By Diara Springer
The roar of engines often elicits mixed reactions from Barbadians. For some, it signals reckless behaviour on our roads; for others, it represents freedom and community. But behind the chrome and leather lies a culture often misunderstood by the general public.
“Everybody brands motorcycles as two wheels, instead of different categories of bikes that you have out there and the different mindsets and different persons operating these machines,” explained Fabian Reeves, president of the Black Knight Bikers. “You can’t paint everybody with the same brush.”
Indeed, the motorcycle community in Barbados is diverse with riders from all walks of life – judges, lawyers, soldiers, police officers, and teachers. Yet. public perception remains largely negative, focused on the minority who engage in dangerous behaviour.
“The public doesn’t see people beneath the helmet,” Reeves said. “They see people on a bike that are doing lawlessness.”
Jim Woodstock, president of the Trident Motorcycle Club, shared similar frustrations: “You can do a thousand good things and no one will remember, but you do one bad thing and no one will forget.”
The Black Knight Bikers, celebrated their tenth official anniversary last November, and boasts around 54 members. Their longevity has earned them recognition as the longest-standing motorcycle club in Barbados. The Tridents, established as a registered friendship society since June 2015, maintains a smaller profile with about 16 members in total.
Both clubs emphasised that membership isn’t granted casually. The Black Knights start potential members in a fan club to familiarise them with operations before a formal interview process. Prerequisites include having a motorcycle licence and owning a bike. After approval, candidates undergo three months of probation before a sworn-in ceremony makes them official members.
The Tridents require an even longer commitment. “You come and hang around with us for a year,” explained Woodstock. “Then you become a prospect for about another year. Then after that, if you’re still involved, still interested, then we make you a member.”
Woodstock emphasised the seriousness of this approach: “We’re just not handing out patches to anybody. This is a lifelong commitment. So, we want people whose heart is into it.”
Both organisations work diligently to counter negative perceptions through community involvement. The Black Knights have adopted three children’s homes – The Sterling Children’s Home in St Philip in 2013, followed by the Farrs Children’s Home in St Lucy and the Nightengale Children’s Home.
They’ve also championed anti-bullying initiatives, unveiling their “Stamp Out Bullying . . . Be Your Brother’s Keeper” message at Parkinson Memorial School and subsequently spreading this message to numerous primary and secondary schools across the island.
Similarly, the Tridents focus on charitable works. “We sell club T-shirts and with that money we raise, then we can make donations,” Woodstock explained. Their contributions have supported The Learning Centre School for children with special needs, the Hope Sanctuary Animal Shelter and individual cases like funding an eye operation for a community member.
Recently, both clubs collaborated to distribute over 30 food hampers to families in need during Christmas. “We’re just trying to give back to the community,” said Woodstock. “We have a good time doing it and making friends.”
Contrary to popular belief, these clubs prioritise safety. The Black Knights operate the Busy Bee Riding Academy, teaching newcomers on small bikes before graduating them to larger models. They maintain a rulebook that emphasises safety protocols, including proper helmet use and formation riding. “We have a rule book. Before you are sworn in, you have to read the rule book and we make you understand and agree before you actually enter the club,” Reeves stressed.
Furthermore, the Black Knights have created a group chat to share safety demonstrations, riding tips and information about protective gear. They’ve even established standardised hand signals that are being adopted throughout the biking community.
The Tridents take a more informal approach, integrating new riders into their group rides for protection. “We keep them in the middle of the pack while we’re riding, so that way they’re protected from, you know, a lot of idiots on the road,” Woodstock stated. “It’s overwhelming for some people when they’re just learning how to ride the motorcycle.”
A recurring challenge for Barbadian motorcyclists is the lack of dedicated spaces for practice and performance. “There’s no official spaces here in Barbados,” Reeves lamented. “So the only thing we guys get to really practice is when we leave the country and head to the islands, which are St Vincent, St Lucia, Dominica and Grenada.”
This limitation forces most club rides to occur on Sunday evenings when traffic is minimal. “We go for our Sunday cruise around the island because most people are in church, so we can go all the way up the West Coast without having to be in all that traffic,” Woodstock noted. Reeves agreed, saying, “That’s why a lot of guys ride on Sunday evening because there’s not much traffic on the road; so they can just have the space for themselves and not be in anybody else’s way,”
While both clubs condemn dangerous stunts on public roads, they acknowledge the need for proper venues. “In a proper forum, we have no problem with that,” said Woodstock regarding street stunts. “But on the road, we don’t encourage that at all. There’s a time and a place for that.”
However, he acknowledged the financial barriers: “We’d like to see more spaces for riders to be free to use, but I realise it’s a big expense to rent Bushy Park and places like that.”
Despite these challenges, the Black Knight Bikers and the Trident Motorcycle Club plan to continue their community service initiatives while advocating for safer riding conditions in Barbados. Their commitment to challenging stereotypes through charitable work and safety education highlights the multifaceted nature of the island’s motorcycle community that often goes unrecognised in public discussions about biking.
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