On weekends, the capital’s roads come alive with the sound of growling engines as the motley crew who call themselves the Islamabad Biker Boys take to the streets.

By day, this group of half a dozen or so motorcycle enthusiasts are unsuspecting members of society; they have day-jobs and families just like everyone else. But by night, they indulge their passion for bikes and can often be spotted riding in formation down the newly-carpeted Jinnah Avenue.

Sajid Mirza, the group leader, rides a Harley Davidson V-Rod Muscle with a 1,250cc engine that generates 122 horsepower. To put that into perspective, the four-stroke engine in a normal Honda CD70 only produces 6.5 horsepower! Mr Mirza claims he has led this group for around 15 years now, but his passion for bikes dates much farther back. His bike is more of an easy-rider than a sports bike, and cost him over Rs2.5 million – inclusive of taxes and shipping costs.

These machines are not cheap or easy to maintain here, since they require only the best parts and oil and if the bike breaks down or a part is damaged, a replacement has to be specially imported.

The group boasts quite an impressive array of bikes, from Harley-Davidsons to Suzuki Hayabusas and even a Yamaha R6 superbike.

Riding such a powerful vehicle is not child’s play, and all of the riders in the club sport some impressive protective gear.

“Riders who are moving from less powerful bikes to powerful machines like these need to read all the manuals and seek guidance from experienced bikers,” he said, adding that inexperience was the cause of most accidents. However, he lamented, there are no proper riding schools for enthusiasts who want to indulge their passion in a safe manner.

Mr Mirza, who works at a multinational firm and is married with three children, obviously values safety above all else. “My two-year-old son is obsessed with bikes, and I will teach him how to ride just as soon as he’s old enough.”

The bikers’ main road-going nemesis, surprisingly, are other motorcyclists. “Whenever we’re riding on the road, people on motorbikes try to get close to us or get us to race them. Even some people in cars drive up to us and honk like they want to race. What they don’t realise is that these are very powerful machines and, if they are not controlled properly, could end up doing great harm, both to them and to us,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2016