Dont be so quick to blame the HOG chapter that organized the event. Every one needs to understand that National HOG sets the guidelines for these events. One of the rules is no vendors at the rally site. A HOG rally is a riding event not a shopping trip. Why would HD or HOG allow "joes discount leather" to set up shop and profit from an event that they fund. Same rule for food vendors, HOG rules state that all food must be provided by the host location. This location had a bar/restaurant.

The event in Muskegon is not a HOG or HD event and therefore the rules do not apply.

The weather did get alot of people down. Friday was a washout, and Saturday was cloudy, windy and cold. An event like this is always what YOU make it, if you allow yourself to be miserable because no one took you by the hand and led you on a guided tour of the area than that on you.

As far as merchandise goes, the event had a pre registration that ran from April to mid July and you could order what ever merchandise you wanted. Again HOG sets the guidelines on merchandise and the # of extras that can be ordered based on a percentage of pre regs. Walk up registrations were processed untill Noon on Sat, unfortunately there were alot more walk up registrations than expected and the extra merchandise was actually gone sometime on Friday. The website did state that the only way to make sure you would get a t shirt, pin etc was to pre register. HOG does not want a truck load of extra merchandise.

$35 to walk around the parking lot? Dont you read the schedule of events before you post? The event had a $35 wrist band, and with the wrist band you got access to all events beginning Thursday night with a welcome party and opening cerimony at Capitol HD in lansing - great band, free food and refreshments and more merchadise than any vendors could ever provide. Friday was a washout for field games and demo rides but the bands and beer tent were moved inside. Sat was HD Demo rides, field games, self guided rides of interest, more great bands and beer tent. Highlight of the evening was the give a way of a '10 Street Glide.

I like the "no name bands" line above. Who were you expecting, our Michigan natives like Bob Segar, Ted Nugent, Madonna, Kid Rock, Eiminem?? Maybe for next years rally you could negotiate those contracts.

If you think that an official State HOG rally is a place to walk around and by t-shirts, eat carnival food and suck down beer, your an idiot. Make the trip to Sturgis for that, its well worth it. Also dont show up a few hours before closing cerimonies and expect merchandise or someone to lead you to the bar.

I can assure you that not everything went off as planned and the the committe learned alot about setting up one of these events. I am also sure some things will be done a little differently next year. You also need to remember that this entire rally is put on by volunteers and they spent thousands of hours over the last year planning this event.

Two more things
1: Get informed before you bitch
2: If you didnt volunteer - dont bitch

 

Well excuse the He$$ out of me. Read the 2 posts of people who rode and attended the event. They were NOT IMPRESSED. We paid IN ADVANCE for our tickets, but emergency surgery prevented us from attending.

How about posting some PHOTOS of the festivities. That will say alot......

Like I said, Others who were THERE were not impressed. There are many out there who cant take time off work to attend all day all day functions on THURSDAYS OR FRIDAYS if that's when the HIGHLIGHT of the rally was, rather than Saturday...... So get off your high horse.
I didn't say MUSKEGON was a sponsored event......only that maybe H.O.G. could take some pointers from them. Based on your own remarks and comments ..... We wont be attending next years rally.....since you feel people like us who like might like to purchase a Tee shirt, eat a burger or dog or consume a coke or something strongerl ( unless it's at the "officially sponsored" hotel) are IDIOTS.
Real nice attitude.

I asked for comments from People who attended to the rally......RE-READ THEIR POSTS before you jump down people throats friend.

 

If you are saying that this so called rally was fun and entertaining (who's the idiot)..
I got there 6 hours before the closing ceremonies and there was nothing going on. They should have had the closing ceremonies Thursday. I am glad you mentioned that National Hog set the rules.. now for sure that will be the last "HOG" event I will attend. What is a self guided ride ? Does that mean "get on your bike and ride"? I can do that for free. I am really broke up I missed the tarot card reading and caricatures. Oh ya what biker movies did I miss?
I am baffled that anyone can defend this "rally". It was a disaster...deal with it and get over it.

