The idea started as a joke after he and his wife travelled to Christchurch last year for Syd\u2019s Run, an annual motorcycle event that attracted about 660 riders.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we got back, I joked, \u2018Oh, you know, I\u2019ll ride down. It\u2019ll be funny going down on a small little bike, riding all the way there and back.\u201d<\/p>\n
He decided to turn the challenge into a fundraiser for Movember, which supports men\u2019s mental health and suicide prevention, as well as prostate and testicular cancer research.<\/p>\n
For Quinn, the cause was personal after he lost a friend to suicide at school, a death he said came completely out of the blue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no sign of a struggle.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the time we actually got round there, he was already gone.\u201d <\/p>\n
He said the experience had stayed with them and reinforced the importance of checking in on friends even when they appeared to be doing well. <\/p>\n
He struggled with his own mental health last year, and he said it caused him to close himself off and not talk to many people.<\/p>\n
Every dollar raised from Paul Quinn’s ride will go directly to Movember. Photo \/ Kelly O’Hara<\/p>\n
Asked what he would say to men struggling but hesitant to seek help, he said taking the first step was not always easy. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs much as it\u2019s easy to say, \u2018You know, just do it, reach out\u2019, it\u2019s not that easy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Instead, he wants people to check in on the men around them. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s more about the people around other guys who might be noticing a struggle or anything like that; reach out to them. See if your mate\u2019s not doing okay and have a chat with them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so much harder to say, \u2018Hey, look, I need help.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Quinn hopes the ride will help start those conversations.<\/p>\n
He said the motorcycle had taken about eight months to build and was sitting in pieces in storage when he decided to take on the challenge. <\/p>\n
He has since taken it on short rides around the Bay of Plenty, including trips to Pukehina and Te Puke. <\/p>\n
Quinn has been riding motorcycles for about seven years but has always preferred smaller bikes. <\/p>\n
Paul Quinn with the 1978 Honda Gorilla he’ll ride from Tauranga to Christchurch and back for Movember. Photo \/ Kelly O’Hara<\/p>\n
He hopes to cover about 300km a day. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll do 50 on the flat and a lot slower uphill.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rain was unlikely to stop him, with wet-weather gear packed for the trip. <\/p>\n
While some people have questioned the idea, Quinn said most had come around once they heard the reason behind it.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone sort of seems to think I\u2019m mad for doing it. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut they love the whole reasoning and why \u2026 when I get to have a chat with people and tell them why I\u2019m doing it, it sort of becomes a bit like, \u2018OK, yeah, you can see the whole vision.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n
He has already received support from Bluebridge Ferries and KiwiPlates, which has supplied a Movember-themed number plate. His mother-in-law, Janet, will cover his fuel costs.<\/p>\n
Quinn hopes to raise $5000 for Movember, with every dollar donated going directly to the charity.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I can raise just $2 every [kilometre], it would mean the absolute world to me.\u201d <\/p>\n
People can meet Quinn and see the Honda at a fundraising barbecue at Bunnings Tauranga on November 7. <\/p>\n
All money raised from the sausage sizzle will go directly to Movember. <\/p>\n