Vladimir Putin rides Harley trike

RUSSIAN Prime Minister Vladimir Putin rode a Harley-Davidson trike to an international motorcycle rally in southern Ukraine, describing motorbikes as "the most democratic form of transport".

Speaking to bikers at the rally in Sevastopol, Putin, whose ratings slumped last month to the lowest level of his two-year premiership, told the 5,000-strong crowd: "Long live Russia, long live Ukraine, and long live the bike".