Have you ever seen a double-breasted gentleman driving his motorcycle around the city? Well, on Sunday September 27th there was all around the world the extraordinary Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. More than 37,000 stylishly-dressed gentlemen in over 400 cities were driving their motorcycles to raise funds for prostate cancer research and awareness. A great way to combat the often negative stereotype of “rude men” on motorcycles and a good way to do something important for real men’s lives. In grand style, dapper gents and elegant ladies rode their steeds spreading dapper style and joy throughout the city whilst raising awareness for men’s health. Obviously we were proudly there in Milan.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was founded in 2012 in Sydney Australia, inspired by a photo of Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a classic bike and wearing his finest suit. It was decided a themed ride would be a great way to combat the often-negative stereotype of men on motorcycles, whilst connecting niche motorcycle communities together.
That first ride brought together over 2,500 riders across 64 cities. The success of the event encouraged the founder to consider how it could be used to support a worthy cause. In 2014, over 20,000 participants in 257 cities in 58 countries raised over $1.5 million (USD) for prostate cancer research. This year the event was sponsored by Triumph Motorcycles.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a celebration of the know-how to be dapper and the style of classic custom motorcycles. That’s why we were there in Milan driving our motorcycles and wearing special Lanieri suits with our friends and gentlemen Riccardo Pozzoli and Fabio Attanasio.
Photo credits: Andrea Benedetti