PARIS, April 11 (Reuters) - Sales are brisk at the

Villiers-Sur-Marne Harley-Davidson dealership outside Paris,

where French bikers reckon they had better hurry if they want

the American motorcycle of their dreams before trade war puts

them out of reach.

"It's now or never," said 55-year-old carpenter Stephane

Roger as he inspected the gleaming machines. He had been

thinking about buying a Harley anyway, he said. But when he

heard the news of U.S. President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day"

tariffs, he figured he had better hurry.

Motorcycles were on a list of American goods due to be hit

by EU tariffs announced this week in response to Trump. After

Trump rowed back on some of his tariffs, the EU suspended its

levies but said they could still kick in if negotiations fail.

"Yeah, I think it's time to buy a Harley," said Theo Mottet,

a 30-year-old French soldier. If tariffs put the price up, it

will no longer be possible for regular people to own one, he

said. "It's going to be an elitist pleasure."

Jean-Luc Peschel, a 65-year-old retired musician in a

leather blazer and a red neck tie, said Harleys conjured up

images of Americana that had been swirling around in his head

since childhood.

"I'm an old man," he said. "Harley-Davidson ( HOG ) rocked my

childhood. American films make you dream, and so I think there

are people who need to dream today."