I’m driving down Jumeirah Beach Road just off the Dubai coast, and I’m not really sure what I’m looking for.
Well, technically I do. I’m looking for a collection of yellow umbrellas, next to which will be a café whose predominant theme is motorbikes. But it’s the focal point I’ve been given that makes me a little uneasy: yellow umbrellas. One would have thought that an establishment called Biker’s Café would be inundated with, well, bikes. I’m now starting to wonder if I’ve built up this theme a little too strongly in my head.
Not quite. Biker’s Café is not your traditional biker bar: the floors are free of peanuts and bottle tops; all the windows are intact; there are no fights in full swing; and there is not a pool table to found…I admit I may have seen a couple too many action films that include this particular setup.
Instead, we find a wall-mounted flatscreen TV, outdoor dining areas, and – good grief! – a gift shop! Hang on, is that Gangnam Style being played through the stereo system? Just what kind of biker café is this?
“Biker’s Café was mainly for the bikers of Dubai, but it’s not just for them,” says Business Developer Mario Diaz as he shows my rather bewildered self around the place. “We wanted to open our doors to everyone. There are a lot of families and customers who come here just for the ambience, and they love it. They get the spark!“
There’s certainly spark. Seconds after coming through the front door/French window I’m face-to-face with one of the Café’s main displays, a full-size Yamaha VN900 Classic.
It’s not too long before I’ve also come across another, a V-Twin Yamaha Vulcan Vaquero…
…and a Yamaha 1700 Nomad. Yes, there is a theme this month.