As a gift of thanks, Harley-Davidson will expand its free Riding Academy motorcycle training offer as a gift of thanks to first responders, including firefighters, law enforcement officers, and EMS professionals* from January 1 to December 31, 2016.
The announcement comes on the heels of the year-long extension of “Operation Personal Freedom: Ride Free,” free Riding Academy motorcycle training to all current and former U.S. military, expanding the benefits of learning to ride to those who serve and protect at home, in addition to those who defend our freedoms around the world.
“Since 1908, when the first police department ordered its first Harley-Davidson motorcycle, we have supported First Responders,” said Bill Davidson, great-grandson of one of the company‘s founders, and vice president of the Harley-Davidson Museum. “Today, we’re providing first responders the opportunity to personally experience the open road– the freedom, the escape, the smells, the sounds –that can only be enjoyed from behind the handlebars of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”
To unveil the “First Responders Ride Free” offer, Harley-Davidson employees across the country volunteered at local firehouses and police stations in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Kansas City, Missouri; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; San Diego, California; Wichita, Kansas; and York, Pennsylvania. At the events, employees washed police motorcycles and fire trucks and served lunch to first responders.
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“Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMS professionals selflessly give to the communities where they live and work,” Davidson added. “This is one small way we can say ‘Thank you.'”
First responders can learn more about the offer by visiting a Harley-Davidson dealer or going to http://www.h-d.com/AmericanHeroes. If Riding Academy is not available in a particular area, Harley-Davidson will offer a Harley-Davidson Gift Card for the amount of the enrollment fee for a qualified third-party motorcycle riding course.
About Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson® motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s website at www.h-d.com.