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Wilkins is a Harley dealer in Barre, Vermont, USA. Because fewer and fewer people can afford a motorcycle due to the pandemic and the resulting economic situation, he now gives away a Harley at regular intervals.
To be precise, for every 50 Harleys sold, one is given away. The free motorcycles go to those in need who can’t afford a Harley. To get the option of one of the free Harleys, one must apply to the “Freedom For All” project and live in the Vermont, northern New York and New Hampshire area. The dealership will pick the “neediest” among the applicants.
Says Mark Frano, Harley-Davidson customer experience manager at Wilkins, “Motorcycles are a kind of liberation and a way to get away from our worries and fears. There are a whole lot of people who could probably use that release but don’t have the means to get on a $20,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
This is a really personal thing for us because it’s what we do; it’s what we love. Hopefully it accomplishes what we hope it will, which is to give people a chance to get away from it all.”
Wilkins was founded in 1947 by Harry Wilkins, and charity has been an important part of the company from the beginning. In the early days, free sandwiches were distributed to customers.
On average, Wilkins sells around 300 motorcycles a year. If the number remains the same in 2021, six motorcycles would be given away.
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