300 Kibo motorbike riders took part in a 90-kilometre six-hour challenge from Nairobi to Naivasha in what was the biggest corporate ride in Kenya on Sunday, September 10, 2023.
The ride was aimed at aimed at providing riders with an unforgettable, challenging but ultimately rewarding experience.
The event dubbed ‘Ride like a Champ’ was Kibo’s third since its inception in 2021, and it took riders through a mainly off-course route, providing them with a testing yet thrilling experience.
This year’s theme was ‘The Challenge is on’ and it featured Kibo bikes in the 150 cc, 160 cc and 250 cc categories.
It was flagged off at the Carnivore Grounds in Lang’ata, Nairobi and culminated at the Sawela Lodge in Naivasha, having gone through varied terrains.
These terrains were aimed at giving the riders a chance to test the limits of their bikes whilst testing their riding skills and knowledge of road safety protocols.
Speaking at the finish line in Naivasha, KIBO Africa CEO Huib van de Grijspaarde said that he was thrilled at the turnout in this year’s event and was looking forward to the event growing even further.
"We are thrilled to have had such a great turnout for this year’s event, which points to the growing interest amongst riders to be part of this challenge.”
“Through the initiative, we have consistently proven that riding is a thrilling, fun and safe engagement, and we look forward to the event growing into a larger event that draws more participants in subsequent editions,” he said.
Additionally, Kibo showcased a range of advanced safety features that have been integrated into their second and third-generation range of motorcycles.
These features include state-of-the-art braking systems, LED displays and lighting and more efficient engines.
Speaking after finishing the ride, Peter Kamau a Kibo bike owner, said that this event was what Kibo was about and that riders got to test their bikes in rough terrains.
“Today’s ride epitomizes what Kibo is all about. Today’s terrain between Nairobi, Suswa and where we are now in Naivasha there was tremendous rain. After that, we got into a high climb in Suswa. Kibo is versatile and we got to test our bikes in mud and corners,” he said.
Kibo offers a range of training programs aimed at novice and experienced riders.
It is designed and led by industry experts focusing on developing crucial riding skills, road awareness, and defensive riding techniques.
Linda Ogutu, also a biker owner on her part expressed her excitement after having participated in this year’s event saying that the off-road challenge was good for her.
“My ride from Carnivore was challenging but I enjoyed it a lot. I got to learn about balancing the clutch on my bike. Riding off-road is challenging for a lady but for me it was good,” she said
She also added that she wanted to increase the horsepower of her bike so that she could get better performance from it.
“I wanted to upgrade because of horsepower because the 250cc could take me to long distances. I have actually rode to Turkana and also Marsabit on my Kibo,” she added.
“For me, Kibo’s performance is the best. For the new 250cc, I have heard it’s more powerful and better from what the CEO said. I look forward to trying it.”
Kibo Africa currently has an annual capacity of 10,000 bikes, with a plan to increase the capacity to 50,000 bikes per year in the next three years.
Besides, the company has successfully transferred technology locally to manufacture 38 components of its bike in Kenya, aiming to achieve 30% localization of elements within the same period.