The Distinguished Gentlemen’s Ride: Wellington, meet your host
As the 2023 Distinguished Gentleman's Ride approaches, we had the pleasure of catching up with Wellington Ride Host, Richard Jamieson. With a collection of over 52 bikes and a motorcycle-inspired café filled with memorabilia, Richard is an incredibly passionate and involved member of the DGR and Movember community.
However, Richard's love for motorcycles runs deeper than just a hobby. He lost a good friend in a motorbike accident when he was just a teenager, and tragically, six more of his friends and colleagues have died in similar accidents over the years.
When Richard kindly shared some of these tough stories with us, he had this to say; “It still hurts to talk about moments like this. The thoughts and feelings from these moments will stay with me forever. The passing of my mates gave me the personal motivation to make a real difference in the motorcycling community and to ensure these kinds of accidents don’t happen again.”
In his free time, Richard mentors for ‘WARS’, Wellington Area Road Skills, a group that meets regularly to discuss driving skills and observation techniques needed to safely navigate roads and highways.
“I’m keen to teach riders to be calmer and not get sucked into silly situations. It’s a matter of thinking with your head and not with your throttle. We’ve seen a great turnout of riders from the community come to our meetups. It serves as a place to learn but has the added value of creating a safe and inviting space for riders to form connections and have heartfelt conversations with fellow motorbike enthusiasts. This to me is invaluable”.
Richard has now been the Wellington ride host for the past couple of years, a huge responsibility with around 200 riders hitting the road all at once. As a ride host, he enjoys the opportunity to meet and talk with riders who may be experiencing problems in their lives, offering a listening ear and support where possible.
" The camaraderie in the motorcycle scene in Aotearoa is very special and DGR is always an event that the whole biking community really look forward to. "
Richard went on to express how “riding together is important for our friendships and connecting with our brothers and sisters.’’ We're very grateful for Richard’s contributions as a DGR ride host and commend him for his dedication to promoting safe riding practices and for being a true champion in his community. And if you happen to be riding in Wellington, keep an eye out for Richard - he's always happy to have a chat.
The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride takes place on Sunday 21st May 2023 - If you're interested in taking part or finding a ride near you where you can show your support, it's still not too late to SIGN UP HERE.