[LeeJ]

Colors????

Strange, I never thought of the HOG membership patches as "colors". They seem to invoke more of an "open endorsement" to a product than a sign of exclusive membership.

I think we all know people that have had Harleys, sold them for whatever reason and still maintained their respective membership so they can continue to use the Fly and Ride program.

That certainly flies in the face of membership in an organization that sports "colors".

 

[Hose]

HOG is a product ownership organization not a motorcycle club, as I understand the membership standards. Here in Europe you see many folks who are club members with the small HOG patch on the front to show their support for the product we all enjoy so much. Some are chapter members and some not. At European Bike Week there is a sea of colors and everybody gets along. I don't think that what you wear on your vest matters much until you split the patch and wear other indicators that shows your intentions are more than just getting down the road on two wheels. And enjoying it..!

Ciao, Hose

P.S.
First post....

 

[hopzdhgj]

HOG Road Captain Replies...

I just joined my local chapter, and have only been to one meeting so far and have not received my member mat'ls yet. I bought the chapter colors to put on a vest.

My question is this...when should the colors be worn? Only on chapter rides, or any time I want to?

There are not many topics that draw as wide a variance of opinion as the HOG board does.

Some of us like it, some do not. As an active HOG guy let me answer. Some wear the "colors" all the time, some only wear them to official rides and or meetings. Some never wear them, and guess what- it's ok, nobody cares, nobody will say anything either way.

The only thing about the "colors" is just wear them as they are designed to be worn, meaning the chapter top rocker goes on top, and the national HOG emblen below.
There is a strong suggestion not to wear a bottom rocker, especially one that designates a location, or town, or state.

Bottom rockers are for "bottom rocker clubs" such as HAMC, or Banditos, etc. Those clubs use the bottom rocker to designate their "home" territory, and to wear a rocker that might provoke a "discussion" with bottom rocker club members- is not the intent of any HOG chapter. Chances are that you would not enjoy the "conversation" either- so just use the top rocker and leave it alone...
Wear it when you want, and enjoy yourself.
Bob

 

[SE Road King]

Hog "colors"

I think this is a really good question for us new Harley riders. Plus, I've got another one that's related....

Is it OK to wear other group colors in HOG rides? My main group is CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association), of which I wear my vest with back patch all the time. I'd like to just wear the one vest and not have to have a vest for every group I ride with.....??????

I think the right answer was wear what/when you feel like it. Also, we have several CMA riders in our chapter who wear their CMA colors and a small HOG patch to show support for us.

Ride Safe,

Brian

 

[zopi]

I would but the pink feather boa keeps blowing into my face when I'm riding ...

Pink feather boa and a banana yellow thong...EWW! >I< sense a bet coming<G>

 

[Tappet]

You should probably wear your HOG "colors" (LOL) all the time to show that you love the Stealers sticking it to you over and over again!! LOL

 

[lowrydor]

I own two vests. One is a demin with the standard black and gold HOG logo and the other is a black leather one with the florescent HOG logo. This April I rode from Houston to Tulsa with my black leather jacket and my black leather vest over it. The idea behind this is that I would be seen easier while dark with the florescent one. While stopping for gas in Oklahoma I was approached twice by people that had heard of my chapter. This proved to be a great icebreaker and also made me feel good knowing I had met someone that lives near my home.

 

[rousch]

I have worn my HOG vest all over Europe and on several rides in the US including "the Ride Home" from Portland OR to Milwaukee. They act as a great ice breaker as a Fenlanders Suffolk England patch is rare in the Mid West. I have never had any trouble with 1%s as they dont have HOG on their radar, unless you push it I suppose, but there are times when wearing them isnt valid, and that is in places like Boot Hill at Daytona, they have a NO COLORS policy and they mean it, if I wanted in I had to wear my vest inside out, they door staff were not listening to it only HOG arguments, no colors is just that and I for one respect that.

Ride safe, at least when the snow goes away.

astrocam

I ware mine anyware I want, just remember, there is no lower rocker and keep it like that and it makes you and others know that you are not a outlaw biker and therefor not a threat.that is what was said to me when I asked the regional rep. but it also doesnt pay to push a bad position.hog is not a brotherhood just a money making skeme from a corperation that could give a damn about you.

 

[newultraclassic]

Hog Colors.

I think you should wear the Hog colors most anytime you want. I was in Hog before in the early 90's with another motorcycle that I bought new, a 1993 FLHS. I was very active in the chapter near me for several years and it was a lot of fun.

They did tend to break up into cliques, but I think this occurs in most riding groups. Also, they tended to stay in one local area on short rides...thus the term "zip code riders", that I've heard from some folks from time to time when referring to the local Hog folks. I like to take longer rides and do some touring so I eventually split off with several other Hog members who liked to do the same. We would occasionally show up at a meeting but not very often.

I got back in with my new Ultra so I'm good for the coming year. When that expires, I'll renew and stay in the national so I can go to the national rallies. May even get a life membership. I think that the magazines and Motor Company website are nice.

The only thing I would be careful with is if you are constantly in the presence of lots and lots of 1% ers. While they generally do leave Hog, CMA and GWRRA folks alone they can be unpredictable. I myself don't wear any colors in any case, never did.

My 2 cents.

 

[Roadkill81RW]

I just joined my local chapter, and have only been to one meeting so far and have not received my member mat'ls yet. I bought the chapter colors to put on a vest.

My question is this...when should the colors be worn? Only on chapter rides, or any time I want to?

Colors? heh. That's funny.

 

[petelogan]

Colors? heh. That's funny.

Good morning, Roadkill.

