Almost to the day, if only he could have waited three more days.

 

Maybe it's the beer talking, but...

The cool "related threads" thing that pops up at the botton is great for the folks that don't use the search, but geeeeeeeeezzz.....

Frankenthread is ALIVE!!!!

 

My wife and I joined a local HOG Chapter because we had long time friends who also were in that chapter. We rode all the time, at least 900 miles a month on HOG rides. Then it all of a sudden changed, got REAL political. We did not renew our membership and just ride with friends now. We may join another chapter...........Time will tell!

 

A few yrs ago I was an AWMF full time. I rode with a group of friends that were all "independents", so the group changed every ride, and we were on "rides" almost every week end and lots of mid week functions by the local MC's. I know how to pack, just don't do it much anymore.
One time it was a slow week end and nobody was riding, so one of the guys and me decided to go on a local HOG run. Jeeze, what a cluster f... There was a great turn out. looked like 2 or 3 hundred. But almost NOBODY knew how to pack or even close. One guy was the captain or whatever and one guy was the tail, that was it, everything else was a crap shoot. They took off at a mad dash and were all over the road, it was nuts, no one had any idea about brotherhood or taking care of your group. They could barely stay in 3 lanes let alone two, and anybody falling out from a breakdown was just screwed, they didn't even slow down let alone stop n help. I fell into that for a few as well, then I caught me bud and told him not to loose track of me and I would watch him to because nobody else gave a rats *** if you broke.
Never came close to those turds again.
Now I'm up again after a few yrs off, I saw a HOG group at a local shop the other day, a lot looked like regular folks, out riding, a lot looked like it was all about looks, go out, buy your bike, ride it the way it comes and sink a few grand in "the look".
I think I will check them out before I decide though, it would be nice to ride some planed rides other than my own.
Most of my ole buds went on to patch out with one MC or another, and are either dead or totally out of the life because of that choice.
No colors for me, I learned early on that most that would consider me were really a lot more serious than I about it. Saw to many friends and aquitns go down over the yrs, to be truthful even wearing HOG **** don't seem right to me, its almost like showing disrespect for the local powers that be.
Of course I'm nuts so you cant go by anything I say

 

To each there own. I hold a national membership and That's it. I like the atlas/road map they send out every year. I hop down to the states almost every year and it helps me with which states have helmet law and which do not. The great rides that are highlighted I found to be true.

I even got $100 back from road side assistance this year when I had to have my bike trailered back home from a flat tire. I have a bunch or yearly rocker badges that are placed beside the pins in my filing cabinet. I use the road planner on the USA home page when I plan trips to the south. For me the national one works.

Local chapters?? I've been on a handful of chapter runs, but it's not for me. I've got nothing against them personally, I'd just rather ride alone and go my own way. The one's I have met are really nice people and treated me great, but outside of having an HD scooter, I didn't have much in common with them. Meetings?I don't have enough free time to do the things I want to do outside of work and family obligations.

I do have about a dozen or so friends that I like to hang out with. We just end up at the same place at the end of a days/evenings ride with each other or by ourselves.If ever a need with help on working on a bike or info on a mod, or just general BS'ing around,you'll get the, "Bring it over tomorrow afternoon and I'll show you how to do it".

To join a chapter or not. I guess it's up to the individual. Good Chapters, bad chapters, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Depends what your looking for. I have nothing but positive things to say about it and I'd never laugh at someone who enjoys it. I just know that it's not for me.

 

For what it's worth, if making new friends in a HOG chapter is important to you, then I think you may need to put in more of an effort. Since you only recently joined the chapter, it's safe to assume you haven't met everyone yet. You might want to attend more of the meetings or go on more rides where you will likely have the chance to meet more of the chapter members. Remember, like in any relationship it's compatibilty that makes it work in most cases. If you hit it off with somebody right away, that's great, but most don't. Seek out other Sportster owners in the group. Having something in commongives you something to talk about. No harm in that.

As far as the HOG Christmas party is concerend, most people dress up for those occassions, especially if it's at an expensive restaraunt as you mentioned. So showing up in jeans, chaps, etc...probably was a surprise for a lot of people. Sure they are HOG members who ride HD's, but for most people it's a recreation and not a way of life.