{"id":6205,"date":"2025-10-09T09:10:14","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T16:10:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/?p=6205"},"modified":"2026-01-09T05:06:31","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T12:06:31","slug":"more-than-the-ride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/more-than-the-ride\/","title":{"rendered":"More than the ride"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How strong chapter\u2013dealer bonds keep Harley-Davidson roaring in Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Debbie Ford, Regional HOG\u00ae<\/sup> Director, Ontario Region<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people buy a motorcycle. Others join a movement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you bought your Harley-Davidson\u00ae<\/sup> motorcycle, you chose a lifestyle, a family of chrome-loving, road-hungry riders who know the best parts of the journey are the people you meet and the pit stops along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’re part of a Canadian HOG\u00ae<\/sup> chapter, you know the secret behind every unforgettable ride is the friendships you build, the camaraderie that keeps you coming back and the dealership that helps it all happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The power of partnership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Across Canada, the chapters and dealerships that thrive know each other\u2019s goals. They show up for each other\u2019s events. They ride side by side and recognize that when the chapter wins, the dealership wins. And vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The York Region HOG Chapter is a prime example. They are woven into the DNA of Pfaff Harley-Davidson. Officers are front and centre when the bell rings to celebrate a new bike sale. Chapter ride photos line the walls. HOG signage is proudly displayed. New riders are welcomed like long-lost friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe use our dealership like our clubhouse,\u201d says Andrew Laidlaw, Director of the York Region HOG Chapter. \u201cIt\u2019s where we gather, kick off or wrap up rides and celebrate milestones. They support us and we support them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe York Region HOG Chapter adds something you can\u2019t put on a showroom floor,\u201d adds Bob Beal, HOG Liaison Manager at Pfaff Harley-Davidson. \u201cThey help new riders feel part of something from day one and remind returning riders why they chose Harley\u00ae<\/sup> in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When both sides lean in, the whole Harley-Davidson community feels it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A brand that still turns heads<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Harley-Davidson is more than a motorcycle \u2013 it\u2019s a global symbol of freedom, strength and individuality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case in point: I recently started carrying a Harley tote bag on my commute to my corporate job in downtown Toronto. You wouldn\u2019t believe how often I get stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you ride?\u201d

\u201cAre you part of Harley?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s the power of this brand. And when recognition meets real community \u2013 like in a HOG chapter \u2013 it creates something magnetic. People notice. They lean in. Sometimes they even feel a spark of envy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Welcoming the next generation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Women aren\u2019t just riding \u2013 they\u2019re leading. They\u2019re mentoring, planning and showing up with throttle open, making it clear this community is for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Huronia HOG Chapter is a powerful example. Women hold key leadership roles and are front and centre at rides and events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWomen have always belonged in the Harley-Davidson story,\u201d says Wendy Clark, Director of the Huronia HOG Chapter, a proud Indigenous woman and long-time rider. \u201cWe\u2019re just making sure the next generation sees it. Whether you\u2019re new to riding or have thousands of kilometres behind you, there\u2019s a place for you here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dealerships like Barrie Harley-Davidson are riding right beside them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe work hand-in-hand with our HOG chapter executives to welcome new riders,\u201d says Cathy (Kate) Insley, Owner and COO of Barrie Harley-Davidson. \u201cThis year, we hosted the Ontario Regional Officers Connection training here at the dealership. More than 35 chapter directors and officers rolled in, and the energy was electric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat really got me, though, was seeing my grandson \u2013 our third generation of Harley lovers \u2013 pitch in to help the Regional HOG Director. That moment said it all. This is legacy. It\u2019s community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why volunteers are the real MVPs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

HOG chapter executives do much more than plan rides. They organize events, manage social media, run fundraisers, coordinate safety and sometimes play referee when skies turn stormy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They do it all for the love of the ride, and the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When dealerships take time to support these volunteers \u2013 offering meeting space, promoting events or simply catching up over coffee \u2013 it strengthens bonds and fuels long-term success. These are the people keeping calendars full, riders engaged and dealerships front and centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The win-win formula<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most successful HOG chapters and dealerships in Canada don\u2019t just work together \u2013 they ride together. They collaborate. They share. They show up. They build momentum through trust and shared passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tobin Lifchis, Director of the Mississauga HOG Chapter, knows this well. A second-generation Harley rider, he has rallied members, built community and shown up with heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about who\u2019s running the show,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s about showing up, side by side and making it unforgettable for the riders and the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This is our time<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re part of a chapter, stay close to your dealership. Keep them in the loop. Invite them in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re part of a dealership, get to know your chapter. Join a ride. Thank a volunteer. Ask how you can support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we do this together, something amazing happens. The rides get bigger. The events get better. The smiles get wider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the Harley-Davidson spirit? Just like our bikes, it roars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How strong chapter\u2013dealer bonds keep Harley-Davidson roaring in Canada<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6204,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[11],"class_list":["post-6205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-riding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6205"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6288,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6205\/revisions\/6288"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6204"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hog.thecreativeplot.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}