www.CVOHARLEY.com
CVO Social => Other Topics => Topic started by: Keats on January 07, 2009, 06:08:36 PM
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I just received my yearly HOG membership packet (map, pin and patch) and
I was thinking what I really wanted from a "club/membership"
I think the pins and patches are fine but what do you do with all those little things? I just file them away, can't seem to bring myself to just pitch them.
Map is fine, but who really uses them anymore?
So I thought some of us could come up with a better package that would be of more use.
Like a list/map of bike friendly lodges/motels?
a commemorative coin? better than putting a hole in your jacket
A packet of pictures (we all like pictures) of our bikes
OK you can come up with some suggestions and maybe I will forward the best ideas to the MOCO
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I don't want much from them.........just the road service.
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I don't want much from them.........just the road service.
Same here. Don't need rules, meetings, and politics. I get enough of that at work!
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Same here, national membership only don't belong to local chapter anymore.
:pumpkin:
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
:fireman:
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hehehehe.........HOG.........:ROFLOL:
We have rules, politics, and drama right here. Who needs HOG? :huepfenlol2: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenlol2:
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Free towing if I break down.
:cucumber: :jalapeno: :carrot: :pepper:
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hehehehe.........HOG.........:ROFLOL:
We have rules, politics, and drama right here. Who needs HOG? :huepfenlol2: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenlol2:
To me HOG is like having a bunch of CVO buddies locally. There are a few rules, not much politics and of course some drama queens (and kings) but hey, that's life. All in all I really enjoy my HOG chapter friends and the rides we have.
But I recognize that not all HOG chapters are equal. Mine just happens to be a great chapter but maybe that's because we have some great volunteers who really want to 'ride and have fun' - just like we do on this website. jmho
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I would like to see not only the roadside assistance but a nationally recognized discount on parts and service. Maybe even a loaner bike or at least a courtesy van to bring us home from our local shop.
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I have towing through AAA. That's all I need. Beagle used his AAA card today to get his Cherry Bomb to the local H-D dealership. It's a good deal and you're far more likely to find a AAA tow in the middle of nowhere North Dakota than you are an H-D dealership willing to come get you at 3AM.
As to H.O.G. The only reason I even have a HOG card is I get a new one every time I buy a new motorcycle and for awhile I was averaging 3 new bikes every two years. Since the last new one I bought was my 07 Road Glide, I think my membership expires in 2010 and I doubt seriously I'll spend money to re-up. I have nothing against all of the super nice folks who are HOG members, but I think I've made my views on the "Patch" very clear in a number of posts. HOG exists only because of those patches and pins and the chance for otherwise decent law abiding church going very nice folks to play wannabee BadAss when they put on their "cut" Many of us forget that as a percentage of the general populace, bikers are still a very small group. Most folk who ride might have one other person in their general neighborhood with a bike let alone another Harley. Very rare when you find a street where there's four or five houses with H-D's in the garage, so he whole HOG Patch thing is something of a novelty to the non riding public. The vast majority of which have no clue as to what HOG is. They see bikers with patches and it could be HOG, Del Fuegos or Hell's Angels. They really don't know the difference. As a marketing tool HOG belongs in the Hall of Fame. For all the ways they tried to reinforce brand image, GM, Ford and Chrysler never thought of starting a "club" for their customers. Pure genious and to whomever invented HOG, I tip my hat. But at the end of the day, I don't need it, don't want anything to do with it and don't give a damn what happens to it. Sorry if that offends, but the question was asked.
B B
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Ditto What Spiderman says.
Couldn't say it better.
Some great people in the local HOG group, very dedicated individuals, but I would rather ride with a few friends that really know how to ride in a small group. Tried a few of the "group rides", and it was more of a wreck looking for a place to happen than a "ride". I'm all in favor of more Harley riders, but I'll let them learn how to ride before I ride in that pack.
Just my opinion - flame away
Bill
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Ditto What Spiderman says.
Couldn't say it better.
Some great people in the local HOG group, very dedicated individuals, but I would rather ride with a few friends that really know how to ride in a small group. Tried a few of the "group rides", and it was more of a wreck looking for a place to happen than a "ride". I'm all in favor of more Harley riders, but I'll let them learn how to ride before I ride in that pack.
Just my opinion - flame away
Bill
No flamin here Bill! I'm with ya all the way! I've been w/B B's assessment of this since he first stated it. Maybe longer! (Prolly not though. HOG's only been around in recent years.) Locally I pretty much only ride with my crew too. Don't like big groups or strangers for the most part. Or I'll solo on the road most of the time with Binx. I love meeting this group at GTG's and ride anywhere and everywhere to do it. But even our gatherings have lots of people with different styles. So when we group ride, it's mostly broken into smaller groups of people with similar styles. We called it the "A" group, "B" group and "C" group. Or "no friggin way I'm ridin w/Hoist! ;D ;D ;D ;) :huepfenjump3: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenjump3:
Hoist! 8)
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Best I can remember - (not saying much) - I got my first "HOG Membership" when I bought my '99 FLSTCI. Maybe it's just me, but I would much rather ride solo, or with a select few and then meet up at the destination for festivities. No dis to HOG, the more riders the better for our effort, but ....whatever - I just don't like riding in large groups...or with anyone, or by myself, or whatever......what are we talking about?
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Ultrafxr, you must be in MusicCity HOG, and I can understand your comments because it is a good chapter, Gary does a great job, but the key is dealer participation, and Bubba does it well.
As a member of (officer for the last 2 1/2 years) of another Chapter close by, CSHD-MidTenn, I must say that the complexion of HOG is going through a change. I joined the local chapter to divert my attention away from going back to my old ways. Which would have been fine cept for the whole, Hard to get up in the morning thing,. was good for a bit but I am not one to go with the flow, I do like the whole Ride & Have Fun aspect, but most in the chapter I do not wish to ride with. there is a small group that we ride with when I need to rip and tear. But enjoy riding with my wife most of all.
you guys with the AAA, I have it also with the RV extra for bikes and I'll tell you that on 3 separate occasions they were no help. once in AZ, MO, SC. they could not tow a bike nor had any tools to help with. HOG card got me home all three times. JMHO, purchase the extra deluxe package for 19 bucs a year.
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I've been a national member for two years. When I bought my Fatboy and when I bought my SERK. I went to one local meeting the first time and most of the time was spent by people arguing about how they didn't want their name listed in a formal roster. It never seemed to sink in that if they didn't put their name down it wouldn't go in it. An hour of that was enough. Oh, and I got popcorn and a pin at the Sturgis expo hospitality room!
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What's Hog? :nixweiss:
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I think H.O.G. is going through a transition. Any organization with more than one million members globally has to. The size of most chapters nowadays is so big, that most people do not even know the others at meetings. Hence the "ride together, party together" portion becomes less and less. For me the H.O.G. and the local chapter (one of the largest in Europe) are very welcome service offerings. I can choose from many events, get safety training, information, and much more, and - most important - use both as communication platforms to meet people, coordinate rides and such. I have many friends, who do not ride. Can't make them riders. Hence the vice versa option works very well for me: Find people who ride (I prefer H-D) and become friends, associates, at least acquainted. And then ride together. I have made many new friends in the last couple of years through H.O.G. and I am happy about that. At our age it is not that easy to make friends, in my mind.
