As with most "Groups" they usually are only as good as the leadership. Some are better than others. If you like HOG but are not happy with the direction of your chapter, then you have two choices, find a different chapter, or run for office and make the changes that you feel will make it better. It's always your choice
Captain

oh ok so your upset with how business was conducted on their end. I can respect that, yeah it was ashame to end the blast, nice inexpesive ride, adjustable seat from 27-25, 500, which will get you where you want to be, give a little tweeking and that mild manor bike goes a little crazie. have a great one! "T"

Like most said every HOG chapter is a little different and a lot depends on the leadership. Like a few of the others that responded, I'm not really into organized groups personally. However one of the local chapters down here is run but a bunch of good ol' boys and they don't really do the over organized meeting and ride thing and just about everyone there is real friendly, not into the little sub-group thing. I do belong and will attend a lot of the events... just not the rides.

Go for it brother... you never know your next best friend may be there waiting for someone to show up he can connect with.

 Hello, I'm a HOG member, never been to a meeting.  Been a member off and on since 2000.  Closest chapter to me is an hour-and-a-half away.  The only other group I ever joined was the military.  I just like to ride on sunny days with my other motorcycle nut friend.  I love being around a bunch of motorcycles, seems like I can be dab in the middle of a bunch of riders, and I've been riding all my life, but I still feel like the elephant man when I'm around bikers.  Guess I'm saying I just never have really fit into any group.  

1st ever time I saw a V-Rod, All shiny and chrome everywhere... was when it was just 4 hours old and the owner of the Harley Dealership on the Island of Guernsey in the Channel Islands took it for its first time out on the coast road at Vazon Bay...lol...he was showing off how good it was and the very first corner as he went out of sight was a kind of screeching and crunching noise...we all went round that corner to see that brand new V-Rod in like a zillion bits and scattered all over the road...he dropped it!!! 


TOTAL RIGHT-OFF!!!!! 


4 HOURS OLD!!!!!

Personally NOT a fan of the VROD, I understand the reasoning behind it and it is a bike for a niche market, but shim and bucket shim maintenance can kiss my A$$! Takes you a couple of hours just to prep the bike so you can lower the engine in the frame to get that 1/2" of clearance you need to get a blade between the and bucket valve set up not to mention if you HAVE to make an adjustment... often times it's not even necessary to go to such lengths, the valve train on those things works great and rarely needs adjustment... but that's just me... Harley created something that would keep their mechanics more gainfully employed is all that is! LOL

I looked at it and thought to myself...................

"THAT Aint No F*n Harley!!!"

Wasn't really suppposed to be... it was aimed at the 'Power Bike' market, whoever the hell they are... probably a lot of men with big wallets and little peckers!

Guero, I find myself feeling a lot like you do. Personally, I don't fit into any neat little nitche. I ride a Yamaha FZ, but like all sorts of bikes. Most likely my next bike will be a Yamaha FJR sport touring bike. I just try to enjoy people and whatever group I'm with. I understand the sport bike crew, ride with the cruiser crowd, and love the stories from the long distance Goldwing crew. An HD and the rumble it makes is neat.
I just enjoy motorcycling, and I don't fit into anyone's classification. I think there are a lot more of us out there than one can imagine.

I personally enjoy the people I associate myself with... I just don't tell em where I live!

I would love to see an H.D. dual sport... I would be at the dealership as soon as the crates came in.... I think (not a quote) buell had a prototype in the works... some times I just want to ride off road with American iron and the 66 flh aint cuttin it...

I'm a HOG member here in Syracuse, NY and like having the information on the local happenings and rides planned,,,, but, rarely get to go with them due to family responsibilities.
Most of my riding is when I can and not so organized.  If you have time to go out with them, it can be fun if you have a local chapter that's fun and active.  
I'm also a member of ABATE, American Legion Riders and the Patriot Guard Riders, which for me,,,, they schedule alot more interesting rides and events with alot less formality than the planned HOG rides.

You know all this talk and my writing about my experience a few years back made me think about the local HOG chapter again. I got in touch with a couple of people I know and they tell me the chapter changed a lot in the past year and the new leadership ain't so stiff. Think I might head down for this months meeting and see what's going on. If nothing else I'll use the opportunity to tell a bunch of people about CycleFish

I have started telling a few here and there around London about CF too...lol...aint seen any of them turn up yet though...

I did read an article in Motorcyclists Magazine about Buell motorcycles semi recently. Eric Buell is making a go of it focusing mainly on carbon fiber materials etc., with the goal to get back in the AMA road races and back to selling high performance bikes. HD is completely out of the picture for Buell now.

Keep talking, you are getting interesting!

Guero your past sounds a little like mine. New life, new surroundings. Been riding since 10, HDs since 13, joined HOG in '06, life member since last year, not real active locally, but do make a ride or meeting occasionally, mostly travel alone or with a select few, less problems that way.

LIKE I SAID:

I belong to the local HOG chapter, I enjoy it and ride when I can, go to meetings when I can, my husband isn't a member anymore (he does have an HD but he's more involved with classic cars) which is okay and he rides when he can. I enjoy the 'ladies of harley' (LOH) events although there are more female passengers than those who ride their own, I really don't care, I just want to ride with whomever and whatever bike they have.

I don't like to EXCLUDE others as I know how that feels and I say hello and introduce myself to potential members and other riders, I think it's all a matter of attitude and being non-judgemental; every 'group' has their cliques and I don't play into that .......... which is refreshing coming from a female perspective, leave the drama at home please! I love the get togethers for charity causes and our HOG chapter will support members' other 'causes' and 'groups' ........... because we want to ride and the more, the merrier! We break up our bike rides into usually two groups, those who go a little faster and those who rather not, no big deal .......... members will come and go but I think I stay because they have been most supportive and accept my 'doesn't really look like a harley' V-ROD.

I stay away from those who give snide remarks, are unkind intentionally and try to laugh it off, jerks are everywhere ......... I just like to ride with those who are adventurous, and don't have a chip on their shoulder ............


Hope you find your 'group' ..........

Sounds like you approach it with a good attitude which is probably why you get so much out of it.

Thats true Lucky, I gonna give it a go myself I think. It can't hurt to try it and see where it lands me!

Dude, America is the place for crazies...lol...I know coz when I am over there I fit in perfectly!!! 
(I could tell a certain story about a certain event with a certain club in a certain place)