Stop what you are doing for a sec and just imagine yourself touring the countryside riding on the back of a powerful Harley Davidson motorbike dressed in black leathers with a gentle summer breeze blowing through your hair.
If such an image:
1. Prompts whatever you thought was ‘Very Important’ two minutes before to go into complete brain fade;
2. Then causes you to realise that actually ‘Everything is well with the world’;
3. And a beatific smile to settle all over your face that cannot be removed at will,
…Then it’s high time you knew that this year’s annual Harley Davidson Owners Group (HOG) Rally is going to be one huge, giant party spread over three action-packed days in Auckland from 14-16 February.
And before you lose that goofy smile completely, the good news is you don’t even have to be a member to attend the party on Saturday.
Between 1200-1500 Harley Davidson motorcycle owners are expected to attend this year’s rally from not just around NZ, but from around the entire planet.
“There’s going to be a strong American, Australian, UK and European presence as well as Harley Davidson Owners Group is very much an international organisation. It’s global. People love getting together to go for rides and hanging out to talk about their favourite subject, their bikes!” laughs Auckland HOG member and Auckland Motorcycles and Power Sports salesman Geoff Bond.
“The age of those members varies from people who ride in their 20s to the oldest that I’m aware of is in his 80s, but the majority range in age from 40-70.”
This year’s National Rally is special as Harley Davidson celebrates 110 years in business and 30 years of Harley Davidson Groups in New Zealand. Harley Davidson is pulling out the stops to make sure this is one grand event including flying in the founder’s great grandson, Bill Davidson, from the States.
The rally kicks off at the Meremere Drag Strip for some legal bragging rights on the Thursday morning before moving to the Ellerslie Racecourse for the rest of the weekend of fun. On Saturday there is the massive Thunder ride around some of Auckland’s beaches, a Show & Shine Bike Show follows in the afternoon before the Chapter Games where groups compete against one another in some fun games, including human foose ball.
The big social function open to the public is on Saturday night with ‘Give It A Girl’ as the main entertainment act which is comprised of some of New Zealand’s best known female singers: Sharon O’Neill, Annie Crummer, Debbie Harwood and Margaret Urlich. There’ll also be fireworks and a big birthday cake to entertain the punters. Tickets are available now from Auckland Motorcycles & Powersports.
If owning and regularly riding a Harley Davidson is definitely on your Bucket List, it is worthwhile checking out your local HOG chapter. The Auckland chapter, for example, has roughly 340 members and is pretty active organising a minimum of one ride a week and monthly social get-togethers and rides out to dinner. Longer rides and overnight trips are also organised depending on the time of year.