HarleyTechTalk

While i was at the dealer the other day I asked if they had any HOG Milage program forms. The saleslady was more than helpfull with going out to the service area and finding the form. As she handed me the form she told me the next chapter meeting was in 3 weeks when I could get it signed by a chapter officer.    Did I miss something here? the form has a line to be signed by the dealer, which I was told was only there to tell the mother ship where the form was picked up. (I could print it off the HOG website) .. The dealer refused to verify the milage, telling me that "Only an officer of the HOG chapter could verify the mileage" so I just told the I'd go to another dealer (along with my business) and walked out, as I could not find the owner to ask him if he really wanted to loose my business over something so dumb.


So, did I miss something here. DID HOG change there rules? or did the dealer F$%^ up?

News to me. The dealer or his rep has always done mine.

From the HOG site:

Of course, there are a few rules you'll have to follow:
•
Only active H.O.G. members (full, full life, associate, and associate life) may participate.
•
If you have more than one Harley®, you have to enroll each one, and only mileage logged after you enroll will count toward your award.
•
You may participate as a rider, a passenger, or both â€" just be sure to fill out a form for each.
•
And (this one's important), your enrollment form and award submissions must be officially endorsed by an authorized Harley-Davidson® dealer. However, it is still your responsibility to submit them once they are endorsed.

Do you get a special prize or something?
If not I wouldn't lose any sleep over any hogwash myself.

Quote from: 02roadcling on August 18, 2009, 10:24:00 PM
Do you get a special prize or something?
If not I wouldn't lose any sleep over any hogwash myself.

Last month when I decided not to renew my HOG membership, the possibility of getting the mileage patch was the only thing I really would have enjoyed, as we recently made passed 50,000 miles. However, after learning the details and requirements I decided it was not worth the effort. We love our old Harley, love to ride and have a lot of respect for HOG members, but just not "HOG" material.

Imo. it would take twice the time to ride the miles being a hog patch holder.

Off at a given time from work, ready to ride. NOW is the time to ride.
But no....... first you have to wait until everybody meets, gets harped on by the leader, etc... then ride and eat dinner......... put up with newbies....... 

Hog Mileage Program....What a great idea for the MoCo...Get customers to pay dues to join a club, then rack up miles, sometimes "just because", wearing out their bike that much faster, all so they can get a patch.  Sounds like a great way to keep bike sales up.

My dealer always signs .. neve has anyone from HOG involved at the local level. I'm not even a member of the local chapter anymore

 I know the 1st patch used to be at 5000 miles, now it`s at 1000miles. Could it be it was taking some to many years to get the 5000 mile patch?    I believe anyone in management at dealer can sign off for you.

Quote from: xxxflhrci on August 19, 2009, 05:50:16 AM
Hog Mileage Program....What a great idea for the MoCo...Get customers to pay dues to join a club, then rack up miles, sometimes "just because", wearing out their bike that much faster, all so they can get a patch.  Sounds like a great way to keep bike sales up.

I guess that's a negative viewpoint of HOG but there's no doubt it is a master stroke of marketing and brand loyalty that other companies can only dream of. Different strokes for different folks as to what's important and valued by them.

I put the miles on anyway. Ain't worried about wearing my bike out sooner. I bought it to ride it. And I gotta say I don't about were your at but my chapter rides. Sorry it aint for you.

I am a life member of HOG and as Northbrun says, it means different things to different people.  I am not a local member because I dont have time to participate in Chapter happenings.  We have some great chapters here in Colorado, in fact one that puts on the worlds largest toy run each year.  But, I just dont have the time to do what they do.  Its still great what they do, as they raise more for charities than any other motorcyle organization.

Northbrun, the folks at that dealership are wrong.  The dealer should be signing the form, doesnt have to be a HOG official. I suspect they thought you maybe wanted to apply for local chapter membership.  And, local chapters have nothing to do with the Mileage program.  Sounds like they are not communicating very well there, IMO.

menace

Quote from: xxxflhrci on August 19, 2009, 05:50:16 AM
Hog Mileage Program....What a great idea for the MoCo...Get customers to pay dues to join a club, then rack up miles, sometimes "just because", wearing out their bike that much faster, all so they can get a patch.  Sounds like a great way to keep bike sales up.

"just because" rides are some of my favorites.  That's the only reason I need to jump on the bike and ride.  I definitely don't own a bike so I can preserve it and keep the miles low.  When I wear it out I'll rebuild it and do it again.  My goal is to ride the wheels off my bike.  That said, as a true addict, I can wear out a bike without any encouragement (mileage patches, etc.).

-Craig

Quote from: 02roadcling on August 19, 2009, 05:18:47 AM
Imo. it would take twice the time to ride the miles being a hog patch holder.

Off at a given time from work, ready to ride. NOW is the time to ride.
But no....... first you have to wait until everybody meets, gets harped on by the leader, etc... then ride and eat dinner......... put up with newbies....... 

