Well pop pickers, DGR 2023 is just a couple of months away on Sunday 21st May.
This will be my 6th year but I am torn 
Some of you might recall that the Solent ride I usually participate in was an absolute disaster last year and I am tempted to try the Dorset or West Sussex riders instead.
What are you all doing for DGR this year?
Cheers
Geoff
Time was the Solent ride would have been my closest but these days it’s more likely to be Manchester, Leeds or maybe even Matlock Bath.
Anyone else planning to get involved this year? We could make it a ‘thing’. You know. A ‘thing’.
What happened with the Solent ride?
I did that one twice when I lived in Winchester ((handy as it set off from Winchester one year)
I did the Poole one three times and it was always good fun - finished at Sammy Millers musuem one year.
I will be signing up for the York one again this year, starting from and organised by Triumph A1 Moto dealers.
I would just say it was just a series of unfortunate events! I actually felt sorry for the guy coordinating because it was one cockup after another at each stop off point. I also did previous years starting at Winchester and they were great.
Solent 2022 started at the Harley Davidson dealer near Southampton docks and they couldn’t handle the volume of people wanting coffee. Then someone had taken down the signs so anyone not with the pack got lost. 
We stopped at a pub in Otterbourne but they weren’t ready for us. 
Then our stop at Destination Triumph got cancelled and our last stop was Bursledon Brickworks and they ran out of food and weren’t ready for us. 
Most of us left early because it was an embarrassing mess. Shame really but you can see why I will probably try another location this year. 
I’ve been on the Sussex ride a few times now Geoff, not sure if I’ll do it this year yet. But I’ve found that it has always run perfectly.
We started at a new place last year, a pub, which was well prepared for us all, after being banned from starting at Shoreham airport because someone “accidentally” hung their jacket over the carpark camera’s … which was caught on the cctv 
Plenty of regrouping stops and the final destination is all set up and ready with a band playing and burger stalls etc.
Yeah that’s not so good.
Generally the ones I’ve been on have been ok, although as the numbers increased each year catering becomes harder.
One ride from Poole ended at a pub in Bournemouth where there was limited parking for about 20 bikes - there were 300 on the ride so most people just went home.
I did the Salisbury run in 2019, which was very well organised and took in a decent route. Might be worth having a look at that one.
Llanelli ride was a farce, coppers buggered that up, i just went straight home after.
I don’t think my wardrobe will stretch to the DGR. Never felt a strong urge to ride around looking like LJK Setright…
lol, fancy dress is optional 
There’s a name from the past! 
Don’t know what you’re all pappin on about, every time I go out on my bike it’s a distinguished gentleman’s ride.
@geoffb Couldnt help but notice you and your partner went as Chess pieces, You with your Rook hat and her as the King very good too. 
That’s funny, I just saw Winchester landmarks in the photo but now they take on a whole new meaning
Just giving this topic a nudge.
Is anyone else doing DGR this year or perhaps the event is losing it’s appeal for some? 
Yes, I’ll be doing the one in York
Not sure yet. I looked at the website and it seems to suggest you’re supposed to ride a ‘classic’, non-sports bike. Dressing up is also expected, which I’m fine with. I wasn’t particularly encouraged by the tone. Probably just me being a bit literal but still…
I know what you mean, several of my biker mates don’t come along for the same reasons. However, the reality seems to be that nobody bats an eyelid when modern bikes turn up with riders clad in standard bike gear. 
Yeah, that’s what I figured. I think joining in if you can with the dress code is a fair ask. Acquiring the ‘right’ sort of bike would be a bit more tricky for most who don’t already have one.
Never had any appeal for me Geoff, TBH 
It’s not for everyone as a lot of folk don’t like group rides to begin with. My first one was in 2014 on my T100, 5 months after passing my test so not sure how I would get on.
I actually loved it and have enjoyed them ever since (some more than others). Dressing up is part of the fun whether its minimal for some or full on for others. It’s a great way to see classic bikes and some decent custom builds and chat with their owners.
Ok, its dominated by modern classics, usually Triumphs to be fair, but you do get a lot of genuine old school bikes and the odd rare one. I’ve always been lucky enough to have a suitable bike, having owned two bonnevilles, and an Enfield. Felt slightly guilty using my Trident 900 when the Enfield wouldn’t start one year and pushed it last year by using the Yamaha but back on form with the Guzzi this year.
I personally don’t mind if people turn up on sports bikes providing they make some attempt to follow the dress code otherwise the whole thing is pointless. To be honest, if it ends up being dominated by GS riders in twat suits I won’t bother!
