Samui Bike Week

Picture of cool bike during Koh Samui Bike Week
Photo Courtesy Thailandcooler.com

Every May, the resort island of Koh Samui in Thailand comes alive with another offering besides its perennial attractions of sun, sea, sand, and surf. The highlights of Koh Samui activities during this month turn to motorcycles as aficionados of these two-wheeled road denizens seek bragging rights in annual showcase and foster mutual camaraderie in parallel festivities.

Organized by the island’s motorcycle riders club and sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Samui Bike Week is more than an exhibition of some of the finest motorbikes from various continents. The revving engines of Harleys, Ducatis, Hondas, and Yamahas, provide interesting counterpoints to band concerts, native delicacies at local food stalls, and a Western, cowboy-inspired extravaganza.

Environmental advocacy

Held annually for several years now, the Samui Bike Week has also taken up an advocacy. Part of the income generated during this event, which is likewise billed as Riding for Peace and Environment, is allocated for the Green Island Project, an endeavour geared towards the sustainable development of tourism in Samui. This pursuit is aligned with private and government sectors’ efforts to preserve the island’s pristine beaches, verdant woodlands, lush greeneries, and crystal clear waters, features that can best be appreciated in one local facility, the ShaSa Resort, at the southern tip of Samui.

The holding of a bike week in the island comes as second nature with Samui being home to several motorcycle clubs whose roots trace back to the early 2000s. Locals and a rich mix of expatriates compose these groups, which besides the organizing Samui Riders MC, include Samui Pirates MC, Dark Knights MC, and the Bandidos MC which also has roots in Phuket and Pattaya. Seven other MCs call Samui their home base as registered with the American Motorcyclists Association.

Living sculptures on the road

The lead stars of the event are, of course, the motorbikes, which have certainly made their presence, felt in Samui, particularly the big machines of the iconic Harley Davidson. Notably, one bike shop in Chaweng has several Harleys which are for rent. The shop, Ohms Cycles Samui, is owned by the Dark Nights’ president, Khun Ohm.

The Samui Bike Week, nonetheless, offers a lot more besides these so-called “hogs” of the road.  The Thai motorcycle enthusiasts are well known for their bike customisation such that the Steeds, Viragos, or Honda Classics to be seen (and heard) during the bike week can be rightfully considered as works of arts, more like mobile sculptures with a life truly their own.