, admiring the customising and chrome. He started imagining himself on the road doing a 3,000km cruise and wondering how big a smile of happiness riding Harley would create.  

For the Biker, the ride is as natural as breathing. "In that moment, I am alive and so happy, smiling inside my helmet and being thankful for the Biker life I have been blessed with. I can say I am always striving to accept the moment optimistically, whether it is the scenery or the people or The Road itself.”

Charitable events in the biking community is close to Yassie’s heart. He explains that whilst growing up on the Cape Flats, his community was a mixture of people coming from different economic class, backgrounds and cultures. At charity events, everyone contributed and supported, even if their time was all that they were able to offer. These values are followed by Yassie in the biking community far and wide.

With a passion for life and the Harley lifestyle, Yassie has, over the past three years, befriended many Riders of The World. On the iStart2 Show this week, Yassie explains his dream with heartfelt enthusiasm when he speaks about meeting Facebook Biker and H.O.G. friends, riding miles together and sharing their stories and experiences of The Road and Life.

THE iStart2 SHOW

Keitu Gwangwa & Pierre du Toit host the iStart2 Show on Thursdays at 17h30. Radio Today broadcasts on 1485 MW (AM) in greater Johannesburg and countrywide on ‪#‎DStv‬ audio channel 869.

Radio Today also streams globally on www.1485.org.za.

Tune in on Thursday @ 17h30

 to listen to Yassie and his story of hope!