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The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride 2017
The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride 2017
This year’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) is shaping up to the biggest and best yet and when you consider that since its inception in Sydney, Australia in 2012 it has risen from a couple of thousand riders, to a staggering 56,000 gentlemen and gentle-women riding their motorcycles in 505 cities across 90 countries last year, who also raised an eye-watering $3.6 million for the charities of prostate cancer research and men’s mental health programs in partnership with the Movember Foundation, then you can see that 2017 is hoped to be the year when all records are smashed.
Riding in the DGR is free for participants but the organisers do ask that if possible you make a small donation to the charities involved and also try and raise awareness of the causes to your family, friends and co-workers by sharing your details via a riders personal fund raising page. The fundraising page is easy to set up and comes as part of the registration process for the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride so all you have to worry about is looking great on the day. Speaking of looking great, there are always questions asked about what to wear or what type of motorbikes are accepted; the bike question is the simplest one to answer...any classically styled bike you want to ride can be ridden on the day as long as you look dapper whilst you ride it and adhere to the safety laws applicable to your country.
Choosing the right clothing can be a little more tricky.
Think monocles and tweed, tailored suits and sharp shirts, fine waistcoats, manicured beards, moustaches and silk shirts and you won’t be far off the style that the organisers want to exude for the day. They not only want to dispel the myth that all bikers are scruffy, leather wearing hoodlums who love speed, they want to show that you can look fantastic and retain a modicum of finesse whilst riding your bike and raise money for great causes whilst you do so.
Mark Hawwa, the founder of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride came up with the idea after seeing a publicity shot from the TV show, Mad Men, that featured the impeccably dressed Don Draper sitting astride a classic bike. The concept was born and through word of mouth and a little internet wizardry that first year of 2012 saw 2,500 riders participate across 64 cities. This great start inspired Mark to run the ride for a second year, but this time with an aim to raise money for charity and raise awareness for prostate cancer. In 2013 the number of riders exceeded 11,000 and raised $277,000 for the charity and it has gotten bigger and better and raised even more money for charity each year since.
But it’s not just about the taking part; there are prizes up for grabs which include four brand new motorcycles supplied by Triumph from their Classic range, 5x Zenith watches and 100 x Hedon helmets as well as other smaller prizes and commemorative patches that can be earned by raising just $200 in charity money.
So if you want to get involved in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride or just find out more information about the whole event and perhaps sponsor one of the stylish riders, you can find everything you need to know about where in your country the nearest ride is taking place and the registration forms at www.gentlemansride.com. With nearly 20,000 already riders signed up from countries as far afield as South Korea to Greece to South Africa and everywhere in between, you should be able to find a ride near you. If not, why not be the first in your area to sign up and get talking to your friends and fellow bikers...be a part of something great, be a part of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride 2017.
If you want to find out more about the charities that the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride supports visit their page explaining the programs they fund here - www.gentlemansride.com/about/programs-we-fund
This is from an original article by Ian Yates for Uptown Gentlemen. Why not take a look at the other great articles, grooming tips, reviews and health advice that www.uptowngentlemen.com has to offer.
