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| Annual Directors Meeting 2008 |
11/08 |
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We've just got back from the annual meeting at Oxford to which all HOG Chapter Directors are invited to review the last year and preview the next. Turn out was impressive with 31 out of 34 Chapters in the UK and Ireland represented. It's always a great opportunity to swap notes with the other Chapters. A big organisational change is the merger between HOG and Rider Services, with Nigel Villiers being made Director of both operations. Apparently it will "allow the team to continue to build awareness and experiences and to further develop the whole customer adventure". We can't wait! Marj's role as HOG Manager is also expanding to include "the development of in-country benefits, member-specific rider services, and linking HOG, rentals, events and tours". A few other snippets are reproduced below. |
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| European HOG Rally in Latvia, 2009 |
11/08 |
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The next European HOG Rally is set for 25-27 June 2009 in Jurmala, Latvia, which is here. HOG UK has released further information as follows. Find out what Jurmala will be like via the photos here; check out accommodation and tourist info here; get travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth website here: just click through on the “Traveling & Living Overseas” tab and scroll down that page to look up travel advice by country, including security and safety information and advice. Secure parking is a MUST in Poland. You will need to check your insurance, but it is unlikely to cover riding in Belarus - but then you don't need to go there to get to the Rally. You will not need a visa unless you plan on going Russia. |
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| Other HOG Rally dates in 2009 |
11/08 |
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Other notable foreign dates are Africa Bike Week 1-4th May 2009, Margate, South Africa; Euro bike festival St Tropez, France 7-10 May 2009; Benelux Rally 5-7th June 2009; Ireland Bike Week, Killarney 5-7th June 2009; Scandinavian Harley Days 7-9th August 2009; and Faaker See 8-13th September 2009. If you want to talk to others who are thinking of going to a rally on foreign , send email here and we will put you in touch with them. Did you know? We maintain a list of UK HOG Chapter Rally dates and website on our Links page - check it out! |
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| H-D eMags: are you getting yours? |
11/08 |
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The H-D UK e-Zine is produced monthly and is available to all: to subscribe e-mail here. The HOG UK eNews is produced quarterly and alternates with HOG Tales. HOG UK eNews is available only to HOG members: to subscribe e-mail here. |
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| HOG membership renewals changing |
11/08 |
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As you should know, you can only be a Chapter member if you are first a member of HOG. To make this easier, HOG UK are converting renewals to be opt-out. This means that after Jan 09, you will be emailed annually to be told that your credit card will charged automatically unless you tell them not to. This is probably how your insurance and other services work as well. If you want to review your membership, convert your membership type (eg to Life), request a replacement HOG membership card or register for any HOG event (eg the European Rally), you can do so here. |
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| Christmas party tickets selling fast! |
11/08 |
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Christmas with the Hogsback Gang The Hickory Stick Boys are all set to help us have another Christmas Cracker to remember as the infamous Hogsback Gang go Wild West. Plans are well underway to convert the Bookham Grange into the Last Chance Saloon. Tickets selling fast! Available from Sharon at Club Night on 4 Dec or send size A5 SAE with cheque for £20 pp, payable to Surrey HOG (yes, Surrey HOG) to
10 Station Hill Hayes Kent BR2 7DJ. Make sure of yours now! Chapter members, family and friends all welcome. |
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| Is there room at the inn? |
10/08 |
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Do you need a room after the Christmas party? We have blocked out all 22 rooms at the Bookham Grange for the night of 13/12. If you would like one, send email to Sharon here. Cost is £95 for two people in a double room inc breakfast. We will email you back with details of how to pay. |
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| Where do you want to go in 2009? |
10/08 |
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The annual Road Crew planning jamboree will be meeting on 6 Dec. We already have lots of ideas for assembling into another amazing programme for the coming year. But this is your club too - so if you have any suggestions for an interesting route, destination or event in 2009, then email us here ! You won't have to lead it, but if you want us to, you need to let us know about it! |
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| Colin Garnham-Edge accident |
11/08 |
