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

I have been a HOG member and was part of the greatest chapter in Houma LA. I moved here and there is no chapter. So I ride on my own. It's 2010 and Im new to the area. I then luck into buying my first BMW. She's an 05 RT. Wow what a machine. Never had something like this before. She is responsive, comfortable, and the best thing I've ridden to date. So I ride 186,000 and love her. Decide I want the new bluetooth stuff. So I buy an 11 RT. never got comfortable with her. Didn't even name her. Then I bought my first NEW BMW. An R1250 GS Adventure. And where has this been all my life. Then I get snipets of there is a BMW owners group. ANd oh my after all this time I could ride with guys that like to ride the way I do. SO I look into it and join myself. Go to my first BMW MOA Getaway. Had a great time. Met some Awesome people. That really liked having new members. And when I asked about it I'm told it is because no one joins anymore. and the younger crowd doesnt want to join. I thought ( what a shame. This group Rocks. ) Then I tried to get teh information to join a local chapter. Didnt even know they existed. And well I guess I didn't fit the VP's image of a BMW owner. He deliberatley gave me the wrong web address for the local chapter. Then I go the the next getaway. Same great time and experience. I even brought my buddy with a triumph. No one there looked down on us at all. Had a great time. mountain roads, conversations, assistance, and a little fun too. Met Harry. Long time MOA guy. let him ride my bike with no issues. WOuld have liked to get his number. MY bad. Hopefully I will see him at the next one. So move forward a few weeks. I find out that I was supposed to be automatically enrolled in the local chapter. Cool. It gets done. And I with my girl also on a BMW, go to the first meeting. ANd the look of sheer shock of how I knew about this from the same a$$ hat that gave me the wrong web address. We were shunned by the leaders of the group and were not even talked to. But the a$$ hat made a point to bring up the one new member that came. So I guess me and my girl are not new members. Thanx needed to know that. wont be wasting time with those guys anymore.

I dont need to ride with anyone, It just would be nice sometimes. I'm learning about this GSA. And wow again. Great machine. Thought the MOA would have given me the feeling of comradery that I had at HOG. Guess I was wrong. The getaways seem to like new people. But if your not in the Click with the locals, then your not in. Nice to know. After this year is up I will not be wasting money on an organization that runs new people off for the spite of their noses. Ill just add to the 12000 miles i have on StarFire already alone. DOne it before 186,000 and counting to beat it. Oil head to water head. which one wins. i wont be her to let you know. MAybe Ill do a youtube thingy.

As for BMW Motorrad. I love the products. My third. and will never leave this brand. after 45 years of riding I finaly found MY BIKE. And shes great. Just need people to enjoy it with. Ill find some somewhere I hope.

I never felt this way when I was part of HOG. I felt welcomed and people actually cared for your safety and well being. Miss those days. Just not the bikes.

No way to determine where you're located, what local chapter you're speaking about. I'm sure the members here would appreciate that intel, I know I would.

brownephilip22 said:

I moved here and there is no chapter..

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Where are you located?
Welcome to the MOA and the forum. Sorry to hear you were not treated well by the local club.
Don't give up on the MOA because of the bad experience with the local club, there's a lot more benefits to the MOA.
I've been a member since 1983 and do not belong to any of the Iowa clubs.

Check out the GS Giants.

Much of their activity is on their Facebook Group.

They're about to do a great adventure ride (a rolling rally) starting in Missouri and riding to Richmond and into the BMW MOA National. I think you should do both of those events.

You're getting the wrong impression of the BMW riding community... please give it a few more tries.

Ian

Two thoughts. Depending on where you are located, your state might have more than 1 local chapter. It might be a little further from you, but worth it to see if there’s another one.

Also, keep looking on the ‘net for riders groups that are not a local chapter of any one brand. I found one good one a few years back, but alas, the person (woman) who was the driving force moved way and it went away without her, but I had some good times while it existed.

brownie0486 said:

No way to determine where you're located, what local chapter you're speaking about. I'm sure the members here would appreciate that intel, I know I would.

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Charleston, SC

Lee said:

Where are you located?
Welcome to the MOA and the forum. Sorry to hear you were not treated well by the local club.
Don't give up on the MOA because of the bad experience with the local club, there's a lot more benefits to the MOA.
I've been a member since 1983 and do not belong to any of the Iowa clubs.

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Charleston, SC

Notable difference between the two orgs, and, in my opinion, the most important one: H.O.G. is funded by and controlled by Harley Davidson. The BMW MOA is affiliated with BMW, but they don't fund us, nor do they have any control over how our bylaws operate.

I'm not sure where you live, but I'd suspect there's a local club near you that might connect you with other BMW folks in your neighborhood.

But, for me, a company operated "club" is no club at all. It's a marketing operation.

kbasa said:

Notable difference between the two orgs, and, in my opinion, the most important one: H.O.G. is funded by and controlled by Harley Davidson. The BMW MOA is affiliated with BMW, but they don't fund us, nor do they have any control over how our bylaws operate.

