Most motorcyclists don’t need much of an excuse to gather for a ride. Give them a good reason to dress up as well and you’re sure to get a good turnout. And as far as good turn outs go, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride trumps them all!

Imagine if you will, 959 organised rides in different cities across 105 countries and the participation of over 90,000 riders on café racers, classic and vintage styled bikes, all dressed up in their finest threads, hitting the streets under the theme of ‘Ride Dapper’! Add to this the combined fundraising capacity of such a large group, with the aid of international sponsors Triumph Motorcycles, ELF lubricants, Hedon Helmets and Quad Loc and you have a behemoth of good will, good fun and much needed funds for a good cause.

Conceived by Mark Hawwa in Sydney to gather likeminded gentlefolk together as a fun way to raise awareness and much needed funds for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer research and men’s mental health, the DGR has grown to become the world’s biggest motorcycling charity event. Officially partnering with the charity Movember in 2016 has seen over AUD $40 million invested by Movember into prostate cancer research and men’s mental health initiatives from funds raised by DGR.

I attended the Newcastle ride to see what it’s all about. With a strong following and an enthusiastic motorcycling community to draw on, the Newcastle event raised $34,868 in donations from the efforts of 237 riders who registered to participate.

The crisp morning air and a few drops of precipitation early on whilst organisers set up at The Station for the event, conspired to test the well-dressed rider’s dedication to the cause, but the sunshine won out and the dapper gentlefolk rolled in. The sound of the bikes as they rode in was challenged by the sound of frothing milk as the coffee machines worked overtime to supply hot coffee to thaw out hands and kick start brains! Many of the good folk sat down for a hot breakfast before the rider briefing and explanation of the route.

A parade of machinery old and new, representing most brands, filed in and lined up in an impressive display, their riders adorned in their finery combating the chill, but with smiles all around. Old friends catching up, riders checking out each other’s bikes, mechanical problems discussed and repair options shared, while tall tales and true were bandied around amongst the ranks.

As mentioned, Newcastle and the Hunter Valley have a large motorcycling community. The area is renowned for their many charity rides and this all helps to sure up the positive spirit of the community toward motorcyclists, not to mention the support from local businesses. Brisan Motorcycles were at DGR ‘24 with a selection of new Triumph models to check out, Shannons Insurance were on hand to discuss peace of mind for your pride and joy, with added behind the scenes support from Rundles Clothing, Lincoln Rooms Barber’s and iShootPix Photography capturing the festivities.

A well thought out lap of the city to take advantage of the busier streets to help raise awareness for DGR, some open road sections to give the clutch a rest, a muster point to regroup and a leisurely ride past a few of the magnificent beaches on this part of the coast gave the group an opportunity to spend a good amount of time in the saddle with minimal traffic snarls or stoppages while still being able to enjoy this scenic city.

Out on the trail, the group got separated by traffic lights and various intersections and the odd turn was missed or a wrong one taken, with the “I dunno, just follow him” attitude seeing the odd group take a short cut back to the venue for an early lunch…somebody wasn’t paying attention at the rider briefing!

With the ever-present potential for mishaps when riding in a large group, credit must be given to the well-oiled machine that is DGR Newcastle for an incident free, well supported, colourful and enjoyable day out, bringing the community together in support of men’s health. Organisers would like to give thanks for the generous support of the sponsors, venue and participants mentioned previously and to the volunteers that make this event such a great one.

So, if you’re keen to help out a great cause, ride around in your Sunday best in a beautiful location and check out some great bikes, DGR ’25 Newcastle is on Sunday May 18^th…lock it in!