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Colin has had a nasty prang with a car that pulled out of a junction in front of him. He hit their front wing at speed and sustained an open fracture of the right femur, two breaks in his pelvis and demolished 2 vertebrae in his back. He says he now has a pin inside his femur from hip to knee, an 8” plate across the front of his pelvis and two rods fusing the 3rd and 1st vertebrae together in his back. He says he will be on crutches for about 4 months and a further two months recovery. He seems to be in good spirits though. He tells us 'Thinking about the future I may get that Glide!' We sure hope he feels better soon. If you would like to send him an email, you can do so here. |
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| Guildford Harley-Davidson - before and after! |
10/08 |
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Great to see the signs and logos up on the new dealership. If you'd like to see the huge transformation that's taken place over the last few months click here! |
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| Thames Valley dealership move at last! |
10/08 |
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Thames Valley dealership opened their doors to their new premises on Sat 1 Nov. It's been a very long time coming! Their new address is Windsor House, 121 Yarmouth Road, Slough SL1 4HY. More details including an 'everything must go' sale at their old premises here. |
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| Announcement of Hogsback Chapter UK |
10/08 |
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We are delighted to announce that the official H.O.G. Chapter previously registered as Surrey Chapter UK, aka Surrey HOG, has been adopted by Guildford Harley-Davidson and by agreement with Guildford Harley-Davidson, H.O.G. UK and the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, will be known as Hogsback Chapter UK. The Chapter's history and original founding date of 31 Oct 1991 (spooky eh!) has been preserved under our new Chapter No. 7846. We are also pleased to announce that John Tenner, the Dealer Principal, will serve as Chapter Director, and will be supported by Assistant Directors Dik Gregory and Keith Dorling. Together with our outstanding new dealership, the Chapter Officers and Road Crew will be offering an event programme that exceeds even our high standards! New rockers and pins will be available in the New Year and there will be a subsidised rocker exchange programme for existing members. We wish to welcome all members - old and new - to do some more of what we're all about: ride and have fun! |
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We are delighted to announce the promotion of Roger Bonnici to Road Captain following completion of his advanced training and successful rides during 2008. We are also delighted to announce the appointment of Richard 'Estee' Lauder as Road Marshal. Meanwhile Mark Harris has stepped down as Road Captain so that he can focus on his wedding plans. Expect to see him out with us whenever he can escape from his house decorating schedule! |
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| NEW! RSS Newsfeed service |
10/08 |
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RSS newsfeeds push new information to you when it becomes available rather than waiting for you to log in and find it. Our website now offers an RSS newsfeed for your convenience. Just click on the new option at the top of our home page and follow the simple directions to get new Chapter info emailed to you automatically. Hope you like the new service! |
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| New bloke at the top |
10/08 |
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Paul Stroud, MD at Harley-Davidson UK for the past 4 years, has moved on to pastures new (MD at Triumph, we hear!). HOG UK tell us he has been succeeded by Stuart Farrell, who has made a name for himself establishing the Spanish subsidiary and introducing Harley-Davidson to Russia. More recently, Stuart has supervised the setting up of H-D's South African subsidiary. Apparently Stuart will be spending time between both offices, and is looking to relocate back to the UK over the year-end. We wish both Paul and Stuart all the best in their new jobs. |
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| Special Offer - would you like your tyres ultrasealed? |
09/08 |
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Albert Rapacioli is a highly respected past Director of the Chapter. He tells us that he has acquired two 5 US gallon drums of Ultraseal and he will ultraseal the tyres of Chapter members for the bargain price of £15. You can call him to make an appointment on 07899906131 or email him here. He will also try to come to a Club Night or two and bring the ultraseal along if anyone wants their tyres done. |
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| Seen our Chapter history? |
08/08 |
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Interested in our roots? The Chapter is 17 years old this year and we have published a graphic timeline to outline our history. The timeline was printed in the Bisley Buzz distributed in the SOFER rally packs, but if you missed it, you can download it by clicking here. |
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| Have you changed your email address recently? |
06/08 |
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Did you get your e-shot this week? If not, then we may not have the correct email address for you - please email us here and we can put that right! |
