THE HARLEY OWNERS GROUP TURNS 40
The largest customer association in the world supported by a motorcycle manufacturer
celebrates her milestone birthday
FRANKFURT (16.03.2023) - In 2023, the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), the world's largest customer association supported by a motorcycle manufacturer, is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and Harley-Davidson wants to honor this milestone anniversary with members and fans at numerous events in Europe. For example at the Hamburg Harley Days (May 19 - 21), the Harley Days Dresden (July 21 - 23) and the European Bike Week in Faak (September 5 - 10). It is a matter of honor that the Harley Owners Group also on the Harley-Davidson 120th Anniversary European Festival (June 22-25), as Budapest is also the location for this year's international H.O.G. Rally - the perfect opportunity to celebrate two milestones.
The Harley Owners Group was founded in 1983 with the aim of rewarding the brand's loyal customers and offering them the opportunity to share their experiences and cultivate their shared passion for Harley-Davidson. One of the first members was Willie G. Davidson, grandson of the founder, and within a very short time the number of members had risen to over 30,000. The first issue of the member magazine was published in the same year, the first own events were held in the USA in 1984 and by the end of 1985 the H.O.G. already had 49 chapters and more than 60,000 members. Six years later, a rally in Cheltenham, UK, marked the start of the event in Europe. Around 3,500 V-Twin fans celebrated the Harley lifestyle - among them Willie G. and the then CEO of Harley-Davidson, Richard Teerlink.
The Motor Company is proud of the fact that the H.O.G. now has around 680,000 members and more than 1,500 chapters worldwide. Membership is automatic for one year with the purchase of a Harley-Davidson. Membership can then be renewed annually or for life. There are more than 95,000 H.O.G. members in the EMEA region, almost 13,000 of whom belong to the Ladies of Harley (L.O.H.).
The Harley Owners Group embodies what Harley-Davidson stands for: the passion for motorcycling, the hunger for adventure and the incomparable community experience. The latter is also expressed in the charitable activities of the H.O.G., which supports a variety of projects. For example, the company supports children's homes and people in need due to war or natural disasters. In the EMEA region, the focus is often on the fight against fatal muscular dystrophy. Year after year, H.O.G. charity campaigns generate six-figure sums that benefit those affected and their families.
More about the Harley Owners Group can be found at hog.com, information on the Austrian charity fund can be found at harley-charity-tour.at.
Picture credits: Harley-Davidson
