VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 August 2015 A Word from Our Director THUNDER RIDERS WEST HARLEY OWNERS GROUP #3573 1385 SOUTHLAKE PARKWAY MORROW, GEORGIA 30260 HOG TROFF Hello Chapter, I can t believe August is already here. We are in the development works for several parties and events. The Christmas Party #1, we took a survey at the July Meeting and the majority of the Chapter wants us to book a Hotel & Conf. Room. So we are working in that direction. We plan to have a live band and games and a real good time. The Christmas Party will be on the evening of our Chapter Meeting in December, 12-12-15. We will keep everyone updated as the plans are set. If you have any ideas, it s your party also so please let us know. We also announce position changes within the Chapter Officer Positions. As of now Jame Sullivan will be completing her term. She has done an outstanding job as Membership Officer. So if this is a position that interest you please let me know and we will discuss the position and its needs. Jame, Again from all of us a sincere Thank You for a Job Well Done! Let me take a moment also to Thank all the Officers for the extra mile they go for us. You All Rock! I hope everyone is taking advantage of all the rides this year. They are much diversified. The dinner rides are averaging 20-28 every Wednesday evening. We have tried a few new places also. If you have not joined us please give it a try. The venues can be found on the Chapter Calendar and are posted every week via e-mail and Facebook. So here is a topic we have discussed and I have not acted on. There are many of us that are handicapped as it pertains to computers, I-Pads, I Phones, Droids, Facebook and Basic Email. So August 29 th we will host a Basic Chapter Computer Training 101. This will start at 1:00 PM at the Chapter Room. If you are a great navigator, please come share your methods. If you can t even turn a switch on, come on over as its time to learn. The class will be so that everyone is getting the Chapter Information as fast as possible to give you time to decide if that appeals to you. 8-29-15 @ 1:00 PM. Hope to see you there. Folks be sure to send Buddy your pictures from rides. I know we are seeing them come up on Facebook and that s great however there is not enough volume to download them from Facebook. So get a thumb drive or burn a disk so Buddy can put them on the Website.
From Our Director (cont d) Jorge & I met with Sean Preston (Thunder Tower West H-D General Manager) about 2 weeks ago. Sean will have several new programs in the works for us. 2 items that cap the list are that the Chapter will now get 1 st run on H-D Ride Gear and Motor Clothes. As the new gear and items arrive he is going to hole an opening just for us to see the new items and give us special incentives. Thank You Sean! Chapter if you have not checked OUR Dealer is changing everything about the store. Totally re-vamped the Service Department, Motor Clothes and Parts Department. So give them a try and lets Support Our Dealer. Please keep the Tab Ride in mind for Sept 26 th. Also the Jr. Tab Ride on Sept. 19 th. This is a new concept that allows our kids to ride like their parents. They had a great time and it was so much fun to watch. Please plan to join us as Griffin Shuts down the streets for the Kids Tab Ride. Super Fun!!! I guess that s all for now, however let s watch out for each other and ride and get out there every chance we can. See you at the next Ride. Steve VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 2
Chapter Officers Director Steve Rabideaux Dinner Ride Captain Lynn Rabideaux Chuck Raffino Asst. Director Jorge Nevarez Robert Christman Tim Payne Treasurer Peggy Stalnaker Steve Nail Lyle Sword Secretary Joe Thibodeaux Paul Grimes Bob George Safety Officer Pat Domigan Mark Alley Steve Sullivan Webmaster Newsletter Editor Ladies of Harley Officer Membership Officer Head Activities Officers Buddy Thomas Jennifer Thomas Cindy Williams Jame Sullivan Bobby McDanial Tammy Wallace -LOH Supply Officer Photographers Chapter Chaplain Chapter Historian Peggy Stalnaker Paula Sword Anita Newcomer Jorge Nevarez Diane Christman Norman Schneller Deanne Glaze Searless Hathaway Welcome Officer Warren Holland Thunder Riders West HOG Chapter Meeting: July 11, 2015 Make sure to check the calendar in the newsletter, full of Information. Meeting was called to order at 16:30 by Steve Rabideaux. Yearly dues are now $25 come on in and renew, don t forget your national HOG membership National HOG memberships How many members have been HOG members for more than six years?? Why are you not a Life member yet??? Go to the HOG website and check the benefits of being a Life member for one thing you will not have to remember to pay your dues every year, and believe it or not there is a savings.. New member dues have been waived for the first calendar year. If you know of anyone thinking about joining tell them to come on in. If you have a ride, day ride, weekender you would like to go on there are suggestion sheets on the wall. Don t forget to check the chapter calendar things are still going on Make a resolution to come to more meetings. I am sure we will have some good times.. VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 3
