Style Rider focuses on the intersection of motorcycle culture and individual style. Here we speak to RRL collector Ryan La about the joy of motorcycling and his channelling of a 1970s-80s Hollywood vibe.
Name: Ryan La
Residence: Sydney, Australia
Occupation: Director, Sales & Strategy at Get Social Pr by La Media.
Instagram: @ryry.la
Today’s ride: 2021 Royal Enfield Classic 500. No customisation.
Describe your style: It varies depending on the weather and occasion. Mostly I would keep it simple and safe with a late 70s-80s Hollywood vibe. Turtlenecks, distressed/washed jeans, denim and leather jackets. If you’ve seen Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, it’s something like that. Sometimes, I will opt for WWII era look with military gear including cargo pants, suspenders, military shirts and a bomber jacket. Other days, it could be denim on denim with my suede tan boots like a cowboy. It all depends on my mood.
Favourite items: My Double RL leather bomber lined with shearling, Buzz Rickson’s US NAVY jacket lined with alpaca and my RM Williams Chelsea Suede boots.
Next purchase: The Royal Enfield Continental GT650. Also, another pair of RM Williams. I find that they are excellent riding boots looking good on and off the bike.
Style inspiration: Ralph Lauren, Steve McQueen and anything else I see in movies that looks cool.
Best local ride: I like riding through Sydney’s Eastern suburbs. Beautiful homes next to scenic ocean views, roads with a lot of twist and turns and ups and down. It’s fantastic.
Best distance ride: I am mostly a city rider, although recently I rode to Palm Beach. Beautiful rays of sun shining through the trees along a winding road. It felt like something out of a movie.
Tip for stylish motorcycling: Invest in a nice pair of boots and a quality leather jacket. These pieces are not only functional, but classic and timeless. And, stylish leather gloves. I’ve dropped my bike before and the gloves saved my hands.
Next motorcycle trip: Bowral in the Southern Highlands. No specific reason other than I just want to ride further.
Why do you like riding? It’s therapeutic and I get to relive some of those cool moments you see in Hollywood movies. Probably not safest to have music blasting in your ears whilst riding, but it adds to that experience. At times, depending on what I wear, the weather, the soundtrack I ‘m playing and location, I sometimes feel like I’m in a movie of my own making.
