What's your opinion of HOG ?

[bikermonkey]

i bought a nightrain new in march 2007 and i got the hog membership thrown in for free. good magazine but i will not be renewing my membership because i was put off by the words of the local hog club "we are not bikers we are enthusiasts" on an open day at my local dealership. i didnt understand why he needed to say such an odd thing. i would probably still join if i didnt already have lots of other similar clubs near by.

I Fully agree with your dealer. 36 years now I have been in the saddle, many years I ride over 20g a year, most all Harley. I wrench my own bike and built three from the ground up. I’m not a biker. I’m an enthusiast. I dress well to a government job, don’t spend weekends in jail, don’t pimp my woman out for a pack of cigarettes, don’t whine about my “downed” brother in the big house. I’m not a stereo type. I’m a man who has spent a lifetime behind the handle bars of a Harley Davidson, and I’m an enthusiast.

 

[Fourdogs]

Belong to the National Group...Local group we joined because they offered discounts for local members. They no longer have the members discounts and the politics within the club isn't something i want to be apart of. However met so many great folks, and we ride with members we've met ...a smaller group of us has become great friends and that who we ride with. We attend function at the dealer with the local group...our experience was a positive one I must admit.I've just feel more comfortable riding with a smaller group and we do stuff on the spare of the moment . I think our biggest problem was the amount of drinking on the dinner rides, and of course the politics.

 

[StuckInTime]

Merriam-Webster defines biker as either a bicyclist or motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of an organized club or gang. Is H.O.G. not an organized club? ABATE?

I would agree with the definition, especially in-so-far as it defines a biker as a motorcyclist. In today's day and age I'm not sure how you can stereo-type a biker as being poorly dressed, pimping out their women, spending weekends in jail, or whatever else. I do not think that is the 'typical' biker in today's world.

While on the subject, I'm not sure why a 'biker' has to be defined. We all have our own preferences for bikes, riding buddies, and lifestyles. I would hope that as two-wheeled companions we could all look past the stereo-types and just enjoy the road together.

 

[ProF]

In some quarters the issue is not about what is a Biker, but rather about what kind of riding group does the rider belong to. There is a big difference in the "biker world" between a Riding Club and a Motorcycle Club. There are also real differences between types of motorcycle clubs. See the link below for a pretty good discussion of all those differences. There are also other links at that site (on the left) that make for interesting reading. The M/C world is a separate subculture from the general riding world. Not better or worse, just different. Not for everyone.

AMA and 1% ..... Edited 7/26/06

 

[Flashback]

Merriam-Webster defines biker as either a bicyclist or motorcyclist, especially one who is a member of an organized club or gang. Is H.O.G. not an organized club? ABATE?

I would agree with the definition, especially in-so-far as it defines a biker as a motorcyclist. In today's day and age I'm not sure how you can stereo-type a biker as being poorly dressed, pimping out their women, spending weekends in jail, or whatever else. I do not think that is the 'typical' biker in today's world.

While on the subject, I'm not sure why a 'biker' has to be defined. We all have our own preferences for bikes, riding buddies, and lifestyles. I would hope that as two-wheeled companions we could all look past the stereo-types and just enjoy the road together.

A.B.A.T.E and H.O.G. are riding clubs there is a large difference to an organized M.C. (motorcycle club) and has nothing to do with being outlaw or not. A lot of M.C.s aren't. As in the case of A.B.A.T.E. you don't even need to own a bike to be a member. And if you do own one it doesn't have to be a specific make. H.O.G. is a MOCO sponsored group that brings harley owners together and sponsors some rides and poker runs and such. they do have a loose organization. But what separates them form true "Biker" M.C.'s is the lack of needing anything more than paying the fee to join. In M.C.'s you need some form of qualification to be invited. Whether your talking about prospecting for H.A. (Outlaw), the Misfits (non-outlaw) or Warrior Brotherhood (all serving or honorably discharged servicemen) there are a criteria for joining and those not meeting it will not be invited in. Dealorships prefer the word "Enthusiast" because to many non-riders "Biker" still carries the stigma of the 60's outlaws. And comeon be honest isn't that why we describe ourselves as bikers to feel a little outlaw? When you saw "Wild Hogs" didn't we all see a little of ourselves in those wanna-be bad guys?