Bahrain has an oil story that is gentler than most. Oil was found in 1932, at Jebel Dukhan in the south of the island, the first strike on the Arabian side of the Gulf, and the royalties began a transformation that has since filled the plateau with roads, flats and refineries. Compared with its neighbours, Bahrain's reserves were modest and have been in decline for decades, which is why the island has worked hard to build up finance, aluminium and tourism. Walk around Royal Mound 15 and you see both eras at once: the tomb of a Bronze Age elite and the housing blocks of an oil-age middle class.
The mound is one of the group at A'ali, built about four thousand years ago, and today it stands on the edge of Madinat Isa's suburbs. A fence protects it, a low path runs around it, and a small sign explains the site in Arabic and English. Despite the proximity of houses, the setting is quiet, particularly in the early morning when the only traffic is a delivery van or a school bus.
Riders will find it easy to reach. Main roads are good, but the side streets around Madinat Isa are narrow, with parked cars and speed humps, and unmarked humps can be vicious for a loaded bike. Slow down at junctions, as the local habit of reversing out of driveways without looking can be alarming. Keep a close eye on the roundabouts, where the right of way is more theoretical than real.
If you want to follow the oil story, head south to Jebel Dukhan, the low hill at the heart of the field, and visit the Bahrain Oil Museum nearby, which preserves the first well. The Tree of Life stands nearby in the desert, and the ride takes about half an hour on good, straight roads.
Fuel is available all over the island, and Bahraini petrol is among the cheapest in the world. Fill up at any station, as the quality is consistent and most are open late.