"Pope To Sell Harley To Benefit Homeless"

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And our last word in business today is: Pope on a Hog.

(LAUGHTER)

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Of course it is.

(LAUGHTER)

MONTAGNE: Stop. There have been many famous owners of Harley Davidson over the years - Elvis Presley, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Hells Angels, - but Pope Francis might be the holiest roller yet.

INSKEEP: Almost by definition. He's the proud owner - the pope is - of a Harley Davidson Dyna Super Glide, which was given to him as a gift.

But His Holiness will auction the hog to help raise money for a soup kitchen and a hostel for the homeless in Rome.

MONTAGNE: The motorcycle is signed Francisco on its tank and is worth as much as $20,000 at auction. Pope Francis already owns a decidedly less pimped-out Ford Focus.

INSKEEP: And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News, the one program that manages to get the phrase pimped out into a story that is about the pope.

I'm Steve Inskeep.

MONTAGNE: And I'm Renee Montagne.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BORN TO BE WILD")