New Officer appointments!
Feb 2012
  Congratulations to all the Hogsback Officers who were appointed on Feb 2. Keith Dorling was reappointed as Assistant Director and Treasurer; Carrol England continues as Secretary; David Atkinson continues as Editor; and Roger Bonnici continues as Charity Officer. Huge welcome to new appointees Dell Evans as Assistant Director; Wendy Evans as Membership Officer; Czes Wicherek as Webmaster; and Carl Christensen as Safety Officer. Five new Road Marshals were also appointed - congratulations and welcome to Andy Cripps, Pete Hillier, Fiona Leaves, Ruth Palmer and Gary Tew. Hogsback Chapter now operates with 24 Road Crew. You can see who they are on the Officers page or download Axel's handy 2012 poster here.
 
Important news about your Chapter membership
Feb 2012
  Your Chapter membership expires at the end of Feb. To renew, click here to download the 2012 form. Please print and sign the form and send it with the correct fees to the address on the bottom - or give it to Wendy at Club Night. PLEASE NOTE: Fees are held at 2011 prices if you renew before the end of March. After that the cost goes up to £25 - so don't delay, do it today! Anyone who has completed a form and paid since Jan 1 this year is already a 2012 member.
 
New rules for 2012 about large Hogsback Rockers
Feb 2012
  With effect from 1 Jan 2012, we have changed the rules about acquiring large Hogsback Rockers. All new members will now need to attend a minimum of six official Chapter events (rides or Club Nights) before they may buy a large Hogsback Chapter rocker. Proof of attendance needs to be recorded on this form, which must be signed by any Hogsback Officer who is also present at each event. Wendy will only be able to sell a large Chapter rocker to new members with a completed entitlement record.
 
Need inexpensive touring accommodation?
Jan 2012
  HOG have just released details of a new deal with Eurocamp for HOG members. You can now stay in Eurocamp's mobile homes, tents or chalets across a lot of Europe for up to 30% off the public price. Full details and how to book here!
 
Hogsback Club Night venue for 2012
Jan 2012
  Hogsback Club Nights are now at The Grantley Arms at Wonersh. Check Events page for details. Check out the pub here. Download map and satnav details here (thanks Axel).
 
EU anti-biking legislation petition
Jan 2012
  This will affect all of us if it goes through, which it is set to do automatically unless you help stop it. There is now a gov.uk e-petition which you can sign here.
 
Massive 2012 Ride Programme is OUT!
Jan 2012
  After many hours of pizzas and hot towels, the Road Crew is delighted to announce the Hogsback ride programme for 2012. You can view a summary version on the public website here or login to the Members Area to see the details and register for the weekend rides. The programme features an astonishing 95+ rides and events, including 17 overnighters. We think there is no other Chapter that comes close to this. Please note As of Jan 4 all weekend rides were 100% unbooked. This will change rapidly, so register early if you want to go. It really is first come first served! As ever, ride details are prone to change, so check back regularly.
 
Riders Edge has closed
Jan 2012
  We have received an announcement from H.O.G. that H-D has closed its Riders Edge operation in Wales and are reviewing their options during 2012 for a replacement. You can read the full announcement here. If you have any questions about Riders Edge, you can ask H-D directly here.
 
Hogsback News Winter edition OUT!
Dec 2011
  Those magnificent men in the their pressing machines have whipped it out again. 30 pages of editorial, news, information, reflection and ride roundups! Download yours today from the Members Area. Forgotten your password? Email us here and we'll remind you. Merry Christmas!
 
Letter from Alzheimers
Dec 2011
  We recently received this letter of thanks from the Alheimer's Society, one of our nominated charities. Well done Gary, Catherine and everyone else who supported the Forget-Me-Knot event.
 
Hogsback Chapter UK is on Facebook!
Nov 2011
  If you're intoFacebook and a Hogsback member, you may want to join the official Chapter page. Just login to your facebook account and search for Hogsback Chapter UK. Only Hogsback Chapter members can join, read and write posts, so your joining request will need be approved by one of the Administrators first - won't take long though!
 
Anyone flying to Portugal for the 2012 Rally?
Oct 2011
  Wendy Evans is flying Easy Jet for £77 return from LGW. If anyone fancies this fast option to the Rally, email her here for details.
 
