Easygoing Riders

These bikers are just keeping it real

Comments (0) By Lyssa Oberkreser Thursday, Aug 31 2006

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You should not fear the thousands of bikers who will roar into our city this weekend for the National Association of Black Bikers Miami International Bikefest; you should embrace them. (Miami Mayor Manny Diaz did; in fact he’s the one who invited them.) But after reading more about the nonprofit organization and its charitable contributions on its Website, we think you should go a step further and try to date them (or at least befriend them). Why? The members are described as being “homeowners with disposable cash whose median income is $80K annually.” All righty then.

“Just like any other biker group, we are very diverse,” says Keith Hyman, NABB founder and president. “We have doctors, lawyers, engineers. [Biking] is just a hobby -- and an expensive hobby. That’s how we combat the stereotype; this is a very, very, very well-to-do community. And if they’re not well-to-do, then they are very disciplined with money.”

So, can a redheaded girl without a bike join in the fun? “Absolutely,” Hyman enthuses. “This is for everybody. We’re an organization that mainly supports African-American motorcyclists, but we support anyone. That’s why we put international in the name -- it’s for everybody.” From Hondas to Harleys, all bikes are welcome too. “It’s a fun-filled type of weekend,” Hyman hypes as he describes some of the highlights, including today’s NABB, Harley Davidson, and Street Corner Foundation International AIDS Ride (beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Lyric Theater, 819 NW Second Ave., Miami). Then tonight from 6:00 to 9:00, you can sweat it out in the Bayfront Park Amphitheater (301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Miami) at the NABB Music Festival. Headliner DMX knows “We in Here” and ready to party along with Big Tigger. After the concert (from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.), you can continue to party at the All-Black VIP Gala at the InterContinental Hotel (100 Chopin Plaza, Miami). “Now that’s all black as in attire,” laughs Hyman. “Let’s clarify that right now.” We got it. The NABB Bikefest runs from August 31 to September 3. Call 1-866-NABB-ORG, or visit www.nabbweb.org for a complete schedule of events.
Aug. 31-Sept. 3