Enthusiast Collection
Described as being "inspired by stories and experiences within the Harley-Davidson community," the 2022 G.I. Enthusiast Collection Celebrates Service of U.S. Armed Forces Members
An ongoing series of Harley motorcycles featuring special-edition paint created to celebrate the unique backgrounds and special interests of their riders, each Enthusiast Collection design will be launched annually "and available in limited quantities across a curated selection of motorcycle models."
Harley Chairman, President and CEO Jochen Zeitz is quoted as saying that "Harley-Davidson is proud to launch this program with the G.I. Enthusiast Collection, which honors the legacy of Harley-Davidson riders who have served or actively serve in the U.S. Armed Forces."
To commemorate the launch, two U.S. veterans, Gary Wetzel, and Brian "Amarok" Critton, will be awarded G.I. Enthusiast Collection models. Wetzel is a Medal of Honor recipient for his heroic actions in the Vietnam War after his U.S. Army helicopter was shot down and came under heavy enemy fire. Severely wounded, he continued to fight back and help other injured soldiers. He is an avid Harley-Davidson rider and veteran issues activist.
Critton served for a decade in the U.S. Army, including a tour of duty in Iraq, and now is active with veteran's service organizations like Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). In March, he was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle to a Muay Thai meeting in Jacksonville, designed to help combat veterans deal with PTSD, when he saw smoke billowing from a vehicle involved in a three-vehicle accident that happened moments earlier. While others watched his instincts turned into action as he pulled a woman from the burning car.
"These two Harley-Davidson riders exemplify the spirit of Harley-Davidson Enthusiasts."
2022 Enthusiast Collection Features
The G.I. Enthusiast Collection is draped in Mineral Green Denim Deluxe paint, an all-new color created specifically for this collection, and completed with service-inspired graphics. The G.I. Enthusiast Collection is available only as factory-installed for the Pan America 1250 Special and Tri Glide Ultra models, in limited quantities primarily for the U.S. market.
"The new Mineral Green Denim Deluxe paint pays homage to the Olive Drab paint used on Harley-Davidson WLA models," said Brad Richards, Vice President of Design. "This color features a metallic effect resulting in a subtle gold highlight, allowing the color travel to be more dramatic and show off the shape of the surfacing.
"The tank graphic celebrates the iconic WWII military vehicle white five-point star, a stenciled 'H-D' and a location of Milwaukee, Wisconsin abbreviated, inspired from the spec tags found on government-issued military equipment.
"The stenciled approach is a treatment often found on military vehicles as lettering was frequently done in the field. Here we're calling out the birthplace of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company and the original WLA model."
Pan America 1250 Special G.I. (Enthusiast Collection)
"A rugged, powerful, technologically advanced motorcycle powered by the liquid-cooled V-twin Revolution Max 1250 engine, the Pan America model is designed from the ground up to inspire rider confidence and fuel the spirit of adventure on and off-road.
"Since its launch in February 2021, the Pan America 1250 Special model is the #1 selling adventure touring motorcycle in North America and was named Best Adventure Bike and Motorcycle of the Year by Motorcycle.com."