Hi-vis vests
Aug 2011
  For many years, the Chapter has operated a system of safety for group rides that has proved very successful. This system is well developed and understood by all Road Crew, and depends in part on the wearing of hi-vis vests by Road Crew only. This allows the duty Road Crew to see and respond to each other, and facilitates the smooth, safe pick up of markers who have been dropped by the Ride Leader. Recently, we have tried to accommodate hi-vis wearing by Chapter members who are not Road Crew. This has not worked well and has produced reports from some members of confusion and (therefore) reduced safety. The Road Crew is clear that their use of hi-vis vests is for identification only and that the only real protection derives from the way you ride - through observation, road positioning and speed. While we will never tell anyone to remove their hi-vis, we would like to continue with the tried and tested system of safety we use on Hogsback rides. This means asking for your continued agreement that only Road Crew wear hi-vis vests on official group rides. We would ask you to note that cooperating with this request is strictly your decision and it is a signed condition of Chapter membership that you understand and agree that all H.O.G. members and their guests participate voluntarily and at their own risk in all H.O.G. activities and that you assume all risks arising out of the conduct of such activities.
 
SOFER 8 success!
Aug 2011
  This astonishing Rally has come and gone for an eighth time - but what a great and convivial weekend it was! Highlights were Vera's Jack Sparrow ride, complete with the Captain himself (brilliantly played by Ernst), the superb Apart from Rod Fri evening band, the awesome 120 bike Hogsback Ride to a fantastic open air feast in the Surrey countryside, Norm & Dave's sumptuous and highly professional Chapter buffet - not a BBQ but a banquet, amazing fireworks - the best yet, and Ruth and her helpers had a record number of people (around 80) enter the Poker Run. Plus, Carl put together a large team of Chapter members who managed to secure second place for Hogsback in the Chapter Challenge behind 1066 - helped not least by a team of 8 who won the Caterpillar Tracks event outright. Result! A most successful weekend in all respects - including the weather which fully cooperated with our plans. Thanks to all the Road Crew, volunteers, chefs extraordinaire and Chapter members who made this weekend so special. And a very special thanks to Wendy, whose tireless efforts at Registration formed one of the main Rally pivots - and she still found time to run merchandising and enter the Chapter Challenge! Axel's amazing photos are here!
 
Hogsback are going to Portugal in 2012!
Jun 2011
  Thanks to an early move by Robin, we are holding 30 rooms at ground zero for the 2012 HOG Rally in Portugal! You can download full details from the top of the Events page in the Members Area. If you want one of the rooms, email us here NOW. We may be able to get more rooms at this stage, but this possibility will vanish as soon as HOG releases more info. This is a unique opportunity to get ahead of the game and establish a substantial Hogsback presence in Portugal. Act now!
 
Where does Hogsback Chapter meet?
May 2011
  Hogsback Chapter Club Nights are on the first Thursday of the month at The Grantley Arms, Wonersh (as of Jan 2012) and in the summer months at Bisley Pavilion. Our rides usually leave from the dealership or from Rykas (a biker café at the foot of Box Hill). Our rides may also meet at Burger King Guildford, Godstone Pond, or at Clacket Lane Services (Eastbound on the M25). A Google map showing all these places is here. In all cases, please be sure to check our Events page to see which one we are using for any particular ride. Please also note that the times we give on the Events page are meeting times. Be there by the meeting time and you won't miss the ride!
 
The drop-off system
May 2011
  Hogsback rides use the second-man drop-off system to keep the ride together. This involves the ride leader indicating to the rider immediately behind - the 'second man' - to pull over to a position of safety on the exit to a roundabout or at a junction. By doing so, the dropped-off bike indicates to the rest of the ride which way the leader has gone. After safety and visibility, the most important thing is that the drop-off REMAINS IN PLACE - however long it takes - until the tail-end road crew appear. How do you know who is the tail-end? Because they are in hi-vis vests and will have been identified to you at the ride briefing. The drop-off bike should then be ready to rejoin the ride immediately in front of the tail-ender(s). What happens if the drop-off leaves before the tail-enders appear? The ride breaks and some - possibly many - will not make it to the planned destination. If the system is new to you, it pays to start off towards the back of the group so you can see it working before it's your turn. You can watch a short video of the system in action by clicking here - thanks to Golly for the footage. There is also an excellent ride guide available for download from the Members Area.
 
Pillions: to join or not to join ...?
Apr 2011
  Everyone who is a rider in Hogsback Chapter is required to join as a full member. Membership also means that they may bring along one guest to any and all Chapter rides and events. If pillions wish to join the Chapter as full members themselves, they pay a reduced subscription of £10, although they must first also be a member of HOG in their own right (annual cost for a HOG Associate is £29). So is there any benefit in pillions joining the Chapter? Well, yes, if they value the following: free Chapter pin (worth £5), entitlement to wear Chapter rockers and LOH patches, eligibility for Committee positions, and their own Loyalty Bonus Card worth £40 at GH-D (T&Cs apply). It's your choice - but either way we are always pleased to see you!
 
Beaky's Boot sale - result!
Apr 2011
  We had a big Hogsback stall this year and took £1600 for all those bits and pieces that members had lying around in their garages. A boost for them plus £200 for the Chapter Charity account. Fantastic effort from the organisers, Mark and Danielle plus Gary and several others on the day, as well as assistance from the dealership for transport and storage facilities. Superb result!
 
