Distinguished gentlemen ride for a cause

In the Queanbeyan and Canberra region, the ride started at the Old Bus Depot Markets at 10.30am and finished at Capital Brewing Co at 12.30pm.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride aimed to increase registered participants globally by more than 30,000 riders. Organisers re-doubled their financial commitment towards the funding of men's mental health programs.

The decision was made by founder, Mark Hawwa, after overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community and as a show of solidarity with those, and their loved ones, who are living with mental health challenges.

In partnership with the Movember Foundation, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is now committing 40 percent of total funds raised to men's mental health services. The majority share will be put towards prostate cancer research.

Up from 90,000 riders last year to a forecast of over 120,000 in 2018, dapper men and women in over 650 cities worldwide rode classic and vintage styled motorcycles, seeing streets across the world go vintage.

Other host cities included Sydney, Paris, New York and London; each humming with the tune of vintage bikes.

In Australia, men’s suicide rates are three times higher than that of women. As a result, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a mission to raise awareness globally, in a crusade to make life better for men everywhere.

“After the overwhelming support for our decision to increase the amount of funds donated towards men's mental health services, we’ve again to listened to the DGR community and redoubled our commitment,” Mr Hawwa said.

“We ride this year for the men of the world who struggle with mental health and for the families and individuals whose lives are affected by prostate cancer.

“The past six years have seen The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride grow far more than I ever could have imagined, not only in its reach and the number of participants of the ride itself, but in people that have decided to get checked.”