Above / The 2023 Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is set for May 21. When finished, riders will assemble along Water Street at Webster Street in downtown Naperville to help create more awareness about the international event. (2022 Photo courtesy Sven Davies for The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride)
Beginning at 9AM on Sun., May 21, men and women dressed in their dapper best will join fellow riders throughout the world to ride their vintage and classic-styled motorcycles in The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. Their goal is to heighten awareness for prostate cancer and men’s mental health issues while raising funds for research.
“We’d like people interested to ride with us to register with the link,” said Sven Davies. “The ride starts at 9AM with kickstands up at 10AM. Riders have to register to participate. When they do, they’ll get all the details they need on the ride.”
After riding a route through the City of Naperville to participate, the distinguished gentlefolk will cruise to Water Street downtown between 10:45AM and 11:30AM to give the public a chance to see the bikes and learn more about this global charity event.
“Everyone is welcome to come to the end of the ride to look at the bikes,” said Davies. “We’ll be in the Naperville Township lot.”
Naperville is one of five cities in Illinois that will host a DGR Ride, according to Davies.
Organized by Mark Jacquot and Davies, this year’s event will be the fifth year the Naperville ride has taken place. To date, local donations have totaled more than $15,000. All funds raised go toward Prostate Cancer research and suicide prevention. This year is expected to be the biggest yet, Davies said.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is an annual international charity event celebrating classic and vintage-styled motorcycles and the dapper gentlefolk that ride them. Founded in Sydney, Australia, in 2012, the ride was inspired by a photo of TV Show Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a classic bike wearing his finest suit.
Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is international
Having successfully raised $37.5 million worldwide for charity since its inception, The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has connected hundreds of thousands of smartly-dressed gentlefolk in over 900 cities across over 110 countries, all united upon their classic and vintage style motorcycles to participate in support of the cause. Now, in its second decade, the charity motorcycle event is going strong throughout its “incredible global community,” Davies added.
Prostate cancer is second most-common in men
Globally, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men – with 1.4 million men diagnosed with the disease every year. More than 10 million men around the world are now living with or beyond a prostate cancer diagnosis. DGR funding has enabled investments in world-class biomedical research that leads to new tests and treatments.
Naperville stands tall to support this ride and cause
For more information on the Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride organization, visit www.gentlemansride.com. To learn more about the Naperville event and to register to ride, visit www.gentlemansride.com/rides/united+states/naperville+il.
Story and photos submitted by Sven Davies.
