Ride for lives: Black Dog One Dayer set to head off from Bathurst

There were a couple of showers last year as riders set off on the first leg between Bathurst and Hill End, but the heavens opened when they hit Mudgee.

"I was told there was about two inches of rainfall - and our riders had to go home through that," event co-ordinator Rose Hancock said last year.

"This shows the dedication of the people who are involved in Black Dog Ride - that they will brave the elements to get the message out there."

More than 100 motorcycle riders are expected to take part in the 2020 one dayer from Bathurst this Sunday, assembling at the Bathurst Sportsground and then departing en masse for Forbes (via Cowra).

They will be part of the more than 7000 motorcycle enthusiasts from across Australia hitting the highways of the nation on the one day for Black Dog Ride's annual iconic suicide prevention ride.

Black Dog Ride Australia says eight Australians take their lives every day and an estimated 180 Australians attempt to do so.

The Black Dog Ride One Dayers are organised to unite people together under one banner with one voice on one single day to amplify a national message of depression awareness and suicide prevention, according to Black Dog Ride Australia.

The mascot for the ride is soft toy dog Winston - named after Great Britain's wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill, who famously diarised about his battles with the black dog of depression.

Ms Hancock, who will again co-ordinate the Bathurst ride, hopes the suicide prevention project will kickstart conversations about a tough topic and provide hope to communities, encouraging Australians living with depression to seek assistance.

Registrations and donations for the ride can be made by visiting the Black Dog Ride website, www.blackdogride.org.au

The forecast for this Sunday is a top of 20 degrees and a mostly sunny day after a possible shower or two on Saturday.