HOG membership yeah, or nay?
#41
06-25-2015, 07:25 AM
I am a national life member of HOG and I am active with our local HOG Chapter. I didn't join HOG to join a club. For me it is a social group of common interests. I have met some of my best friends through HOG, including my wife. There are also financial bonuses, such as the AT&T wireless discount, insurance discount (I get one from Allstate), towing coverage at a reasonable rate, and a discount from the dealer on parts and motorclothes. There is also a nice discount on Best Western hotels. I also find that service is also extra helpful as a local HOG member.
Someone mentioned they get their towing coverage through their insurance. I used to do that as well, but after a $350 tow from Alamogordo, NM to Las Cruces, I decided I didn't like waiting on a $100 reimbursement! With the Road America plan, there are no limits to how many tows or distance. All I do is call HOG, they confirm my location, and they do all of the work contacting the towing company, paying the bill, etc,. And, HOG calls me back to let me know who is doing the tow and what time they will arrive. Exceptional service. And, if I break down more than 100 miles from home and have to stay overnight or longer, the service reimburses me for some of the hotel/food expenses. Pretty darn good for $29 per year.
Regarding 'group riding rules', KSU is the time they leave, not when they start staging, lol. It is always recommended to be at the start location at least 15 minutes prior to KSU. Most have a pre-ride briefing to discuss the route, hand signals and rest stops. The 'rules' are only there to keep everyone safe and on the same page.
So, in my experience there are a lot of great benefits for being a HOG member.
Someone mentioned they get their towing coverage through their insurance. I used to do that as well, but after a $350 tow from Alamogordo, NM to Las Cruces, I decided I didn't like waiting on a $100 reimbursement! With the Road America plan, there are no limits to how many tows or distance. All I do is call HOG, they confirm my location, and they do all of the work contacting the towing company, paying the bill, etc,. And, HOG calls me back to let me know who is doing the tow and what time they will arrive. Exceptional service. And, if I break down more than 100 miles from home and have to stay overnight or longer, the service reimburses me for some of the hotel/food expenses. Pretty darn good for $29 per year.
Regarding 'group riding rules', KSU is the time they leave, not when they start staging, lol. It is always recommended to be at the start location at least 15 minutes prior to KSU. Most have a pre-ride briefing to discuss the route, hand signals and rest stops. The 'rules' are only there to keep everyone safe and on the same page.
So, in my experience there are a lot of great benefits for being a HOG member.
The fun of riding is doing what you want to do, not lining up like a bunch of sheep.
#42
06-25-2015, 08:52 AM
Road Warrior
As stated earlier in the thread, you get 1 year free with the bike. The magazine is ok, and the mileage program, a pin and a patch. The towing etc. with bike insurance and the ESP that is already covered. I did renew my second year, figure I'll get my 10K patch and most likely drop my membership.
Every once in awhile i stop by the dealer and hang out for an hour with some of the other old timers, talk, compare, etc. But i never go on any rides with others, not totally anti social, but my wife says you never have had a best friend, yeah kind of a loner.
Hog may do other things like lobby, advocate for motorcycle laws etc., so if they do then that is a worthwhile reason to support them.
Every once in awhile i stop by the dealer and hang out for an hour with some of the other old timers, talk, compare, etc. But i never go on any rides with others, not totally anti social, but my wife says you never have had a best friend, yeah kind of a loner.
Hog may do other things like lobby, advocate for motorcycle laws etc., so if they do then that is a worthwhile reason to support them.
#44
06-25-2015, 09:26 AM
Road Warrior
ESP does cover some of that, but not completely:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/conte...d-service.html
Expense Reimbursement Package
If you have a covered breakdown while on the road, you'll receive $75/day (up to $750) for a rental vehicle, $150/day (up to $450) for meal and lodging, and up to $200 for towing to an H-D™ dealership.
~ ~ ~
So the 'up to $200 for towing' is not the same as unlimited. In my case example, my tow from Alamogordo to Las Cruces was $350. So it was still less out of my pocket for the Road America plan than to exclusively use ESP. ESP also won't bring you gas for free, except for the gas itself, if you run out.
#45
06-25-2015, 09:29 AM
#46
06-25-2015, 09:46 AM
Road Warrior
Group riding is not the same as solo riding or riding with one or two friends that you always ride with. In many cases, there are riders with all levels of skill sets. When there is a large group of riders, it increases the risk of an accident to one or more riders. By having a 'pre-ride briefing' so all members of the group that are riding know what to expect, it helps to mitigate those risks. It does not take away the fun, unless the idea of fun is to run at as high a risk level as possible.
I imagine there are times when there is a 20 minute ride, but those are pretty rare with our chapter. Most of our rides are a 100 miles or more.
Group riding isn't for everyone and for some it takes some time to get comfortable with. I don't want any riders hurt, injured or killed on my watch, so unless those riding with me are my regular riding friends, I always at least address the basics of the ride and what hand signals I will use. I do this regardless if it is a HOG chapter ride or a facebook invite to all my riding friends to go ride the three sisters.
I have been in many group rides unrelated to HOG for charity events, and in many cases it was straight up dangerous. Folks sling-shooting, changing lane positions with no notice, etc.. Those events always make me grateful for the organized and safe way that HOG leads their rides.
#47
06-25-2015, 07:42 PM
#48
06-25-2015, 07:58 PM
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