didn't read all the replies, but here's my .02: let it expire.

some dealers give a discount to hog members (local), but hog will tell you that that is not part of their deal.

the functions that they put on are way to expensive for most working joes.

the free towing entitlement blows chunks. i waited on the side of the road for over 6 hrs the one time i tried to use it. they never did come. ended up getting a trailer and taking it home myself. most insurance co have roadside assistance, with fewer restrictions, and less cost than the $45 per year for the 1 tow that hog gives you.

 

I/we dropped it. Great for when you start out or your just getting back into it. Social club for sure. I didn't see the need to stay on as a member anymore, became boring. Monthly meetings turned into p!ssing contests and all they wanted to do was raise money (not that that is a bad thing!)...just became bored with it.

 

They have winding roads in Florida???

 

I am a life member because a have a realy good local chapter.

Anaheim-Fullerton.

 

I don't belong to a chapter, but the tow did come in hand. I like the touring hand book, it comes in handy when I need to locate the nearest dealer when I need some repair and or a part that has fallen off when on the open road. I do get a discount on my insurance and now they are offering again a discount at a motel, I don't remember which one. Hog did send me a 100,000 mile riding patch, sad to say it ended in a box with all the other patches and pin including the rally pins. I also have Road America through HOG and that paid for a rental car, hotel and meals for three days when my bike was laid up. I will renew my HOG again.

 

I have 5 HD dealerships within 90 minutes of where I live. Just one still gives a 10% discount to HOG members so if I am going to make a significant purchase that is where I go. Paid for itself pretty quick, mags are okay but the pins are meaningless to me.

 

I know some people that love being in a hog chapter. They love the rides, the social aspect of it. All I know is when I pulled up in my first bike (a 2006 Sportster C) that I was looked at as a chump. Later I learned from someone who left the group, they dont like sporty riders in the group because they "Have to stop alot". Clicky group but not for me, but, that was just one of the 3 chapters clsoe to me. I never went to the other 2.

Not my crowd, love the magazine Hog. I am gonna find out if it is sold at the HD Museum and if it is, I will buy it there.

 

I'm not bashing HOG, just clubs in general. If you like going to meetings, instead of riding, go for it. I've been in motorcycle clubs, mountaineering clubs, fishing clubs, gun clubs...and they're all about the same.

Like minded people get together, and decide, gee....wouldn't it be neat to have a club! Of course, if you have a club, you need meetings. If you're gonna hold meetings, they need to be about something...you need to have minutes, an agenda, a treasurer (this means dues), a president, vice president (motorcycle clubs have even more officers than most clubs....sergeant at arms, road captain), and various committee chairs.

All of this means they've got to come up with some kind of club activities so the committees can have something to report on at the meeting. Committee members get to report on their progress with the assignments they've volunteered to complete. Assignments include badgering various sponsors for donations for charity events (a tough job because most would-be sponsors face an unending stream of requests for charity donations), coming up with member recruitment ideas, or any number of ding-bat make-work to keep the members busy so their minds stay focused on club business.

If your club holds a charter for a national club it means you are obligated to coordinate a local rally when national wants to rotate it to your area. You'll also have to come up with a means to fund the national rally, to which you need to send at least a few officers and members. If you're a charter officer you have to regularly spend time butt-kissing the officers from national, and attending meetings where national lays down the law about some perceived transgressions that are sweeping the organization....dues shortages, lack of growth, bad attitudes, fraternization with other clubs, deviations from clothing or patch standards, just to name a few.

This doesn't even address the social interactions within the club...the cliques, the power hungry megalomaniacs, and inane struggles for power. It's worse than a ****ing job....you're not even getting paid for your misery. You're really lucky if you actually get to enjoy the activity the club was formed to support. If that's your thing...do it. I'm just gonna go riding.

 

I get 10% off at the local dealer for belonging to the local chapter and you have to be a HOG member to join the local. It pays for its self very easily.

 

I thought HOG was a club, not a two-wheeled version of Costco.