Traffic was brought to a standstill on a city ring road for 15 minutes as hundreds of mourners gathered at the spot where a motorcyclist was killed in a crash.
Police officers stopped drivers in Hamilton Way on the Leicester outer ring road as 200 friends and family paid tribute to 27-year-old Rikesh Surani yesterday.
Mr Surani, from Leicester, who lost his life in a collision with a silver Kia estate, on March 25, was a member of the Leicester-based riders club called The Unit.
More than 50 bikes lined the road as members met family and friends at the crash site, between Tesco Extra and the Porsche garage in Hamilton, at 10.15am.
Russell Thorpe, a committee member in The Unit, said: “Rikesh, who was known by his nickname Rome, was a true gentleman and everyone is devastated at his loss. The sheer number of people at the roadside memorial just goes to show how popular and respected Rome was.”
Mr Thorpe said the bikers met at the Porsche garage then went in slow formation to the crash site. There they met family and friends where floral tributes were laid down.
The mourners all observed a minute’s silence before Mr Surani’s wife and best friend released gold and purple balloons spelling Rome.
After the service more than a hundred people went to a wake at the Sinroja Motorcycles in Thurmaston.
The Unit bike group was formed in 2014 and has 75 members. Club members meet for fun rides and for charity fund-raising events.
Police are appealing for any witnesses to the crash at about 10.15am on March 25 to call them on 101.