I do also like the part of H.O.G. which is the charity work, the toy runs, or meeting disabled children and more. I respect the people who volunteer to do chapter work, while I limit myself to ride the bike. The pins and patches are a very big attraction to many. been there, done that. I think it's okay to wear the stuff when riding as a group, it is part of the character and befits the purpose.
In summary, I see no other organization like H.O.G. in the bikers universe, and Harley's marketing is really doing a top notch job to give us even more reason to ride. And that's what's it all about, in my mind!
Ride safely,
Louis
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... "no friggin way I'm ridin w/Hoist! ;D ;D ;D ;) :huepfenjump3: :huepfenjump3: :huepfenjump3:
Hoist! 8)
My call is to never ride with Hoist (again) Well, maybe if he'd agree to let me ride my own ride and not leave me lost.
What I really want out of my membership with HOG is to Ride and Have Fun!
No seriously, I love the membership we have with our local HOG chapters. There are three real close to us. We don't belong to others, but there are at least three others we could belong to if we'd drive a little further and at least three others we could belong to if we'd drive further still. All chapters are different. All chapters are even different from year to year. The membership changes, and so with that comes changes to the dynamics of the group. Just like here.
To fall in step with Jerry, our favorite chapters have some great volunteers who really want to 'ride and have fun' - just like we do on this website. Those friends we've developed over the years are fabulous. Seems like no matter where we go locally, we find friends everywhere. Always bumping into folks we know from one chapter or the other. It is hard to keep straight as we belong to so many, and for some reason others only want to belong to one. But again, it is whatever works for you.
Jamey and I love to ride together, and if we can get one or two others that will ride with us, we like that too. But giving back and helping someone not yet skilled to ride like we like to regularly is very rewarding too. Best of all worlds... Ride and Have Fun. It is not always about the destination or even the ride. Just being out and about on our bikes is enough for us.
Oh.... and the roadside assistance is not horrible.
We are both life members so the stuff just comes in the mail.
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My call is to never ride with Hoist (again) Well, maybe if he'd agree to let me ride my own ride and not leave me lost.
What I really want out of my membership with HOG is to Ride and Have Fun!
No seriously, I love the membership we have with our local HOG chapters. There are three real close to us. We don't belong to others, but there are at least three others we could belong to if we'd drive a little further and at least three others we could belong to if we'd drive further still. All chapters are different. All chapters are even different from year to year. The membership changes, and so with that comes changes to the dynamics of the group. Just like here.
To fall in step with Jerry, our favorite chapters have some great volunteers who really want to 'ride and have fun' - just like we do on this website. Those friends we've developed over the years are fabulous. Seems like no matter where we go locally, we find friends everywhere. Always bumping into folks we know from one chapter or the other. It is hard to keep straight as we belong to so many, and for some reason others only want to belong to one. But again, it is whatever works for you.
Jamey and I love to ride together, and if we can get one or two others that will ride with us, we like that too. But giving back and helping someone not yet skilled to ride like we like to regularly is very rewarding too. Best of all worlds... Ride and Have Fun. It is not always about the destination or even the ride. Just being out and about on our bikes is enough for us.
Oh.... and the roadside assistance is not horrible.
We are both life members so the stuff just comes in the mail.
When have I left you lost? :nixweiss: :nixweiss: :nixweiss:
I always ride other people's ride when I'm riding with someone! And I'd NEVER leave someone stranded! EVER!!!! Biker's creed! My creed! I've had so much help over the years and have given same. Sometimes it might even kill a trip. The only time I ride at Hoist speed is when I'm with others that do also, or when I'm alone. I'll pace ya to see how fast I can get the pace up. But once the max is reached by the person I'm riding with, I always at least keep em in my mirror!!! HeHe!!! ;D ;) :2vrolijk_21:
Hoist! 8)
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When have I left you lost? :nixweiss: :nixweiss: :nixweiss:
I always ride other people's ride when I'm riding with someone! And I'd NEVER leave someone stranded! EVER!!!! Biker's creed! My creed! I've had so much help over the years and have given same. Sometimes it might even kill a trip. The only time I ride at Hoist speed is when I'm with others that do also, or when I'm alone. I'll pace ya to see how fast I can get the pace up. But once the max is reached by the person I'm riding with, I always at least keep em in my mirror!!! HeHe!!! ;D ;) :2vrolijk_21:
Hoist! 8)
You never lost me, but my hubby did make me slow down while we followed you. I was only bustin your chops, just cause you black RK guys kill me.
:coolblue: :cherry: ;) :huepfenjump3:
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You never lost me, but my hubby did make me slow down while we followed you. I was only bustin your chops, just cause you black RK guys kill me.
:coolblue: :cherry: ;) :huepfenjump3:
:2vrolijk_21: :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:
:pumpkin:
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
:fireman:
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You never lost me, but my hubby did make me slow down while we followed you. I was only bustin your chops, just cause you black RK guys kill me.
:coolblue: :cherry: ;) :huepfenjump3:
HeHeHe!!! Well I love it Candy! And you're doing GREAT with that line! Keep em coming!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D :2vrolijk_21: :2vrolijk_21: :2vrolijk_21:
Hoist! 8)
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What's Hog? :nixweiss:
Did an exhaustive search involving many variables & found this:
(http://roadcaptainusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/hog_logo.jpg)
It appears to be an eagle perched on a bike wheel over a banner. Also the eagle appears to have been eating ®'s since one plopped out next to it.
HOG is not for every Harley owner & does not pretend to be. There are good chapters, bad chapters, and everything in between. Some like to ride in groups, some ride solo. Some are new to bikes & HOG offers them a way to meet folks who like to ride. Sometimes they stay in HOG & other times they leave to form their own clubs/cliques. HOG is NOT any 1% type club & it meets with the major 1%ers across the USA occasionally - just making sure they are never involved in any altercations with other bike clubs, basically. That's why there is NEVER a lower rocker on ANY HOG patch. Part of an agreement they have with clubs as to territory. Don't know any HOG members who think they are badazz due to being a member - agree with BB that the general public has very little clue as to what HOG or other bike clubs are about & do not differentiate that much.
As long as it's riding & having fun, I enjoy HOG & HOG events. I do ride with other groups & enjoy riding solo. :2vrolijk_21:
A live action animated HOG logo would be nice (eagle flapping wings & screeching as the banner waved & the wheel turned with a HD rumble maybe) with a solar battery to keep replacement battery costs to a minimum. :nixweiss:
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I have been a HOG life member since 1980. Other than receiving stuff in the mail, I had no involvement. In 2007 I joined a local chapter, attended 1 ride and it was ok. The group thing is really not my scene.
I have been on several other organized rides and other than the sound and sea of machines, I consider them very dangererous places to be. Too many variables.
I too think HOG is a great marketing theme and many fine things have come of it.
I have used the fly & ride program several times. I Used the towing one time(stranded in Key West for 7 hours on a rented Ultra) not very happy. The patches & pins :nixweiss: I know you can get $50 off the purchase of a new bike. :huepfenjump3:
I don't know what I expect. It's easy to ask for something, but that has a price. I do not like more rules and regulations, I want less... So I guess with my Lone Wolfe attitude, I am not qualified to expect anything at all. That should be more for members who want to be involved.
I must say, without yet having met any CVO members, this is what I would want from a HOG membership. A forum to speak my mind and ask questions. A place where I could read what others have to say, without any expections one way or the other.
Besides owning and riding HD motorcycles for 29 years, this group "CVO HOG" is the only group I need.
