If you saw some dapper-looking gents riding vintage motorbikes and wondered if you had travelled back in time, then fear not.
Your mind was not playing tricks on you. You were merely witness to the North West leg of this year’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, an international charity event that raises awareness and funds for the Movember Foundation’s men’s health programmes.
On Sunday (September 25), more than 50,000 riders in more than 500 cities across 90 countries got on their bikes – wearing their best suits, tweeds and tweaked moustaches – with the aim of raising £5 million for prostate cancer research and men’s health charities.
The Chester leg was run by Bill Smith Motors in Boughton and donations can still be made via www.billsmithmotors.co.uk .
The local leg of the ride took bikers out to The Ice Cream Farm in Tattenhall and through our picturesque Cheshire villages before heading through the city past The Chester Grosvenor Hotel to park up by the River Dee, before finishing at Chester Racecourse with drinks on 1539’s roof terrace.
Mark Smith, from Bill Smith Motors, said: “The aim of this ride was quality over quantity when it comes to the motorcycles and I think we nailed that – distinguished classic bikes are what’s called for while celebrating the fashion around motorcycles of a bygone era.
“Our ride was very safe, slow and civilised as any Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride should be and enjoyed by all who took part or waved us on.
“A huge thank you goes out to not just all the finely dressed bikers who rode out and raised much needed funds, but to the people in cars and pedestrians in and around Chester too as they let our convoy of classic style bikes stay together. This was so important to our safety and the awareness of the ride.”
Mark added: “The huge buzz and feel good factor you get from riding a bike makes this ride out the perfect way to support men’s health charity Movember which does a lot of work around mental health. Riding is a skill that requires major concentration with fantastic adrenalin rewards. Do it well and do it right and a ride out on a bike is guaranteed to make you feel great and it certainly did that for everyone who took part.”
