Brad Binder: Top speed of 250km/h on a motorbike feels like walking...

Brad Binder is fearless at top speed. The Moto3 world champion could hit 250km/h on his 250cc bike, and will be able to go even faster when he upgrades to a 600cc machine in Moto2 next season.

"Once you've done that type of speed enough times it feels like walking. It's something you get used to, you don't feel it really," Binder said in an interview with the Sunday Times recently.

"That's the reason I never ride a bike on the road, to be honest. It feels so boring.

"Even in a car it's a bit weird for me, but there's no need to drive fast on the roads, is there? It's just more risk for no reward."

Being fearless on a bike, however, doesn't mean Binder is free of phobias.

"Don't bring a spider or a snake anywhere near me," he said, explaining that his friends, who have snakes as pets, will take advantage of him.

"My mates know I hate them so anyone who has a snake tries to put it on me."

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His reaction, however, is not to bolt. "I don't want to hurt the snake so I just chill and make a noise until my mates take it off me."

Binder turned 21 in August, but the celebration came only the following month after he clinched South Africa's first world championship in nearly 40 years.

"I turned 21 and then I was on an aeroplane so I didn't get to do much and then after I won the championship I went to Dubai for a week so I said that's my championship party and my 21st too.

"[I] just went out with some friends and had a good time."

Binder got to meet his predecessor, Kork Ballington, at the Australian Grand Prix, by which time he had already wrapped up the Moto3 title.

Ballington, now living in Brisbane, Australia, lifted the 250cc and 350cc world championships in 1978 and 1979 - 16 years before Binder was born.

"It was quite cool meeting up with him and hearing the old-school stories," said Binder.

"Back then he was telling me about how they used to drive around in their van, rock up to the race and race in the world championship whereas nowadays there is a massive truck and a team of 20 people."

Ballington also offered Binder some advice about moving up in class; 28 at the time, the veteran moved up to 500cc, where he raced for three seasons, achieving two podium finishes in his second year.

"He just told me, as you step up he found that it got a bit easier and easier. He said the bigger bikes were easier for him. I definitely hope it's the same for me."

Binder's new bike is more powerful by about 80 horsepower.

"It's still a normal motorbike and the biggest difference for me is the weight. The weight of the bike is what's going to make a huge difference."

Binder and his younger brother Darryn started racing through their father, Trevor.

"My dad used to do a bit of bike racing himself and as soon as we were old enough, I always had bikes and carts, whatever, around when I was growing up so it was almost a natural progression.

"As I got older I would get the next bike, the next go-kart and it was just something we enjoyed to do together as a family."

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There were other sports in junior school. "I used to play hockey, cricket and all of that stuff.

"But as soon as I got to Grade 7, I started travelling to Europe and racing overseas, so then everything took a back seat."

So too did school.

"I had to swop to home-schooling from Grade 9 because I just could not be in South Africa for enough time to go to a normal school anymore.

"The deal with my parents was, if I want to race bikes I need to get my matric. It's all done now," said Binder, pointing out he no longer has time to study, although he always wanted to be an engineer when he was younger.

"But my maths isn't too great, so maybe that would be a bit difficult," he said with a laugh.

Binder has two lives. "In Spain, I have my professional life where I train really hard and stay focused and do everything I can possible to do the best I can in MotoGP.

"But at home, I do everything a normal 21-year-old does, which is go out with my friends, have a good time. I just like to watch TV or chill with my mates ...

"I love home," he added. "Whenever I manage to find a week or two to come back to South Africa I really, really enjoy it.

"Unfortunately it's not that often anymore."