I joined a HOG chapter for a ride-out and here's why all H-D owners should consider joining
No Harley-Davidson test would be complete without experiencing the social side of ownership, which is accessible through H-D’s in-house riding club, the Harley Owners Group (HOG). A year’s free membership comes with every bike purchase (after which it’s £57 per year), so to learn more about it I met up with some Pan America owning members from the Watford-based III Rivers Chapter on a rideout to Rutland.
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- Update one: First impressions and running in
- Update two: Racking up miles on a European tour
- Update three: Green laning on a £24k, 280kg Harley-Davidson
- Update four: Thousands of commuter miles
- Update five: 1025 miles in under 24hrs
Graham Cross and Martyn Coote turned up on CVO Pan Ams and were keen to extol the virtues of HOG. “If you buy a Harley and don’t join a chapter, it’s like buying half a bike,” said Martyn. “The social aspect is incredible, we have rideouts, weekends away, trips abroad and a massive annual fundraising event. I’ve made so many friends that I can’t imagine my life without it.”
Don’t let the patches and pins on HOG members’ vests fool you into thinking it’s all about the badges – these guys are serious about riding – and ride they do, clocking up thousands of miles on solo and well-organised group rides. It’s a unique feature of life with a Harley that’s well worth exploring. Oh, and the vest is optional.
- Related: Best adventure bike riding kit
It’s not been all plain sailing though, as despite the Pan’s flawless reliability record it was sidelined due to a rather unpleasant deer strike. I was riding just a few miles from home in the darkness of a Fenland night, when the LED Daymaker headlights suddenly illuminated a female roe deer standing on the crown of the road.
I squeezed the brake as hard as I dared, feeling the meaty front Brembos clamp onto their discs and the Continental Trail Attack 3 tyres grabbing for grip on the damp tarmac. The rapid deceleration was almost enough to detach my retinas, and I’d all but stopped when the deer suddenly darted left, sending a sickening thud through the bars as we made contact.
Thankfully, the bike stayed straight and level, and in the aftermath the deer was nowhere to be seen, so I can only hope it re-joined the herd in one piece. Damage on my part was limited to a shattered mudguard and broken left handguard, but H-D wanted to take the bike in for an inspection, just to be sure.
It was returned with a clean bill of health. If you’re going to hit a deer, it’s probably the right bike to be on – but I still wouldn’t advise it.