The DGR is not about riding, except to get to the event. It's a social and charity thing, plus party, to raise money for the Movember Foundation for mens health and research into prostate cancer. I thought I'd go along to the 2nd Chiang Rai DGR on 29th September 2019 and see what it's all about. I believe half the money raised was to be donated to Chiang Rai Hospital.
It was also an opportunity to test the recently restored '52 BSA M33, with an 80 mile ride.
Khun Jeap in the grey jacket, is the owner of the Triumph Chiang Rai showroom. The Triumph guys there; Khun Jeap, Khun Gulf and Khun Dom are all lovely people kind people, who bought a birthcake for my old Thunderbird's 60th birthday, last year. They always have a large stock of bikes & accessories in the immaculate showroom and are happy to have a chat any time.
As riders arrived, we all had a photo taken against the DGR backdrop.
More photos of all the bikes and riders are on the Triumph Facebook page.
Then all the bikes parked first on the bike park at the back of the showroom. There were 150 riders registered to go on the DGR this year.
At 15:30, with police escort through red traffic lights etc, we rode out of Chiang Rai to Singha Park.
There was a superb showing of wonderful machines. Most of the bikes were Triumphs, but most other marques were there, too.
It was a good opportunity for the selfie crowd and there was lots of drone videoing, too.
There were riders and clubs from Phayao, Lampang and many other places.
After a couple of stops for photos in Singha Park, we all rode back to the Triumph showroom. All the new bikes had been moved out and the party was inside. We all got T shirts and other giveaways plus free buffet. Another of the sponsors was Singha beer and it was free all night.
A beautiful new leather lined Hedon helmet was auctioned off and it went for a cool 35k Baht!.
The party rocked on with an excellent live band, till about 10:00 pm.
There were no fixed rules about dressing up in suits and braces etc. although the majority of riders did.
As I have never owned a suit in my life, I dressed up wearing my No.1, 40 year old Ogri T shirt and similarly aged Lewis leather with white silk scarf...... each to his own......
I stayed the night in the city and next day, enjoyed a cool early morning ride through the mist, back north up the new highway, thumping along on the old Distinguished Beeza....
It was also an opportunity to test the recently restored '52 BSA M33, with an 80 mile ride.
Khun Jeap in the grey jacket, is the owner of the Triumph Chiang Rai showroom. The Triumph guys there; Khun Jeap, Khun Gulf and Khun Dom are all lovely people kind people, who bought a birthcake for my old Thunderbird's 60th birthday, last year. They always have a large stock of bikes & accessories in the immaculate showroom and are happy to have a chat any time.
As riders arrived, we all had a photo taken against the DGR backdrop.
More photos of all the bikes and riders are on the Triumph Facebook page.
Then all the bikes parked first on the bike park at the back of the showroom. There were 150 riders registered to go on the DGR this year.
At 15:30, with police escort through red traffic lights etc, we rode out of Chiang Rai to Singha Park.
There was a superb showing of wonderful machines. Most of the bikes were Triumphs, but most other marques were there, too.
It was a good opportunity for the selfie crowd and there was lots of drone videoing, too.
There were riders and clubs from Phayao, Lampang and many other places.
After a couple of stops for photos in Singha Park, we all rode back to the Triumph showroom. All the new bikes had been moved out and the party was inside. We all got T shirts and other giveaways plus free buffet. Another of the sponsors was Singha beer and it was free all night.
A beautiful new leather lined Hedon helmet was auctioned off and it went for a cool 35k Baht!.
The party rocked on with an excellent live band, till about 10:00 pm.
There were no fixed rules about dressing up in suits and braces etc. although the majority of riders did.
As I have never owned a suit in my life, I dressed up wearing my No.1, 40 year old Ogri T shirt and similarly aged Lewis leather with white silk scarf...... each to his own......
I stayed the night in the city and next day, enjoyed a cool early morning ride through the mist, back north up the new highway, thumping along on the old Distinguished Beeza....