 

Sorry if I struck a nerve with ya bud. I am just trying to educate people who dont understand why vendors were not allowed on site and that a HOG rally is sponsored by HD and HOG and therefore is a riding event more than a street party. A lot of people have the misconception that a state rally is comparable to a Easyrider/Sturgis type event.

You have formed an opinion about this years rally based on 3-4 posts on here. I am sorry you were not able to attend, then you could have made a decision to attend (or not) next years rally based on actual experience. HOG events are not for everyone, and there is no way to please everyone. I guess when it comes down to it, the a few complaints on here will never exceed the 1000+ people I saw at the closing ceremony that were obviously having a great time.

 

The Nerve you struck was calling people IDIOTS, or assuming we ALL just ride to these rally's TO "SUCK DOWN BEERS" and "STUFF OUR FACES". It's that type of attitude that turns people away from attending events.

I'm still waiting to see 1 person post their POSITIVE experience at the Rally. As a matter of fact, I didn't see you posting positive commentary about the rally until others posted their disappointment. One would think YOU would have been the first one positing it's success. I'll wait to read about the rally it in one of the issues of Thunder Press or Thunder Roads.
But here's a simple suggestion....... instead of condescending remarks to those who voiced their disappointment and dismay...... calling them idiots for expecting something different.... tactfully educate and invite them to return next year's function. Admit there were some major problems which wasn't anticipated. And lose the attitude that we're a bunch of boozing red-neck yahoo's who just ride looking for a Boozefeast to attend. Just my Opinion. Hope next year is better for you all.

 

Rode down thursday,dealer party was ok.Party poolside at the host hotel Fri. was great.Got wet on our ride to Hell and still had A good time on sat.Sun. was A great day for the ride north.The only person I saw bitching was walking out of Denny's bitching cause his wife found A hair in her breakfast.We had A good time.

 

at least when it was a dealer sponsered event, and held in West Branch and Ionia they had vendors, food, big name bands, fireworks, games, bike shows ....was a great time....not at all lame like this one, and has far as the Muskegon Bike Time, that sucked this year too. big crowd but nothing there except food vendors, two Packistan leather dealers, a couple sunglass tents ,and a guy selling windows for your home ....no bike builders... decent vendors, no events ...i wont be back

 

We attended the Mi State Hog Rally beginning on Thursday. After registering, we proceeded to Capitol H-D for the opening ceremony. For the record, this was the ONLY place that offered any type of food or beverage. Yes, there was the bar and restaurant at the hotel (rally site) but that was nothing special. Capitol had food and beverage each day, that was a positive. There was no one checking our bands at Capitol, anyone could attend. However, we didn't expect a dealer party to be exclusive, nor did we care if it was.

Having vendors is not just an opportunity to shop, but adds to the festivity of an event. It is another opportunity to bring together fellow bikers. My husband and I keep asking what our registration fee paid for, and although we will most likely attend next year, we will wait and see if we will pay the registration fee. We met our friends on Friday (5 other couples) and advised them NOT to bother registering. I understand that HOG has guidelines, but there are ways to provide vendors, food, and other things of interest at an event. Suggestions: sponsors, vendors, food (other than hotel food); educational booths such as biker safety, new products and other biker info; poker runs or other competitive events (the Passport idea was GREAT); more info on points of interest in the area (we were staying with a friend and he showed us some really neat places); dealer booths for each dealer in the state so that bikers can meet them, etc.; coupons in reg packet for restaurants or other businesses in the area; and an area by Harley with techs available for new product demostrations, and to answer questions. These are just a few ideas based on events that we have attended, experience riding, and experience planning events.

As events go, this was definitely a disaster. We had a good time, because we were with good friends, and it is what you make it. However, we wish we had not paid the registration fee, and will not be pre-registering for next year's rally. If next year's is as bad, it will be the last we will ever attend. Event planners must ask what their goal is, to be successful, or to just have an event? Why did they not incorporate the passport theme to the rally, I can think of many things that one could do with such a theme. Why not have sponsors? HOG guidelines? More questions then answers.....planning an event is not about ramrodding a personal agenda (no vendors) or using your own emotions or preferences as a guideline.

