HARLEY OF THE HOLY
Pope Francis sells his Harley-Davidson

Former janitor, nightclub bouncer, chemical technician and literature teacher—now add to that, former Harley-Davidson owner. Pope Francis, named after the famous Saint Francis of Assisi, has been raising eyebrows with the church’s emphasis as humble servant and comforter to people who are hurting. Today, he sold his Harley-Davidson Super Glide Custom to raise funds for a soup kitchen and a homeless hostel. The custom 2013 Dyna Super Glide that was a gift from Willie Davidson, a retired Harley-Davidson designer and grandson of the company's co-founder. Bonhams auction house was hoping that the Pope’s Harley would bring between 12,000 and 15,000 euros ($16,000-$20,000), according to Ben Walker, head of collector motorcycles at the auction hourse. The Grand Palais auction ended up bringing 241,500 euros (£201,000/$328,000) from a European buyer. James Knight, Group Motoring Director of the Bonhams motoring department, said, “The Bonhams Paris sale goes from strength to strength and this year’s total was our highest yet. 2014 looks like being every bit as successful as our record-breaking 2013 season and follows on the from the hugely successful Scottsdale USA auction.” Money from the sale will be donated to the Rome-based charity Caritas Roma, which runs a soup kitchen and a hostel for the homeless in the eternal city. For more information about the auction, click here

SPECIFICATIONS Name of vehicle: 2013 Harley-Davidson Super Glide Custom Sold for: €241,500 (US $325,904) EPA fuel economy rating: 39.2 city/39.2 highway miles per gallon Engine: 1,585cc air-cooled, rubber-mounted Twin Cam 96™ V-Twin engine with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) Transmission: 6-Speed Cruise Drive® transmission Torque @ RPM: 86 pound-feet @ 3500 rpm Dimensions Length 92.9 inches Overall Width 38.9 inches Overall Height 48.5 inches Weight: 628 pounds