I'm not sure where you live, but I'd suspect there's a local club near you that might connect you with other BMW folks in your neighborhood.

But, for me, a company operated "club" is no club at all. It's a marketing operation.

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Yes some dealerships run it through Harley. But most are independent. I was part of an independent. We had fun. Supported each other and or dealership. No one was turned away or treated like this. The South Carolina chapter really doesn’t want members they don’t see as part of the group. Not sure why but ok. Don’t need me or my money. When I was in hog. I supported everything we did. Monitary or anything. It mattered to me that we helped people and did things together. And maybe because they are part of the dealerships, that’s the reason they are the largest motorcycle club in the world. They support their brand and people.

Welcome to the forum!

I have found local clubs "welcoming" a rather tough nut to crack. I don't think it is anything personal, they just have events and hang out with their buds and don't really pay attention to "other" riders. .

It seems to be an unfortunate extension of the "cool kids" table in middle school that has never been thought about modifying. The local clubs are "mostly" run by the popular/active members "the same way we always have run things". If those concepts are coupled with the "anger" that seems to permeate life today, so many are grumpy and sort of afraid of change. I belong to a sportsman's club and it's the skeet/trap shooters against the rifle/pistol shooters- members of the same club!

Things go better when everyone is rowing in the same direction and the group that run/organize the MOA realize this. In that they try to accommodate everyone as best they can. Once this concept of meeting a fellow rider isn't something to avoid, the local groups will do better.

Again, welcome to the forum!

If you need any help, just ask.

Gary

kbasa said:

Notable difference between the two orgs, and, in my opinion, the most important one: H.O.G. is funded by and controlled by Harley Davidson. The BMW MOA is affiliated with BMW, but they don't fund us, nor do they have any control over how our bylaws operate.

I'm not sure where you live, but I'd suspect there's a local club near you that might connect you with other BMW folks in your neighborhood.

But, for me, a company operated "club" is no club at all. It's a marketing operation.

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HOG is not "operated" by HD. Sure it was started by HD and is watched over by HD, officers of the local chapter are highly persuaded to go to officer training, but the local chapters are run by the members with the dealer, then HD watching over. I was in HOG for 15 years and we did pretty much what ever we wanted, within reason. The only times corporate got involved is printing t-shirts and literature using HD logos and what not as they had to make sure it was done appropriately, just protecting the brand. I can understand that completely.

We scheduled rides parties, dinners in the winter, all with zero interaction from mother Harley. There was not push to involve the dealership or the HD. In fact we often scheduled rides that met somewhere other the the dealer. No one was pushed into buying more HD t-shirts or chrome doodads.

I get the thought that it is just a marketing deal from HD, and it certainly it is. But it wasn't shoved down our throats. I had a very good time involved with HOG over the years and have nothing bad to say of the organization in general. Now some of the officers at the local level certainly showed their incompetence, but that happens with any volunteer group. You can knock HOG for waht ever reason, but they do run a pretty good club.

The only regular complaint I hear about HOG is from the people that don't reach out and come on the rides. They say HOG was nothing to them as nobody invited them to a event. You just need to show up! The HOG chapter doesn't know you are out there until you introduce yourself!

Now, as far as MOA. It took me a year to find the local chapter. Even guys I knew that had ridden BMWs for years knew nothing. I finally found the group and shortly afterwards COVID hit so they ceased activity. They have started up again this spring. I had been in touch via email with the director and wanting to know how we can get some fire back into the group and get nothing but silence. They have a Facebook page and there is a minimal activity there, but it seems unless you own a GS there is nothing to do as some members go on off road rides. Posts are about a week apart. I have all but given up on it. It would be nice to set up a ride and dinner so people can met and get to know each other, but I don't see it happening.

The local HOG chapter runs a open ride once a week, all brands are welcome. It is almost embarrassing that I ride with them every week for some social contact! One day there was eight trikes, one Electra Glide and me on my RT! You know that was an exciting ride! I would avoid it, but I do enjoy the people.

So, I guess, like wise I have been unimpressed by the local MOA, but I do realize it can be simply a local thing. No fire in the people running it, and nothing happens.

Thanks for your insights and thoughts.

Received in the spirit intended, I believe.

PoorUB said:

So, I guess, like wise I have been unimpressed by the local MOA, but I do realize it can be simply a local thing. No fire in the people running it, and nothing happens.

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Maybe the MOA should have a Weekend Getaway in Fargo?

Visian said:

Maybe the MOA should have a Weekend Getaway in Fargo?

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Beans and Bikes, my man.

There always have been good people and not so good people in all walks of life. It's a bummer that Brownephilip22 ran into issues at a local chapter. I've run into similar things in the past at different events, groups, etc. It's best not to lump everyone into one category. Brownephilip22, I hope you don't consider everyone here to be like the one's you encountered at your local chapter.