Good luck next year. Good luck to the Michigan HOG dealers.

 

On their web page they stated "VENDORS". Also what was up with bar at the hotel. They had signs on the tables "pint of beer $2.00". What you got was a 12 oz glass of beer with about a 1 1/2 worth of foam on top. Told them that a pint was 16 oz. They replied "that was their pint" Next night all the signs were gone

 

As a Native Michigander and a HOG member I am very unhappy about the responses I read.

The 2009 Inaugural Michigan State HOG Rally was billed as a Riding Event and I will add, Michigan is a Great Place to Ride in !

However, the weather did not co-operate. The Michigan HOG Committee didn’t order the weather, they didn’t want the weather but the weather was there. I am sorry that our Great State wasn’t appreciated to the degree that it should be and I am sure that the committee is to. On a personal note, my wife and I rode to Lansing a day early on Wednesday and Yes, it was raining then too. In Fact we left in the rain.

The rally was not billed as a vendor event. Hot dogs, Burgers and French Fries. But rather as an event where riding, meeting new folks, sharing tales and making new friends is the prime focus. I other words having a good time. The fact that the restaurant at the Host Hotel was under reconstruction and the hotel bar, Roxy’s, was not totally prepared for the rush should not be of issue. We were supposed to be riding and eating local cuisine at the destinations of our choice. The weather didn’t co-operate. On a personal note, my wife and I rode to breakfast every morning. Except for breakfast most of our stay we ate at Roxy’s. Had to wait a bit at times, but we got fed and met a few new folks in the process. The Roxy’s staff was as good as they could be under the circumstances ! They all worked their tails off and the stove is only so big if you catch my drift. I didn’t find the beer or the price all that bad either. An observation : There were plenty of restaurants in the area (and stores). No reason not to eat except maybe you get wet a little bit. The wife and I also found places to shop for late night munchies. Horrock’s Grocery Store (?) across the street from the Host Hotel was Amazing. By the way the Host Hotel Staff deserve an applause. They were beyond great in my estimation.

I’m not sure I understand the complaints about the registration process. The form you signed or form you e-filed stated when you pre-registered what you should expect to receive for your pre-registration fee. The wife and I were fortunate enough to work as volunteers for the rally on the registration/memorabilia desk for two days. I can attest to the fact that between 4:00pm and 6:00pm (which was our shift) everyone who walked up to the volunteer registration attendants seated at the registration stations received exactly what they were promised. I can also attest to the fact that special attention was paid to the matter by all the HOG Rally Volunteers. The person who could not find the registration area, where the tee-shirts, bandanas, etc. were located, did not ask the right person. I wonder if the person who was trying to find someone to take her $35.00 entered the Host Hotel. If she did she would not have any problem finding the registration desk. It was manned as promised and clearly identified. Again not the committees doing. Registration was well marked. If I could say a bad thing about the registration it would be the lack of memorabilia. But again not the committees doing. The amount of memorabilia that can be sold at a HOG Rally is controlled by HOG Milwaukee, which says what HOG Michigan and any other state can and cannot do. The Michigan HOG Committee can only give to you what they are allowed to according to Harley-Davidson Milwaukee HOG Committee. When it’s gone it’s gone.

In conclusion the wife and I had a great time at the rally. Maybe it’s the Michigan in us ;

The weather was bad (but not horrible by Michigan standards. It’ll be horrible in a month or two),
The bands were great, local talent perhaps but great none the less !
The Host Hotel Staff was friendly and accommodating !
The Roxy's Staff were great !
The event organizers were fantastic.
We took rides, got wet and enjoyed ourselves when the sun came out.
We watched movies,
We Admired some great looking bikes.
We went to a party at the Host Dealership and had a great time,
We went to Hell and back,
We sat under the big tent and had a brew listening to more great bands,
We attended a betrothal of marriage.
We had our picture taken numerous times and took a few in return.
We could go on and on.

We Had a Great Time. If you Didn’t. I’m Sorry..and I bet the HOG Committee is too…

Try us Again Next Year. Hopefully the weather will be better.