(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Motorcycling is now a popular hobby in Qatar and the Gulf as was evident with a large attendance during the second GCC Charity Bike Show yesterday on Aspire Zone grounds.
The annual event saw hundreds of biker members of over 70 organisations in the GCC coming to Qatar for the event.
There are around 20 bikers organisations in Qatar, Khalid Al Hammadi, Founder and President, Soul Riders, hosts of the event, told this daily.
He said Saudi Arabia has the largest number of biker groups - about 100 - in the region.
Soul Riders has more 100 members, making it the largest Harley-Davidson group in the country.
"We have 117 male and 20 female members," said Al Hammadi, expressing satisfaction with the turnout.
"Last year, 620 bikes came to the event, but now we have crossed 800 and I'm happy. There are 750 who came to attend and 70 who are participating in the contest," he added.
Ordinary motorcycles were transformed into pieces of art with their customised designs which ranged from vintage to futuristic to animal themes.
They vied for awards in 25 categories of the competition which looked into the design, paint job and custom design of the motorcycles.
"The contest has been divided into 25 categories such as best paint, best choice and best custom bike in each type like chopper, bobber, scooter and softail," he added.
With some competitors already award winners in other competitions in the GCC, the event saw a fierce battle for the best among the best designed bikes.
Subait Al Hasawi, Senior Events Officer, Aspire Logistics, said the event has seen improvement compared to its inaugural edition.
"There are more participants this year and we always try our best to make it better than the previous one," he said, adding preparations took about three months.
"The event is good for the country and the people here as it offers something different to see and enjoy," he said.
The Minister of Youth and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser Al Ali and other officials also attended of the event which benefits Qatar Charity.
Hundreds of motorcycling enthusiasts took the opportunity to have their photos taken with sport and luxury bikes.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.