Greetings,

I am an old biker but a new HOG member by way of a new bike (FLHTK). I bought the bike in Lakeland, FL but live in Sarasota, FL. A few weeks ago I got the HOG package in the mail. What do I do next to get connected to the local Sarasota HOG chapter?

Thanks!

 

Go to your local dealer and ask about their local hog chapter. Ask about the meetings, frequency, location, and activities the chapter participates in. On any given Saturday, ask them if any of the leadership is in the dealership and go talk with them. They can give you an idea of what the chapter does. There are many on this forum who don't like to be a part of a group so it is not for them, but our chapter is great. I like eating pizza once a month for free. I like having free sausage dogs, hot dogs, and hamburgers every Sat. I like going on different rides almost every day of the riding year led by members of the local HOG Chapter. I like the discount I get from our local dealer. I like the fact that our chapter has about 600 members of which probably 100 are actively involved. They have rides to the York Factory, to movies, to museums. They ride to lighthouses around the Chesapeake, they go on rides around the Chesapeake, they take rides on the Blue Ridge Parkway, they support Rolling Thunder and have police escorted rides to the Pentagon, they have local rides, medium rides, and long distance rides. They have a Ladies of Harley rides for the women. They do charity rides, poker runs and chilli cookoffs. They do a toys for tots ride at Christmas for disadvantaged kids. They have picnics, baseball night, Potomac Speedway rides, Philly Cheesesteak rides, NASCAR rides around the track and so many other rides, that one cannot participate in all of them. The leadership of our club is great and I enjoy the camaradrie. Come visit us, we are in Hughesville, MD. Our website is: http://www.allamericanh-dhog.com/

 

I believe Sandcrab covered it pretty good.. Each HOG Chapter will have their own places to ride to and events to attend and charities to support.. Does not cost anything to attend a meeting and get to know the people that are there..That just may be the best part of going to the meeting..

 

There are at least two chapters in the Sarasota area, associated with the local dealers:
Sarasota - Rossiter's http://www.rossiterharleydavidson.com/
Bradenton - Manatee River http://www.manateeriverharleydavidson.com/
(I belong to the manatee river chapter.)
Both dealers have the same owners.

There are also dealers and active chapters in
St Petersburg - Jim's http://www.jimshd.com/
Port Charlotte - Black Widow http://www.blackwidowh-d.com/home.html
Fort Myers - http://www.hdfortmyers.com/
Naples - http://www.hdnaples.com/
...
You get the idea.

Some are good, some are fairly boring (or so I'm told).
Some focus on riding, some are for the "riders who lunch".
All allow guests (after all, you ARE a HOG member), so check the calendars on the web sites and try a few rides.

 

thanks much!