EGYPT: Egypt's Harley Davidson riders community hosts the country's first ever international rally

Record ID: 189896

  • Title: EGYPT: Egypt's Harley Davidson riders community hosts the country's first ever international rally
  • Date: 17th March 2010
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF RIDERS DRIVING ON ROADS OF SHARM EL-SHEIKH (SOUNDBITE) (English) EGYPTIAN HARLEY DAVIDSON BIKER, SHERIF BEGERBY, SAYING "I'll tell you what, for the first international rally in Egypt, it's been great, it's been wonderful. 150, 160 bikes, it's a lot more than we anticipated." WIDE OF BAY IN SHARM-EL-SHEIKH AT NIGHT
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA85A73A371AJFSNZI0Z4166CY
  • Story Text: Harley Davidson enthusiasts from around the Arab world converged on Egypt over the weekend for what was said to be the region's first international Harley rally.
    The famously loud Harleys, nicknamed "hogs", have become increasingly popular in the Middle East in recent years, and those who can afford their steep price tag have formed clubs in at least a half a dozen Arab countries to organize trips and share their experiences.
    Nearly 160 riders decked out in black leather vests, the obligatory wrap around sunglasses and even the occasional Mohawk helmet, thundered through the streets of the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh in what was billed as a 'peace parade'.
    Harley Rider Yasser Mohamedi said the event, in which bikers from Egypt rode 500km from Cairo to join dozens of bikers who had driven from their countries to Sharm El-Sheikh was about building a sense of community.
    "And we are a very good community. We are now around maybe 180 to 200 riders, and we have people from, the other riders coming from Saudi, from Dubai, from Jordan, and I believe from Lebanon and Syria. And it's very nice to meet all these people here now. We are around now 150 riders in Sharm El-Sheikh," he said.
    The famously heavyweight Harley's are known for their heavy customization, and riding in the Middle East poses specific challenges - like sandstorms.
    "Do you see how the plastic (windscreen) breaks? This is because of sandstorms. Sands eats at everything. Without this (windscreen) you wouldn't be able to stand the wind at all," explained rider Ford Habashi.
    Harley Davidson was introduced to Egypt more than 15 years ago by the Engineering Automotive Company, run by the Ghattas family, and there are now two showrooms in Cairo.
    The bikes, originally built for America's vast highways, have proven popular in the Arab world, and Egypt's Harley Owners Group (HOGS), take full advantage of the country's highways that lead off into the desert horizons.
    American rider Juanita Treat, who lives in Egypt, says that all Harley riders are rebels at heart.
    "Alright, anyone who rides a Harley, there's a little bit of a rebel, a little bit of an anarchist, and they believe in freedom, and they're, they don't want any kind of totalitarian government, whether it be a democracy or whatever. And we live on the edge - we would like to ride without our helmets and have the wind in our hair, but that's not smart. But anyway, this whole ride is about Egypt and internationalism and people coming together," he said.
    First manufactured in Wisconsin in the early 20th century, the bikes have grown into one of the world's most recognizable brands, with the companies accessories and clothing nearly as popular as the 'hogs' themselves.
    It's not for nothing that the bikes are called 'rolling thunder', and this weekend the streets of Sharm El-Sheikh were cleared by the police so that the bikers could parade along a 60 kilometre route to and from the town.
    Accidents are an occupational hazard for all motorcycle riders, but this weekend's rally was relatively incident free with only one minor casualty taken.
    While the gleaming Harley's tend to inspire awe in onlookers, few can afford them, especially in Egypt where the majority of the population lives in poverty.
    The motorcycles are expensive to begin with, and a 48 percent import duty means that for the foreseeable future only a select few will be able to join the Harley club.
    But the riders who took part in this weekend's rally came together to put out a positive message, saying that the event was about promoting the values that all the riders share, like inclusiveness and independence.
    The former head of Cairo Hogs, Sherif Begerby said the event had been a roaring success.
    "I'll tell you what, for the first international rally in Egypt, it's been great, it's been wonderful. 150, 160 bikes, it's a lot more than we anticipated," he said.
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