Who are these HOGs anyways??

Our Northern New York Harley Owners Group (sponsored by FX Caprara Harley-Davidson) -or NNY H.O.G. for short- had their Annual Christmas Party celebration, this year at the Watertown VFW. The food was excellent, the staff kind and professional, and great fun was had during the Great Card Game Gift Exchange. To see more pictures, just click over to NorthernNewYorkHOG.com

But who are these HOGs and how did they get here?? To answer that we've got to go back -way back to 1919 with Ray Weishaar, the Wrecking Crew, and a little piglet named Johnny. The newspapers related how the factory race team 'hogged' all the race track records. This led to the term "hog" as referring to a Harley-Davidson motorcycle: "Nice Hog, man."

Fast forward to 1983 and times are lean. The Motor Company had bought itself back from AMF just two years before, but the tarnished reputation was still there. To strengthen the bond between dealers and customers, Willie G. Davidson (grandson of co-founder William A. Davidson) and some other company execs went on a cross-country ride.

Willie G. is on the far right, standing

As they rode, they figured out that riding, having fun and connecting with people who share the same passion of the open road is a great thing. Why not start a club where they could promote motorcycling, offer benefits & services, and develop a close relationship with those who are passionate about riding?

Then they took the term "hog" and created an acronym: Harley Owners Group. Almost immediately H.O.G. becomes the largest factory sponsored club in the world. 

To join a local H.O.G. chapter you need to be a National H.O.G. Member first. That's easy to do -just own a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and go to HOG.com. There's all sorts of benefits to being a member: discounts on insurance, hotels, motorcycle shipping and more, mileage and membership year recognition, rallies, events and rides, and tons more.

Even though our NNY H.O.G. Chapter isn't riding right now, we still like to have fun. All through the winter months we'll have monthly get-togethers, meet up occasionally for breakfasts and dinners, and have parties at Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter. Then during the riding season it's on! We'll have all that plus day and overnight rides.

With bloodlines like ours, it's no wonder that our motto is: 

We like to Ride and Have Fun!