Randy
have learned
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When have I left you lost? :nixweiss: :nixweiss: :nixweiss:
I always ride other people's ride when I'm riding with someone! And I'd NEVER leave someone stranded! EVER!!!! Biker's creed! My creed! I've had so much help over the years and have given same. Sometimes it might even kill a trip. The only time I ride at Hoist speed is when I'm with others that do also, or when I'm alone. I'll pace ya to see how fast I can get the pace up. But once the max is reached by the person I'm riding with, I always at least keep em in my mirror!!! HeHe!!! ;D ;) :2vrolijk_21:
Hoist! 8)
That's my style.............. :nixweiss:
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Some general musing here. If Candy can lose me pulling out of her driveway and Howie can lose Candy before the ride even starts where does that leave me if Howie and I attempt a ride together this summer when I'm in Maine with LD ?
B B
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Some general musing here. If Candy can lose me pulling out of her driveway and Howie can lose Candy before the ride even starts where does that leave me if Howie and I attempt a ride together this summer when I'm in Maine with LD ?
B B
Don't adjust your rearview mirrors until you are underway...
And I never lost you, silly.
:coolblue: :cherry:
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Some general musing here. If Candy can lose me pulling out of her driveway and Howie can lose Candy before the ride even starts where does that leave me if Howie and I attempt a ride together this summer when I'm in Maine with LD ?
B B
Right by my side B B! Or maybe even passin me!!! ;D ;)
Hoist! 8)
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Right by my side B B! Or maybe even passin me!!! ;D ;)
Hoist! 8)
Only for as long as it takes you to get the feel for those reverse banked corners on the roads around the lake Howie
B B
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I personally have tried the HOG club meetings and HATED it!
I like talking to other riders...but the whole meeting, organization, schedule crap makes me puke. I ride on my days off where I want when I want and with who I choose.
IMOP Too many people who have a need to be IN CHARGE at those organizations.
JUST GO RIDE!
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i`m a life member, i now live 1000km away from my chapter, the chapter was great initially but succombed to bitching and politics after i emigrated, although it seems to have recovered a bit in recent times, i am still in regular contact with my click of hog friends, i do still (after 5years away) make an effort to meet up with them at various rallies, and act as road captain when any of them want to venture far enough into europe. But apart from the annual european hog rally i dont wear my patchs anymore. The yearly patchs n pins just pile up under the dust 2gether with the various best in show trophies. I have made many friends from as many different chapters, and thats the best part of hog, i ride alone mostly, somtimes my wife any i even take different routes to meet up at an event. Mainly because our bike gas tanks or our bladders dont have the same needs. I have no worries about attending any rally that i choose to attend, cus there will always be somebody there that i have met b4.
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I want any organization to enhance my enjoyment of riding. Be it a technical group, rowdies, HOG, ABATE, internet forum, whatever. Folks get soooo caught up in the crap that they forget about the fun stuff. There's some really good people in HOG, CVO Harley, etc. and there's others that are sooo full of themselves that I find immense entertainment w/ them. Who cares? The only non - political group that I associate w/ is me. I enjoy HOG for the friendship of some, the atlas, etc., some of the rides and some of the parties. I enjoy ABATE for the good we try to do, the friendship of some, the knowledge I receive and some of the social activities. I enjoy this site for the friendship of some, the knowledge I give and receive, the humor (and sometimes the pain) we share. I enjoy the emblems and I look for them in others. They provide, maybe just a little, insight into a stranger and often can be an easy intro to conversation.
In essence, I want a "club" to reflect mostly my values of fun, sincerity and honor and actually doing something besides talking about it.
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and heres an idea for all your patches or pins.
a wall hanging. maybe for your garage,, or where ever
yeah ,,, I still have a bunch to sew on.
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I personally have tried the HOG club meetings and HATED it!
I like talking to other riders...but the whole meeting, organization, schedule crap makes me puke. I ride on my days off where I want when I want and with who I choose.
IMOP Too many people who have a need to be IN CHARGE at those organizations.JUST GO RIDE!
What he said times every chapter out there
B B
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When have I left you lost? :nixweiss: :nixweiss: :nixweiss:
I always ride other people's ride when I'm riding with someone! And I'd NEVER leave someone stranded! EVER!!!! Biker's creed! My creed! ;D ;) :2vrolijk_21:
Hoist! 8)
:2vrolijk_21:
I have never left anyone lost either! ;D Well besides once.
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:2vrolijk_21:
I have never left anyone lost either! ;D Well besides once.
Don't count! Your hand was forced!!! ::) :P ;D ;)
Hoist! 8)
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This may sound funny, but I agree with most of what Hoist and B B have said about HOG and their meetings. I say it may sound funny because I'm an officer in our local chapter. Now my position is Webmaster (GEEK!) so I help with postings about rides and events. No politics there. Very few of our chapter wear the patch, and those of us that do, only occasionally... It's certainly not like wearing colors. And I have seen the chapters that do wear them... All of them all the time. Looks like a dang uniform.
I get one thing out of it. Friends. Just like here. Friends to run ideas by, share info and ride with. I've made some friends there and I get to see them and talk to them and plan to get together to ride with them. When I was out of the chapter, Life got in the way alot and I'd lose touch and miss out on some rides that I wished I'd gone on. So now I re-joined, got a little involved and have lots of riding buddies. That was worth the small amount to maintain my membership.
Ride Safe,
J-Carr
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What I get from HOG is their national rides,state rally,and some minor benefits.I have met a few of our members at the national and state rallies and also a lot of others who share my passion for riding.That and if hog picks a spot for a national ride our group don't have too,(LOL ) I think sometimes local hog chapters turn people off with pollitics,free labor at dealership parties,and talking about riding instead of riding. To all of the members that I have met at these rallies it has been a pleasure and hope to see yah again soon. RIDE SAFE JDO
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HOG to me was a great training ground, showed me about riding with a group, staying at locations overnight (in a group) , gas up before you go, and other things of that nature.
Just like junior high and high school, I have learned the fundamentals and now it is time to take advantage of what i have learned.
CVO group is (IMO) the way to go, we have weeded out the weak and it's time to play with the big boys/girls :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2: :drink: :drink:
Marty
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I belong to the national, because of my 08 softail custom,I didn't join the local chapter because I heard allot of chit about
them. Politics,Egos etc. etc.So for now this works for me.
Jo Mo NYC :coolblue:
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when I moved to florida ' I bought the 2000 SERG, and with it came the hog membership. My wife wanted to join the local chapter as a way of meeting people and doing some rides. We attended 2 meetings...held at a bar at 10:00 am on a sunday morning, There was a fair amount of complaining and whining over some sort of trivial bullchit...then the group was to go for a local ride...it was like the "gang that couldnt shoot straight"...people showed up for the ride needing fuel...needing to stop for cigarettes,snacks lotto tickets and who knows what all else they needed. there seemed to be a fairly large amount of riders that seemed to have no clue as to how to ride in a group..(side by side...passing each other, following my new bike way too closely)...after an exhausting 50minutes on the bikes, it was time for lunch..at a bar of course...most seemed to have a beer or two..(it was like 95 and very humid out)..so the beers seemed to affect their judgement, as we took off for the rest of the ride...the riding became faster, and in the middle of the pack where I was stuck..it got a bit scary...ONE AND DONE for me...first ride with them and last...
