Season extension in the sunshine
The 17th Mallorca Bike Week had something for everyone. Wonderful tours and a great atmosphere during the varied evening program at the Robinson Club Cala Serena.
Mogendorf, December 11, 2023
„Cala Serena translates from Spanish as “quiet bay„. This may also apply to the club resort in the south-east of Mallorca for most of the year. However, one week in the first half of November is regularly different: 400 to 500 bikers with their own motorcycles - mainly, but not exclusively, from Milwaukee - take possession of the club, ride tours around the island during the day and enjoy the entertainment program designed especially for them in the evening.
At a pleasant 24 degrees, you can, for example, ride the fantastic curves to Sa Calobra or to the lighthouse at Cap Formentor, the Orient Tour Cala Torta or to the port of Andratx. And you can choose to do this alone, in your own group or guided by local and expert SKS tour guides, who drive their black trucks on a daily basis as professional drivers, but are all comfortable on a motorcycle.
The guided tours were regularly fully booked. This was probably due to the fact that SKS Reisen welcomed a particularly large number of new customers to the legendary end of the season on the island. Accordingly, three so-called „first-timer tours“ were scheduled for Sunday. Under the guidance of SKS managing partners Adrian and Kevin Kießling and show truck driver Markus Trojak, the nearest petrol stations were approached, staggered group driving was practised and the necessary safety instructions were given.
Sunday evening began with the official welcome of all participants in the club's theater. The idea for the Mallorca Bike Week was born in 2005 at a Harley-Davidson dealer conference by Bernhard Gneithing, then Marketing Manager at Harley, Monti Galmés, then Managing Director of the Robinson Clubs Spain/Portugal and Adrian Kießling. Monti is now retired and Adrian has also largely withdrawn from the day-to-day business at SKS, but to the delight of all involved, both of them did not miss the opportunity to welcome the guests to the theater in their very own way: a dialog with its own entertainment value that could also have taken place on a stand-up comedy stage.
On the second day of the event, all tours led to the same destination: Es Forti. An 18th century fortress with walls up to six meters thick, which was built on a 500 meter long headland to secure the harbour in the bay of Cala Llonga. No fewer than seven groups, each with a front and back guide from SKS, ended their day tour here and numerous self-organized groups of experienced participants completed the impressive rally. The Robinson Club treated all those arriving to a full-blown barbecue right on the grounds in front of the fortress with a fantastic view of the sea. At the barbecue tongs was none other than Klaus Breinig, WBQA Barbecue World Champion from 2017 and World BBQ Champion 2018, who many knew from his numerous television appearances.
A special tour with a supporting program was designed for the female bikers. On Wednesday, it took the ladies to the only farm on Mallorca that produces organic aloe vera. The interesting lecture on the cultivation, harvesting and use of the 200,000 plants was interspersed with practical exercises in both external and internal application. Many participants then took the opportunity to stock up on natural products for the next summer season in the in-house store. The tour then continued along beautiful country roads to Son Serra Beach. The El Sol restaurant was the perfect place for a coffee or a good meal, including a wonderful view of the sea. The Street Glide rider, who was not part of the group and was obviously confused by the unusually high number of female bikers present, did not get his bike to start. A female participant finally saved him by shouting the word „side stand“. His subsequent hectic departure only gave a hint of the red head under his full-face helmet. The stay at Son Serra Beach ended with a photo shoot right by the sea. Here, all the riders were able to have a perfect vacation memory taken by Fabian Friese and Ben Ott on their bikes in perfect light.
Back at the club, the ladies were greeted by more or less clothed young men with champagne and roses. From the author's point of view, this was clearly a sexist affront to the bikers traveling with them, who no longer have a six-pack around their navel due to their advanced life experience. The Harley Factory Frankfurt cleverly took advantage of the situation and invited the women into their on-site boutique - „sex sells“ live and in color!
After dinner, it was time for the open-air block party in the club's courtyard, which was decorated with a US show truck, fire barrels and numerous Harley-Davidson memorabilia. The Free Electric Band played songs mainly from the seventies and hit the spot with the audience. However, the singer's comment that Albert Hammond wrote the song that gave the band its name especially for them belongs in the realm of legend.
There is no shortage of partying throughout the week. The already legendary toilet party is particularly worth mentioning. Originating almost by accident years ago, it has now achieved cult status. With dim lighting and strong drinks, inhibitions fell in sync with the quality of the music. The mood and exuberance of the revelers was exactly the opposite. Thanks to the photographers and videographers Fabian and Ben, a living disco ball was also documented.
In addition to the daily rides, the „Young Generation Tour“ started on Friday, especially for participants under 40, which was interrupted by a stop at Kalle's beautifully located Restaurante Pura Vida. Burn-outs are not welcome at Robinson, which is why Kevin Kiessling painted his „donut“ outside the parking lot after the tour. Back at the club, everyone parked their bikes in the central square next to the beer stand set up especially for the participants, allowing them to immediately review the most beautiful sections and best bends. It is not known why the main protagonists of the YoungGenTour then jumped into the pool clothed and with a bottle of beer in their hand, or why this was due to youthful exuberance.
The week went by far too quickly and ended with an emotional farewell in the club's theater, where a first excerpt of the film documentary was shown. A short version of the Mallorca Bike Week 2023 video is already available on the SKS World YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@sksworld2412, a longer one will follow shortly.
The mixture of wonderful motorcycle tours, parties with excellent live music, the amenities of a four-star club resort and the all-round carefree package offered by the organizers is probably the secret of the Mallorca Bike Week's success.
It was held for the 17th time for good reason. I'm already looking forward to next year.
Text: Andreas Scholz Photos: Fabian Friese and Ben Ott
