Pope's Harley goes for $327G at charity auction

Feb. 5, 2014: The 2013 Harley Davidson Super Glide Custom A 1,585cc Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide, donated to Pope Francis last year and signed by him on its tank, is displayed ahead of Bonham's sale of vintage and classic cars, at the Grand Palais in Paris. (AP)

PARIS – Pope Francis' Harley-Davidson is hitting the road after an unspecified European buyer agreed to pay 241,500 euros ($327,000) including taxes and fees for the motorcycle at a Paris auction to benefit charity.

The Bonhams auction house said the telephone buyer agreed to pay far more than the expected pre-sale price of more than 12,000 euros ($16,000) at the auction at Paris' Grand Palais.

A Harley-Davidson leather jacket signed by Pope Francis sold for 57,500 euros including fees.

It's unknown whether the pontiff ever rode the custom 2013 Dyna Super Glide that was a gift from Willie Davidson, a retired Harley-Davidson designer and grandson of the company's co-founder.

Money from the sale will be donated to charity Caritas Roma, which runs a soup kitchen and hostel for the homeless in Rome.