This year, as the nation marks the 2 5th anniversary of 9 / 11, America’ s 9 / 11 Ride is preparing for one of its biggest events yet. Organizers expect roughly 700 motorcycles to participate in the annual journey that connects three of the most significant locations tied to that tragic day: the Flight 93 National Memorial near Somerset, Pennsylvania; the Pentagon; and the World Trade Center site in New York City.

For Ted Sjurseth, chairman and cofounder of America’ s 9 / 11 Foundation and America’ s 9 / 11 Ride, the event was never part of a grand plan. Instead, the ride was born out of a canceled vacation.

“ Lord, no,” Sjurseth laughed when asked if he ever intended to start a foundation and annual ride.

AN IDEA BORN FROM TRAGEDY In September 2001, Sjurseth and his wife had planned a motorcycle trip following portions of the historic Trail of Tears route. They were scheduled to leave on Sept. 12. Then the attacks happened.

As a government consultant at the time, Sjurseth was told travel plans were off. Like millions of Americans, he and his family spent Sept. 11 glued to television coverage while trying to process what had happened.

His wife offered a suggestion.“ She said,‘ Why don’ t you do a motorcycle ride to New York and do a fundraiser for the people there just to boost the economy?’” Sjurseth recalls.

The idea quickly took shape, and letters were sent to several radio stations and Harley-Davidson dealerships. Veterans Day weekend was quickly chosen for the ride, just two months after the attacks.

On Nov. 10, 2001, approximately 350 people on 250 motorcycles departed from the White House in temperatures hovering around 25 degrees as they headed towards Manhattan.

Along the way, the ride grew organically as riders heard about the effort and joined in. When the group arrived in New York, participants placed 1,000 roses at Trinity Church near Ground Zero. The response from New Yorkers was immediate and emotional.

“ At the end of it all, we got phone calls and emails saying,‘ You’ ve got to do it again,’” Sjurseth says.

BUILDING A TRADITION The ride soon expanded beyond New York and began incorporating the Flight 93 crash site in Pennsylvania and the Pentagon, creating a route that honors all three locations directly impacted on Sept. 11.

Today’ s ride covers approximately 500 miles over two days, moving through seven jurisdictions that require coordination among dozens of law enforcement agencies.

Police escorts can range from 85 officers to more than 200 motor officers. Emergency medical personnel, ambulances, a dedicated fire truck, road captains, parking crews, fueling teams and multiple motorcycle recovery trailers all support the effort.

“ We don’ t leave anybody behind,” according to Sjurseth.

Over the years, organizers have developed an impressive support network capable of recovering broken-down motorcycles in minutes, transporting riders to dealerships for repairs, and even carrying bikes hundreds of miles so participants can complete the journey.

“ We’ ve had people buy new motorcycles on the ride,” Sjurseth jokes.

DEALERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE The ride’ s success depends heavily on support from motorcycle dealers along the route. Dealerships serve as gathering points, meal stops, service centers, and emergency support locations for those traveling from across the country.

Among the longtime supporters are Battlefield Harley-Davidson in Pennsylvania, Highland Harley-Davidson near Somerset, Liberty Harley-Davidson in New Jersey, and Barb’ s Harley-Davidson, which provides meals and support during the New Jersey portion of the route.

Dealers have frequently stepped up when riders experience mechanical problems. Sjurseth credits dealership partners for staying open late, sourcing parts, and helping ensure participants can continue their journey.

“ Kudos to the dealers,” he says.“ They’ ve stayed late to get bikes fixed.”

For powersports retailers, the ride also demonstrates something often overlooked about motorcycling culture: community. Riders may arrive as strangers, but over the course of the journey, they become part of something much larger than themselves.

A MOVING MEMORIAL Unlike many memorial rides held on Sept. 11 itself, America’ s 9 / 11 Ride takes place in August. The decision was made after discussions with New York City officials who worried that large motorcycle groups could interfere with families visiting memorial sites on the anniversary.

“ We all agreed to do it in August,” Sjurseth says.

The timing has worked well for both participants and organizers. The ride now receives significant support from New York City, where portions of Midtown Manhattan are closed to accommodate arriving motorcycles. Private security watches the bikes overnight while riders explore the city before the final memorial events.

But the ride’ s most powerful moments often happen away from major cities. As riders travel through Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey, communities line roads, wave flags and gather at overpasses.

“ You want to see America and what America remembers from this, you need to come,” Sjurseth says.

Towns such as Cumberland, Maryland; Leesburg, Virginia; and Hightstown, New Jersey have become annual gathering points where residents come out simply to watch the procession pass. For many, it has become part of their own remembrance tradition.

“ This is our Pearl Harbor,” Sjurseth acknowledges.

SUPPORTING FIRST RESPONDERS While remembrance remains the ride’ s central mission, the event also produces tangible benefits. Through participant registrations and fundraising efforts, America’ s 9 / 11 Foundation supports first responders and their families. To date, the organization has awarded more than 366 college scholarships totaling nearly $ 700,000.

“ That’ s just from a motorcycle ride,” Sjurseth says.

The foundation has also donated 25 police motorcycles to departments that provide escort support during the event. The idea came directly from participating law enforcement officers.

“ One of the cops’ idea was to give them a motorcycle. That’ ll make them come,” Sjurseth recalls.

The donated motorcycles have become a tradition in their own right, with winning departments receiving specially equipped Harley-Davidson police models.

America’ s 9 / 11 Ride was born out of a canceled vacation in 2001, but has grown yearly to honor the survivors and first-responders who braved their lives to help. Chairman and co-founder, Ted Sjurseth, rode his Red, White and Blue Harley Ultra Glide for several years until it was parked in the official 9 / 11 Memorial Museum. The bike features the names of 417 first responders who died on September 11, 2001.

PRESERVING THE STORIES Over the years, the ride has connected organizers with survivors, first responders and family members affected by the attacks. Some of those stories continue to resonate deeply with participants.

Sjurseth recalls meeting a survivor who worked on the 37th floor of Tower Two and escaped before the building collapsed. Another man he met had been eating breakfast nearby when the attacks occurred.

“ He starts running to the river,” Sjurseth says.“ If he had done that earlier, he would have been dead.”

The ride’ s purpose is not only to honor those who died but to ensure their stories continue to be told. That mission is symbolized by one of the ride’ s most recognizable artifacts: Sjurseth’ s custom Harley-Davidson.

Painted red, white and blue, the motorcycle features the names of 417 first responders who died while answering the call that day. The bike was accepted into the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in 2018 and remains on display.

“ They said it would be there for two years,” Sjurseth notes.“ It’ s never come off display.”

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE As the 25th anniversary approaches, organizers are preparing for another emotional year. Yet despite the milestone, Sjurseth has no intention of slowing down.

“ This is not the finish line,” he says.“ This is our 25th ride, but it will continue.”

For the powersports industry, America’ s 9 / 11 Ride serves as a reminder of motorcycling’ s unique ability to bring people together around a shared purpose. Thousands of riders, hundreds of volunteers, countless law enforcement officers and numerous dealerships have contributed to the event’ s success over the past quarter century.

What began as a simple effort to help New York recover has become a rolling memorial stretching hundreds of miles and touching communities across the Northeast.

And every August, when hundreds of motorcycles rumble toward New York City, they carry more than riders. They carry memories, gratitude and a promise that the sacrifices of Sept. 11 will not be forgotten.