When you’re Russia’s boss for life, you don’t just throw a political rally. You ride herd over a biker gang like Vince, Mick, Tommy and Nikki heading to the Seventh Veil.

Yes, that’s Vladimir Putin, Russian prime minister, Russian ex-president and possible Russian re-president, strapping on his blacks and straddling a Harley Davidson three-wheeler. Reuters films Putin in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk at the helm of the Night Wolves motorcycle club.

The soundtrack to the rally sounds more like a Russian cover of something from Metallica’s ‘91 Black Album, but the aesthetics of the event are all Crüe, down to the nighttime sunglasses, bandannas, leathers and choppers. If Putin’s choice of a motorized trike costs him any street cred, not a single Night Wolf is going to tell it to the ex-KGB dude who takes time off from running Russia to shoot Siberian tigers.

After a four-year stint as Russia’s prime minister — in which the presidency went to Putin protege Dmitry Medvedev — Putin is reportedly mulling a return bid for president. An announcement could come as early as December. Unsurprisingly, Putin’s choice for the background city in his mini-biker movie carries political significance: He’s riding during a festival to commemorate Novorossiysk’s resistance to Nazi invaders.

So who’s going to be the first to mash up Putin’s Harley ride with the “Girls, Girls, Girls” video? (Maybe NSFW, depending on how uptight your office is.) After all, Putin’s also fond of impromptu stripping.