By Hanne
A cruiser looking 'pretty in pink'
The term ‘tank bra’ took on a new meaning this morning when 385 bikes decorated with balloons and B-cups turned out for the WIMA pink ribbon ride. Ranging from 50cc scooters to 1300cc cruisers, the bikes snaked their way from St Johns along the waterfront and the CBD to finish up at Western Springs Stadium, much to the delight of the children and pyjama clad locals who lined the streets to wave their support to the riders. While a few bikes got more than they bargained for when waves mounted the sea wall and sprayed the riders, most remained relatively dry and the majority of the pink decorations remained intact.
This year’s raffle prize was a weekend on a Spyder and there was a big can am presence at the event. Several machines embraced their namesake and dressed up in cobwebs and they were not alone in the dress-up stakes, with bras and boas being the flavour of the day:
A Spyder embraces its namesake
Can Ams all in a row
An aerodynamic add-on...
Hair was not exempt from the sea of pink
Pink fluff was all the rage
For most riders, the event had personal significance. For Eric Welch, himself a cancer survivor, the ride provided the opportunity to raise awareness of a disease that affects so many New Zealand families and to show support for victims and survivors. The buzzing atmosphere and the goodwill shown by all made this ride the most memorable he had ever been on. Once again, several breast cancer survivors took the opportunity to ride pillion for the first time, an experience that led to gigantic smiles and the comment that ‘this might have just started a thing for me…’ We may be seeing a few more ladies in pink taking to two wheels over the next year.
Over $2000 was raised for the Sweet Louise charity, an organisation that provides support to women with secondary breast cancer. Wellingtonians will have a chance to
show their support for the cause on October 16 and the Pink Ribbon Ride will be back in Auckland next year on the second Sunday in October.
Gastrom Rider's footage of the ride can be found here.
