Get your motor running.
When I was entering Joe's Garage, Hobart's very own biker bar, I imagined a scene similar to the one in Pee Wee's Big Adventure, where the famed skinny American geek incurs the wrath of the leather-clad muscle-bound bikies by accidently knocking over every single one of their bikes. After all, a place where the manager's motto is "it ain't fast unless it's scary" just has to be a little bit, well, scary itself, doesn't it?
Not so: Joe's Garage may be an eclectic tribute to all things motorised; it may have barmen who are dressed like they should be in a pit crew; It may be guarded day and night by a row of pretty tough looking bikes outside, and most people inside may be dressed in leather, but actually Joe's Garage is a place where your Pee Wee Hermanns are just as welcome as your Captain Americas.
The decor definitely earns the bar its self-proclaimed moniker of "the most unique bar in Australia". Packed with motoring memorabilia and retro revhead rarities, Joe's is an homage to the god of the motor. With bike night Tuesdays (where even scooter-riders are welcome), superbike thrills and spills on flat screen TVs, displays of the latest and greatest technologies on two wheels and four, a warm smile and a cold beer for all, Joe's is definitely a mecca for motoring enthusiasts.
However, if motorbikes and cars don't exactly get your engine running, Joe's is still a great place to go for a truly unique night out. And you never know: after a few hours amid the leather and chrome, you might even begin to discover your inner revhead and hanker for a cool set of wheels of your own. If not, just soak up the atmosphere, enjoy a drink or two, and be thankful that Hobart's biker bar is a place that welcomes all, whether you're "born to be wild" or "born to be mild"; just try not to knock over the bikes.
Kate Gordon
