The Bermuda Long Riders Motorcycle Club is aiming to raise the bar after a “flawless” ride across the Island on Saturday alongside foreign Harley- Davidson enthusiast group, ETA Motor- cycle Cruises.

Residents paused and cheered as an estimated 100 bikers rode in convoy. It gave the 23 ETA members from abroad a sense of pageantry they have not found in any of the other Caribbean destinations the group travels to, according Stephanie Robinson, of the Long Riders.

“Because Bermudians have showed out so well over the last eight years, next year it looks like they’ll have the bikes here for three days instead of one,” said Ms Robinson.

“They love the Bermudian spirit. The local support is over the top, it really is. That’s what makes it such a special experience, because they feel like they’re in the middle of a parade.”

The bikers met with Minister for Tourism Development, Shawn Crockwell, and the group is optimistic about the event becoming a bona fide tourism product in the future.

Ms Robinson said the event has brought in more than 800 bikes during its eight years in Bermuda, with more than one person arriving on the Island per motorcycle.

“That’s being conservative,” she said.

“People have these vision of bikers as hard sort of people, but these are professional people who come in and dump money and help out local business. They are in restaurants, buying gifts, putting money into our economy.”