‘Black Roses’ motorcycle club

published on 12/9/09 11:10 AM

"The feeling of freedom is the biggest thrill when riding a motorbike", Emil Lazarov says.

Photo: Svetoslav Gavazov

The feeling of freedom is the biggest thrill when riding a motorbike. This is how 36-year old Emil Lazarov from the town of Kazanlak in Central Bulgaria speaks of his love many a man has for the ‘iron beast’. Emil is a president of one of the oldest motorcycle clubs in Bulgaria called ‘Black Roses’. Its history runs 20 years back and has been set up by a group of ardent motorbike riders from the town of the rose, hence the name.

“Most motorcycle clubs carry something in their names to show the place where they have been founded,” says Emil. Black Roses is an entirely men’s club with 20 members of different ages and walks of life but all united by their love of motorbikes. The club has its own written and unwritten rules. Respect for one another and loyalty are some of the basic principles. Riding motorbikes is a way of life, Emil says categorically. However, that hobby is quite expensive, not only because of the cost of buying a motorbike but also because of the maintenance expenses and special gear which is compulsory. What does it mean to be a motorbike rider and what hides behind the black-leather clothes?

“The leather clothes are more necessary when you ride a bike because they protect you from wind, rain and, God forbid, an accident,” explains Emil. “What does it mean to be a motorbike rider? We are all kinds of people but we all like having good time. We are always careful not to disturb the others and we don’t like when other people try to meddle with our way of life. Sometimes I have the feeling that the society envies us because we live the way we want and we are freer than the rest. That’s so because riding a motorbike gives you the feeling of freedom which can never be experienced when driving a car. We could be compared to people from the past who liked roaming woods and valleys mounted on a horseback.”

To be a good motorbike rider, you need to have guts, says Emil teasingly. According to him, motorbikes are not for everyone because there’s a lot of risk involved.

“Most of the people I know have started riding motorbikes since early age,” says Emil. “First with started off with small motorcycles. Today there is a wide choice of motorbikes and it is up to one’s budget. My advice to anyone who wants to learn to ride a motorbike is to start first with a small one and gradually move to bigger and more powerful ones. Lack of experience can cause tragic accidents.”

Emil started riding motorbikes in 1993. The most precious thing about his hobby according to him is that it helps him find a lot of friends, not only in Bulgaria but also abroad. Is it solely a man’s privilege to ride a motorbike?

“No, it isn’t. Lately, there have been a lot of young women who mount on motorbikes. Despite that we are only men in our club, it doesn’t mean there can’t be women. Nowadays, it’s becoming ever more common to see a woman on a motorbike. Emancipation has its say.”

‘Motorbike riders are a more or less closed community but it doesn’t mean we are totally cut off from the rest of society,’ says Emil. His club participates in different initiatives.

“Generally we don’t make much publicity to what we’re doing because we are not politicians on the campaign trail,” says Emil Lazarov. “For instance, there is an orphanage in the village of Buzovgrad near Kazanlak. We go there and donate toys, clothes and fruits. We’ve also organized other charity events. Kazanlak municipality often invites us to participate in the traditional annual parade of the roses. We are the escort of Queen Rose. Every year we organize a motorbike fair. We do it in mid-June.”

The motorbike fair in the town of Kazanlak organized by Black Roses is one of the largest in Bulgaria. In recent years, it has been attended by motorbike riders from neighboring countries, from Europe and the U.S. as well.

English version: Delian Zahariev

По публикацията работи: Rumiana Tsvetkova

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‘Black Roses’ motorcycle club

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