I can think of better ways to blow 200 bucks

1   I don't recall having to pay to join the local HOG when I bought my new bike in 03 but you may well be quite correct.

2  It's not $200 a year it's about $100 a year which includes about $30 for the local oufit. The $70 ish covers HOG International sending you regular magazines that you may or may not want and a few other things to boot. If you can find 30 grand for a bike then surely $100 ain't so much!! 

3    If you wanna be a loner there's plenty of empty country roads out there for you to feel happy on.

4   If you like to enjoy the company of other Harley-lovers at the same time then HOG is definitely worth a few rides to see if you like it. If you are in a city club then you will meet a shitload of different riders every time you go on a run plus a few that you met last time.  If you can't make any good friends on a few of these runs then you should probably go back to number 3 where you will be happier. If you don't like the social atmosphere of the HOG meets then please don't put shit on the people who do like it. Some of us have the closest friends we have ever met thanks to our local HOG club.

5  Lots of HOG members meet up for casual rides on days other than HOG club rides.

6   You probably won't like every single person you meet but ............ who does!?!

7   I've met several long term bikers who have never ridden in a group of more than 3 bikes. There's nothing quite like the magic sound of 50 Harleys pulling away from the lights!! I can only speak for me. I love to ride alone and I love to ride in a group.  They are different experiences. I have certainly discovered stacks of places that I didn't know existed thanks to the HOG rides.

8   I have never been to a club 'meeting' in 5 years...... only to as many Sunday rides as I can. 

9   I am constantly amazed by HD owners who have never even tried a HOG ride yet have negative feelings about it. Maybe someone can enlighten me. I have a mate in the US who is one of these. It seems that the common belief there is that HOGsters never ride faster than about 70km/hr. He was quite surprised when I told him the speeds that we usually ride at here in Oz.

10   Whatever........ )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I bought my bike I had complementary HOG membership but I didn't, and won't join a chapter. I find that the Forum gives me enough scope to meet HD riders, we ride as individuals, set our own pace and cut out when done.

Out of all the clubs and asociations I have been involved with over the years the forum and it's participants stand out as the most uncomplicated and enjoyable group Iv'e had the pleasure of being involved with.

Bt

Skull , go and find out for your self , but keep in mind there are other social riding groups if thats your thing . Im a member of a group , I became an automatic HOG member when I bought my bike , I whent down to my local chapter and wasn't impressed,
I also looked at the 10% discount card given to me and also couldn't see the valve in it as I have a friendship with my local dealer and if I needed to buy original parts I was always looked after with out the card.

I found and joined a more layback "Club" Riding group that suited me which also has regular rides,shows and weekends away

I received a membership renewal in the mail from HOG late last year for $200 , yes $200 and looked at it and compered it to the Group that I ride with and what they offer me for $20 a year and Quickly thew the HOG renewal in the bin.

As I said there not the only group, but only you can deside

Where are you Skull , maybe some one can sir jest and Social Riding group in your area

Hey walka,

Here is a copy of my Visa Card online statement:

28/04/2008

TRADEVENT REGISTRATI SURRY HILLS

$75.00

(in case it doesn't copy correctly into this format it says "28/4/2008, Tradevent Registration Surry Hills, $75.00"

It's my just renewed membership for 08/09. I'm afraid that you ARE mistaken. I don't know what else I can do to convince you. Anyway, if it was $200 a year I wouldn't be re-joining either!!

cheers

 

 

Skull

you are more than welcome to come and join the boys from the gong on rides ... we had around 30 odd bikes on the last ride organised by Big Joe and we all had a great day

Kiteman summed it up pretty well I thought .. but give it a go, then if you dont like it you dont have to continue going ..the local hog group usually let you ride with them on a couple of rides without joining up so you can see what it is like first, and if you like then you should join

I went on a couple of rides and enjoyed myself, but I didnt join up, just lazy ... for me at the time it was just another membership you pay for but never really use ... have been on rides organised through this site and had just as much fun

No

Not my cup of tea, I went on a run with the local crew here in Adelaide and they seemed OK. Next time I ran into the same mob I was on my Rocket 111 and you would of thought I had leprosy the way they snobbed me off. From then on I havent given HOG the time of day.

