Dubai: A group of 50 bikers from the UAE’s Biker Buddies Brotherhood will take part in a series of five 24 to 36-hour 2,500-km endurance bike rides across the country starting this Friday to raise funds to buy workers water coolers.
The rides – on January 10, February 7, February 14, February 28 and March 6 – will be certified by three international organisations; the Iron Butt Association of the USA, Long Distance Riders of the USA and Wheel Warriors of Canada, and will be classified as ‘King of the Road’ rides.
To date there are only 165 riders on earth who have completed a single 2,500-km ‘King of the Road’ ride, but this series would see a further 50 added to that list from the UAE alone.
“That means one fourth of all the world’s ‘King of the Roads’ will be from the UAE,” said organiser and chief mentor Vicky M.
Friday’s route will start from Dubai and head towards Ras Al Khaimah, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Liwa, Ruwais, Sila, back to Liwa, Abu Dhabi and back to Dubai. The team will cross the Tropic of Cancer four times.
The riders will do this without sleep with only 30 minute stops every 200-km, with 13 petrol stations mapped out for quick and efficient fuel stops. Asked why they were doing this, Vicky M. replied, “Why do people climb mountains? Because they are there.
“There are many plus points to motorbiking, it’s a spiritual activity, makes you philosophical and fellow bikers become your brothers for life.
“In any kind of endurance your mind gives up before your body. So this allows you to control that, bond with other bikers and become wiser, it gives you bragging rights and internal rewards. You become calmer, cooler and more relaxed, and can evaluate risk to guide a team.”
As well as that though, he says, “An important part of the ride is to promote the country, its tolerance while riding with bikers of 20 nationalities; and for a feeling of accomplishment backed up with a certificate. But once you’ve done something for yourself and something for the country, you have to do something for people not in the same situation as you.
“Last year we tied up with local registered charity organisations and donated several watercoolers to workers in workers accommodation sites. We did a lower distance last year with more bikers, but now we are going further with less bikers so the money raised could be lower, but we are asking bikers to open their hearts because while we are on fantastic bikes we need to think of those who might not even have cool drinking water.”
Other endurance rides the Biker Buddies Brotherhood have completed
2014 - 21 bikers did 805-km in 12 hours
2015 - four bikers did 2,500-km in 36 hours
2019 - 91 bikers did 1,610-km in 24 hours
2020 - 50 bikers to do a series of five 2,500-km rides from 24-36 hours
