Harley-Davidson dealer to give away free motorcycles to those in need

PREPARE for your heart to be thoroughly warmed. One Harley-Davidson dealership in Barre, Vermont, is giving away a free Harley-Davidson per every 50 sold - and each one will go to someone in need (who goes through the dealership application).

The Wilkins dealership will expect to sell around 300 motorcycles per year, so they’ll be putting aside 6 motorcycles throughout the year for those that apply to their Freedom For All Project. 

Watch: 2021 Harley-Davidson Street Bob 114

We can all agree that riding a bike is one of life's gifts, and a ride can be just what the doctor ordered, but it's often not quite as accessible as we'd all like it to be. Customer experience manager Mark Frano spoke to Vermont newspaper ‘Seven Days’ to explain this brilliant project to get people on two wheels.

It was set up to simply help those who want a slice of the freedom that a motorcycle can provide, but don’t quite have the money behind them to get one - they're taking applications from those who live in the area of Vermont, northern New York and New Hampshire, welcoming applications from those who can “describe why they feel like they’re a candidate for the program”. He said:

"Motorcycles provide a kind of release and a way to get away from our troubles and anxieties. There's a fair amount of people who could probably use that release but don't have the means to get on a $20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle."

"It's definitely resonated with folks who just can't make this happen on their own."

"This is a really personal thing for us, because it's what we do; it's what we love.

Hopefully it does what we're hoping for, which is to give people a chance to get away from it all."

Harley-Davidson - Freedom For All Project

New riders who have no experience on two wheels will be put through the in-house dealership riding academy before being put forward for their full licence. 

If it all sounds a bit philanthropic, that’s because it’s a theme that comes from the core for this dealership. Ever since first opening their doors in 1947, founder Harry Wilkins (who he ran the business out of his garage) would provide free sandwiches to those who showed up. Lovely!

That tradition has continued, although at a smaller scale, and they still hold a ‘Bologna Saturday’ every year. So you could say it’s not entirely unfamiliar for this dealership to help people in the area find the joy of two wheels, and I’m sure they do plenty more than this, too.

Brilliant stuff, and a great gesture for the community - check out Wilkins Harley-Davidson.