Bamako bikers gather for Sunday wheelies

10 January 2016

Lamine (green shirt, back to the camera) looks on in awe as this gang of rough riders comes through.

Bikers in Mali's capital Bamako have built up a tradition. Every Sunday they meet in the suburb of Titibougou to show off their tricks, attracting large crowds.

I met Sekou Bathily on this day. He is very well known among the Titibougou regulars. He is fearless. I asked him why so many people like to spend their Sunday evenings here close to danger. His response, "We young Malians have so much to worry about, this is a way to forget about everyday life." Some of those worries include debilitating poverty, high jobless rates, and instability due to a weak and corrupted central government who is spending most of it's time and resources fighting terrorists groups within its borders.

Matthew Schinske

Sekou Bathily is well known among the regulars in Titibougou for being fearless. "We young Malians have so much to worry about, this is a way to forget about everyday life," he said

This Malian "cowboy" is riding side saddle as a very entertained group of bystanders cheer him on.

Matthew Schinske

How to make a wheelie more difficult? Ride side-saddle

Straightening his sunglasses as he looks my way popping a wheelie at 80 km/h

Matthew Schinske

This biker is still able to straighten his sunglasses while popping a wheelie at 80 km/h

Young Malians living in the capital, Bamako, are less conservative than the majority of the Muslim population in the rest of the country. Here are a couple of guys showing off their fashion.

Matthew Schinske

Everyone is on high-alert for the police. If they turn up, people fear they could confiscate their "jakartas", as they call their bikes

Although I didn't see any female daredevils, I did catch this young boss driving slow as she turned heads.

Matthew Schinske

Women are rarely, if ever, spotted showing off their tricks, but still turn up on the bikes as spectators

This Malian woman drives through the crowds in her luxurious SUV.

Matthew Schinske

Sundays also sees many people going to wedding parties and they drive past the crowds of biker fans

The speed this young boy was traveling at gave me goosebumps!

Matthew Schinske

Really young riders sometimes take really big risks

He even colour coordinated his shirt, shoes, and gloves to match the orange on his bike

Matthew Schinske

More expensive toys - and rare protective gear - begin to show up as the harsh afternoon sun begins to set

As the afternoon sun gives way to a cooler evening, the crowds really begin to gather. They even sit on the roofs of nearby buildings!

Matthew Schinske

As the temperature cools down, the crowds get even bigger