Harley Rolls Out Two Special Bikes To Honor Military

Rolling Tribute

Harley-Davidson and the military have long shared a strong bond, as many of the company's motorcycles have served alongside our brave service members. Many veterans have found riding to be a fantastic hobby as well and enjoy the camaraderie that the Harley community offers in spades. Thus, it makes perfect sense that H-D would roll out a pair of new special models that aim to pay tribute to our nation's heroes, too.

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Special Paint

As part of the new Enthusiast Collection, these G.I. Enthusiast Collection bikes consist of the Pan America 1250 Special G.I. (Enthusiast Collection) and the Tri Glide Ultra G.I. (Enthusiast Collection). Available in limited quantities, each bike is finished in Mineral Green Denim Deluxe paint, an all-new color created specifically for this collection, and completed with service-inspired graphics.

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Paying Tribute

"The new Mineral Green Denim Deluxe paint pays homage to the Olive Drab paint used on Harley-Davidson WLA models," said Brad Richards, Harley-Davidson Vice President of Design. "This color features a metallic effect resulting in a subtle gold highlight, allowing the color travel to be more dramatic and show off the shape of the surfacing. The tank graphic celebrates the iconic white five-point star, which was used during WWII on military vehicles. The tank graphic also features a stenciled ‘H-D’ and a location of Milwaukee, Wisconsin abbreviated, inspired from the spec tags found on government-issued military equipment. The stenciled approach is a treatment often found on military vehicles as lettering was frequently done in the field. Here we're calling out the birthplace of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company and the original WLA model."

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Distinguishing Features

Aside from its unique Mineral Green Denim Deluxe paint, the Pan America 1250 Special G.I. Enthusiast Collection features the Enthusiast Collection logo on the front of its fairing and a white star with an H-D graphic on both sides of the fuel tank, though its mechanical features are otherwise identical to the Pan America 1250 Special.

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Three-Wheeler

The Tri-Glide Ultra G.I. Enthusiast Collection comes with the same paint and special graphics, as well as an Enthusiast Collection and Harley-Davidson logo on the rear of its Tour Pak luggage carrier, a white star with an H-D graphic on tank sides, and a white star on the trunk door. It is also mechanically identical to the Tri-Glide Ultra. 

Photos: Harley-Davidson

Honoring the Legacy

"The Enthusiast Collection motorcycles are inspired by Harley-Davidson riders and their unique stories," said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President, and CEO of Harley-Davidson. "Harley-Davidson is proud to launch this program with the G.I. Enthusiast Collection, which honors the legacy of Harley-Davidson riders who have served or actively serve in the U.S. Armed Forces."

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Commemorating the Launch

To commemorate the launch of these two special bikes, two U.S. veterans - Gary Wetzel, and Brian "Amarok" Critton - will be awarded G.I. Enthusiast Collection models. Wetzel is a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic actions in the Vietnam War after his U.S. Army helicopter was shot down and came under heavy enemy fire. Severely wounded, he continued to fight back and help other injured soldiers. He is an avid Harley-Davidson rider and veteran issues activist. Critton served for a decade in the U.S. Army, including a tour of duty in Iraq, and now is active with veterans service organizations like the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). 

Photos: Harley-Davidson

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