Hi, I am a senior rider from Holland. Our HOG Chapter ends at December 31th 2016 because our dealer died unfortunatlelly. Our Chapter is the oldest in the Netherlands with the first dealer in the Netherlands. Due to the fact that our dealer has an independent attitude and doesn't wanted to comply with the new sophocating dealer contracts of Harley Davidson Benelux and acted as a dealer 'on an distance' of the Chapter, Harley Davidson refused to continue the dealership by a new investor. Also connection with another dealer was prohibited, although there are several dealers with two or even three Chapters under their wings. Ou Chapter had to be "punished" for their independency and we are robbed of a dealership in our city. By the way, the dealer who died unfortunatelly in May of this year, refused to sign a new dealer contract starting in January 2017 because it is killing for the profitability of a dealer. In the past 20% of the turn over of a dealer may consist of non-Harley merchandise and it may be visisble in the shop. These 20% made mainly the profit of a dealer with a good profit rate, which is less with HD merchandise. (Due to the high prices of HD merchandise, the turn over is less). In the new dealer contract only 10% of the turn over may consist of non-HD merchandise and it may not be visisble in the shop. This policy is killing Harley Davidson in Western Europe and the arrogancy of the HD Benelux is debit to this. Think it over before you will be a HOG member, this is a pure commercial business, abusing your emotions about motorcycling and abusing your 'brotherhood feelings' for pure commercial purpose. I am aware of several bikers in the Netherlands who turned their back to HD for this reason and warn other potential buyers as well.

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I am not sure what to tell you about the situation. Personally for me HOG or any other owners group from any manufacture has ever played a part in my buying decisions for any product. I have never belonged to a HOG chapter at a dealership and maybe I am missing out n something but if so I have not noticed. As to the Merch stipulations in a dealer contract I admit I do not know much about those other than the fact that the majority of dealerships I have visited in my travels seem to have pretty much just HD branded merch on display, there is other brands but id guess 80%+ is HD

 

With all these sponsoring dealers leaving, there needs to be a "Nomad" Chapter for all the disenfranchised HOG members.

 

Ok will do.
I belong to H O G but only because I get a 18% discount on my A T & T cell phone bill, but not interested in other than that.

 

The HOG thing is intended to enhance business as a group effort.
The only guys I know where you live are still riding Knuckles and Flatties. They have enough gatherings and rides to keep anyone busy. They have HOG rockers with a middle finger as a center patch.

 

Sorry to hear this Bart. I won't pretend to know how business is done over there. But I would think 80% of something is much better than 90% of nothing.

Considering that the Moco wants to increase their market share abroad, I would agree - digging their own grave.

 

So the dealer refused to sign the contract with HD? It makes sense that they took away his rights, one of which is to have HOG chapter. Honestly I never gave a crap about HOG, but what is stopping you from continuing on without HD's support? My understanding is they give you a patch and the local dealer gives a place to meet. If someone else buys it and turns it into an Independent than they might be happy to continue to host it for you.

Good luck

 

I'd run your own HOG chapter independent of the dealer. Add a lemon to the patch with the dealer name on it.

 

That sounds like an unnecessary & predatory practice by HD, but depending on your local customs & laws might be typical for all I know. The things I could see it hurting the worst are the good non-HD brands, ie aftermarket parts that are better or not available via Harley, non Harley clothing/gear manufacturers that are very popular amongst HD riders and are sold at dealerships, etc.. etc.. However if that was the case in the US, even without the internet, there are so many other bike stores & custom shops that are not actual HD dealers, HD owners are already going outside the HD circle for brick & mortar shopping - and the model seems to work.

Also I'm not sure it would hurt HD a whole lot in the US because lots of people insist on walking around at the supermarket when it's snowing wearing 4 articles of clothing with HD showing on it (and maybe another few hidden, I bet some of these people I see would buy leather HD branded underwear too if it's available )..

We must have some different laws in the US because some large dealership families have multiple brands of bikes even, all under the same name, however maybe not on the same showroom floor together, and when you are a huge volume dealer I bet some of the rules get bent.

Jon

 

I've never walked into a Harley dealer that had other brands of motorcycle.

As far as other brands of parts and so on..most dealers around here have displays of Custom Dynamics, Reinhart, V&H. Klockwerks, etc. Probably more than 10% and definitely out in the open.

If they do that 90% thing here, it's definitely only going to hurt the dealers.