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| Special deal with Bikesure Insurance |
05/08 |
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Bikesure insurance quote
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The Chapter is now part of Bikesure's Clubrider insurance network. Through this network, Bikesure offers competitive rates for insuring your chrome and leather. Just phone them on this free Club line number 0800 089 0165 and quote our Chapter code C030 and let them give you a no obligation quote. If you decide to take out a policy, the Chapter funds get a £30 bunk up in commission. So if a Bikesure policy looks like the one for you, thanks in advance from the whole Chapter! Please note that this notice simply draws your attention to Bikesure and does not include advice to purchase their products, which remains a matter for you alone. |
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| Like to join the Chapter? |
04/08 |
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New members continue to join us almost every week. We are obviously doing something right! The Chapter is one of 33 official HOG Chapters in the UK and we have an event programme to rival the best. If you would like to join us, please complete this form. Once a member, you will receive password access to our full and varied ride programme as well as our weekly e-shot. And that will rapidly lead to a large group of new friends with the same interest as you! Please remember that as an official HOG Chapter, membership first requires a currently valid HOG membership number. Find out more about HOG here. The Chapter operates according to the HOG Charter, which is here. |
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Our Links page contains one-click access to all the other UK HOG Chapter websites (where they exist). As we get them, we also make their Rally flyers available for download on the same page. Feel free to check them out! |
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| A change of address |
01/08 |
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Marjorie Ragg, HOG Manager for UK & Ireland has changed her surname. Her new name is Rae, which makes her new email address marjorie.rae@harley-davidson.com |
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| Getting to know our HOG neighbours |
01/08 |
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Participating in SOFER – now in its 6th year! – has really brought home what it means for our Chapter to be part of the worldwide HOG organisation – with friends all around us, all keen to share a common passion for the fabulous motorcycles we ride. All Chapters run Club Nights just like ours and if you are ever in their neck of the woods, as a member of the Hogsback Chapter UK, you can be sure that you will be made as welcome as you are at our own events. If you would like a schedule of other Chapter Club meeting dates, you can download it from the Members Area. The listing has been compiled by Nene Valley Chapter – we will post updates whenever we receive them. |
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Roger Bonnici is the Chapter Charities Officer. At the March Committee meeting it was agreed that the Chapter would like to support The Rainbow Trust Children's Charity, the Alzheimers Society and the Surrey Air Ambulance. |
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| Important Notice – avoiding back patch troubles |
11/06 |
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As many of you know, back patches and rockers are taken very seriously by the Clubs that own them. Trouble can be avoided by following this advice from HOG:
"‘Does HOG make a chevron or authorise a chevron to go below the large HOG patch?” The answer is, ‘NO!’ Here’s why... From the very beginning of the Harley Owners Group, the design and display of the HOG logo and chapter chevron have been given careful consideration, with special attention to motorcycling organisations that may have a structure other than the family-oriented social structure of HOG. Regardless of a member’s intent in displaying a lower chevron, it can put a member in conflict with other, three-patch organisations. The Harley Owners Group strongly discourages members from altering the look of the HOG patch and chapter chevron combination by adding lower chevrons and patches.
Wear your HOG patch and chapter rocker proudly. But please don’t wear a lower chevron. Additionally, and for the same reasons, HOG advises caution in associating country names (eg ‘England’ or ‘Scotland’) with HOG chapter names. With your assistance, the integrity of the HOG organisation will be maintained!”. |
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| Chapter patches and pins |
04/06 |
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Chapter rockers and pins and other items are on sale at our Club Nights with the first items going to all Chapter members who pre-ordered. Please see Peg the Pin (aka Catherine). Details of options and prices are now available from the Members Area. |
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| Planning to travel abroad? |
02/06 |
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The E111 health insurance card is no longer valid and you will need to apply for a replacement European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You can do this on-line by clicking here |
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