Riding in style for a good cause

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This article was published 22/05/2023 (878 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Wearing their finest fitted suits, buttoned vests and flat caps, a group of bikers cruised through the city Sunday afternoon raising more than $14,000 for men’s health and turning heads along the way.

Winnipeg’s ninth annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health brought together about 50 motorcyclists and some classic bikes on a dapper 10-kilometre charity ride that was just as much about camaraderie as it was about raising awareness.

Longtime friends Gerald Huhtala and Barry Leschinsky were among the gentlemen changing the image of leather-clad bikers, hoping their finery would catch enough attention for a good cause.

“It’s a bit of a spectacle,” Huhtala said with a smile. “I think people will remember (and support Movember).”

“And I just like to dress up,” Leschinsky said. “I bought a new bow tie for today!”

The local ride is one of several happening around the world as part of the Movember project. It’s not the only motorcycle fundraiser, but its dress code sets it apart.

“It was fun. I think I liked it most because I liked the idea of dressing in a dapper way,” said Wilson High, who, like many of the riders, participated in the event for the first time this year.

“I mean, when was the last time I got to wear a leather jacket with a red scarf and red shoes?” he said with a laugh.

For the second year in a row, the event was hosted by Marc Perreault and Moto 49 co-owner Louis Rondeau, who said they’ve seen friendships form in the tight-knit group of riders over the past nine years.

“It’s a bit of a smaller community, (with) older, vintage motorcycles along with classically styled modern bikes, so it kind of fits that niche. And motorcycles can be a destressor for a lot of people,” Rondeau said.

Both organizers said they’re trying to raise their sons to deal with their feelings in healthy ways, and this ride supports that goal.

“People have this notion that men can’t talk about their problems and you have to push all your feelings down,” Perreault said. “So we are big advocates of speaking out and being able to comfortably say men should be able to talk about their problems and address mental-health issues and stuff like that, and they shouldn’t have to bottle things up.”

“It’s obviously an excellent cause,” said Chris Madden, a motorcyclist for 40 years. “It creates community, certainly… It’s a treat, partly because of the association (with other riders).”

Signing up last minute with her Suzuki Savage — “not a classic, but it gets me where I need to go” — Sharron Felicioni didn’t realize till afterward she was the only woman on the ride. She’s been motorcycling for 10 years and said she’s found herself in “a very welcoming community.”

“It was fantastic. There are a lot of beautiful bikes out there,” she said, after the ride ended at Torque Brewing on King Edward St. “A lot of heads turning.”

The 1980 BMW R-100T bike Craig Sweet rode belonged to his dad, and he recalled sitting on the back of it as a 10-year-old. Now, as a colorectal cancer survivor who is five years cancer-free, Sweet said this ride has special meaning to him. It gave him a chance to see a wide variety of bikes in a smaller, inclusive setting and meet like-minded people.

“Everybody’s got a different background, a different job; everybody has a different story,” he said.

The ride had raised $14,680 as of late Sunday afternoon.

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com