Sounds disappointing, but I think I see what everyone is saying... At a small cafe in the mountians there's a huge group of bikes that congregate on weekends. It's in the middle of no-whereand I do enjoy looking at the various bikes parked there but I detect alot of them areyuppies in leather - chaps and jackets so new I'm wondering of the tags are still on them... Most of the bikes dont look like they get outof the garage much at all - that or they spend 6 hrs a day cleaning their bike after each ride.

My bike is always a bit dusty at the very least and its ridden daily to the tune of 2500-3000 miles a month. I refuse to drive a car unless the weather is wellbelow 30 degrees or in significant rain showers (I admit I just hate the massive clean-up from a rainy-day ride).

I enjoy riding by myself or withthe wife or myDadon his EG and that's plenty good for me. Large groups either ride too fast or too slowor take too long at stops, etc.

If I join the HOGclub it'll be for the magazine (is it any good??) and the discount I hear you get at dealerships (is this true? how much of adiscount?).

 

man,,, its a nasty picture these guys are painting,, as for the North east,, its nuttin but miles and smiles,,,
plus a few brews.......
grab ahold of my shirt tail,, I'll show ya

 

Don't belong to riding groups. Don't have a big security need to be around a brazillion people and make sure nobody pees on my bush while I pee on others'. Don't join groups. Won't ride with more than 2 others. Any more than that and some sunavabitch always wants to be the supervisor and some need to establish their "all-knowingness". I spent a lifetime working for and with those that won't play unless they're in control and are experts on everything. No more. I have a million acquaintences and four friends.I'm happy smellin' the skunks on the rode by myself.

[IMG]local://upfiles/1638/2E457F90DCCB4FE5B341547D0FBDDB4B.jpg[/IMG]

 

I'm a relatively new Harley owner but, I have been riding since I made my first bike from a lawnmower engine and my coaster bike. I got back on two wheels near retirement and got my wife interested in touring. We aren't M/C members and don't think of the National HOG as one big faux club that has no real requirements for induction. That is the point anyway. Just own and not be an Ahole. I am somewhat amused by the general lack of knowledge I see here and elsewhere about local chaptership and the National/International Owner's Group.

Why not bother to stop at by at a dealership sponsored chapter to atleast find out what it is you rail at?

 

I read something awhile back, and for some reason, with the responses shown in this thread, it really makes sense to me now.

Quote:

Are You an Active Member?
~ Written by a concerned member

Are you an active member,
the kind that would be missed?

Or are you just contented
that your name is on the list?

Do you attend the meetings
and mingle with the flock?

Or do you stay at home
to criticize and knock?

Do you take an active part
to help the work along?

Or are you merely satisfied
to only just belong?

When the meetings come around
are you suddenly sick?

And leave the work to just a few
then talk about the "clique"?

Think this over, member.
YOU know right from wrong.

Are you an active member...
or do you just belong?

 

SteelCity,

Bet you drink Peals. If and when we meet, your first one is one me.

Ride Safe, join the rolls of the terminally sane.

 

Jet Mech,

Glad you asked I had no idea what the heck it was?

Thanks

 

I belong to HOG, still not sure why, but have never once considered joining a local chapter. Unlike virtually everyone else, it seems, I have never felt the need to have people to ride with. In fact, I don't particularly like 'people'. That having been said, Rick's gang sounds like a group I could hang with...

 

I like riding with other people. I don't think riding with a club will do anything for me since I wouldn't do dinner runs. Just sounds kinda boring unless I'm hanging with the Hell's Angels.lol. That would be interesting!

 

Natl. Member. 6th renewal patch is in the mail. Tried them all. ABATE, was in an MC for a while, and did join the local chapter, but finding people of a like mindset in any of those things is next to impossible. Frankly, I guess I have a big problem with authority. Most of it is politics and BS, no matter what you join.

I guess the reason that I keep renewing is to be a rebel of sorts. I kind of like the idea of belonging to a Harley only club. I know that there are some people who are totally hardcore at the chapter level, they do drill teams, etc, and are pretty ok, but when you live in a place like I do, with year round riding, everyone wants to be, have, start a club. There are so many of them that if you were to do every function on the calendar, you would probably find yourself attending about 75 to 80 runs a year. That gets real old after a while. Back in the days, a club, and maybe two or three other clubs chapters, etc, and runs were weekend events and fun. Not anymore. Way too much going on for it to be worth anyone's while to attend them all.

Go local if you want, and the group is good. Otherwise, just stay Natl, and do the good runs, maybe a posse ride, or something like that. The well, we have to go even though we don't want to to support blah, or we would like to go here but these people say we need to do this; it gets old real quick. And everyone wants your bread. You can buy a 12 pack for about 10 bucks. 12 beers in a bar will cost 60 bucks, on average. Mixed drinks cost like 7 or 8 bucks at a bar. If you are out all day, and have 5 drinks, that's fifty bucks, not including food, gas, etc. You could do the same thing in someone's backyard for a 10nth of that, and probabaly ride more miles, do more things, etc.

Get a crew together, buy a small cooler, throw some sandwiches and soda in them, gas up and go. See something real for a change, don't be a "tourist", and you will find a whole other world out there on that Harley that you never even knew existed. Most organizations exist for people who need them. Need them for what is what I can't see.

Stretch
Quit cigs 6D 23h 56m ago. So far saved $41.98, 279 cigs not smoked.and counting .