The annual Open House kicked off at Harley-Davidson in York County Thursday to big crowds. This is the 110th year for the iconic brand, and the 40th anniversary for the York County factory.
Marc Duell owns the first Harley to ever come off the assembly line at the York Plant. Only two years ago did he realize just how much it was truly worth. “You go up in the attic one day and one of those old paintings turns out to be a Rembrandt that you just were not looking for. We were not expecting that,” said Duell.
Besides music, food and entertainment you can browse merchandise from five local Harley dealers.
Another major component of the open house is the factory tours. Saturday is the only day out of the year that children under 12 can tour the factory.
“For a lot of people who own Harley-Davidson, being able to see where their bike was made is really important to them, and is really meaningful,” said Bernadette Lauer with Harley-Davidson York Vehicle Operations.
So far this year, one the most popular attraction is the demo rides. People are waiting several hours to take a ride on the newest line, Rushmore.
“We listened to our riders, and we allowed their input to making this new bike,” said Lauer.
“I read a lot about the new bikes, Harley has made a lot of changes this year and after having ridden one I can tell you it’s pretty dramatic,” said Kevin Brown who came to the open house from Wayne Pennsylvania.
You have to hold a valid motorcycle license for the demo rides. Harley open house runs 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.