1. What do you ride and how regularly?
I ride a Ducati Hypermotard 796 almost every other day. I used to do enduro dirt biking once every 1-2 weeks when I had my Suzuki DR200 with me but just sold it recently, looking for an upgrade. I am officially off-road deprived.
2. How did you get into riding?
After getting my class 3, I decided I don't have the funds to get a car at the age of 18, and a bike seemed very much possible, so I enrolled and got my class 2B. Shortly after, I grew to love the sport as I was introduced into Enduro. Riding was no longer just a transportation means to me. It's a passion that grew exponentially. Besides, I always had a thing for Motocross.
3. What is it about riding that you love?
The whole feel, the sensation, the mood and the intensity of adrenaline. On a motorbike, it's the feel of my body encompassing the entire machine, and the sound of the engine are like music to my ears, with the winds gliding on my skin that causes an overwhelming sense of freedom that makes my senses come alive.
4. Nastiest crash to date. When, where, how?
I was on the second lane when a car abruptly cut into my lane from the right and pulled an emergency stop in the middle of a three lane road just because the driver wanted to take the exit which he already missed. Stopping right in front of me, I attempted to avoid a collision, which I did.
However, because I could not brake steadily in time though I tried as hard as I could, with screeching sound of my rear tyres, smoke coming out of it as it burnt the road, and down I went. The momentum of the "fish tail" effect threw me off my bike forcefully, and the force sent me hitting the road face first, before rolling onto the next lane. My body was in the second lane but my head was on the first.
When I finally stopped tumbling, all I saw was a car coming right at me, the headlights getting brighter and brighter by the second. In those few milliseconds, I had flashbacks of all the things I've yet to do and the people whom I loved, and I told myself "fuck, I'm not gonna die now".
Thankfully, the car managed to e-brake and stopped right in time, just about 10cm away from my head. I got up immediately and limped off the road. I was bleeding everywhere from abrasions, and was sent to the hospital by the ambulance. Luckily there were no broken bones but it was indeed a harrowing experience.
5. Dream ride or place to ride
I want to ride from Singapore to New Zealand with the beautiful Aurora Borealis dancing in the night sky. Saying that sounds awesome already.
6. Favourite rider
Travis Pastrana and Marc Márquez.
7. Fill in the sentence: I can't live/ride without ... (Favourite gear)
My Dainese gloves.
8. Fill in the sentence: Riding is like ...
Unleashing this overwhelming sense of freedom that translates into an unexplainable strength powerful enough to make you feel like you are able to conquer the world.
9. How does it feel like to be the most famous female biker in Singapore?
I am not the most famous female biker in Singapore la... LOL. Just love sharing my passion for riding, and love meeting riders from all over the world.
10. Lastly, all our readers would like to know: Are you seeing anyone? Would your partner ever be a non-rider?
I'm single but that doesn't mean I'm available! Haha :p Read the latest issue of the ThreeSixty magazine to find out if I'd ever date a non-rider! What a coincidence, I wrote about it in there. :)
You can find Vaune on Facebook and her blog.
We are always on the lookout to feature riders. If there's someone you would like to read more about, do let us know!
Ride safe.
