Indian Motorcycle Partners with Veterans Charity Ride for 7th Annual Adventure Ride to Sturgis
Returning combat veterans to use “motorcycle therapy” to help rehabilitate
July 12, 2021
By Kali Kotoski
Indian Motorcycle is again sponsoring and supporting the Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis which focuses on using motorcycle therapy to support combat veterans’ transition to civilian life.
Indian and VCR have partnered with the initiative “America Get Out & Ride” and this marks the 7th Annual ride to Sturgis.
Each new veteran participating in the ride will be paired up with mentors who have already completed the motorcycle therapy program and will receive one-on-one support to help them transition back to civilian life. Many of the first-time veterans joining the ride are amputees, paraplegics or suffer from post-traumatic stress.
The 2021 ride will include 16 total veterans — eight new, along with eight returning veterans who will serve as mentors.
“Veterans Charity Ride was designed to assist combat veterans who face challenges in their daily living and provide them with a support structure that will get them back outside and living life to the fullest,” said Dave Frey, Veterans Charity Ride Founder, in a press release. “Many of our veterans used to ride motorcycles before their injuries and thought they never would ride again.”
This year’s ride to Sturgis will start in Moab, Utah, where the group will venture through some of the nation’s most scenic roads in the western United States. They will stop and visit Fort Collins, Colo., where the group will be receiving an official welcome by the Mayor before arriving at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Participants will be riding an assortment of Indian Motorcycle models, outfitted with Rekluse auto clutch systems and custom-built Champion Sidecars for amputee and paraplegic veterans.
“We’re honored to support our U.S. veterans and contribute to such noble cause like the Veteran’s Charity Ride,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President for Indian Motorcycle. “Riding can be one of the most therapeutic experiences, as we have seen first-hand the dramatic evolution and incredible growth from vets that have completed the VCR program.”
The Veterans Charity Ride to Sturgis was created by veteran Army Paratrooper Dave Frey and leverages the therapeutic effects of motorcycle riding to create the adventure of a lifetime for wounded and amputee combat veterans adjusting to post-war life.
To support the Veterans Charity Ride, donate, or to learn more visit IndianMotorcycle.com and VeteransCharityRide.org.
