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CVO Social => In The News => Topic started by: Mikey on March 28, 2021, 09:25:21 AM

Title: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Mikey on March 28, 2021, 09:25:21 AM

Beginning with the March 2021 edition, H.O.G.® member subscriptions to The Enthusiast™ magazine will transition to four digitally distributed electronic issues, plus a single, premium printed edition mailed to you each summer.
 
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on March 28, 2021, 10:44:52 AM
I won't read the digital version any less than I did the printed version.  It's just a company advertiser.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: dayne66 on March 28, 2021, 11:43:49 AM
Bought bike in Feb......didn't get the March edition electronically......did I miss out on anything important?
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: iski on March 28, 2021, 12:07:32 PM
Years ago I read this.  Will not bother with any online edition, cannot recall the last time I read anything of interest in the Enthusiast.  Expensive advertising copy, & HD is eliminating almost all the printing cost.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Fired00d on March 28, 2021, 12:11:40 PM
The email I got...

HOG The Enthusiast
TURN A NEW PAGE
As a member of the Harley Owners Group®, you have a direct connection to the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world and a community of the most passionate and enthusiastic riders around the globe. It is with great excitement that we share with you an important change to your subscription to The Enthusiast™ magazine.
 
Beginning with the March 2021 edition, H.O.G.® member subscriptions to The Enthusiast™ magazine will transition to four digitally distributed electronic issues, plus a single, premium printed edition mailed to you each summer.
 
This is a significant change, and one that provides many benefits—including the ability to deliver a greater quantity of timely content, more riding stories and H.O.G. member‑centric information. To read the latest edition of The Enthusiast, please visit members.hog.com and sign in to your H.O.G. profile using your unique credentials.
 
This digital move is just one part of our 5‑year Hardwire plan and our continued focus on you—our riding community. We are concentrating our attention on new community endeavors to keep the pride of ownership strong, and delivering experiences unique to Harley‑Davidson and the H.O.G. community. Please be on the lookout for more exciting updates to come later this year.
 
When you choose to ride with the Harley Owners Group, you’ll never ride alone. We are honored to have you along with us. No matter where we ride, what we ride, or who we ride with, the open road connects us all.
 
Ride free,
 
Theo Keetell
Vice President, Marketing


 :pumpkin:
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 :fireman:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: scotman623 on March 28, 2021, 01:42:39 PM
Same email I got!!! I will scan through it and pick and choose what interests me... I’m not Surprised... Most magazines are going this way now... I would rather have the printed versions, I’m old school.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on March 28, 2021, 03:04:41 PM
I wish HOG would have continued the road atlases.  Sure, with GPS units everywhere they too had become redundant and I understand the expense argument.  But a decent paper atlas you can take with you or help plan from is nice to have and a complement to the GPS.  That's the one thing from HOG I ever took advantage of.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: iski on March 28, 2021, 03:11:06 PM
HOG magazines were never Easy Riders, but they used to have articles that were readable.  I like the road atlases & still carry 1 even though it's outdated.  There are places a cell phone doesn't work & there are times when it is nice to sit down & look at a real map instead of a tiny GPS screen. 
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: ultra13 on March 28, 2021, 03:58:22 PM
iski......X2
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Fired00d on March 28, 2021, 06:02:05 PM
I wish HOG would have continued the road atlases.  Sure, with GPS units everywhere they too had become redundant and I understand the expense argument.  But a decent paper atlas you can take with you or help plan from is nice to have and a complement to the GPS.  That's the one thing from HOG I ever took advantage of.
You and me both.... I would put the new one on the bike and put last years in the car. It was nice when travelling in the car if I wanted to know/check out a "stealership" in my travels.

 :pumpkin:
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 :fireman:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: dayne66 on March 29, 2021, 12:06:29 AM
Yeah...miss the atlas also....never had them except the years we bought a new bike...never paid for a HOG membership as the closest chapter is 1 1/2 hours away....and they ride up-island.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: FLSTFI Dave on March 29, 2021, 07:21:08 AM
I liked the atlas.  Once in a while the Enthusiast had a decent article or imformation about HOG events. 

I would rather it not be digital, as I won't remember to look for it.  Print I can scan it and see what I need to know
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: charles05663 on March 29, 2021, 11:23:02 AM
It just another spam message to delete from my inbox.

 :oops: :nixweiss:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Mano on March 29, 2021, 08:51:25 PM
I liked the atlas.  Once in a while the Enthusiast had a decent article or imformation about HOG events. 

