Thousands of Harley-Davidsons in Prague for 115th anniversary bash

Tens of thousands of “hogs” roared into Prague yesterday as Harley-Davidson enthusiasts from around the world converged on the Czech capital to honour the storied motorcycle maker’s 115th anniversary.Prague, home to a 90-year-old Harley-Davidson club, the oldest in the world, is hosting the biggest anniversary bash for the motorcycles outside of their US home of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where a similar party starts at the end of August.More than 60,000 bikers and about 40,000 other visitors from over 70 countries convened in Prague, in the heart of central Europe, event organisers estimated.Some 4,000 bikers chosen in a lottery and clad in leather, denim and helmets paraded through the city centre yesterday, revving motors and honking horns.The event attracted bikers from all over, like Piotr Sobczik of Poland, to share their love of the motorcycles.“It is freedom, it is a lifestyle. It is a way of spending our free time – a passion,” he said.Riders from as far as the United States and China came for the four-day gathering which features biker games, music and Czech beer.“This (Harley-Davidson) brand is so strong for so many people across the entire globe,” said Karen Davidson, a great-granddaughter of one of the founders.Europe has become important for Harley-Davidson, already the dominant player in the heavyweight US motorcycle market.In 2017, Harley-Davidson sold nearly 40,000 new motorcycles in Europe, more than 16% of sales.Revenue from European Union countries was second only to the United States.