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Welcome to our Chapter

Harley-Davidson Owners:
Great Northwest H.O.G.® Washington Chapter 3169 would like to extend a warm welcome to you, and our thanks for making the decision to become a part of our social riding club. Perhaps you may be like many of us who enjoy riding most of the time by ourselves, but enjoy the occasional group ride. Being part of a H.O.G.® chapter offers many benefits beyond group riding, of course there’s the common denominator of being a Harley-Davidson owner! Learning riding tips, meeting new friends with similar interests, noticing new gear and gadgets, and listening to real people’s reviews on products and service is a good thing.

The Social Aspect:
Beyond riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and enjoying safe alcohol free group rides, there is also the social aspect of being a H.O.G.® chapter member. Depending on the local makeup of chapter members, social events of all shapes and sizes can be found. Dancing, bowling, games, picnics, dinners, concerts, fund raisers for charities, to name a few. We are also a non-religious/political group, which means we try and keep matters of faith and politics personal, and pursue our goal of riding safe and having fun.

According to Harley-Davidson:
According to Harley-Davidson, an official H.O.G.® chapter must be sponsored by a Harley-Davidson dealership, and ultimately it’s the owner/dealership that determines how a chapter operates, or for that matter exists. Some chapters have elections to vote in officers to help the chapter, others appoint. Each dealership has a H.O.G.® manager that oversees the chapter, and can also fill in as one or all officer positions. We at GNW H.O.G.® have primary officers appointed, and discretionary officers serve the chapter by the directors’ choice.

New Members:
As a new member in the GNW H.O.G.® chapter, we encourage you to sign up for our weekly email called the Blast (You can opt out at any time). This will keep you updated with all the current events of chapter life, and may bring an occasional smile to your face. Our calendar is also an excellent place to find out when and where things are going on, we keep this up to date! We also have a Facebook page and website where rides, and other information are posted by our road captains, and officers. So, if you are new, please forgive us if you happen to come to a meeting or event for the first time, and no one seems to notice you. We are trying to change the culture to one that is inclusive of everyone, whether you are a die-hard rider, occasional, or brand new to the Harley-Davidson world.

Get Involved:
As with just about everything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. With some groups it can be difficult to fit in if you are not part of the “in crowed”. At GNW H.O.G.® we encourage you to get involved, and we try our best to be an inclusive group of Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. All of our officers have an equal say, we are open to, and encourage each member to contribute their opinions, along with their participation. We appreciate your participation as we strive for our goal of riding safe and having fun, on Harley-Davidson motorcycles!

Our History:
In 1983 Harley-Davidson began one of its most unique endeavors the formation of the Harley Owners Group. Fondly referred to as HOG., it rapidly grew to its current status as the largest factory-sponsored enthusiast group in the world. Within six years membership had soared to over 90,000, and last year HOG. passed the half-million member mark. In the early years, Jim Boltz, owner of the Lynnwood Cycle Barn, put together a team of employees in 1986 to form the Great Northwest Chapter of HOG., with Jim as the first director. Queenie Earp, Jim Earp, and Ken Ivey were Cycle Barn employees instrumental in the initial formation of the Chapter. Check out this inter-office memo inviting employees to participate.

In 1987 Cycle Barn once again took a leadership stance by appointing a non-employee as Director of GNW HOG, now the practice across the country. Dan Johnson was our first non dealer employee director. Dan eventually left GNW HOG Chapter and established Eastside Chapter HOG for Eastside Harley-Davidson. GNW HOG chapter holds the designation of being the first official HOG Chapter in Washington State. At various times throughout our history our GNW HOG Chapter has been the largest local chapter in the state of Washington. Our official chapter number currently is 3169, and has changed twice with dealership changes. 

In 1983, National HOG did not have official guidelines to help local chapters get established and conduct their affairs, which must seem remarkable to anyone who has read "The Book" that is used today! 

The first GNW HOG meetings were held at a picnic table out by an old tree stump behind the original Cycle Barn store, with about a dozen members. The procedures used to move to an elected Board, create the by-laws, and to establish status as a non-profit organization have been used as models nationwide for dealer-sponsored chapters ever since. In addition, GNW HOG members began the original "Sun '& Surf Run" summer event at Ocean Shores. Sun & Surf Run was the first, all HOG motorcycle event in Washington state. The event still continues today as an all motorcycle, non profit event. We are proud to have an original Charter Member still with us, Billy Bob, who has held our Historian Board position. Billy Bob was part of the original Board and was one of the 3 co-founders of the Sun & Surf Run. GNW HOG also formed the Tumbleweed Run, a chapter event that spanned 11 years! 

The picnic table is long since gone, and the old tree stump was paved over and is now part of the parking lot between Emerald City Harley-Davidson and the former Lynnwood Cycle Barn, Now Harley Davidson used cycles. The Great Northwest Harley Owners Group still continues in new and exciting ways. We continue the traditions of exemplary spirit and camaraderie started in those early years. We continue to promote fun and safe riding experiences for our members, as well as supporting, promoting, and enhancing causes which enhance the lives of those less fortunate, the image of the motorcycling experience, and the satisfaction of our members.

We have a commitment from the owner of Emerald City Harley-Davidson. New and exciting things are happening, with a new Board of Directors to New Rider Orientation programs, new events and plenty of fun rides with Great Northwest members! Membership is now free, making it easy to join. National Membership required.