“La Poderosa” (The Mighty One) was the name Che Guevara gave the Norton 500 motorcycle that he and his friend Ernesto Granados used to do their famous tour of South America in 1952. The trip inspired the movie “The Motorcycle Diaries” (2004), which brought those events of the guerrilla fighter’s life back to the center of attention.
Che Guevara’s youngest son, Ernesto Guevara, has founded a business that pays tribute to his father’s adventurous spirit, a company that offers Harley Davidson tours of the island, and which he has named after his father’s bike.
Ernesto, who for over 20 years worked as a Harley Davidson mechanic in Havana, had been dreaming of this initiative for a while. The opportunity finally came in collaboration with a group of friends. La Poderosa Tours was incorporated in Argentina by Mimi Kohen, and now it is jointly operated in Cuba by Gaviota, a state-run tour operator.
The company’s team also includes Camilo Sánchez, Ernesto’s childhood friend, and Sergio Morales, a senior Harley Davidson mechanic with more than 40 years of experience, whose work has earned him a plaque with his name at the Milwaukee Harley Davidson Museum.
The company profile was presented at the last International Tourism Fair in Cuba as one of many specialty options aimed at diversifying tourism offers in the country. OnCuba interviewed Maria Elena Gioka, Ernesto’s wife, who is also the representative of the company in Cuba and one of its founders.
How did you come up with the idea to found a motorcycle tour company in Cuba?
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It started with Ernesto’s work as a mechanic and his realization that the option to go on motorcycle tours of the island and getting to know new places in that way would be very attractive for bikers. He became obsessed with the idea, which happened to be even more exciting in that it brought together his two passions: motorcycles and Cuba. One day, he shared the idea with Mimi Kohen, an old friend of the family, and that’s how everything began. She took care of organizing a travel company that offered Harley Davison rides in Cuba.
Why Harley Davidsons in particular? Why not any other type of motorcycle?
Cuba is known for its many old American cars, and Harley Davidsons have a similar history: Cuba stopped importing them and their spare parts after relations with the United States were severed in 1961. They have a long history in the country. We have renowned figures, such as Pepe Milesima, a famous mechanic, and Sergio Morales, also a mechanic known the world over. Harley Davidsons have a shroud of mystery that inspires many stories, and in Cuba, those stories revolve around bikers’ gatherings, the constant battle for repairing bikes, the search for spare parts, among other things.
What are the services offered by your company?
The company offers personalized services to people interested in touring our circuits. We believe customer service is crucial, and we try to get to know each of our customers and their expectations beforehand. From the moment they book the tour, we start asking questions to find out what they want to see in Cuba, and also to learn more about their experience and skills driving large engine capacity motorcycles. It’s not difficult to do because bikers feel they are part of a brotherhood, and, normally, we establish a rapport right away.
We manage small groups because we only have twelve motorcycles (of which one is for the guide, and another one is taken on the trip as a spare vehicle). It’s a unique experience, not only in terms of the places and people they get to see, but also of the human experience, the opportunity to share the ride with people who become your friends.
What are the main destinations you offer?
We have two tours: a 9-day/8-night tour that starts in Havana, and includes stops in Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Cayo Santa María, Varadero, Santa Clara and Las Terrazas; and a shorter tour, 6 days/5 nights, that covers Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad and Santa Clara. The two were designed to show Cuba’s main tourist attractions to foreign bikers. Also, at customers’ request, we offer custom-made tours, which reach other destinations.
What’s the role of Gaviota Tours in this?
It was an honor for us that this prestigious company welcomed us with open arms and offered us the possibility to operate through them in Cuba. They provide accommodations and the spare motorcycle also belongs to them.
It would be a good idea to say how much it costs or have I missed it!