Many of you may be aware that after the tragedy on 9/11, Harley-Davidson pledged a donation of motorcycles to the police agencies in the NY area. Since transportation and trucking in that area was restricted after the towers fell, the most efficient way to get the first dozen bikes to New York was to ride them there. It didn’t take long to prep those first bikes (from H-D’s police training fleet) and find employees from all of the H-D facilities to volunteer to ride them, nor was it hard to round up Milwaukee Police Department (and nearby jurisdictions) motor officers to help with the trip.

Often missed in this story was the fact that H-D had also committed $1,000,000 to the American Red Cross to help them provide assistance to those impacted by the attack.

I was fortunate to work in Communications for H-D at the time and rode one of the police bikes from Milwaukee to New York with an unusual assignment. Make certain that Harley-Davidson DIDN’T get media coverage for the donations or the ride. The Motor Company did not want to be seen as commercializing the tragedy.

Today, September 21, 2026 is the 25-year anniversary of the departure of the ride from Juneau Avenue. That morning 25 years ago, employees gathered at the Juneau Avenue loading dock to see the group off. It was a proud few minutes, as everyone, riders and spectators, realized that they were part of something that had, and would continue to, change our lives.

I’ll never forget the minutes when engines started and the first police escorts were preparing to roll out, when H-D CEO Jeff Bluestein rushed up to me and said, “You’ll need this!” I knew what it was…the check for a million dollars for the Red Cross. I struggled with my gloved hands to unzip my jacket so I could put the envelope in my inside pocket. After tucking it inside, Jeff assisted with getting me zipped up as I dropped the bike in gear and pulled out with the ride.

The ride, and carrying the check, has lots of stories to go with it, but let me cut to the conclusion. Three days later, at Lombardi Harley-Davidson in Staten Island, the police escorts and H-D employees gathered in a circle in the street outside the dealership with representatives of the three police agencies who were to receive the bikes. One at a time, each employee rider had an opportunity to present the key to the bike they rode to the officer from the agency who would receive it. There were words shared, but there were far more tears shed. It took Herculean effort for the Red Cross to free someone up to go to Staten Island to receive the donation, but it worked out that the check, which every rider carried for at least one segment, was delivered to the Red Cross.

It’s hard to believe that 25 years have passed, when so many of these memories are clear as the day they happened. I’ve taken many motorcycle rides, but this one was the one that I’ll remember forever.