It’s Time to Wake Up !!!
Hard Times call for Hard Decisions. For corporate leaders that means focus hard on the bottom line.
For HD, customer loyalty is the key to that bottom line. And customers have been loyal. However, as customers, we believe our loyalty must be reciprocated by HD. It is a road that travels both ways. Where is the HD corporate loyalty to its customer base? At this point you may be asking: “What are you talking about?”.
NEWSFLASH: LOCAL HOG CHAPTER ABANDONED
Our chapter, the former Hudson Valley HOG, will be no more. Your employee, Dan Matias, the regional HOG director, told us we will cease to exist in April, 2010. While we understand that corporate level decisions have necessitated elimination of numerous dealerships, why are we, your Loyal Customers being victimized?
You, the corporate leaders and your predecessors, created and perpetuated HOG as an ingenious marketing tool. It is the warm blanket that wraps the consumer tightly around the Harley Davidson brand. All but the most naïve HOG member knows that HOG was created not for the customer, but rather as a net to capture and hold your customer base. Happy owners lead to repeat sales of motorcycles, accessories, and service. Wow, HD, what a great idea. For HD corporate, the fact that local HOG members are extremely happy with their chapters is the proverbial ‘icing on the cake‘ and keeps them coming back for more, year after year.
Now we, the members of the former Hudson Valley HOG, are definitely NOT happy with HD
Members of our chapter, as well as how many other chapters nationwide, have been abandoned. We have traveled together, laughed together, made friends together, worked together to help our community and created our own extended family of riders and families. Only to be abandoned by HD.
We are told that we may join another chapter.
Gee, thanks for that opportunity HD, but
We Don’t Want To Join A Different Chapter !!!


HD…IT IS TIME TO CHANGE YOUR
CORPORATE BYLAWS TO

ALLOW DEALERS TO
ANNEX A SECOND CHAPTER

WISE UP HD AND STOP PUNISHING and ALIENATING YOUR CUSTOMERS.

It will not cost HD a dime. Just change the rule. It’s a
win-win. You keep your customers happy and they remain your customers. Keep going in the present direction and it will create a lose-lose. Hey, you decide. You’re the ones earning the big bucks.

A QUOTE FROM HD HOG MISSION STATEMENT

“We like to think of Harley-Davidson – from the top corporate officer to the newest Harley owner and rider – as one big, happy family. The Harley Owners Group® helps us turn that philosophy into reality.”

But now it is not a big happy family, but rather a dysfunctional, fragmented family………
In the mean time, perhaps I’ll browse the Victory motorcycles at my local dealership.



Send one copy to each of the following:

Keith E. Wandell, CEO
Matthew S. Levatich, President and COO
James A. McCaslin, Executive Vice President for Corporate Product Planning

Harley-Davidson Corporation
3700 W. Juneau AvenueMilwaukee, WI 53208

 

Alrighty then.

 

Abandoned, Victimized, I'd say they are setting you free.

Keep your friends and riding buddies, plan and do whatever events you want. Buy and ride whatever brand of motorcycle you want.
If you want the benefits of HOG, join another chapter or the national.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk1ceWinU-E

 

So if you buy a Victory, do you become a VOG?

What is that? Do they eat much?

 

Put the Red Bull down ... step away from the Red Bull.

 

You could always join STAR.....I believe they allow any brand to join.

Mark

 

I personally think it boils down to a liability issue for the Moco with the sue em and screw em attitude some folks have these days. Our local chapter also folded last year.

 

Hurt them in the pocket book.I will never take another bike of mine to our local dealer.I don't buy anymore Haley branded stuff.I have my two 05 Harleys,I will not buy anything newer,ever.If Harley went out of bussiness tomorrow I could still ride mine untill the day I die with non oem parts.

 

Hey, I understand your pain. Our chapter ended with the closing of the local dealership in fall 2008. However, we kept our group together but not as an official HOG chapter. Maybe that is what your group should think about doing.