I would rather it not be digital, as I won't remember to look for it.  Print I can scan it and see what I need to know

X2

They should have given the option to those that wanted the magazine and atlas. For those that got the life membership back in the day that's what we signed up and paid for.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: rodrocket on March 29, 2021, 08:56:09 PM
Same email I got!!! I will scan through it and pick and choose what interests me... I’m not Surprised... Most magazines are going this way now... I would rather have the printed versions, I’m old school.
 

I totally agree, the printed versions were a keepsake.......
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: mjb765 on March 29, 2021, 09:16:53 PM
I liked the atlas.  Once in a while the Enthusiast had a decent article or imformation about HOG events. 

I would rather it not be digital, as I won't remember to look for it.  Print I can scan it and see what I need to know

Agreed
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: spence on March 30, 2021, 06:28:09 AM
Just another company catering to a younger generation instead of the people that have helped build the company.  We should have been given an option to choose which we wanted, personally I would have taken the printed version, with it switching to online I will never read it.  I like my magazines, books and newspapers printed not digital.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: FLSTFI Dave on March 30, 2021, 07:07:53 AM
X2

They should have given the option to those that wanted the magazine and atlas. For those that got the life membership back in the day that's what we signed up and paid for.
I fully agree.  They keep taking away stuff, that awe got when we decided to become life members.  Not right
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: charles05663 on March 31, 2021, 01:21:40 PM
On another note, going to an online edition will allow HD to track the interest level of HOG members.  It will also allow them to inundate members with rotating advertising. 

I am sure some wiz kid and bean counter was the driving force for the change.
 :oops: :nixweiss:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on March 31, 2021, 05:16:39 PM

On another note, going to an online edition will allow HD to track the interest level of HOG members.  It will also allow them to inundate members with rotating advertising. 


Which, if so, will be only one more piece of online detritus to unsubscribe from.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Indenial on April 06, 2021, 11:59:37 AM
I was disappointed when they took away the atlas.  And now really disappointed that there is no magazine, as I enjoyed sitting in my chair and looking at it.  And---as an annual paying member, I am asking myself why do I want to continue my membership.  I'm having a hard time coming up with an answer. Guess I'll have to check on my ATT phone discount and see if that still holds.  I hope the younger crowd can make up the financial difference.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Grizzly on April 06, 2021, 04:09:40 PM
Remember the good ol' days when we received HOG Tales every other month and Enthusiast with each change of seasons, and an annual Road Atlas.  Not to mention almost every State and Province having an annual rally AND a National Rally both in Canada and the US and Life Members getting special trinkets at the rallies?  Yeah, those were the good ol' days.

Well, they're gone just like many other HOG benefits... I guess they just aren't collecting enough from their once listed million HOG members around the world.  I believe they oversold the idea of Life Memberships and that's the basic problem... There must be quite a number of Lifers who still receive mags and their annual package even though they no longer own a bike or a Harley.  Plus there must be fewer paying ridiculously high annual fees.  Do they even still have a million members.  I kind of doubt it.

Going to electronic version is just hurting themselves because now they will have even less looking at their advertisements as most won't bother to read online as previously suggested.

The new "brass" in Milwaukee sure has them walking down a slippery road.
 
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: BigLock on April 06, 2021, 06:34:23 PM
I agree alot of life members,will get to you in the long run if you don't have the annual members to make up for it.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: phato1 on April 08, 2021, 04:44:34 PM
I was disappointed when they took away the atlas.  And now really disappointed that there is no magazine, as I enjoyed sitting in my chair and looking at it.  And---as an annual paying member, I am asking myself why do I want to continue my membership.  I'm having a hard time coming up with an answer. Guess I'll have to check on my ATT phone discount and see if that still holds.  I hope the younger crowd can make up the financial difference.

My disappointment with those issues and their seemingly lack of concern for the thoughts of the members led me to let the HOG membership fade away. Figured I was getting nothing for the cost since I have roadside with my insurance and hotel discounts at every major chain from work that continued after I retired. The Atlas was really the only reason I renewed and once they started playing games like NOT sending that if your membership expired at any time during the calendar year of the atlas' printing I said good bye. I'm sure they miss me about as much as I miss them.......
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on April 08, 2021, 07:23:51 PM
Fortunately there are still printed road atlases to be had.  Amazon is again the easy path to take.  A surprising number of options too.  They may not list every Harley dealership but, fortunately, there's an app for that.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Mikey on April 10, 2021, 10:27:14 AM
I am not a lifetime member but have been on auto renew for darn near twenty years. I have thought of cancelling for the last few years but just haven't got to it. What am I paying for? A patch and a pin? I have a drawer full of both. I have attended state rally's that they cancelled, I used the atlas, cancelled, and I read the mag that became less useful and more of a sales brochure. Just another example of corporate cutting costs with no regard to the previously loyal customers. Good by HOG!
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on April 10, 2021, 12:26:02 PM
I am not a lifetime member but have been on auto renew for darn near twenty years. I have thought of cancelling for the last few years but just haven't got to it. What am I paying for? A patch and a pin? I have a drawer full of both. I have attended state rally's that they cancelled, I used the atlas, cancelled, and I read the mag that became less useful and more of a sales brochure. Just another example of corporate cutting costs with no regard to the previously loyal customers. Good by HOG!

I did the life thing many many years ago.  Was living with a woman who was in to the pins and thought it all cool and who got really really randy on rally rides.  So I did more rally rides; and we got the life membership.  Was long enough ago I know I don't remember what it cost but my recollection is about a hundred bucks.  Like I said, many many years ago. 

If they are heavily front loaded with old farts like me having never paid a due in close to 25+ years it would suck to be them.  I got my money's worth out of it on those three or four years of rally ride nights; but I'd still like to get the atlas!
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Mikey on April 10, 2021, 01:10:58 PM
Don,
You did well with the personal added benefits! Price now is $50.00 a year with no mention of life time membership.
Mikey
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Grizzly on April 10, 2021, 06:03:02 PM
You see it's lifers like me that beat their system, and won!   :2vrolijk_21:

Except for the fact that I paid  $175. long, long ago and thought I would enjoy all the benefits they were offering at the time (as mentioned in my previous post) for life.  Didn't quite work out that way.   >:(

So, us lifers won for the past 30 years or so, but I can at least take comfort in knowing that they're not getting anymore out of me, and they still send me the pittance they offer today - and that continues for the rest of my life!  Unless of course they renege on that as well.   :nixweiss:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on April 10, 2021, 09:03:32 PM
You see it's lifers like me that beat their system, and won!   :2vrolijk_21:

Except for the fact that I paid  $175. long, long ago and thought I would enjoy all the benefits they were offering at the time (as mentioned in my previous post) for life.  Didn't quite work out that way.   >:(

So, us lifers won for the past 30 years or so, but I can at least take comfort in knowing that they're not getting anymore out of me, and they still send me the pittance they offer today - and that continues for the rest of my life!  Unless of course they renege on that as well.   :nixweiss:


We're in much the same boat.  I bet their next step to avoid the costs associated with OFLU (old farts like us) is... TSSPBA (the super secret poolboy assassins)!!  ???
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Chains on April 11, 2021, 09:41:46 PM
X2

They should have given the option to those that wanted the magazine and atlas. For those that got the life membership back in the day that's what we signed up and paid for.


I agree.  Not quite sure what I paid for a life membership years ago but I wish they would have given us a choice.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on April 11, 2021, 11:57:04 PM
There's a few out there who'd have swapped the atlas and the magazine for a set of lifters (or three).
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Eqcons on April 12, 2021, 05:01:39 AM
Was living with a woman ...... who got really really randy on rally rides

Was that on the bike, Don?  :orange:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: 08glide on April 12, 2021, 09:27:05 AM
I was disappointed when they took away the atlas.  And now really disappointed that there is no magazine, as I enjoyed sitting in my chair and looking at it.  And---as an annual paying member, I am asking myself why do I want to continue my membership.  I'm having a hard time coming up with an answer. Guess I'll have to check on my ATT phone discount and see if that still holds.  I hope the younger crowd can make up the financial difference.


next they'll be taking away the pins & yearly badges. I've got a couple of Enthusists from 1956. used to enjoy reading them & I too liked the atlas. compact & easy to pack. Always gave the old one to my brother or another friend. Liked the stealership locations, phone # etc.
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: dayne66 on April 12, 2021, 10:13:29 AM
There's a few out there who'd have swapped the atlas and the magazine for a set of lifters (or three).
Or a compensator ...or 4!
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: mjb765 on April 12, 2021, 01:13:57 PM
now the question is--do I toss or keep all of my old issues of Enthusiast???
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Twolanerider on April 12, 2021, 05:22:19 PM
now the question is--do I toss or keep all of my old issues of Enthusiast???


Toss it !!  :apple:
Title: Re: HOG cuts printed "Enthusiast"
Post by: Grizzly on April 17, 2021, 04:26:31 PM

We're in much the same boat.  I bet their next step to avoid the costs associated with OFLU (old farts like us) is... TSSPBA (the super secret poolboy assassins)!!  ???

Right on!   ;D