BRM got the invite from Harley-Davidson to dress up in pink and attend the annual Pink Ribbon Ride, which raises money for the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
- Annual event to raise money for Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
- Nearly 200 riders rode through the streets of Auckland dressed in PINK!
- The event has raised over $150k for BCFNZ over 21 years
The forecast wasn’t looking flash, and as we approached the Bombay Hills from BRM’s home base of Hamilton, the rain was visible in the distance, forcing a last-minute decision to pull into the motorway service and chuck on our waterproof Scott gear. Now, Kerry and I were a fluorescent mix of yellow and pink, sitting astride a larger blue Harley-Davison as we cut our way through the Auckland traffic and headed for the assembly point of the ride. We must have looked a right sight!
Thankfully, the closer we got to the start of the ride at the Auckland Netball Courts, the more riders we came across who were also sporting pink, with some really going to town with their level of pinkness. Being our first Pink Ribbon Run, we suddenly felt a bit, well, under-pinked!
Top Organisation
The event is led by the Auckland H.O.G Chapter, so we joined the line of Harley-Davidsons at the front of the car park and went for a look around the assembled machines, all of which had varied amounts of pink adorning them. Riders had to pay to join the ride, and then there was the option to buy raffle tickets, with all donations going to Breast Cancer Foundation NZ. With a total of 195 bikes and around 250 people on the ride, the attendees bought 400 raffle tickets, ate 350 sausages, and drank over 100 coffees while raising over $12,000 for the charity. And with the event now in its 21st year, the Pink Ribbon Ride has contributed an impressive $150,350 to the BCFNZ.
With members of I.A.M (Institute of Advanced Motorcyclists) giving the ride briefing and helping with keeping the pack of pink machines together on the road, there was even a police escort and a green light strategy, which saw virtually all the traffic lights switched to green as the ride approached, something which not only helped stop the group splitting up but was also pretty cool. And the ride was spectacular to watch, with walkers, Sunday morning café customers and anyone else we passed looking on in astonishment and, more often than not, taking a video. It’s obviously not common to see a massive group of motorcyclists all wearing pink!
The ride worked its way down to Mission Bay and followed the waterfront into the central city before heading to the final destination of Eden Park, where the pink theme continued with a pink digital banner outside the legendary stadium welcoming the riders. With a few speakers entertaining the crowd while they chowed down on more sausages and coffee, it gave everyone time to catch up and feel proud about what they’d achieved.
Commenting on the 21st Annual Pink Ribbon Ride, Coordinator Julie Swift said: “What an amazing day! Seeing so many riders come together for this cause year after year is always special, but this year really stood out. The support was incredible, and it’s just a reminder of how much this community cares about making a difference. I’d like to thank the motorcycling community for always turning up and turning pink for a worthy cause every year”.
