Harley-Davidson & Mike's Famous Partner with Wounded Warrior Project

 
New London, CT – To thank the people who have courageously defended our country and everyone’s personal freedom to ride, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company® of Milwaukee, WI and Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson of New London, CT are offering a free Harley-Davidson Riding Academy ® Beginners Rider Course for all current and former U.S. military personnel.  The initiative is called Operation Personal Freedom and to date 33 former and active military personnel have completed the training, and received the complimentary tuition.
 
The motorcycle beginner riding safety course (BRC), which is mandatory in the state of Connecticut in order to receive a motorcycle endorsement, includes four full days of classroom and hands-on riding instruction. The program manager at Mike’s Famous New London is Lieutenant Colonel Sebastian Puglisi, who has served for 34 years in the US Army National Guard, and is both a state of Connecticut and Harley-Davidson Riding Academy certified instructor. LTC Puglisi noted, “the ratio of instructors to students is just 1:6, and twelve classes have been held at Mike’s Famous since May. A recent class that concluded on July 30 included nine U.S. Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion #25 based in New Haven, CT.”
 
This occurred as Staff Sargent Andrew Cordero of the United States Marine Corps in New Haven wrote to Mike Schwartz, Dealer Principal of Mike’s Famous H-D of New London, after learning about the Operation Personal Freedom:  “I am the motorcycle safety officer for my unit and was wondering if there is any way I can get this valuable training for fifteen Marines in my unit that either currently own a motorcycle or are one day planning on purchasing one and have not taken the course. Is there is any way you can help us get our military personal properly trained to learn to ride a motorcycle?” Mike was thrilled to honor Staff Sargent Cordero’s request in the behalf of his soldiers from the Marines.
 
Master Sargent Amber Selko of the Army National Guard unit based in Middletown, CT had a very singular reason for taking the H-D Riding Academy New Rider Course.  Her father, who passed away in May, was an avid motorcyclist and Harley-Davidson fan.  For many years, he participated in a long distance motorcycle ride from Massachusetts to New Hampshire each fall with a group of close friends.  Amber wanted to join the group for the annual ride this coming September to scatter her father’s ashes in his most loved places, with his favorite people.  However, she did not have a motorcycle license. When Amber contacted Mike’s Famous to find out about taking the course so she can ride with the group, she fully expected to pay a $295 registration fee.  Amber said, “while scheduling the class, my current duty came up, and at that time one of Mike’s Famous employees told me that the course would be complimentary as a thank you for my service to our country. I almost couldn’t believe how fortunate I was. Being able to ride with my dad’s group is an incredible way of remembering him, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to honor his memory in this very special and personal way,”
 
Twenty-one year old U.S. Marine Sargent Amber Nelson, currently based in New Haven, explained that she grew up riding dirt bikes, but has always dreamed of learning to ride a motorcycle. “I absolutely loved the class, especially the hands-on part that was held out on the riding range at Mike’s Famous,” said Nelson.  “The instructors were all very knowledgeable and professional,” she added.  Amber fell in love with the Harley-Davidson Street 500 motorcycle that she rode during the class, and is readying to purchase just that bike, she explained. 
 
“The new Street 500 has proven to be a great bike for new riders to maneuver and can help build confidence“ said SGM Chadwick Decker, General Manager at Mike's Famous H-D, who served both as a U.S Marine and U.S Army soldier in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. “They are easy to ride, affordable, and look really cool,” added Decker.
Chris Droesch, who is the in house manager for the program at Mike’s Famous, reports that military personnel have seen the Harley-Davidson Operation Freedom ads on television and the internet, but that the main driver is word-of-mouth advertising. “Officers are signing up their staff in groups,” Droesch explained. “And, other military members are hearing about Mike’s Famous and this offer on their navy boats or through military clubs that are geared towards motorcycle riding,” he added.
Mike Schwartz said he was not surprised when this complimentary new riders program was offered to the military through Harley-Davidson. As a Harley-Davidson dealer for over 20 years, Mike has come to know the special relationship Harley-Davidson and its dealers share with their customers, specifically those who serve, or have served our nation. Mike noted that going back to WWII, Harley-Davidson stopped producing civilian motorcycles to deliver motorcycles to the military only, which had a measurable impact assisting the U.S. forces during ground attacks.
 
“My heroes, those who have or currently serve, are intertwined with the Harley-Davidson brand,” Schwartz explained. “Being located in New London, home of both the fabled U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, we are fortunate to serve those who have served us. We are grateful also to their families and loved ones. It is with great pleasure that we participate in this program sponsored by Harley-Davidson.
 
“This goes much further,” Schwartz further explained, regarding how important the military is to our local area and state as a whole. “Electric Boat, Sikorsky and other supplier partners to the military are the life blood of the State of Connecticut which is steeped in military history. Operation Personal Freedom allows us to say thanks to our customers who not only protect us, but to the military in general so critical to the state’s success and way of life here in CT”.
 
The course recognizes the connection between safety, the military and the Harley-Davidson brand. Sargent First Class Rafael Fonseca, a Norwalk Police officer and Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson Riding Academy certified instructor said, “As a veteran in the Army Reserves deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom III, and as a law enforcement officer, I firmly believe in safety, and enjoy teaching riders how to be successful on the roads. I can’t express how really great it is that I get to introduce my brothers and sisters who served in the military to the experience of riding motorcycles.” Fonseca continued, “It is almost surreal that Harley-Davidson and Mike’s Famous engage in a free program that allows new customers to begin their journey on the open road.”
Harley-Davidson and Mike’s Famous are committed to helping service men and women experience the feeling of the open road.  Last November, Harley-Davidson announced a new alliance with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) that focuses on improving the lives of service men and women who are living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
 
Mike Schwartz, owner of Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson, heavily invested in the city of New London by purchasing the former Coca-Cola® bottling plant on Bank Street in 2014. By soliciting suggestions from the community and its customers, he transformed the crumbling building into a customer led showroom and retail destination, which opened this past year.  This 55,000 square foot adaptive reuse project, the largest of it’s kind in New England, created 40 plus full and part-time jobs in a fun, unique, authentic environment which merges two iconic brands, Coca-Cola and Harley-Davidson. The new showroom not only features motorcycles, ATVs and watercraft, but also boasts an extensive selection of riding gear, accessories, clothing, and toys.
 
Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson is also the New London County collection and staging headquarters for Toys for Tots®, locally sponsored by the Thames River Detachment Marine Corps League.  Throughout the year, the community has been donating toys and the Marines have been collecting, sorting and staging the gifts inside of Mike’s Famous. The initiative will provide toys to children represented by dozens of charities and non-profit organizations during the 2015 holiday season.
 
To learn more about how to participate in the free H-D Riding Academy New Rider Course, contact Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson at (860) 574-9200 or visit www.mikesfamous.com ,  or to learn more about this program, visit Operation Personal Freedom, at www.h-d.com/military .