I will put up most of the bunch of HOG memebers I ride with against anyone! We have quite a few riders that put on 15,000 miles a year living in North Dakota. A few that get over 30,000 miles. Granted there are the newbies, but our chapter has no problem with putting on the miles! One of the rides we do every year runs 700-1000 miles in two days, usually 20-25 bikes show up. Gas stops for 25 bikes take 15 minutes, or you get left behind! Our scheduled rides leave at a predetermined time, if you are late, sorry, we will miss you! No harping on by the leader, other than perhaps of what roads we are taking, any problems to watch for. We had a ride last night and three riders were screwing around after the road captian said to saddle up, they got left behind, and had to catch up!

Uummmm.... What's a mileage patch, and does it make me more of a biker?

Seriously, I'm covering almost 20,000 miles per year, and I haven't given it much thought.

BnEUC

They don't want anything to do with my 13 year old bike, I'm done with them too!

Blue Elc

There is a small oval HOG  miles patch then you get small rockers with 5000 , 10,0000, 25,000 up printed on them when you obtain the miles.

Quote from: xxxflhrci on August 19, 2009, 05:50:16 AM
Hog Mileage Program....What a great idea for the MoCo...Get customers to pay dues to join a club, then rack up miles, sometimes "just because", wearing out their bike that much faster, all so they can get a patch.  Sounds like a great way to keep bike sales up.

I bought mine to ride it.  Ain't that the idea anyway?  I should be close to my 175,000 mile patch soon. Kind of a neat program.  Doesn't have anything to do with the local chapter.  Any dealer representative can sign off.  Just see a salesman.
jt

HarleyJT, thats cool.

I thought about the program, but feel it would be a PITA to keep up with it.  I suppose its not, but its not important to me, personally.  But, I dont see anything wrong with you guys doing the program.  Dont let some here ridicule what you like to do.  We all do our own thing, to each his own.

menace

Quote from: Dennis The Menace on August 19, 2009, 11:29:05 AM
HarleyJT, thats cool.

I thought about the program, but feel it would be a PITA to keep up with it.  I suppose its not, but its not important to me, personally.  But, I dont see anything wrong with you guys doing the program.  Dont let some here ridicule what you like to do.  We all do our own thing, to each his own.

menace

Not really hard to keep up with.  Especially if you trade every couple of years like I do. Just use the odometer statement.  I keep up with it just for the patches and trinkets.
jt

Got my 60,000 patch in the mail yesterday. Had the HOG people in Rapid City verify the milage so I didnt have to go up to the dealership and then mail the form in.

Also signed my buddy up while there. He has been a HOG member since buying the bike new 7 years ago and had it there. They signed him up and verified the milage, and said he will get his 1k, 5, 10, 20k 40 k milage awards no prioblem. Other buddy bought used Harleys but never registered the starting milage, no awards so he decided he didnt want in.

I had mine signed by the Part Department, sent it in, NO issues.

Got my 100,000 MILE Medallion on the Bike May 2008, took 2 years, 10 months, and 30 days

Working on my 200,000 Medallion, .... 239,700 Km (148,321 miles) ... 

Quote from: calgary56 on August 19, 2009, 11:41:17 AM
I had mine signed by the Part Department, sent it in, NO issues.

Got my 100,000 MILE Medallion on the Bike May 2008, took 2 years, 10 months, and 30 days

Working on my 200,000 Medallion, .... 239,700 Km (148,321 miles) ... 

Congrats!!   

Wow, some serious opinions about HOG and Mileage, ... to each their own.

Personally, I don't "Live to Ride, Ride to Eat", or "Live to Ride, Ride to Drink", or "Live to Ride, Ride to Pose", ... I just ride, and I do it  because I enjoy it. I bought my bike to ride, not as an investment, and so far POSH has been pretty good to me.

Am I a HOG Member, yes, they have a decent Road Assistance Plan, and I ride a LOT.

Do I ride with HOG Group, no, hard to find people I trust riding beside me, although there are one or two members I ride with, besides, the Annual Pig Roast alone is worth the $25.00 HOG Chapter cost.

Am I a participant in the HOG Mileage Program, yes, ... I ride anyway, doesn't cost a thing, and the 100,000 MILE Medallion on POSH is a good conversation piece, shuts up the Loud Mouth Posers pretty quick, and I've met some other Long Distance riders as a result of them seeing it on my bike.

As of today, POSH is 4 years, 1 month, 30 days old and I've manage to rack up 239,700 Km (148,321 miles), not a record by any means, but considering our winters, traveling for work, etc, it ain't too damn shabby either, .....

Anyway, I think I'll go put a few more on the Old Girl, ......

Live Long, ... Outride the Reaper !

To each their own.... Don't need a patch if you have an odometer.
JMO,
Mike