FULL THROTTLE
The Harleys are back in town
THE 12th annual Black Rock Bike Rally kicks off today with 135 registered entrants and 91 gleaming Harley Davidsons visiting East London.
Pierre Gonneau, an avid Harley Davidson rider and founder of the rally, said: “In 2001, the first-ever national Harley Davidson rally was held in Colesberg and lasted for six years and then became Africa Bike Week in Margate.
“We realised in 2007 that the closest rally to Africa Bike Week was only in Oudtshoorn, so we decided there was an opportunity to give guys somewhere else to go in the middle.”
Gonneau said the most important part for the bikers was the actual ride to and from the rally, with some choosing different routes, while the mountain passes “most definitely” made it an exciting ride.
This year there will be six women riders.
“All the bikes are Harley Davidsons. Most of the guys are riding touring bikes, which are fairly big and top-of-the-range. There will also be four trikes,” said Gonneau, adding the best time to view the bikes was after 2pm on Saturday.
“Our games will start at 2pm on Saturday outside the Gonubie Hotel. There will be a loudest bike competition where the guys will rev their engines and we will use a decibel reader to see whose is loudest. They will get certificates at the prize-giving on Saturday night,” he said.
Gonneau said there would also be three skills games, where bikers would get the chance to compete.
There will also be an opportunity for the public to view all the bikes and vote for their favourite.
Additionally, there will be prizes for the club with the biggest turnout and the male and female riders who had the longest journey to get to the rally.
The ever popular drive-by of the bikes will take a different route this year, with riders going from the Gonubie Hotel to Monty’s, to Highgate and then to the clubhouse at the East London Bowling Club, before heading back to the Gonubie Hotel.
● The four-day Africa Bike Week event is being be hosted by Buffalo City Metro from April 26 to 29.