Hogsback Chapter Bylaws
Oct 2010
  Ever wondered how Hogsback Committee members get elected? Or how the Road Crew get appointed? Or, more generally, by what principles the Chapter is run? You can find the answers in the Hogsback Chapter Bylaws, available from the Downloads page of this website. Bylaws are not required by HOG, and many Chapters don't bother, but at Hogsback we are particularly keen that the Chapter organisation is as transparent as possible. Happy reading!
 
Keeping us up to date
Jun 2010
  Did you get your e-shot last week? If not, then we may not have the correct email address for you - please email us here and we can put that right!
 
Photos old and new!
Apr 2010
  We are always pleased to receive members' photos of our rides for the website. Email them here - it's best if they are around 1MB each in size (bigger is OK too). Hogsback Chapter was known as Surrey HOG (Surrey Chapter UK) for the first 17 years of our life (we were founded on Oct 31 1991), and so we also like to receive older photos as well. Recently we received quite a few from Mick Palmer and the Ferris's - going back to 1992. Check them out on the Photos page - you may recognise some rather younger images of current members!
 
Does Hogsback support any charities?
Apr 2010
  Yes. Although the Chapter does not exist to raise money for charity, there are a number of occasions throughout the year where it is easy and worthwhile to raise some cash for a good cause. Whatever Hogsback raises via raffles etc is paid into the Chapter Charity Account, which is looked after by Roger Bonnici (St Rodge), our Charities Officer. Every year the money is divided between our three nominated Charities: the Alzheimers Society, the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity and the Surrey Air Ambulance. Together these cover the old, the young and the injured - a pretty comprehensive range. In 2010, we presented the 2009 proceeds - £2,500 - at the Dealership's Independence Day event on Sat Jul 3. Last year we had a special focus on the Alzheimers Society. This year Hogsback will be raising additional money for the Rainbow Trust via a cut from every SOFER Rally t-shirt sold.
 
Ride guides for Chapter members
Mar 2010
  Graham, our Safety Officer, has updated a ride guide which answers all your important questions about group riding with Hogsback Chapter. You can download it from Members Area/Admin. If you have any further questions, just ask any of our Road Crew! Also available from the same location is the detailed guide used by all Hogsback Road Crew. Take a look at it if you want to know how we look after you! You may like to know that H.O.G. UK have identified the Hogsback road crewing system as a model for the rest of the country. They now plan to use it as the basis of a national initiative to raise the standards across the country.
 
Who is a Lady of Harley?
Aug 2009
 

HOG Chapters are family-friendly organisations and Ladies of Harley (LOH) was started by HOG as a means of encouraging more Chapter events that would appeal to the many women who ride with the Chapter - either on their own bikes or as pillions. So who is eligible to be a LOH? Well, you don't have to have your own bike, but you do have to have your own HOG membership (either Full or Associate) plus you must have completed a Chapter application form in your own right. This entitles you to buy and wear LOH patches which you can obtain from Catherine on Club Nights. Our own LOH Officer, Ruth Palmer, is busy promoting several activities for the LOH within the Chapter. LOH is not an exclusive club within a club and any full member of the Chapter - male or female - together with their guest - can attend any LOH event. However, some events may be of more interest than others. If you have any LOH suggestions, please email Ruth here.
 
European Health Insurance Card - is yours still valid?
Mar 2009
  If you travel to the EC, hopefully you know that the E111 form was replaced sometime ago by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). However, you may not have realised that although the plastic card will obviously last for decades, it expires after 3 or 5 years (depending on when yours was issued) - so check the expiry date before you travel! You can easily apply or renew on-line by clicking here and it takes 7 days to come through.
 
Are you a member of Hogsback Chapter yet?
Jan 2009
  Well, IF you are a Full OR Associate Member of H.O.G. AND you have submitted a signed Chapter Membership Form (and if renewing, paid the right fees), then the answer is Yes. If you have done neither of these (or only the first) then you are not (yet!) a member of the Chapter, although you will always be very welcome as the guest of a Chapter member. Please note that Chapter members may only bring one guest on rides or to other Chapter events unless stated otherwise. Please also note that you must be a member of the Chapter before you can wear Hogsback rockers - available from the Chapter on Club Night. Chapter members must renew their membership annually - we will send you notification when the time comes.
 
Going to the States?
Jan 2009
  If you are going to the US, the visa waiver rules changed back in 2009. Whether you are going for business or just to tool around on a Harley for a few days, you now have to obtain prior approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before you travel. It's an extra bunch of questions to go through, but unless you do, you won't get in! You can access the new online service here.
 
H-D eMags: are you getting yours?
Nov 2008
  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.
 
Did you know?
Sep 2008
  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!
 
Important Notice – avoiding back patch troubles
Nov 2006
  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!”.