Sure wish i could have got one of those nifty patches...and I too could have been elevated to the real biker status...Like it has been said here already i prefer to ride alone...once in awhile with a few local friends and the best treat is when two of my old friends from up north come down during the winter we ride up to Daytona or down to the Keys...its awesome as we have ridden tons of miles together and know what each other will do and how we ride together...its always fun and safe. AsI am writing this it occurs to me the difference of riding with the hog group and that of riding with my friends .....is just that...its better to ride with a couple of long time friends anytime, than a bunch of wannabe outlaws :orange: just my .02 cents worth
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What do I want in a club? Hmmmm, let's see ::) A stage would be nice, with a brass pole attached to it and the ceiling, and some scantilly cladded beauties....oh wait, that's the local t*tt*-bar :P. Nevermind..... :drink: :drink: :drink:
:devil:
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Since I bought & started riding my bike, I've felt like I am in a club. Other bikers are more interested in talking to me than before.
Mine is the new shiney one in the company bike parking lot, so other bike enthusiasts have come up to me talking shop or just commenting on my ride. I haven't hit the hangouts yet but even visiting the local dealer checking on parts I get a different feeling than before.
I think I'll continue the HOG, like the patch & pin thrown in with the extra service benefits. Not really interested in meetings or planning for rides, at this moment I'm just getting my feet wet and breaking my better half on the thought of me riding on two wheels in the open air out on the rode, perhaps one of these days she'll join me.
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How about they sink all that HOG $$$ into making bikes that perform and are reliable instead of some of the junk they send us now, and then wavin all that HOG lifestyle crap in our faces!!! Like they need to create a lifestyle for those that truly love these machines and already live it!!! STF!!! STH!!! ::) >:( ;D ;)
Hoist! 8)
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What do I want in a club? Hmmmm, let's see ::) A stage would be nice, with a brass pole attached to it and the ceiling, and some scantilly cladded beauties....oh wait, that's the local t*tt*-bar :P. Nevermind..... :drink: :drink: :drink:
:devil:
And nachos and beer.
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Since I bought & started riding my bike, I've felt like I am in a club. Other bikers are more interested in talking to me than before.
Mine is the new shiney one in the company bike parking lot, so other bike enthusiasts have come up to me talking shop or just commenting on my ride. I haven't hit the hangouts yet but even visiting the local dealer checking on parts I get a different feeling than before.
I think I'll continue the HOG, like the patch & pin thrown in with the extra service benefits. Not really interested in meetings or planning for rides, at this moment I'm just getting my feet wet and breaking my better half on the thought of me riding on two wheels in the open air out on the rode, perhaps one of these days she'll join me.
Congratulations on your new ride. Everything you have written is why HOG exists. If your better half is not sure what you have gotten yourself into, you local HOG chapter may have a group of Ladies of Harley. I am not actually promoting it, but if they are there, they tend to be really helpful in making the female group feel included.
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How about they sink all that HOG $$$ into making bikes that perform and are reliable instead of some of the junk they send us now, and then wavin all that HOG lifestyle crap in our faces!!! Like they need to create a lifestyle for those that truly love these machines and already live it!!! STF!!! STH!!! ::) >:( ;D ;)
Hoist! 8)
Howie
I don't always get your abbreviations, but I love posts like this one :2vrolijk_21:
B B
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STH!!!
Hoist! 8)
oh my, poor piggie
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oh my, poor piggie
I think this may be a problem with those that protect animal rights.
I'm not sure.
And not that there is anything wrong with that either.
;) :) ;D
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Congratulations on your new ride. Everything you have written is why HOG exists. If your better half is not sure what you have gotten yourself into, you local HOG chapter may have a group of Ladies of Harley. I am not actually promoting it, but if they are there, they tend to be really helpful in making the female group feel included.
Ladies of Harley I can deal with :P
B B
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when I moved to florida ' I bought the 2000 SERG, and with it came the hog membership. My wife wanted to join the local chapter as a way of meeting people and doing some rides. We attended 2 meetings...held at a bar at 10:00 am on a sunday morning, There was a fair amount of complaining and whining over some sort of trivial bullchit...then the group was to go for a local ride...it was like the "gang that couldnt shoot straight"...people showed up for the ride needing fuel...needing to stop for cigarettes,snacks lotto tickets and who knows what all else they needed. there seemed to be a fairly large amount of riders that seemed to have no clue as to how to ride in a group..(side by side...passing each other, following my new bike way too closely)...after an exhausting 50minutes on the bikes, it was time for lunch..at a bar of course...most seemed to have a beer or two..(it was like 95 and very humid out)..so the beers seemed to affect their judgement, as we took off for the rest of the ride...the riding became faster, and in the middle of the pack where I was stuck..it got a bit scary...ONE AND DONE for me...first ride with them and last...
Sure wish i could have got one of those nifty patches...and I too could have been elevated to the real biker status...Like it has been said here already i prefer to ride alone...once in awhile with a few local friends and the best treat is when two of my old friends from up north come down during the winter we ride up to Daytona or down to the Keys...its awesome as we have ridden tons of miles together and know what each other will do and how we ride together...its always fun and safe. AsI am writing this it occurs to me the difference of riding with the hog group and that of riding with my friends .....is just that...its better to ride with a couple of long time friends anytime, than a bunch of wannabe outlaws :orange: just my .02 cents worth
Cannot blame you - I'd be scared chitless also. Do not know how long ago this horrible experience was but I can assure you that HOG takes a very dim view of drinking on chapter rides. Does every chapter tow the line and follow the rules? Course not. But the chapter officers and the sponsoring dealer are leaving themselves wide open if a crash, injury or god forbid death occurred on one of these rides.
Our local chapter goes to great lengths to train our road captains and members on proper group riding techniques. We encourage those new to group riding to get informed for the safety of all. And we allow NO alcohol on chapter rides.
No offense to anyone on this great website but I can tell you I've been on some rides with members here that are a helluva more scary to me and my bsr than anything I've ever encountered in my HOG chapter.
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Cannot blame you - I'd be scared chitless also. Do not know how long ago this horrible experience was but I can assure you that HOG takes a very dim view of drinking on chapter rides. Does every chapter tow the line and follow the rules? Course not. But the chapter officers and the sponsoring dealer are leaving themselves wide open if a crash, injury or god forbid death occurred on one of these ride.
Our local chapter goes to great lengths to train our road captains and members on proper group riding techniques. We encourage those new to group riding to get informed for the safety of all. And we allow NO alcohol on chapter rides.
No offense to anyone on this great website but I can tell you I've been on some rides with members here that are a helluva more scary to me and my bsr than anything I've ever encountered in my HOG chapter.
Anyone we know? ::) :P :nixweiss:
:devil:
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been ridin for a lot of freakin years. taught alot of people to ride, rode with (what you might call , bad asses), years ago.
got tired of racing from bar to bar, and seeing (not me ::)) idiots get blasted, and either pick a fight with someone, or fight amongst themselves. they called themselves real bikers, but in my opinion were nothing but a bunch of hollywood wanna bees.
rode a few years by myself, then in 1986, got involved with a few locals wanting to start a HOG chapter.
over the years, met a lot of great people. met a lot of chitheads too. ( you will meet them no matter where you go.. we do have some here). just finished a fifteen year run as an officer. going to be a jam(just a member )
but I can say, my wife and I have met some great friends that we do an awful lot together with.
and that to me,,, makes putting up with some idiots occassionally,,, well worth being a member of a local chapter.
remember - you only get as involved as you want. you can take good,, or bad experiences out of it.
and maybe its you, not them,, thats a little out of wack. but ,,,,,,,,,,,, thats also what can make the experience great.
