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Journal: Here’s why you should get excited for the 2016 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

Here’s why you should get excited for the 2016 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

By Peter Aylward
September 20, 2016
9 comments

Photography by Peter Aylward 

With a community spirit at the centre of everything organizers do, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to be held this weekend is an event that really does bring the world together. Now in its fifth year, the ride consists of  tens of thousands of participants spread across multiple cities in 79 countries, each completing a ride on the same day.

The charity-driven event almost seems like a flash mob at the start, with the London ride attracting more than 1,200 riders and close to £100,000 for worthy causes unique to the area—each part of the world supports different charities.

In years’ past, the sense of occasion and high spirits enjoyed by all participants was almost Goodwood Revival-esque, in that people dressed, for the most part, in period clothing to match the bikes they rode.

For me, what really set it apart was when the bikes took to the road, the vintage-inspired machines  with dapper ladies and gents riding en masse through many of London’s classic architectural streets; quite the visual treat.

I hope the ride stays the way it is, without the closed roads and crowd control that so many events these days have. With more than $2 million already raised this year, let’s dig deep and help them on their way to the $5M target—and be ready to see some distinguished riders this coming weekend.

Keep up with Peter Aylward via Instagram & Facebook.

H/T to gentlemansride.com

 

Tags Distinguished Gentleman's Ride/ London/ Motorcycles
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Wes Flack
Wes Flack
7 years ago

Looks fun.
Also fun to cast the Sith cynical eye on it.
Perhaps the event and the critics actually need each other.

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Vic
Vic
7 years ago

Seeing dudes wearing suits while riding is delightfully weird. Reminds me of the album cover to Kiss’ ‘Dressed to Kill’.
Yeah, I dropped a Kiss reference on petrolicious. Drive tastefully, indeed.

And seriously, everyone get off Guitar Slinger’s lawn!

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Jack White
Jack White
7 years ago

What does it matter if they’re buying into a style? Last I checked no-one makes their clothes themselves, not all cars/bikes are home-made because not everyone has time for that, if you think it’s cool then that’s all that matters. I wasn’t born when any of the bikes used at these events were available in the shops, so guess what… yep I HAVE to buy one, oh no I’m a hipster, what a tragedy, why don’t I go and enjoy whats available to me? Hold up… classic bikes are available to me, so yeah I’ll enjoy those. Why are you even on petrolicious? It’s a site which promotes expensive taste…

I’m proudly marshalling for my local DGR this weekend as my grandfather in law was just diagnosed with bowel cancer and have to say there is nothing un-gentlemanly about raising money selflessly to give to a good cause. Without proof of “10\%” making it to the charities please keep your yap trap shut. Not to mention you sound surprised by the fact riders make noise on their bikes, oh right, like that doesn’t happen at EVERY petrol related event everywhere, that’s part of what makes the ride interesting for people who come to watch, last time I went to a supercar show, yeah they revved them, because that’s what we wanted. Guitar slinger I think you need to stop criticizing other people’s lives and get on and enjoy your own, preferably not here.

I have yet to see anyone “hoon” (wheelie, burnouts etc etc) especially since it’s mostly prehistoric classic motorbikes which people care about and have spent ages looking after. Yes there are a few newer bikes but they ride respectfully around here.

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Patrick Peters
Patrick Peters
7 years ago
Reply to  Jack White

Have a good one this sunday Jack!

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JAlfa
JAlfa
7 years ago

Show us that 10\% derivation Slinger. Until then…. shat app!!!! There are always a bunch of dumbasses in every group (case in point Guitar Slinger on this discussion board) so don’t judge a group based on a few losers… It’s a fun event for a good cause…

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Dale Shin
Dale Shin
7 years ago

For the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in Los Angeles, might as well call them Toecutter’s Gang – no regard for the law or other motorists when they ride through.

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Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago
Reply to  Dale Shin

That pretty much sums up every so called .. Distinguished [ of which they are anything but ] ….. Gentleman’s [ an oxymoron when it comes to those involved ] … Ride [ which in fact is more an excuse for irresponsible pre-adolescent substance addled hooning rather than anything even remotely resembling ‘ riding ‘ ]

Or in my own words … yet another Suburban Urban Wanna Be Metro Sexual Hipster event .. costumes , checkbook / credit card customs and all … loaded to the hilt with more pretense than substance all in the vain pursuit of adding significance to their otherwise insignificant and meaningless lives that are in fact anything but … ‘ Hip ‘

What would make these DGR events truly entertaining … if not significant … would be if they came face to face with the real 1\%er’s they’re trying so hard to emulate ! 😉

Jeeze Petrolicious .. Y’all trying to become the online Mens File .. or what ?

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Guitar Slinger
Guitar Slinger
7 years ago
Reply to  Dale Shin

Oh … and of that £100,000 raised … less than ten percent of it found its way into the hands of the charities it was intended for . And that goes for every other DGR across the globe as well !

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Jack White
Jack White
7 years ago
Reply to  Dale Shin

“costumes” yeah I’d agree with you there, since it’s the required attire for the event, much in the same way that it is expected that you wear vintage clothes when attending Goodwood Revival. Does that make everyone that goes to the revival a wannabe and a hipster? No that’s what makes the event what it is, cleverclogs.

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