The Harley Owners Group (HOG) in Pakistan is, understandably, exclusive but it’s also quite high-profile. High-profile because it includes some of Pakistan’s top celebrities who are passionate bikers. You must have often seen pictures of them looking sharp and riding around the streets of Karachi or on the highway and at times travelling to far off places in the north. So we thought why not get in touch with them and find out more about them and their machines.
Faysal Quraishi
“I have been interested in bikes since childhood,” Faysal said when we asked him how and when he became interested in bikes. And you’d be surprised at the number of Harleys he’s had over the years. “I bought my first bike seven years back which was a Harley Davidson Night Rod. After that I kept changing my bikes; I bought a Street Bob, then a Heritage, followed by Ultra Glide and then a CVO Street Glide 117 which I still have by the way. I also have a Fat Bob 114 (1868cc), 2018 model.”
Faysal explained that he uses Street Glide for the longer routes. “I have covered half of Sindh on that bike, though my other friends went to Khunjerab; Insha Allah next year I will also go with them.” As for the Fat Bob, he said he bought that because he wanted a sports bike. “I did a test ride in Abu Dhabi and was completely blown away by it. So as soon as I got back, I asked my friend Imran Malik – who owns The Harley’s Store – to get me Fat Bob and he did.”
Faysal said that he wanted to let everyone know how cautious he is with his bike, which is certainly something young people can learn from. “I am very careful while riding. We don’t over-speed. When you’re with a large convoy, you can’t over-speed anyway but we are extra cautious and always stay within the speed limits that we as a group (HOG)Â have set for ourselves. Everyone needs to ensure they have a proper gear – helmets, gloves, knee pads and etc – before they join us.”
Aijaz Aslam
Like his friend Faysal, Aijaz’s passion for bikes also started at an early age. “My interest in bikes started from my early college days with trail bikes. I had a Yamaha Enduro, then a KE 175, following which I went for Honda Road Master 185,” Aijaz said, adding that at that point he realised that he felt more connected with cruiser bikes and that’s the reason he never wanted to have a racer bike. “I bought a Honda Magna 750; it was a beautiful bike but simultaneously my passion for Harley Davidson was growing so I saved money to get my first black beauty, a Harley Night Rod. After a couple of years I switched to V Rod Muscle,” he said.
And since he was missing the joy of riding a cruiser bike, Aijaz switched to the ultimate Harley Davidson Road King which he says he enjoyed the most. “The passion for bikes kept growing though so I thought of going for a heavier (weight wise) option, something that was also unique.”
That’s when he bought his current Road Glide Special which, at 1690cc, is a beast by all counts. “People were scared of the Road Glide because of its fixed huge fairing but I thought it would be easier to handle so I got it and now enjoying it a lot.”
Mohib Mirza
“I was 11 years old when I rode my first bike. Since then, I have been very, very interested in all sorts of bikes,” said Mohib. He did clarify though that he isn’t too enthusiastic about sports bikes. “Café Racers, touring bikes, Harleys, and dual sport bikes which you can take off-roading, those are my type,” he added.
Mohib has, in fact, traveled from Karachi to Kund Malir, Karachi to Khunjerab Pass and Lahore to Kashmir, several times and he is currently a proud owner of a CVO Breakout which is 1802cc.
“I picked this bike because my riding style is either Sportster or Breakout which is a softail bike, because I really like the kind of maneuvering that you can do with Breakout. My body posture and riding style is more in line with Breakout and not the relaxed touring bikes type.”
Shahzad SheikhÂ
Shahzad said that his interest in bikes developed when he was in teens and living at the Sea View Apartments in Karachi. “Every Sunday these big machines used to roar on the main road, mostly speed bikes and I used to sit on the footpath with my friends and watch these bikes take rounds,” he said, adding that he never imagined that he would one day own a bike.
Currently an owner of a Harley Breakout 1690cc, Shahzad said his passion kept growing. “Allah has been kind and I got my first Harley, Iron 883 which I rode for a year before getting the Breakout,” he added.
And it’s definitely a good-looking bike. “For me, Breakout is the most good-looking Harley. I love riding it and now I often cross sea view where the dream began,” Shahzad said.
Sohail Javed
Sohail said that he always had an interest in bikes but didn’t have the time or money. “At this stage of my life have a little bit of both,” he added and it appears he’s making good use of it.
He currently owns a Harley Sporster 1200cc. “I already own a 1986 Honda Magna, before that I owned a 400 Eliminator. It took me a while to decide between Sportster 883 and 1200 but once I took a test ride, the one I got was the obvious choice.
“Imran malik at The Harley’s Store found just the right beast for me,” he said.
As a matter of fact, if you’re also looking to buy a Harley, Imran is your man. He currently owns three stores in Pakistan, one each in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. “We keep minimum margins, offer three-year warranty as well as buy back options,” he said. It is these customer-friendly policies that have played a major role in the success of his business. “Let’s say you bought a bike from us, rode it for a year and say you’ve enjoyed it enough. You can bring it to us and we will make you a cheque for it.”
And it really is as simple as that because several people have actually utilised this option. That’s not it though. The Harley’s Store is also offering a trade-in. “Let’s say you bought a smaller bike and now want a bigger one. You come to us and we will trade your old smaller bike for a new bigger machine,” he said.
The Harley’s Store has got a large number of units already in stock and if you’re looking for something beyond that, they will make sure you get that too. You can visit The Harley’s Store Facebook page for more details and to get in touch with them.
