Men and their machines

Bike enthusiasts line up for the Royal Enfield Dubai club’s first annual gala at Classic Motorcycles in Al Quoz, Dubai on Friday. — KT photos by Juidin Bernarrd

Royal Enfield Dubai isn’t just any ordinary motorbike club. It’s a casual social club that any motorcycle rider can join. The group organises city rides, long-distance trips and informal gatherings. On Friday, the club was celebrating its first annual gala, with the throaty roar of engines splitting through the air, and freshly polished bikes shining in the sun.

“When I started out three years ago I felt very alone,” said club founder Ivo Kapitzki. “So I started a Facebook group and more and more people came along. What we don’t want is too much structure, or too many rules and regulations. And everybody is invited, which is the nice part.”

Although the club is named Royal Enfield Dubai, riders of any bikes are welcome. “We consciously try to keep it open to other bikes as well, because Enfield is a very niche brand otherwise within the local biking community,” said Royal Enfield Dubai’s Riyaz Neem. “So we’ve opened it up to a bigger canvas to have a much larger profile of bikers. So there are Harleys, sports bikes, adventure bikes, all kinds of bikes.”

This was evident on Friday afternoon, with riders arriving on bikes including Enfields, Harley Davidsons and Triumphs.

The club is just one-year old and has so far attracted 29 paid up members, with over 200 people having joined the club on Facebook. At the first annual gala on Friday, club members took part in light-hearted events including a slowest bike race, an obstacle course, and an assembly challenge.

But the main appeal of the club is the chance to escape from the rat race of the city and to experience the freedom of the country’s open roads. Every Friday morning, the club organises long-distance rides out of the city, and on Tuesday evenings, a city ride takes place. While the club offers the chance to talk with like-minded people, all of the members are avid bike riders and they relish the chance to get out onto the roads.

Riyaz said, “Every two weeks we try and do a longish ride, more organised to somewhere like Musandam. We have charity events as well. We’re just looking to have a little fun with like-minded people, especially if we don’t prove a nuisance to the community at large and can make a difference in the long run.”

Rajan Singh, also a member of the club, echoed Riyaz’s sentiments. “It’s all about getting out on the bike. It’s not just about commuting; it’s about freedom, spirit, breaking away, just you and your bike, and your buddies. It’s a whole new world out there.”

chris@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE