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[smkblwr]

smkblwr kinda summed alot of it up in a nutshell. I am a lifer as well, used to be very active, road capt for several yrs,led rides even when not officially rd capt. we do chapter challenges with other chapters for braggin rights, etc. as stated, local state rallies are low in attrndance as compared to the national events.  I am not as active currently as retirement has me going & doing so many other things & I just sometimes forget(old age, as stated in previous post), & if you're not active ya don't know what where & when. I have met a lot of good, no GREAT people thru HOG & have some great memories. yes a lot has changed & the dealerships really have the guiding hand in the local chapter events ( how much to support or sponsor). bottom line, HOG was created to bring everyone together to RIDE! that's what it's about, not t-shirts & trinkets. our dealership would put on "FREE" cookouts once/mo along with local bands,etc & as hog members we vol to prep food,direct parking, & see that everyone was taken care of & having a good time (this involved being there all day & sometimes the day before).    smkblwr, sorry for the lack of attendance on my part this ye. see ya this wkend I hope.

Speaking of meeting great ppl in HOG. 08Glide, no need to be sorry, Retirement should be fun and as long as you having some fun, it's all good.  I know you and your prettier half are just a phone call away and like wise if needed.
Smkblwr

[murphy]

Harley Davidson - successfully turning people off the brand - one rider at a time.

[FLSTFI Dave]

Joined HOG in 2002 with the free membership that came with my 03 Bike.  I have been a national member since and am a Life Member.

 Tried the local chapter and were very cliquish, a well established chapter.  In 04 a New Dealer opened and I became a charter member of that chapter  Was very active the first two years than slowed down with the chapter.  In 07 My wife got her first bike, and in 08, 09, 10 and 11 was a primary officer and we were real active.  She is still an officer.  We have both been road Captains.

I'm no longer a road Captain by choice, I have little patients for people who can not ride.

I enjoy the chapter and ride often with several members, but not much on chapter rides as they are too slow.  I like the charity work the chapter does, the meetings and such.

As for Hog Rally's I have been to many.  Some good, Some great and a few horrible.  If the one I went to in Jackson TN 4 years ago would have been my first, it would have been my last.  That said the ones that have been done in Cookeville TN and in Maryville TN have been fantastic. 

I feel it is worth it for my wife and I.

[DCFIREMANN]

I have been a member of HOG since 1983. I have been a Life Member since 1987. I use to do a lot of HOG Rallies back in the day. We always had a good group of People go as a group with us. And we always had a great time. HOG use to have State, Regional and National Rallies. The Regional and National Rallies always were crowded.  I sometimes think about going to some State Rallies. I have just not made one in quite a few years. And no it's not like it use to be!!!!

Be Safe

THE DAWG

[ultrafxr]

I don't think anyone has mentioned the rides that H.O.G. puts on - not the chapters but national H.O.G. in Milwaukee.  I've been on many starting with Route 66 in 2001 and then again in 2010.  Missed the Lewis & Clark ride in 2002 as I went to Sturgis but did all 48 states, a coast to coast, and the Pony Express route on H.O.G. Posse Rides.  Last one I did was Rock, Rhythm & Blues in 2011.

Since then there has been less support ($$ and personnal) from the moco and these rides aren't all they used to be or could be.  They were great fun.  We saw things we might not have found on our own, had exclusive access to several impressive venues and most of all met a lot of good interesting people many of who remain friends today.

These rides were not cheap but they provided great value imo.  So I'd say yes, for me and my wife H.O.G. was/is definitely work it.   

[dmnrdn]

Obviously you have shown your lack of knowledge about HOG State Rallies.  They are never free and always have a registration fee.  The ones I have attended the cost of the registration I got back in the amount of free meals that were provided as part of the rally

As they say, nothing is free

[2018_FLTRXSE]

Obviously you have shown your lack of knowledge about HOG State Rallies.  They are never free and always have a registration fee.  The ones I have attended the cost of the registration I got back in the amount of free meals that were provided as part of the rally

As they say, nothing is free

HOG member since 10/2002, life member a year later.

There used to be three Chapters on our island.

Now, only 2 under 1 dealer.

I've been an officer in all three of the chapters at one time or another.

Cliquish? one of them most certainly so. I moved on to where I was needed, and wanted.

My first year of membership I met the "then" State Rally Coordinator. He asked for help, I said sure... and I've been a part of the Rally since. This year I took over as Rally Coordinator.

Hawaii's rally is small compared to other destinations... but much more personal than any other.

ITs what you make of it.

[RedEagle]

I have been to many State HOG Rallies and have enjoyed them all, some are better but all were fun.
The problem as I see it is the aging membership very few members in their 30's or 40's.
The chapters I am in have a good leadership lots of activities and rides.
Is it worth it....YES

[moscooter]

 
I've been a HOG member since the early '90s, and have maintained the membership pretty much for the (tow service) just in case.  The (only) time I ever used the actual membership for other than a (tow situation) was attending an event at the 100 yr. anniversary in Milwaukee yrs ago.

Now, with AAA coverage, and others..........I'm not seeing any need to continue.  Yes,  there is an active local HOG group in my area,  but I have never attended and don't have much desire to do so.  I've noted some "locals" that  are members seeming to me to be relatively speaking "rookie" riders that only (half) know what they are doing..........I don't need to get in the middle of a "group" ride with folks like that.

[jayray00SERG]

NYS Hog Rally. Geneva NY. I have been a member since 89 and still use the atlas/dealer locator. Paid the 40 bucks for the wrist band and there was nothing exclusive about it. People who didn't pay had the same access.
DONE giving HOG any money.

[MrSurly]

NYS Hog Rally. Geneva NY. I have been a member since 89 and still use the atlas/dealer locator. Paid the 40 bucks for the wrist band and there was nothing exclusive about it. People who didn't pay had the same access.
DONE giving HOG any money.

This^

As I mentioned about my state rally, You pay the fee to (along with trinkets) gain access to the vendor tents, the show in the evening, etc. Then you realize that *everyone* has the access, wristband or no. This is partly because the folks who are tasked with 'policing' the rope line are volunteers and they don't want to be the bad guy, so, they just look the other way or abandon their post. It doesn't seem important. 
I know that some will misinterpret my mention of this as 'elitist' or whining about demanding special treatment, but that's NOT what is meant at all.
To look at it from a "commercial view":

The point is "perceived value". If you sell something and then your buyer discovers it has no value, he will remember it...and not make that mistake again.
If you are the SELLER (the event organizer) YOU should be greatly concerned about your customers feeling they got what they paid for.
If you make it clear that you don't care (what I witnessed) then, you are likely to find that your patrons will also stop caring.
I DO understand that we are talking about volunteers... I also know that most of them really do a great job for nothing.
My suggestion to organizers is to consider the buyer's view and also let the volunteers know why their job is an important job.

[jmanderson6]

I am from Fort Myers and let me tell you this since they built six bends the place has lost all customer service and recently while talking details about getting a new bike the salesman asked me to come back tomorrow b/c he had to get some ink done.... lost my respect and a sale on a 2016 road glide ultra cvo. I ended up at Chesters in Ft. Lauderdale and treated with respect and got a hell of a deal. Even for something small and simple takes an hr to get in and out. from what i hear from the grapevine they are building a hotel and a few restaurants on grounds the place has turned into disney land..

[FLSTFI Dave]

I am from Fort Myers and let me tell you this since they built six bends the place has lost all customer service and recently while talking details about getting a new bike the salesman asked me to come back tomorrow b/c he had to get some ink done.... lost my respect and a sale on a 2016 road glide ultra cvo. I ended up at Chesters in Ft. Lauderdale and treated with respect and got a hell of a deal. Even for something small and simple takes an hr to get in and out. from what i hear from the grapevine they are building a hotel and a few restaurants on grounds the place has turned into disney land..

Stopped at six bends on our trip to Ft Myers and on to the Keys this past April.  I was on my CVO Road Glide Ultra and my wife was on her 15 road glide special.  Two salesmen came right out to look at her bike.  One commented to the other, wonder when we get this CVO model, it will sell well.  I told them it was not a CVO but a road glide special.  So then they were wondering why they never got one like it.

We had a good laugh, but they sure do not know the product. 

The picture is of her bike and mine, but in the Bad Lands later this year.  Clearly custom paint for 15, not from Harley even thou it is a 2011 color.

[Para Bellum]

 

[JoeVibe]

I was given a National HOG membership in 2011 when I bought my first Harley and then I joined the local (Murfreesboro, TN) chapter in 2012. I've not attended any national events, and honestly don't know if I ever will, but I'm very happy with the local chapter so I'll be maintaining my membership for the foreseeable future.