This past Sunday, September 24, thousands of gentlemen in ties, suits, and leather boots rode in solidarity for men’s health issues. Know globally as The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, clusters of well-appointed men took to the streets to raise funds and visibility in the classiest way they knew how.
Founded in 2013 in Sydney, Australia, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) was inspired by a photo of Mad Men’s Don Draper (Jon Hamm) astride a classic bike while wearing a fine suit. The themed ride was designed to combat the often-negative stereotype of men on motorcycles, whilst connecting niche motorcycle communities and raising money and awareness for men’s health. This year, Velomacchi — makers of innovative moto equipment and accessories — was proud to join and sponsor the ride.
“The DGR is a fantastic cultural event supporting great causes,” remarked Velomacchi president and chief designer Kevin Murray. “In these times of division, it is inspiring to see how a common passion and perspective on motorcycling can unite so many people around the world to celebrate and support health.”
For the 2017 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, Velomacchi donated 25 Speedway Roll-top 40L Backpacks to the event’s top fundraisers. Other sponsors include Triumph Motorcycles and Zenith Watches. The Movember Project joined DGR to combine fundraising efforts.
In total, the DGR raised $4.4 million for prostate cancer research and suicide prevention — up from $3.6 million raised in 2016. The number of participants also surged this year to over 92,000 riders worldwide (up from 56,000 last year). The DGR’s growth is tremendous, especially considering its first ride assembled 2,500 riders from 64 cities. Impressive, indeed, but also understandable; there just aren’t many causes that combine this much cool from all over the world.
