<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Courtesy of NBC World News at:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/13/22293440-highway-to-heaven-pope-auctioning-his-harley-davidson-chopper-for-charity">http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/13/22293440-highway-to-heaven-pope-auctioning-his-harley-davidson-chopper-for-charity</a></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">----------------------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); color: rgb(53, 77, 125); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 40px; letter-spacing: -0.05em; line-height: 1em;">Highway to heaven: Pope auctioning his Harley Davidson chopper for charity</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="cid:11D9174C-01FF-4948-92DC-53A5A6DC04EF" alt="140113-pope-motorcycle-hmed-526p.photoblog600.jpg" id="11D9174C-01FF-4948-92DC-53A5A6DC04EF" width="600" height="399"></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pope Francis has quickly gained a reputation as the "cool" pontiff, but who knew he had a Harley?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The pope plans to sell off his 1,585cc Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide, embellished with a signature on the tank that reads "Francesco," Bonhams auction house announced Monday.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The bike was originally gifted to Pope Francis by the company last June in celebration of the 110<span style="vertical-align: baseline; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px;">th</span>anniversary of the motorcycle brand. The pope is known for refusing to ride bullet proof Popemobiles so that he can interact with the faithful and turning to more low-key modes of transportation.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But it's unclear if Pope Francis ever took the bike for a spin.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"I suspect that it will (have) a very limited mileage," said Ben Walker, head of motorcycles at Bonhams told Reuters.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The money raised will go toward Catholic charity Caritas Roma’s renovations of a hostel and soup kitchen in Rome.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"We hope to be able to do both Pope Francis and Harley-Davidson proud by raising a significant amount of money for a very worthy cause," Walker said.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Bonhams estimated the holy hog could fetch between 12,000 and 15,000 euros, or about $16,000 to $20,000.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After the Harley is auctioned at the Grand Palais in Paris on Feb. 6, a Harley Davidson leather jacket also signed by the pope will be sold separately, according to Reuters. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0.8em 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img src="cid:728DADFC-DF63-47F0-B3AF-447E45EA7558" alt="Pope-Francis-Harley-Davidson-570x355.jpg" id="728DADFC-DF63-47F0-B3AF-447E45EA7558" width="570" height="355"></p></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">----------------------------------<br><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"There's room at the top they are telling you still.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But first you must learn to smile as you kill,</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- John Lennon</span></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>