04 Mar 2023
Firstly, hats off to Antonio and his colleague Joel. These guys are warm and friendly and know their stuff. We were put at ease straightaway on arrival. After the formalities I had a quick ride around the car park to familiarise myself with the Dyna Street Bob and then we set off. We were lucky in that we were the only couple (rider/pillion) on the day trip so we had Joel's undivided attention which was great. Riding through town and heading towards the countryside was a bit fraught due to maniac drivers everywhere, particularly on 2 wheels so you need to be on your guard at all times but once out in the open it was a breeze. I liked the way Joel pointed out changes to the road surface, speed humps and other hazards along the way. He is also good at gauging your riding and had mine sussed within about 10 miles or so. He knows his stuff and is very safety conscious which is reassuring and makes for a more relaxed ride. Out in the hills and settled into the way the Harley handles, I really started to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery the island has to offer with Joel allowing a stop halfway for a leg stretch and to take on some water. One thing he can't control is the suicidal wildlife and domestic pets which have a propensity to run out in front of you so something to look out for particularly in the rural villages. There's also the speed humps, everywhere. 2 up riding sees the old girl bottoming out on them. Joel slows you right down in good time and don't be alarmed by the banging and scraping as you pass over them as they have sump protectors fitted.After our jaunt through the hills, we rode to the Coco Loco beach club on Miches beach for some lunch (included in the price). This consisted of some delicious fried chicken, chips and rice in a glorious setting. I did not want to leave! (Just beware: there is a short ride over fine sand to get to the restaurant so be careful of the rear wheel torque). After an hour or so we jumped back on the Dyna and headed back to Dominican Riders via the highway. We had a stop on the way home as poor Joel has a bee fly up his jacket sleeve and sting him. Again, once we hit the outskirts of Bavaro the traffic intensified with all the associated stupidty of drivers/riders who can't or won't see you lugging a heavy bike through the streets, so be careful. I'm convinced there's no such thing as a Highway Code here or and Construction and Use regulations! That said, the 120 mile journey away from the city was memorable and gave myself and my wife a great insight into the beauty of this island, so much so hat I am seriously contemplating returning next year for the big one, the 7 nighter (see their webpage for details). Any negatives? Sure as nothing is perfect. The bikes are getting on a bit. Mine had 93,000kms on the clock, the front tyre would not pass a UK MOT test and the headrace bearings felt loose especially noticeable at low speeds but none of this detracted from a marvellous day out in beautiful countryside. Finally, a huge thank you for our guide Joel whose professionalism and genuine customer care made the adventure that much enjoyable and to Antonio for making the whole process so easy and accessible. I wish you both the very best and look forward to returning soon.