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Congratulations on your new ride. Everything you have written is why HOG exists. If your better half is not sure what you have gotten yourself into, you local HOG chapter may have a group of Ladies of Harley. I am not actually promoting it, but if they are there, they tend to be really helpful in making the female group feel included.
Thanks for the warm welcome. Unfortunately my wife already knows what I'm about to get myself into in many ways.
She is afraid I'll kill myself in a wreck, scare the beegeezuss out of her if she decides to be a BSR no matter how carefull I'm riding, and the possibility that I might get distracted with riding or events interferring with our quality time. She had friends in the past that rode and BSR with a previous boyfriend, and far as I know nothing bad happened, but the local bike scene around here has been reported various deadly bike accidents on a regular basis regarding excessive speed, DUI, non-endorsement and/or lack of motorcycle safety training, and small part due to other typical causes with the rider, hazard, and/or cage not seeing them.
Anyway, owning a bike has been something denied me since childhood because of various reasons, and was something on my bucket list. I plan to live a complete life and so far things are going pretty good, in many ways thanks to and with my wife.
So I ride alone for now, in some ways it is nice, a little my time and I'm fine with that. That is why I'm not interested in organized or group rides for now, the impromptu or casual friend new or old I meet when on a ride works for me.
As far as the quality of my 09 SESS, I have had very few problems so far but don't have miles racked up yet to tell. The overall problem of quality & service is what it is until enough people let the man know we mean business. One of my New Year's resolutions is to sit down and write a very distinct letter letting W.G. Jr know of my concerns on the future of the company and the bike we love, including some of the issues discussed in this forum.
Maybe everyone should get their local HOG chapters together to rally at the local dealers demanding proper service & quality products. As you have already seen in this forum, no one at corporate office are reacting to comments made here or other places about the poor response to design flaws, quality & durability issues, and just outright poor dealership sales & service. Anyway, that is another thing clubs can be used for.
Anyway, as someone else said sonewhere else, I think it goes like this...
STF!!! STH!!!
Not sure what it all means, as long as it is nothing personal...
;) ::) 8) :coolblue: :beerchug:
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been ridin for a lot of freakin years. taught alot of people to ride, rode with (what you might call , bad asses), years ago.
got tired of racing from bar to bar, and seeing (not me ::)) idiots get blasted, and either pick a fight with someone, or fight amongst themselves. they called themselves real bikers, but in my opinion were nothing but a bunch of hollywood wanna bees.
rode a few years by myself, then in 1986, got involved with a few locals wanting to start a HOG chapter.
over the years, met a lot of great people. met a lot of chitheads too. ( you will meet them no matter where you go.. we do have some here). just finished a fifteen year run as an officer. going to be a jam(just a member )
but I can say, my wife and I have met some great friends that we do an awful lot together with.
and that to me,,, makes putting up with some idiots occassionally,,, well worth being a member of a local chapter.
remember - you only get as involved as you want. you can take good,, or bad experiences out of it.
and maybe its you, not them,, thats a little out of wack. but ,,,,,,,,,,,, thats also what can make the experience great.
Well said. You only get out of any organization / group what you put into it. My experience whether it be work, church, this website, HOG chapter, etc., is that those who bitch the most are usually the ones doing the least.
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Absolutely!!!
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I recently joined my 2nd HOG chapter. The one I have been with is great. They are a very cohesive group and they love to ride. I don't go on every ride, but they have enough rides scheduled that it's almost impossible to make it to every one. That chapter has a HOG hotline, where you can call in a leave a message if you want to set up a non-scheduled ride and looking for a few people to ride with. Which also means, if you want to go for a ride and have noone to ride with, you can call the hotline and see if anyone else is looking to go for a ride. I have thoroughly enjoyed becoming a part of the chapter and have made a lot of good friends there.
A friend of mine is a member of another chapter and he joined mine, and I joined his. The new chapter I joined is a very large chapter and it seems quite different from the one I was accustomed to. I've only been a member there for a short period, so I guess I will find out a bit more as the warm months arrive and I go on a few rides with them and see what they are all about. One thing that's nice about this chapter is that they include a 20% off parts coupon in each monthly newsletter, so once per month you can make a trip to the dealer for whatever you want at a nice discount. It's not real hard to find $100 in parts to buy to quickly save your $20 annual dues.
The thing I like about HOG is that I don't have to go to meetings or on rides, but they are there for me. I've found a lot of new roads and places to eat that I may never have found otherwise. Just like this CVO group, HOG has allowed me to meet up with some other people with the same bike that I have that I possibly may have never met otherwise. There seems to be an instant bond in those cases. Like any group, there are good people and there are those that you wish you had never met...although to this point I can honestly say that I haven't found one person in either chapter that I find offensive in any way. With the law of averages, I'm sure someone will surface at some point...or maybe I'm the one that everyone wishes would just go away and I just haven't realized it yet.
To answer the original question, I think that HOG should work with Harley to offer a hugely discounted rate for a rental bike if you break down at least "x" number of miles from your home address and you are having your bike repaired at that dealer. I also think that they should work something out to provide for priority expedited service when you show your HOG card for quick repairs again when you are at least "x" number of miles from your home address. Third, they should offer expedited scheduled maintenance if you are more than 500 miles from your home address with your bike. That would be real nice if you are on an extended bike trip and you know you can stop at a dealer and not lose an entire day to get your maintenance done. As it is, what else does HOG do on a national level that is tied into the dealers at all besides Fly'N'Ride?
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I agree with 1abastarsmda, Spiderman, BillH, Hoist and many others above. I'm a national member and have been since '96. The most useful thing is the towing and break down service. I pay for the $29 upgraded one each year. I've had to use them 4 times, and in all 4 cases, they came and got me. Our local chapter in Athens, GA is okay but I've never gotten involved. We rode with them once, and it was too much. It seemed like we would finally get some speed going and someone or something would happen to slow us to a crawl. After about 40 miles of this, I turned off on a side road and we took off on our own. The funny thing is about 10 other riders followed us thinking we were the "lead." Finally, guilt took over and I pulled off in a station and told them what we were doing. In any event, none of them knew where they were and I had to lead them back to Athens. My wife and I know the mountain roads of Georgia like the back of our hands.
The long and short of it is that I ride to work everyday (30 miles round trip), and my wife and I ride at least 2 weekends in the month. And we have a small group of close friends that we ride with, and we are the only ones with a Harley. Thus, the HOG thing is not for us. Thus, in answering the question, I would like to see them expand the break down service and like others have suggested, give us steep discounts on things (rentals, etc.).
Just my $.02 -- Bikin' Bob
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One thing that I haven't found to be the case in my original chapter is going to slow. In fact, if anything, the group sometimes rides too fast. When you have a group riding close together, with 20 to 30 bikes, I'm not exactly thrilled to be riding back roads at 70 to 80 mph. I try to stay at the back of the pack and lag a bit. I feel a little safer that way. I don't want to be in a 30 bike pile up.
