There’s nothing quite like a classic bike for the freedom of the open road.

Raising money for a worthwhile cause is, however, the next best thing — especially if you’re a distinguished gentleman (or woman) with a dapper dress sense.

Just such a singular figure, Peter Rodgers wants to hit the big 100 entrants for this weekend’s Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride to raise money for men’s health.

After two coronavirus-hit years, he’s looking to a record turnout for this Sunday’s ride along the Colour City’s main street, part of an international fund-raising event.

“We’re basically riding up and down the main street dressed in a dapper style, tweeds and the like, on antique motorcycles… I ride a 1960s Triumph,” Peter, this year’s “Host”  explained.

“It’s a worldwide event set down for Sunday, May 22 at 900 cities across the world, and it actually originated in Sydney.”

The event is, he said, based around the undoubted romantic appeal and aesthetic charm of antique and vintage motorcycles, and they can be any kind you like!

“It was a concept borne out of the realisation that there was a whole community of people out there who enjoyed old-style bikes.

“We’ve got 37 riders currently registered with a broad mix of bikes — Royal Enfield’s, Honda CB 175s, Triumphs, Harley Davidson’s. They can be modern bikes also, we don’t turn anyone away,” Peter emphasised.

The event is designed not only to admire the undoubted charm of antique motors and their debonaire owners, but also increasing the recognition of, and raising money for, issues to do with men’s health.

“It’s the beauty and the style of the older bikes, and also the enjoyment of working on them and you do get to meet a lot of like-minded people.

“The parades are also essentially to raise awareness of men’s health issues — prostate cancer, mental health, and suicide prevention — our charity partner is the Movember group.”

A side benefit of the event is that it shows bike riders, often viewed as being akin to bikie gangs, in a positive light with the event now in its seventh year locally.

“That’s the one thing, is that it’s good for the reputation for motorcyclists as a whole, which is important.

“It’s been going since 2015 in Orange with our peak here in 2019 of 67 riders, we’re now rebuilding with 37 registered this year already,” Peter said.

Any dapper gents or ladies and their companions interested in signing up, it’s not too late, just go to the website at: www.gentlemansride.com/rides/australia/orange

 “To be a participant, it’s as simple as registering online, once you’ve registered, a page is set up for if you want to do any fund-raising… you get a URL link to that page with Facebook also… it’s very social media driven,” he added.

The event has raised more than $40,000 since its inception locally with $2500 already in the bank for this year.

With the solo-only event in 2020 and a smaller-than-average showing in 2021, Peter would like this to be a record year.

“It wasn’t done as a ‘bunch ride’ in 2020, just solo riders. We had 25 last year and that was our first bunch ride since 2019,” Peter explained.

Internationally, more than $40 million has been raised since 2012 with nearly 52,000 riders registered worldwide to support this year’s ride.

“I’d love to get 100 bikes involved, that’s what I’m aiming for, but we’ll see what we get at the end of the day,” Peter concluded.