Give it a go, you may like it.

I think it is what you want out of it and also what you make out of it.After coming from another club,it was a big culture shock,and too regimented for me.Also I found that it seems to be oriented towards the rider that either wants to ride half way round the country,or doesn't ride much at all and wants to do the charity scene.They don't seem to do many day rides,and with our ever decreasing leisure time,I think these types of rides are a must for a lot more people.I think this is part of the reason why the chapters have such a large turnover,a lot of people become disillusioned,and either ride by themselves or join other clubs like ulysses etc.The best way is to attend a meeting and a ride and see for yourself.

 

nobody

I was in it for a little while.

I can remember seeing a couple of members parading around town with their badge covered vests. They thought they looked hard-core. I thought they looked like boy scouts. ha ha ha.

Boof

A  lot of interesting and opposing views from a lot of riders!! "Nobody" found a chapter that was "too regimented" and yet is exactly the opposite to what I have found in my chapter. In fact, I have always promoted them as having just the 1 rule, "ride in staggered formation" which seems pretty sensible to me anyway.

A mate who was in Ulysees said that on their rides they basically told you where they were heading to and everybody rides at their own speed. Personally, I can't see the point in being in a club if that's the way they do it! Might as well go solo.

One thing this thread has made clear is that the HOG chapters vary a lot. I guess that's to be expected as people of different personalities take up positions of influence within a club and try and change it to their way of thinking.  After 5 years I can only describe my Sunday rides with Perth HOG as pretty good, very good or brilliant. My only criticism would be that some of the "breakfast rides" are too short for me. I need at least 100km to get hungry! Having said that, a perfect summer day for me is a good breakfast ride and feed  with the club,  back in time to kitesurf all afternoon when the Freo Docker (Doctor) has arrived and cold beer at 6 ish at the beach.  Gotta love a Lucky Country hey!!!

  

Just to put my 2 cents worth in - I was a member of Bris HOGS before moving to the coast a few months ago.  Admittedly, I've only been on 1 LOH ride (where a lot of male riders also enjoyed themselves) on the Coast, however found that, in general, it was a better experience.  The BrisHOGS have around 140 bikes usually and that is just too big as far as I am concerned, everywhere you stop it is a line up and bunches of people and a feeling of being "left out" if you aren't one of a group.  The GC HOGS was a small group (I think around 35-40) and just seemed to make more (and genuine effort) to be friendly and include the "newbies".  I'm looking forward to the poker run tomorrow (my first) and more rides with the GC hogs....  I think it is like anything, some days are diamonds, some days are stones

enjoy!

I have been a HOG member in 3 different chapters for around 17 years now.
Don't do a lot with HOG but get discounts from dealer and get a good news letter/magazine.
We had a MDA charity ride on to day with 150 bikes taking passengers.
Its good to get out in a large group every now and then. Meet new people and see people you have not seen for a while.
Have taken my son on a poker run and to showing of Wild hogs through HOG
No problems taking your children as family friendly.
May not be for every one but unless U give it a go U will never know.

each to there own .i ride with a great bunch of people so its about who u best mingle with ,if the riders were all female and i was road captain hmmmmm

youll have to come for the 3 day ride to kukerin bremer bay mt barker on sept l/wend ,this time by bike ,dazza s moved up the ratings since he has improved his handling the ride to denmark was awesome my favourite ride wen we saw rt ,i hate going down there in a car i dream of leaning around them twisties ,so waych the ferals down there ,the girls platt there armpit hair .

I have been  member since 2001, have never been on a ride or attended a committee meeting, I dont even recall meeting another member besides the dealer who sold me my bike, but for $200 for 3 years ($66.66py) the 10% discount is worth it, 8 mags a year plus the local chapter newsletter every other month, not a bad read,

one day my roster and commitments will line up with a chapter ride and I will be on it

thats the way to bring back an old thread...with a bang...