I do think it's odd that there's MOA (a national club) and there are local clubs. And, there appears to be very limited interaction between them. But, that's a discussion for another thread.

Hi and welcome to the MOA. I’m currently on the board as Secretary. A very short introduction is I discovered motorcycling at age 30 and my first bike was a BMW. I’ve ridden every other brand since and like you, I think these German bikes are great even though I also have a Husqvarna for dirt trails.

Joining the brand in 2016 at 30 in Vermont, I joined EVERY local club
-BMW of Quebec Riders
-BMW Riders of Southern Maine-
-Yankee Beemers
-BMW Owners of Vermont
-Granite State BMW
-GS Giants
-BMW MOA
-BMW Riders Association
-AMA

——

For 2 years, I went to every single event within 500 miles that was affiliated with these clubs. In 2017, I slept on the ground for 21 weeks at motorcycle rallies. I knew no one and, at 36 today, I am usually half the age of everyone around me. But I dipped my toes in. It’s my personality to just jump in when tying something new.

After 4 years, I didn’t renew my membership to 6 of the 9 clubs.

Not great odds I guess. Two of the clubs I remained a member of I became very involved in. I was VP & Prez of the Vermont club and am now Secretary of the MOA. I had found my people.

——

Now that I’m living in Charlotte, NC I have looked at all of the clubs in my vicinity and have not joined any of them yet. I’m still in the MOA but the NC/SC/VA clubs are either too far away or not doing the kind of events I’d like to join. Now, they may be FULL of my kind of people but I can’t make that call until I actually go.

You did go and jump in and get involved and didn’t find the camaraderie you had in H.O.G. I’m sorry to hear that but I’m also not surprised. Every club has its own vibe and the MOA, a national club is different than the very local clubs and those are all different in how they ride, party and socialize.

——

In closing, I hope you continue seeking your people who ride and welcome you with open arms but I urge you as I have done myself before, the grass may have been greener in your H.O.G chapter but the fact that you can’t hang out with them because you ride a BMW is something no BMW club would do you someone. A solid 20% of the Vermont club shows up to breakfast on other bikes and no one gives them **** for it. All bikes are welcome at our rallies and further more, we don’t gawk and single out women who ride or treat people with disrespect based on where they’re from.

This is my experience with all BMW clubs. We may not stay up until 3AM drinking in most BMW clubs (except Yankee Beemers, those guys are crazy) but we are an inclusive and caring bunch with our friends.

Feel free to send me a private message and we can swap numbers. If you have time to join us at the national rally in Richmond, I hope to see you there and buy you a beer (or soda).

Visian said:

Maybe the MOA should have a Weekend Getaway in Fargo?

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I'm retired, it doesn't have to be on the weekend!

I don't think you can generalize a group of 32,000 members based on a limited experience with a smaller group or maybe a local club that does not embody what I have experienced with most members of the MOA and my local club. Just like any group, school, organization, etc. there are some groups or cliques that don't represent the group as a whole very well. In every large group you will always find those clique that don't welcome the outsiders, aren't friendly to the "outsiders" and sometimes feel they are better than everyone else. Ignore them and move on and find a group or local club that will welcome you, accept you and make you feel part of the group.

The MOA in general isn't going to be the answer to find local riders who will become friends and riding buddies. Hopefully you will find a local club that will provide this. When I joined the MOA it offered some discounts, roadside assistance and information, but that was about it. Now that I am part of a local club and active in my local club I have at least 40-50 active riding buddies and probably 10-15 guys that have become friends and guys/gals I see and talk to on a regular basis. That will all depend on the leadership of the club and the members of the club.

One problem right now is many members of the MOA either are not aware of their local clubs or don't belong to a local club so they are lacking that local experience of events and members that really bring riders together. I think the MOA recognizes this and they are working to resolve this. It reminds me of my youth when there was Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, the national organization never really did anything besides set some standards and guidelines, it was the local packs and troops that really were the life of the organization and created the events and friendships.

I'm sure if you meet up with other MOA members at the National Rally this June you will find 99.9% are welcoming and friendly and you will leave with at least a few new friends.

After I posted in this thread I got a bit pissy and posted on the local MOA Facebook page and asked if anyone was interested in getting the group fired up again and planning some rides and/or dinners. We have a dinner planned for next week!

So we shall see! But it looks like a step in the right direction!

There is a local BMW owners club in the city near where I live. I met some of them at the 2019 MOA rally in TN. I've emailed them to say hi but do you think they ever bothered to answer me? Maybe I wasn't cool enough as I was only riding an old airhead at that rally? I figured now that I own 3 BMW's maybe I'd be cool enough for them? I guess not.

But I do like the MOA and I check in here on the forum pretty much every day despite not a whole lot of topics I'll comment on.

the closest thing to a club I belong to is hanging out on our local adventure forum where all of the core folks know each other. Do I ever ride with them? Pretty much no on that one too.