I will say this. A few guys in the chapter pointed something out to me. I led a ride this summer...about 200 miles each way. Because we had a few planned destinations for the day, I wanted to make sure that we reached those destinations on a very timely basis and planned the route to get us there quickly and keep a nice cruising speed the entire way. I made sure that we had lots of time to make it home before dark and still take back country roads that were far from a direct route to get home. The guys told me it was one of the most enjoyable rides they have been on in a long time. They pointed out that whenever our chapter goes somewhere, it's always directly to an eating destination, and afterwards, everyone just hurries off, sometimes in their own directions, and just speed back home. I remembered on ride early last summer, where we ate, and then it was 90 mph on the highway the entire way home with a group of 20+ bikes. I ended up saying to myself, "screw this" and let the pack go. Yes, this chapter is full of riders, but sometimes just the opposite of what others have experienced...just plain riding too fast and missing the thrill of the ride.
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One thing that I haven't found to be the case in my original chapter is going to slow. In fact, if anything, the group sometimes rides too fast. When you have a group riding close together, with 20 to 30 bikes, I'm not exactly thrilled to be riding back roads at 70 to 80 mph. I try to stay at the back of the pack and lag a bit. I feel a little safer that way. I don't want to be in a 30 bike pile up.
I will say this. A few guys in the chapter pointed something out to me. I led a ride this summer...about 200 miles each way. Because we had a few planned destinations for the day, I wanted to make sure that we reached those destinations on a very timely basis and planned the route to get us there quickly and keep a nice cruising speed the entire way. I made sure that we had lots of time to make it home before dark and still take back country roads that were far from a direct route to get home. The guys told me it was one of the most enjoyable rides they have been on in a long time. They pointed out that whenever our chapter goes somewhere, it's always directly to an eating destination, and afterwards, everyone just hurries off, sometimes in their own directions, and just speed back home. I remembered on ride early last summer, where we ate, and then it was 90 mph on the highway the entire way home with a group of 20+ bikes. I ended up saying to myself, "screw this" and let the pack go. Yes, this chapter is full of riders, but sometimes just the opposite of what others have experienced...just plain riding too fast and missing the thrill of the ride.
I'd be less than thrilled at that prospect also. Way too many bikes for one group. If your chapter has sufficient road captains you might suggest what we do - that is limit each 'group' to 7 bikes, 9 max with a lead and sweep for each group. That way those in the back don't have to push it to make the red light so as not to lose the group and get lost and they don't have to ride like heck to catch up. The rubberband/slingshot effect of a group of 20 to 30 bikes is considerble and poses significant safety issues, imo. If you don't have enough road captains to do that, well that presents a great opportunity to recruit and train members as road captains.
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Ultrafxr, now what chapter are you in that they limit to 7-9 bikes in a group, never seen that happen.
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It's about time you wake up Larry. It's almost 5 am. I was wondering the same thing you asked. From what I have heard about the new chapter I joined, they get 100+ riders pretty regularly, and they split up into groups approximating 30 bikes.
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ya, the only time there are 9 bikes in a group is when thats all that showed up.
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One thing that I haven't found to be the case in my original chapter is going to slow. In fact, if anything, the group sometimes rides too fast. When you have a group riding close together, with 20 to 30 bikes, I'm not exactly thrilled to be riding back roads at 70 to 80 mph. I try to stay at the back of the pack and lag a bit.
(...)
I am sure you are aware that the actual speed in a group is significantly slower at the front. If you are going 70 mph at the back, with 20 to 30 bikes, the road captain leading the pack is probably going around 50 mph. Try to file in at the very front, and you should have a smooth ride.
Ride safely,
Louis
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I am sure you are aware that the actual speed in a group is significantly slower at the front. If you are going 70 mph at the back, with 20 to 30 bikes, the road captain leading the pack is probably going around 50 mph. Try to file in at the very front, and you should have a smooth ride.
Ride safely,
Louis
Huh? If I am riding at a constant speed of 70 mph at the back and occasionally have to get on it to tighten back up to the group, how in tarnation could the lead be going 50 mph. Something is missing in your theory. If 70 is my low end, no way the group ahead of me is going slower than me.
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hes from Germany, its all backwards there.
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Ultrafxr, now what chapter are you in that they limit to 7-9 bikes in a group, never seen that happen.
Most Road Captain training recommends no more than 7-9 bikes per riding group. HOG does and so do other organizations. Lots of reasons for this.
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Ultrafxr, now what chapter are you in that they limit to 7-9 bikes in a group, never seen that happen.
Hi Larry. It is the Memphis Chapter. This has been an evolutionary process starting back in 2003 or thereabouts. As we've recruited and trained more road captains this is how we have evolved.
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Thats very cool, I have partied with several of your members at POT in B'ghm
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It's about time you wake up Larry. It's almost 5 am. I was wondering the same thing you asked. From what I have heard about the new chapter I joined, they get 100+ riders pretty regularly, and they split up into groups approximating 30 bikes.
30 bikes in simply unmanageable and a disaster waiting to happen imo. Even with great communication between the lead and the sweep riders there is no way to successfully navigate such a large group through traffic without getting split up. Been there, done that and have seen what happens. Natural tendency is to speed up to stay with the group. Then you get folks pushing the envelope on yellow lights and going through on red, emergency braking when they realize they are catching up too quickly and this can cause rear-enders. Just works much, much better to break down into smaller more manageable groups. Heck you'll all get to the destination within a very few minutes of each other most of the time.
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Huh? If I am riding at a constant speed of 70 mph at the back and occasionally have to get on it to tighten back up to the group, how in tarnation could the lead be going 50 mph. Something is missing in your theory. If 70 is my low end, no way the group ahead of me is going slower than me.
I beg to differ. This is a well documented fact any Road Captain can confirm. The speed at the end of the group is the fastest. You can do any amount of research on this, and will always get the same results.
Accordion effect
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In non-linear physics, the accordion effect occurs when fluctuations in the motion of a travelling body causes disruptions in the flow of elements following it. This can happen in road traffic, foot marching, bicycle racing, and, in general, to processes in a pipeline. This effect generally decreases the throughput of the system in which it occurs.
The accordion effect is know by various aliases such as the 'slinky effect', and the string instability.
Ride safely,
Louis
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hes from Germany, its all backwards there.
Take a look at reply 69 and review your comment.
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I beg to differ. This is a well documented fact any Road Captain can confirm. The speed at the end of the group is the fastest. You can do any amount of research on this, and will always get the same results.
Accordion effect
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In non-linear physics, the accordion effect occurs when fluctuations in the motion of a travelling body causes disruptions in the flow of elements following it. This can happen in road traffic, foot marching, bicycle racing, and, in general, to processes in a pipeline. This effect generally decreases the throughput of the system in which it occurs.
The accordion effect is know by various aliases such as the 'slinky effect', and the string instability.
Ride safely,
Louis
I agree Louis. The most glaring example of this phenomenon I can recall was about 15 years ago when I was returning from Valdosta, GA, back to Memphis (in my cage). There had been significant flooding all through the area and people were evacuating. Traffic came to an absolute standstill - for several hours, no kidding. Then all of a sudden it was like the heavens opened and we started moving. For several miles I traveled at 60+ mph and then suddenly we came to a screeching halt and stayed unmoving for a long, long while. This scenario repeated itself many times over throughout the night. Think of it this way. When you are in line at a red light does everyone move in unison when the light turns green? No. It takes a short for you to move - until the person in front of you moves so you can establish your following distance. Multiply this 30 times or 100 times and you get the idea.
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I beg to differ. This is a well documented fact any Road Captain can confirm. The speed at the end of the group is the fastest. You can do any amount of research on this, and will always get the same results.
