About H.O.G.®
It is believed that the first use of the term "hog" in relation to Harley-Davidson traces its origins to the early 1920s. The official Harley-Davidson company racing team of that era was known as the "Wrecking Crew" because of their nearly total domination of the dirt track races they entered. An additional non-racer who was a member of the team was a small pig. Whenever a Harley-Davidson team member won a race, he stopped to pick up the pig and took it with him for a victory lap. After a while, race fans and some in the media began to informally refer to the team as the "Harley Hogs."
However, the "Wrecking Crew" moniker was the one that persevered over time. As the "Harley Hogs" nickname faded, the word "hog" endured as the slang term among enthusiasts for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The 3rd Edition of the Dictionary of American Slang even contains an entry for "hog" as being a "1960s motorcycle or motorcyclist" with a following entry mentioning Harley-Davidson by name. The word then became more official when the world's first factory-sponsored motorcycle club appeared. The choice must have been obvious: The Harley Owners Group, or H.O.G.
Harley-Davidson established the Harley Owners Group in 1983 in response to a growing desire by Harley riders for an organized way to share their passion and show their pride. Rapid growth continued into the 1990s, and in 1991 H.O.G.® officially went international, with the first official European H.O.G.® Rally in Cheltenham, England. Today the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) consists of 489 Chapters, Japan 134 Chapters and the USA 696 Chapters totaling to 1400 Chapters globally.
Ladies of Harley
LOH helps coordinate events and activities that support the Chapter and Dealership. We encourage all members to come out and participate; especially our female members by volunteering for our charity events, helping to co-ordinate the monthly LOH Ride, and more. The LOH events are open to all chapter members: male and female; riders and non-riders.
To give you a brief history, Ladies of Harley®, or LOH, was established by Harley Owners Group to encourage women members to become more involved in chapter activities. LOH is not a separate group from H.O.G.®, but rather an additional benefit for women members.
Although LOH is free of charge, this option is not automatic. You can specify LOH when you join H.O.G.® as a full or associate member – the best part is that you do not have to be a rider!
Already a H.O.G.®, member? You can update your profile at any time at HOG.com. You will receive a Ladies of Harley® patch and pin, as well as have the LOH designation on your National H.O.G.® member card. You can also participate in special contests just for LOH H.O.G.® members.