Pete

 

[breeliz]

Colors? heh. That's funny.

What's funny?

Colors are your flag of affiliation. 1%er's have their flags. HOG and other similar groups have their flags.

The fact that 1%ers invest their colors with additional meaning in no way changes the meaning that the HOG colors have to its members. There is nothing funny about it unless you mean to denigrate riding organizations like HOG because you don't "earn" your way in like 1% groups.

You have 5 posts on this system yet you disrespect thousands of members who happen to be HOG members and wear those "colors". You ought to think about what being a 1%er means... RESPECT. You sure aren't showing any here. And sir... if you don't show it here... you won't get it. You EARN your right to disrespect people here and you earn it by CONTRIBUTING... no other way.

 

[lowrydor]

Colors

I wear proudly wear my colors everywhere, even to non HOG events. HOG does have a rule that states "no third rocker is to be worn with HOG rockers." This rule is for your protection. There is a biker gang named the Banditos that if have put a bounty for their newbies to steal your vest or jacket if it has three rockers (the main HOG patch, a chapter rocker above and below.) Sure would hate to see you dish out $125 for a vest, then $60 for the rockers plus whatever to have them sewn on just to have biker trash steal if from you.

 

[breeliz]

I wear proudly wear my colors everywhere, even to non HOG events. HOG does have a rule that states "no third rocker is to be worn with HOG rockers." This rule is for your protection. There is a biker gang named the Banditos that if have put a bounty for their newbies to steal your vest or jacket if it has three rockers (the main HOG patch, a chapter rocker above and below.) Sure would hate to see you dish out $125 for a vest, then $60 for the rockers plus whatever to have them sewn on just to have biker trash steal if from you.

I wear a third rocker on a jacket and a vest. I never take colors off to let them lie around so they would have to steal me to nab my coat or vest. That would be most disrespectful and might end up getting the thief shot.

 

[Sir Nuke]

whether or not you consider wearing your local chapters "colors" actual colors or not...is not really a big deal one way or the other.

Personally I wear mine all the time. Our chapter does a lot of good for our community.....I personally like to be recognized and associated with our chapter.

On the other hand.....maybe not in California...but certainly here in Texas, there are some REAL Motorcycle Clubs that do in fact consider our chapter patches COLORS......and if we ride into their "territory" and are seen, by a group of them, they will pull you over and "ask you nicely" to remove them. There is a very large event here every year that happens to take place in their TURF....and its a known rule....you don't wear your "colors" in their backyard.....its just asking for trouble.

 

[oleman]

I used to live outside of of Houston and was wearing a jacket one evening, did not even think about it having third rocker. It was a gift from some friends of mine. Stopped by a local Icehouse and one of the local gangs was there. Realized who they were and took jacket off rolled it up and stashed it. To late was surrounded in place and was almost a big mess. VP of club from same part of country I was raised in. This was only thing that cooled situation down. I agree, in Texas beware also applies in certain parts of Tennessee.

 

[jwmoyer]

I wear my Club Colors "Sprockets MC" anytime I ride. We don't consider the HOGs a Club, but rather a group so it doesn't conflict with the Sprockets MC, which has a clause in our bylaws that we don't belong to any othr club.
I do have the small H.O.G. patch with rockers on the rear lower right side of my vest.

 

[Sir Nuke]

I wear proudly wear my colors everywhere, even to non HOG events. HOG does have a rule that states "no third rocker is to be worn with HOG rockers." This rule is for your protection. There is a biker gang named the Banditos that if have put a bounty for their newbies to steal your vest or jacket if it has three rockers (the main HOG patch, a chapter rocker above and below.) Sure would hate to see you dish out $125 for a vest, then $60 for the rockers plus whatever to have them sewn on just to have biker trash steal if from you.

I am not sure where you got this information...but that in NOT a National HOG rule....your particular local chapter may have its own governing by-laws that forbids it...but its not a rule within the National H.O.G. Charter. I happen to have a complete National Charter right here, I am the director of my local chapter.

 

[jwmoyer]

Originally Posted by lowrydor
I wear proudly wear my colors everywhere, even to non HOG events. HOG does have a rule that states "no third rocker is to be worn with HOG rockers." This rule is for your protection. There is a biker gang named the Banditos that if have put a bounty for their newbies to steal your vest or jacket if it has three rockers (the main HOG patch, a chapter rocker above and below.) Sure would hate to see you dish out $125 for a vest, then $60 for the rockers plus whatever to have them sewn on just to have biker trash steal if from you.

=======
This in NOT a National HOG rule..., However good advise. Depending on where you are - the are still some outlaw clubs that take the bottom rocker seriously - it marks their territory. So A bottom HOG Rocker that shows your city or especially your state could make you a target. The Memphis Chapter stopped wearing the bottom rocker years ago after multiple run ins with a couple of these clubs. There was always more of them & they took the jackets by force.

 

[Sir Nuke]

=======
This in NOT a National HOG rule..., However good advise. Depending on where you are - the are still some outlaw clubs that take the bottom rocker seriously - it marks their territory. So A bottom HOG Rocker that shows your city or especially your state could make you a target. The Memphis Chapter stopped wearing the bottom rocker years ago after multiple run ins with a couple of these clubs. There was always more of them & they took the jackets by force.

Not sure what you guys are calling a "bottom rocker" as the hog chapter rockers which display your local/city name go on TOP of the eagle hog emblem....

but jw, your right....it is good advice. Around here we only have one small area we need to be concerned with....and that is on galveston island where the Bandito's rule....and its their turf.....even at that....there are times when huge events are put on there that they "authorize" the wearing of your colors.