Accordion effect
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In non-linear physics, the accordion effect occurs when fluctuations in the motion of a travelling body causes disruptions in the flow of elements following it. This can happen in road traffic, foot marching, bicycle racing, and, in general, to processes in a pipeline. This effect generally decreases the throughput of the system in which it occurs.
The accordion effect is know by various aliases such as the 'slinky effect', and the string instability.
Ride safely,
Louis
Excellent point Louis and 100% correct. As another example, in Nascar it is a known fact that the 40th position driver needs a maintained speed nearly 12% faster than the lead car to gain 150 ft on the lead car per lap on a 1 mile oval.
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It is vital that the lead bike in a group understand the accordion / rubberband / slingshot effect, whatever you want to call it. If the lead starts out and accelerates rapidly it will have a significant effect on those following trying to stay up with the group. They will have to accelerate and attain a much faster speed to catch up and this leads to all sorts of unpleasant consequences.
Anyone who does not understand and respect this has no business leading a group imo.
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Take a look at reply 69 and review your comment.
Not that you need validation louis, but you are absolutely correct. Anyone who has ever ridden in a large group should have expierienced this.
If vision permits you can watch the leaders go while you sit and wait for the forward riders to move.
A slingshot effect is exactly what happens as you are forced to go like a bat outta hell to catch up then slam on the brakes to stop.
I sure hope many of the new riders find this topic. Everybody always wants to ride in a big noisy group. They should be aware that this can be a very dangerous place to be. Notwithstanding the riding abilities of those around you. :soapbox:
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Not that you need validation louis, but you are absolutely correct. Anyone who has ever ridden in a large group should have experienced this.
If vision permits you can watch the leaders go while you sit and wait for the forward riders to move.
A slingshot effect is exactly what happens as you are forced to go like a bat outta hell to catch up then slam on the brakes to stop.
I sure hope many of the new riders find this topic. Everybody always wants to ride in a big noisy group. They should be aware that this can be a very dangerous place to be. Notwithstanding the riding abilities of those around you. :soapbox:
Agree totally - not only their abilities but their attitude and judgement as well can make the ride great or downright dangerous.
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To get this thread back on topic and off the Pro HOG, No HOG debate, if this website had 24 Hr Roadside Assistance, CVOHarley.com would be everything I need, thanks to all of the fantastic folks who share information, riding experiences and friendship here. What a great idea Naitram had when he started this. :2vrolijk_21:
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To get this thread back on topic and off the Pro HOG, No HOG debate, if this website had 24 Hr Roadside Assistance, CVOHarley.com would be everything I need, thanks to all of the fantastic folks who share information, riding experiences and friendship here. What a great idea Naitram had when he started this. :2vrolijk_21:
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Actually, the original question had to do with ideas of what HOG could provide to it's membership that would be more appreciated by it's members. It has nothing to do with this website and I certainly don't think that this website has it in the cards to provide roadside assistance...unless we are going to start charging a membership fee for this site...and I don't see that happening either.
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Actually, the original question had to do with ideas of what HOG could provide to it's membership that would be more appreciated by it's members. It has nothing to do with this website and I certainly don't think that this website has it in the cards to provide roadside assistance...unless we are going to start charging a membership fee for this site...and I don't see that happening either.
Sheesh, talk about missing the point :nixweiss:
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Not even sure if you are talking about me or you missing the point. I agree that the conversation was definitely off track.
If it's me, straighten me out.
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As if all the threads tend to go off track. That is just the nature of the beast.
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To get this thread back on topic and off the Pro HOG, No HOG debate, if this website had 24 Hr Roadside Assistance, CVOHarley.com would be everything I need, thanks to all of the fantastic folks who share information, riding experiences and friendship here. What a great idea Naitram had when he started this. :2vrolijk_21:
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HeHe!!! Off track? WTH is that? :jack: :jack: :jack:
We do B B!!! Remember, I needed to start one while Cybil was still under w.....ty, with stock chit in her!!! ::) ;D ;D ;D
Seriously, we've been working at keeping this up, and ever expanding. I'd rather call someone from here than that HOG operator in India any day!!! ;) :2vrolijk_21:
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=18220.msg291163#msg291163
Hoist! 8)
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HeHe!!! Off track? WTH is that? :jack: :jack: :jack:
We do B B!!! Remember, I needed to start one while Cybil was still under w.....ty, with stock chit in her!!! ::) ;D ;D ;D
Seriously, we've been working at keeping this up, and ever expanding. I'd rather call someone from here than that HOG operator in India any day!!! ;) :2vrolijk_21:
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=18220.msg291163#msg291163
Hoist! 8)
I never saw that on here before. In looking at the Excel Spreadsheet, I noticed that there are only 2 entries with phone numbers. My assumption at this point would be that this would be a good list to print out and keep on the bike. Further assumption that the 2 numbers made available could be contacted to get contact info for the others listed in that special emergency circumstance. You always have to wonder "what if" when you are traveling, especially so by bike. Please correct my assumptions if they are wrong. Thanks.
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I never saw that on here before. In looking at the Excel Spreadsheet, I noticed that there are only 2 entries with phone numbers. My assumption at this point would be that this would be a good list to print out and keep on the bike. Further assumption that the 2 numbers made available could be contacted to get contact info for the others listed in that special emergency circumstance. You always have to wonder "what if" when you are traveling, especially so by bike. Please correct my assumptions if they are wrong. Thanks.
HeHe!!! Agreed man! When we first started this, people were reluctant to have their nos. appear online. So Glenn and I volunteered to be the contact points. As this grew, it didn't make sense anymore. Since they're all cell phone nos, no reason they all can't appear. So we've asked for everone's agreement to that. Most have already, and the next revised spreadsheet I put up will have most, if not all of the phone numbers on it! ;) :2vrolijk_21:
Hoist! 8)
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Hopefully, I'll never have to make one of those PITA calls to someone for help, but it sure is nice to know that there may be another option out there from somebody that can put themselves in your shoes. As soon as the new list comes out, it's going in with my owner's manual.
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Hi Larry. It is the Memphis Chapter. This has been an evolutionary process starting back in 2003 or thereabouts. As we've recruited and trained more road captains this is how we have evolved.
your not alone. in Niagara Falls, we limit group size to 10 at the most. but it all depends on how many we get for a run. for ex. if we get over 20 (say 24) we do 3 groups. smaller is more efficient and can manuver well. also safer.
GEE, guess I should have finished reading to the end before making a comment. you guys change direction faster then I change my underwear. :nixweiss:
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HeHe!!! Off track? WTH is that? :jack: :jack: :jack:
We do B B!!! Remember, I needed to start one while Cybil was still under w.....ty, with stock chit in her!!! ::) ;D ;D ;D
Seriously, we've been working at keeping this up, and ever expanding. I'd rather call someone from here than that HOG operator in India any day!!! ;) :2vrolijk_21:
http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=18220.msg291163#msg291163
Hoist! 8)
I'll be adding my name to the list soon Howie. Just hoping to find that perfect deal on a trailer.
B B
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One of the things I thought would be a good benefit was for a Dealer to give CVO customers a "red Carpet" treatment or a priority service.
1. Dealers treat there best and most loyal customers the same as any other customer,
I understand this, but how hard would it be to push CVO cust to the front of the line?
