UK & IRELAND EXCLUSIVE: LADIES OF HARLEY (FEBRUARY 2019)

ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE LADIES OF HARLEY

What an exciting few weeks it has been! Lorraine and I have not long returned from the annual H.O.G. Chapter Directors and Dealer meeting, where we always discover more about what’s going on across the nation. With LOH-focused presentations on the agenda, we had the opportunity to share news and ideas and information on activities and events for those ladies who ride their own motorcycle, ride pillion with their partner or choose not to ride but want to be active members of H.O.G. with their partner.

A great example of this was the LOH-hosted “Garage Party” at Ireland BikeFest, an opportunity for all ladies to learn something more. Let’s face it, we regularly have questions - “What to pack if I'm a pillion, or if I'm a rider?” or decisions to make - “What about riding gear - fashion versus function?” and it’s always good to talk to others about ‘the psychology of riding’ - overcoming the fears of  falling off, dropping the bike or picking it up if I do! 

The selection of Sparkle Tours for female riders and Twinkle Tours for female pillions and their riding partners were announced. Just take a look at The Sparkle and Twinkle Tour Facebook page to get more information.

Registration for the Sparkle Tours opened with the release of INSIDER at the end of January and the influx of emails was astounding. Within the space of twelve hours, two of the five tours were fully booked, with another fully subscribed just a few days later. The interest in this unique weekend event for female riders with H.O.G. membership has grown and it has been pleasing to see so many ladies wanting to take part this year. With five Sparkle Tours to choose from covering the scenic and beautiful regions of Scotland, the North East, Midlands, East and South West ladies are guaranteed an enjoyable weekend of riding in good company, staying at pleasant hotels and genuinely ‘sharing their spark’ throughout the weekend.

It has been rewarding to see some ladies returning year-on-year to take part in a Sparkle Tour, taking the opportunity to explore roads and landscapes familiar to their hometown, or to perhaps spread their wings and take the opportunity of travelling a little further to explore a region that they’ve never visited before.

So, ladies, if you’re interested in travelling northbound, a few spaces are still available on two of the northern tours. Register by sending your full name, valid H.O.G. membership number and model of Harley-Davidson you ride to ChapterRepLOH@harley-davidson.com – you won’t be disappointed.

With my calendar booked up with exciting riding plans throughout the year, I look forward to those Friday afternoons when I switch off from work, get my riding gear on, set the sat nav and head off to enjoy a new adventure with more of my many H.O.G. cousins.

I will for sure –

Share the Spark 

Elaine Shepherd
National Chapter LOH Officer, UK & Ireland
ChapterRepLOH@harley-davidson.com

 

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Wow, its February already! Twinkle Tours and Sparkle Tours have gone live and it’s a very busy time for Elaine, Jo and I and the tour leaders as we process registrations and get all available information out. Jo has worked very hard and done an amazing job advertising all tours available on the Sparkle and Twinkle Facebook page. I know that many have registered already, but there are still spaces available. 

So, come on ladies! Join in the fun, whether you ride or are a pillion rider it’s a weekend to get out there and connect with others and enjoy riding, all the whilst knowing that as a national event, there will be other ladies out there doing exactly the same.

There are three Twinkle Tours happening this year so that more couples will be able to get out there and ride together, enjoying the weekend and meeting up with others from different parts of the country. That gives us more to choose from, all very different and exciting.  So what have you got to lose? Have a look and get in touch with me, your national Associate LOH Rep, at my national email address, chapterrepassociateloh@harley-davidson.com. I need your H.O.G. GB numbers, names and contact details along with the model of motorcycle you will be riding. I will then check your H.O.G. membership to ensure it’s valid, and pass your registration on to the tour leader of your choice.

During the quieter months it’s a good time to look ahead at all the rallies in the calendar for the year and plan which ones you will be attending as accommodation usually gets booked up quickly. I will be travelling to the European H.O.G. Rally in Cascais, Portugal as a pillion rider and have been helping to plan the route alongside my husband Malcolm to ensure that all the needs of the pillion riders in our group are met and we can enjoy the journey in the rear of the saddle. 

We are planning our journey around the number of bikes we have in the group, the model and size of tank each bike has, and the age and experience of the riders in our group, aiming to travel around 300 miles a day to ensure that the ride is enjoyable for everyone. I love to be engaged in the planning stage of a trip as it starts to become more real. Looking ahead begins to ignite the enthusiasm for what I know will be an amazing experience. 

For any journey, and especially riding your Harley-Davidson, planning is key. And the sooner plans are put in place and time is booked off work - the sooner everyone can start booking hotels and looking forward with excitement to wherever their journey will take them. It’s also a great time to start thinking about how long you will be in the saddle, and to start planning a few rides prior to your trip of longer duration to prepare. Some longer distance rides require extra stamina and concentration. This I find makes my trips far more enjoyable, creating many more happy memories.

From the Rear Saddle,

“The Dudette”

Lorraine Seedhouse
National Chapter Associate LOH Officer, UK & Ireland
chapterrepassociateloh@harley-davidson.com