The Latest CBE News…

Welcome back Robert! Delicious Indian food buffet!

A bitter sweet evening with the CBE gang, likely our last holiday hurrah at 104 Center Road. Our first, 14 years ago in December, 2008, was after we first opened. The Free Press reporter asked the question that pretty much defined the shop.

“Tell me again why you wanted to open a motorcycle shop in Vermont in the middle of winter after the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression?”

Nick and I pretty much blurted out the same answer at the same time. “Because we can.”

And we did. So there!

Our Dapper Crew in formal review…

Thanks to the following riders who rolled up for a formal portrait. These web-ready photos are formatted at 1024 px on the longest side, and at 72 dpi resolution. Anyone wishing to have a full-sized, hi-rez photo at 300 dpi, suitable for printing, may send a request to the photographer including the photo’s filename via email to: sjk@designwise.net. Tips for coffee are cheerfully accepted, but not required via Paypal at sales@designwise.net.

Classic Bike Experience (CBE) will host the 5th Annual Burlington, Vermont regional celebration of the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride (DGR) on Sunday, May 22.

After donning your most dapper duds, your day will begin at the shop in Essex Junction at 10:30 am with hot-off-the-grill breakfast sandwiches, and mingling with like-minded motorheads. Then, a 25-mile group ride embarks at noon after capturing a group photo. Finally, we’ll gather at Black Flannel, a local brew pub for a de facto bike show, awards, drinks, and live music.

DGR is a fun and unique fundraising event held each year in support of men’s health. This will be the 10th year DGR has taken place on a global level.

DGR requires all riders to be registered in advance. If you can’t make it, you can still donate to our Burlington regional ride as well.

Click HERE to see more videos of previous DGR events around the world. Pre-Covid, the Vermont event drew over 50 riders.

We are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible show up with a polished bike, and your fanciest duds for this event!

DGR Style Guide:

In keeping with the classic lines of vintage-inspired motorcycles, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride is a niche, charity event that focuses on classically designed motorcycles, and dapperly decked out folks riding their bikes through the heart of their cities. These bikes strictly include Café Racers, Bobbers, Classics, Trackers, Scramblers, Old School Choppers, Modern Classics, Sidecars, Classic Scooters, and Brat-Styled motorcycles to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health programs.

About DGR

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride unites classic and vintage style motorcycle riders all over the world to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer research and men’s mental health.

The DGR was founded in Sydney, Australia, by Mark Hawwa. It was inspired by a photo of TV show Mad Men’s Don Draper astride a 1960’s British Matchless and wearing his finest suit. Mark decided a themed ride would be a great way of connecting niche motorcycle enthusiasts and communities while raising funds to support men’s issues.

Launched in 2012, the ride is held the same day every year. Over that period 340,000 riders from 115 countries have raised over $31M.

Help Spread the Word with These Graphics:

As one of the top fundraising teams in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Light the Night campaign, the Wandering Woodburys Ride for LLS took place on Sunday, September 19, 2021 beginning at Classic Bike Experience (CBE).

Wandering Woodbury contributions so far have totaled more than $6,000. With stage two, Light the Night Walk taking place virtually in Burlington on Friday, September 24 at 7 PM, there’s one more chance to support the campaign.

“Join and contribute to our Walk Team,” says Jack Manning.

“We’re raising money to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us.”

The Sunday ride covered a beautiful 75-mile course followed by a cookout at CBE.

Click on any photo to enlarge…

The Wandering Woodburys Ride for LLS, a motorcycle and hot rod scenic tour takes place on Sunday, September 19, beginning at Classic Bike Experience (CBE), 104 Center Road in Essex.

All motorcycle or hot rod enthusiasts are welcome to join in the fun beginning at 1 PM with a rolling tour of northeastern Vermont followed by a cookout at CBE from 3 ’til 5 PM. It’s all about raising money to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and the fee to attend is by voluntary contribution. The ride is being held as a lead-in to the Light the Night Walk taking place virtually five days later on Friday, September 24.

Donate $100 or more to earn a free commemorative t-shirt or click to order one for $25 with $5 going to the LLS…

CBE is a business and a co-op focused on vintage British motorcycle restorations. Nick Woodbury and Jack Manning began it as a club that first met in Jack’s garage after he was widowed in 2005. Nothing filled the empty time and space better than a winterized garage with lots of bikes (mostly British), good tunes and good friends. The commercial side of the business grew with customers from all over New England and beyond who brought their bikes (mostly 1950 to 1979 era) for repairs and restorations. But in 2019, Nick was diagnosed with lymphoma and passed away in January 2020.

Nick also had a long history as a hot-rodder and was often heard to say, “If I had all the money back that I ever spent on cars and motorcycles, I’d spend it on cars and motorcycles.”

The club aspect became a guild, aka the Wandering Woodburys wherein members can work on their own bikes at whatever level of competency they have, from novice to a vintage race team. After Nick’s passing, the members wanted to stage a memorial ride but COVID put that idea on hold. With the LLS Light the Night event taking place, it seemed like the perfect way to remember Nick while raising money to help LLS to provide patient support services, advocate for lifesaving treatments, and pioneer the most promising cancer research anywhere. 

Jack Manning, CBE owner and organizer has set a goal of $10 thousand dollars and they are nearing the halfway mark. “Any donation will help us make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to a cause that means so much to us.”

All of the funds go directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.