Route 21 – road life and chromosomes

Gian Piero Papsodero received the title of Ambassador of the Roman Village H.O.G. Chapter due to his work raising awareness for those with Down’s syndrome

Text by LowRide
Photos by Daniele Grassi and Marco Frino

“I was 16 when I saw her for the first time. She had perfect curves and the power to turn people’s heads. It was love at first sight and, the moment she shot past me, I knew she was everything I needed to be happy. ‘She’ was a Harley-Davidson® Road King®, with the sleek, nostalgic styling of the 1960s but with all the power of a modern motorbike.”

So begins Route 21 – Strada Vita e Cromosomi (Route 21 – Road Life and Chromosomes), the book that Gian Piero Papasodero released last year, which recounts both his love for Harley-Davidson and his experiences with those with disabilities. It is a story that began almost by chance in 2002 when Gian Piero came face to face with the daily difficulties of those with severe motor impairments while in hospital himself.

Gian Piero was born in Rome in 1972 and his background includes time spent as a non-commissioned officer in the army, 28 seasons as a professional American football player and training as an interior designer. In 2013, after many years of voluntary work, he combined his passion for Harley-Davidson with the formative moment he experienced in hospital by crossing the whole of Italy with Piero, a school friend of his sister’s with severe motor impairments. Using a borrowed bike and sidecar, they visited almost every Harley-Davidson dealership in Italy during their trip and, from that moment on, Gian Piero worked to found ‘Diversa-Mente’ which has been working with children with Down’s syndrome since 2015.

Gian Piero is a regular face at major events – especially those organised by H.O.G. – with his unmistakable trailer and tales of his experiences on the road. On these occasions, he promotes his book, as well as Route 21 branded T-shirts and merchandising as it is the association’s only source of income.

At the last Motor Bike Expo in Verona, where he currently lives, Gian Piero was accompanied by six children with Down’s syndrome, who all took part in his most recent enterprise which saw him visiting 33 Italian cities and naturally plenty of H-D® dealerships. When he arrived in the Italian capital, Gian Piero received the title of Ambassador from the board of the Roman Village Chapter. It was a true honour for him, but also well-deserved recognition, from the city of his birth, for the extraordinary work he has been carrying out for a decade.

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