How H. O. G. is far better than the MOA

[classicvw]

Some local BMW clubs may not be active or maybe only have a few members and also may not be all that organized, so I wouldn't take it personal if you don't get a timely reply to an inquiry. If they have a website or a facebook presence that gives meeting dates and locations, showing up in person may be the better way to crack the door open for you.
I'm not trying to add fuel to a fire, but my experience with a local H.O.G. chapter has been they don't want you on one of their rides if you're not riding a Harley, (even if they publicly state otherwise). But also having met the dealer owner and found him to be quite the prick, it was no surprise.

 

[brownie0486]

The South Phoenix Motorcycle Group is made up mostly of HD riders. I joined as they do day rides most every weekend. Watching that groups rides, I've seen a few GW's, a couple of Beemers in the mix when pics of the meet up point are posted.

This Sat. I'll join them for the first time on a 250 mile day ride up through Payson, then to Show Low where we'll stop for lunch and loop back through the salt river canyon on 60 heading back into the valley of the sun. I expect everyone will be welcoming the new rider on the 11RT.

There's a local beemer club here in the valley, they have maybe 8-10 regular riders [ and have been riding together for years ] that throws a ride up once in awhile. I've made two of their rides, all Beemers but one GW who always picks up the rear. Not enough group rides from them, and their FB page doesn't always give ample notice of rides to make plans to join in [ but again, it's the 8-10 of those same members on every ride ].

Most every saturday I meet a group of HD [ for the most part ] guys for coffee at 6:30am. They'll do rides out of there many times, and I've joined them a few times, the first being going to see the traveling VN memorial wall in Payson last summer ]. A few of them have other motors they show up with from time to time and one of them just bought a K1200GT who brings it once in awhile for morning coffee. Asked him how he came to buy that motor, he said he liked the looks of my RS, started looking at that brand and found a good deal on the GT.

 

[kbasa]

I'll just add that most BMW riders aren't really all that into big parades or large group rides, so that might be part of the misalignment.

Take a read through here about group rides and note how many folks simply don't ride with others at all. Kinda weird, but that's how this marque tends to operate.

If anything, you'll find stories of BMW folks trying to get around a big parade of HDs as the troll along at exactly the speed limit.

No offense intended in the least, but I think that BMW riders and HD riders have a different take on how they like to ride and that might be part of your dissatisfaction. As a former local club president for a few years, I never set up a group ride other than "we're meeting here for lunch. See you there." Afterwards, folks might head out in smaller groups, but there wasn't often a procession of a dozen or more bikes with any regularity.

I hope that's helpful as you try to find a place to fit in BMW land. I used to belong to a local club, but since moving out here, the NorCal club, which is great, only has camping weekends, so I didn't join. My riding world is my moto friends from a couple local bakeries I frequent. They ride all manner of bikes and sometimes we ride together, sometimes we ride alone.

Ride well brownie. That rode from Globe up to Show Low is all kinds of awesome.

 

[brownie0486]

I'll just add that most BMW riders aren't really all that into big parades or large group rides, so that might be part of the misalignment.

Take a read through here about group rides and note how many folks simply don't ride with others at all. Kinda weird, but that's how this marque tends to operate.

If anything, you'll find stories of BMW folks trying to get around a big parade of HDs as the troll along at exactly the speed limit.

No offense intended in the least, but I think that BMW riders and HD riders have a different take on how they like to ride and that might be part of your dissatisfaction. As a former local club president for a few years, I never set up a group ride other than "we're meeting here for lunch. See you there." Afterwards, folks might head out in smaller groups, but there wasn't often a procession of a dozen or more bikes with any regularity.

I hope that's helpful as you try to find a place to fit in BMW land. I used to belong to a local club, but since moving out here, the NorCal club, which is great, only has camping weekends, so I didn't join. My riding world is my moto friends from a couple local bakeries I frequent. They ride all manner of bikes and sometimes we ride together, sometimes we ride alone.

Ride well brownie. That rode from Globe up to Show Low is all kinds of awesome.

 

[langoptc]

Welcome brownephilip22! Interesting that you love the 05 RT but didn't like the 2011. Hope you are able to hook up with a group of locals that are more welcoming. Would love to see pics of the GSA.

 

[PoorUB]

I'll just add that most BMW riders aren't really all that into big parades or large group rides, so that might be part of the misalignment.

Well, my take on it is I can't find enough BMW riders to form a group ride or dinner run.

You might look at the numbers when HD manufactures 200,000 motorcycles in the USA and BMW imports 20,000. Back 15 years ago HD was manufacturing 350,000 motorcycles and BMW was importing 15,000 units. There is simply one hell of a lot more HD motorcycles out there. in the last twenty years HD has sold roughly 5 million motorcycles, and BMW has imported about 350,000. Both numbers are an approximation, but I will bet the ratios are close. If anything I will bet I am high on the BMW numbers.

I have gone on spur of the moment HD rides. Just a bunch of guys calling others and next thing we have twenty bikes show up. I have been riding a BMW for four years and know one personally know one BMW rider and I knew him before either of us owned BMWs. In four years of riding a HD I knew a couple hundred and have many of their phone numbers, and if I didn't i knew someone that did.

I think many people are willing to get together for a ride of lunch. I don't believe the brand they ride has anything to do with it. It is simply a personal preference. There are Harley riders that will not ride with anyone or go to any HD event. Also, BMW has rallies in different parts of the country every year, and someone is going to them. At the rallies they get together, eat, ride, tell lies, just like any other brand.

Part of HD's popularity has be HOG and heavily promoting it. If BMW did a similar amount of MOA promotion I believe it would be different, but again the number of motorcycles out there has an effect on it too. Most instances when someone buys a new Harley they get a HOG information packet. I had to learn about MOA on my own.