Each dealer cannot have that many CVO's out there 3-6 bikes of each model each year.
how many can there be? 10 - 20 /year. 10 years of bikes cannot be more than 75 - 100 bikes (early on there were not so many available)
giving that many bikes a priority would not upset the cart, and can be easily explained to a reg customer (may not like it but would understand)
And it would be a bonus to the CVO crowd.
I am surprised that I have never heard of a Dealer doing this, if the price is the same you need to increase service satisfaction to beat other dealers at the game.
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so, what do you call that chit your smoking ????????
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If some service dept. pushed my bike back to let a CVO in front it would be the last time for a real long time that they did. No objection to waiting on a traveler but that's a whole different deal.
Just sayin.
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How about HOG developing a "list" of biker friendly establishments and destinations other than just Harley Dealers.
eating establishments unique in nature and lodging in the same manner.
pre determined exceptional motorcycle routes could not be that hard to do.
I would appreciate some of those features.
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One of the things I thought would be a good benefit was for a Dealer to give CVO customers a "red Carpet" treatment or a priority service.
1. Dealers treat there best and most loyal customers the same as any other customer,
I understand this, but how hard would it be to push CVO cust to the front of the line?
Each dealer cannot have that many CVO's out there 3-6 bikes of each model each year.
how many can there be? 10 - 20 /year. 10 years of bikes cannot be more than 75 - 100 bikes (early on there were not so many available)
giving that many bikes a priority would not upset the cart, and can be easily explained to a reg customer (may not like it but would understand)
And it would be a bonus to the CVO crowd.
I am surprised that I have never heard of a Dealer doing this, if the price is the same you need to increase service satisfaction to beat other dealers at the game.
Problem is that the CVO's are a low supply/high demand bike. The dealer really doesn't have to offer anything extra to sell the CVO's...for the most part. I know I have still seen a few sit for quite a while without selling (some models). When I bought mine, I knew as soon as I saw it that if I didn't take it immediately, it would be gone. Less than an hour into getting the deal done, a couple walked in looking for my bike, ready to buy. I could see that the wife was more upset that it was sold than he was, but I wasn't letting go. I should have offered it to them for an extra 4 or 5 grand.
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If some service dept. pushed my bike back to let a CVO in front it would be the last time for a real long time that they did. No objection to waiting on a traveler but that's a whole different deal.
Just sayin.
Not saying you would like it, but this happens all of the time (preference given to the best customers)
do you really think mini vans get equal footing to a Corvette?
most times it would be an invisible preference, like the best mechanics only work on CVO's or They get squezed in the service schedule were others are by appoinment only. (remember that you have the choice to buy or not buy a CVO)
My BMW dealer gives me better treatment because I drive a M5 vs an X3.
They do not offend the 3 driver they just give me more attention.
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Problem is that the CVO's are a low supply/high demand bike. The dealer really doesn't have to offer anything extra to sell the CVO's...for the most part. I know I have still seen a few sit for quite a while without selling (some models). When I bought mine, I knew as soon as I saw it that if I didn't take it immediately, it would be gone. Less than an hour into getting the deal done, a couple walked in looking for my bike, ready to buy. I could see that the wife was more upset that it was sold than he was, but I wasn't letting go. I should have offered it to them for an extra 4 or 5 grand.
You may be right, but what I would suggest would not cost the dealer any money and goes a long way to cementing a better long term relationship
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How about HOG developing a "list" of biker friendly establishments and destinations other than just Harley Dealers.
eating establishments unique in nature and lodging in the same manner.
pre determined exceptional motorcycle routes could not be that hard to do.
I would appreciate some of those features.
I might be more prone to take that kind of advice from someone on this forum before using an outdated list gathered together by Harley. Everything can change quickly with changes in ownership or a one time bad experience that changes an establishment's outlook. I couldn't imagine them doing a good job of real-time updating of a database like that, and you may end up with places that no longer even exist. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be a good thing, but I don't know if it's something that I could feel that I could rely upon.
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You may be right, but what I would suggest would not cost the dealer any money and goes a long way to cementing a better long term relationship
Agreed. Even telling us we get special treatment might help us feel better. I did things my own way. When they stumbled with giving me the kind of service I expected, I called the Sales Manager and read him the riot act. I pointed out how much I have spent in that dealership in just the last 2 years, that I had only begun spending on my new bike, and that there are plenty of other dealers just as close by that would love to take my business away from them. I further went on to tell him that the salesman that sold me my previous bike is the sales manager at another dealer now, and that he has been trying to give me incentives to work with him. It appears that they are back on their game with me now, as they were in the past. I think I got his attention when I asked him how many other customers have spent over $70,000 there in the past 2 years. The fact is, I did something I regret though. I bought a 3 year service agreement from them also, which covers all of my maintenance and extra oil changes, etc...so I'm not really about to go anywhere else for those things now.
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My main point is to find things that we would appreciate, and that would not cost the dealer any or much money to care of a small percentage of their best customers.
like if you have a CVO bought from the dealer he will pick up and deliver it to your door step for service if needed.
in a bad weather area this is important. (we all would like to ride our bikes)
or a courtesy shuttle one way back?
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I went to a performance seminar at the dealer tonight. They kept stressing the fact that they offer free pickup and delivery of bikes...but not just for CVO's. That's definitely something to be appreciative for, but I guarantee it will be tossed into the price somewhere. They were really pushing the Screamin Eagle parts there, especially the upgrade kits. Of course, I was the only one there with a 110 engine.
What I really want from a dealer is priority service to get me bike in, get it done quickly, get it done correctly the first time, delivered back to me with no scratches or dents, and not returned to me with some half a$$ed wash job. Actually, they have been instructed to never wash my bike again, unless they are prepared to do a complete detail. So basically, I just want them to take care of me quickly and do the job right. I don't think it's asking too much. Problem is that is never going to happen because of any national campaign. Each dealer is still going to do their thing, whether that be good or bad.
I'm supposed to get first priority because of the service plan I purchased. I guess I'll find out how that all works out. BTW, are other dealers around the country offering this maintenance plan? I get free scheduled maintenance for 3 years, up to the 30,000 mile maintenance, 2 or 3 interim oil changes if I want, and a dynotune when I reach 1000 miles. It cost about $1700. I figured out that at their rates, I'm in the black by the 15,000 maintenance.
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@FLHTCUSE3
How about HOG developing a "list" of biker friendly establishments and destinations other than just Harley Dealers.
eating establishments unique in nature and lodging in the same manner.
pre determined exceptional motorcycle routes could not be that hard to do.
I would appreciate some of those features.
@1abastarsmda
I might be more prone to take that kind of advice from someone on this forum before using an outdated list gathered together by Harley. Everything can change quickly with changes in ownership or a one time bad experience that changes an establishment's outlook. I couldn't imagine them doing a good job of real-time updating of a database like that, and you may end up with places that no longer even exist. I'm not saying that it wouldn't be a good thing, but I don't know if it's something that I could feel that I could rely upon.
I do not think Harley's vision of a biker friendly establishment is the same as, e.g. ours. Other than that Harley has over time development a quite comprehensive offering of little services grouped in the "Experience" section of their website. For route planning their enhanced route planner is not a bad option, and it is synchronized with dealer and event POI's. I see that offering increasing, since for now they'll sell less bikes, hence have to help everybody using their bikes more and more ... ;-).
H.O.G. does not have anything comparable. It is upon the individual chapters to help riders.
Ride safely,
Louis