After four very successful Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride’s that were doubling in size each year, the pressure was on to ensure that our biggest ride was also going to be a success. In 2014 our start point was a car park; and while it was as nice a car park as I have seen, it wasn’t quite as memorable as some of the world famous buildings that we have seen other DGR’s start from. Our first goal in 2015 was to secure a more “distinguished” start point. 
 
When someone mentioned “How about Parliament house?” everybody laughed… except Dave. Not because Dave thought it was a good idea but because he is slightly deaf from riding a Harley with loud pipes. The blank look on Dave’s face did make us think that it might be worth adding it to the short-list. After a reconnaissance run it was decided that parliament house would be an excellent place to start the ride so we completed the paperwork and waited with our fingers crossed.
 
In the meantime the DGR organising team set about choosing the route, securing sponsors, communicating with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of WA and stressing over how we were going to get 400 bikes into Clancy’s, a place that struggled with 270 bikes in 2014. The team did a great job and we found our organising meetings in the weeks before the event were finished in 15 minutes and we’d end up just having a laugh or going for a ride. 

On the day of the event, the organising team and the corner markers gathered for a breakfast before heading to parliament house to start directing traffic etc. The bikes started rolling in right on time and didn’t stop rolling for an hour. The riders were greeted by Perth celebrity Max Kay before the riders briefing. 

As nearly 400 custom and classic bikes rolled out of parliament house the team realised that DGR was not only a rolling bike show but had now become the biggest custom motorcycle show ever seen in Perth.

It was a slow start getting out of the city but once we got to the coast it was plain sailing all the way to Fremantle were we thought it would be a good idea to split the group into two to go either side of the harbour and then have the bikes make their own way back through the streets of Fremantle to the finish point.

Viv Canini took photos of the riders in front of the media wall while the smell of burnt sausages and roasted coffee wafted over the grounds from the Men’s Shed and the Tinker Tailor Coffee caravan.

With the sun dropping and the event all packed up it was a time for old friends to loosen their ties and enjoy a frosty treat before someone suggested we all ride back to the city.

DGR Perth 2015 was another resounding success and simply couldn’t have happened without the many volunteers and sponsors. Shannons, Rogue Motorcycles, 66 Motorcycle Garage, MotoMax, Lloyd Chapman Motorcycles, Mr MotoClean, Spadille Cafe & Garage, Helmet House, Lace & Button and Himalayan Heroes are the businesses that made this event happen and we look forward to their support in the years to come.

Words by Rex Havoc | Photos by RSK Photography