Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Harley enthusiasts complete journey of a lifetime | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Riyadh – Members of Saudi Arabia’s “Harley Group” have reached Ireland to participate in the 15th European Harley Davidson Rally.

The voyage of a lifetime for fourteen men and their motorbikes began outside the Intercontinental Hotel in the Saudi capital on 30 May and ended in the Irish city of Killarney last week. They drove more than 8250 km, through Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and then Britain, from where they took the ferry to Ireland.

“This is the first time to our knowledge that this journey has been undertaken by a bike group,” said Marwan Al Mutlaq, Chairman of the Riyadh chapter of the Harley Davidson owners’ club.

The group of fourteen men includes seven Saudi Arabians, one Britain, one Canadian, one American, one Sudanese, one Indonesian, one Lebanese, and one Jordanian. They are all businessmen working in Riyadh, from health technicians, to bankers and property developers who share a passion for Harley bikes. “Enthusiasm for Harleys, as for any sport, is not confined to any one nationality or any one age group. It is international and crosses all boundaries.”

In Killarney, the team received a prize for driving the longest journey. Irish television interviewed some of its members. They were also received by Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, the Saudi ambassador in London, himself a Harley enthusiast.

More than 15 thousand Harley enthusiasts took part in the rally in Ireland.