2nd in Command! Dog Days of Summer Well, that s how the saying goes, though I don t really know exactly what that means, I do know that it s freaking hot out there and its summer time. So, the advice of our Safety Officer on hot weather concerns can be put to good use. I m very happy to see that our calendar has started to get populated with some outstanding rides. That s thanks to the whole group coming together and submitting their ideas to help the ride captains develop plans. If you have an idea for a ride and don t see it on out lists, let us know and we ll see about making it reality. In the meantime, keep watching the website and our chapter s FaceBook page for the latest ride opportunities. As for our very own state HOG rally, no major announcements at this time, its still coming along on schedule. Big news is that after we extended an invitation, quite a few of our sister chapter members have registered and reserved their hotel rooms to join us for the celebration. Really looking forward to that party. I also wanted to pass along my personal thanks and the gratitude of the State Rally Committee for all the volunteers that have signed up to help out during the rally. It s just not possible to put on that big of a show without a lot of help. Until the state rally, hope to see y all on as many rides as we can possibly attend. And remember Don't hesitate so you don't regret. Just ride! Jorge Nevárez, your assistant director VOLUME 15, ISSUE 7 PAGE 4
Safety Officer Hello fellow HOG members, hope you are all enjoying our hot summer weather. When out riding; remember to stay hydrated. The topic I will discuss this month will be TIRES. After all, its your tires (and only your tires) that literally keep you in touch with the road. In this article, I will go over some tire basics (as well as a bit of advanced information) to help you make sure everything is as it should be where the rubber meets the road. Check your tire pressure every day before you ride. Under inflated tires can cause loss of traction, lower gas mileage, premature or uneven wear, and increased risk of blowout. Overinflated tires can increase your risk of a blowout. Don t be confused by the air pressure reading embossed on the tire s sidewall. That is the maximum air pressure for the tire, not the recommended pressure. the recommended air pressure depends on a number of factors, such as load, and whether you re riding one or two up. Consult your owners manual for the recommended pressures for the front and rear tires on your motorcycle. In fact, your owners manual is the first place you should look for all important information about your tires. Because maintaining traction is so much more crucial on a motorcycle than a car, motorcycle tires are made of softer compounds than car tires. This helps them grip the road better, but it also makes them wear out faster. So it s especially important to check the tread depth regularly. If you want to really do it right, you should inspect your tires (for tread depth, pressure,damage, and uneven wear) as part of your daily pre ride inspection. As you are inspecting your tires, check for wear patterns. Uneven tire wear patterns can result in deteriorated handling in wet or other less than ideal conditions. Excessively worn tires are more susceptible to penetrations or failure, and do not channel away water or road debris as effectively. It is important to remove a tire from service when it is worn to 1/32 of tread remaining. One way to easily check this is with a standard U.S. penny. Stick the top of the penny into a groove in the center tread (with Lincoln s head pointing down). A depth of 1/32 is right at the top of Lincoln s head. By the way this works on car tires also. Some tires don t have tread on the centerline, in which case it becomes necessary to look at the wear bar to determine the tread depth. The wear bars are molded into the tread at regular intervals (look for the little arrows on the sidewall to help you find one) and become visible when it is time to replace the tire. Well, Tammy just came in and told me not to write a book (It must be dinner time). Ride Safe, Pat D. VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 5
Activities Officer Are You Committed to the Chapter? Many of you go way back with our Chapter when the Chapter meetings were standing room ONLY. Many of you are saying, where Yellow Sugar is going with this article. Well, after reading the article in the HOG Magazine Volume 031 2015 A Matter of Commitment by Chris Kutsch, Harley Davidson (H-D), Events Project Manager about how Harley-Davidson and Sturgis go way back. The article talk about how H-D and Sturgis cemented their relationship to the point of H-D is the Official Motorcycle of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The article made me to start thinking of when I returned to the Chapter after attending the H-D training in Atlanta and that night at the meeting I personally made a commitment to do my part to have activities at the meeting which are fun and to get at least 30% of the Chapter members to participate in the activities; bring seasoned and new chapter members together and introduce a catalyst where it gets everyone talking about riding. So, my question to you is Are You Committed to the Chapter? At the August Chapter meeting we will be playing the MATCH GAME. VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 6
Patch Sewing Deanne Glaze VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 7
Upcoming Events August 1st - Two events. Ride #1-Ride to Ocmulgee Adventures ( The Old Sac O Suds Store at Lake Jackson Dam om Hwy 16) See them and their pics on Facebook at Ocmulgee Adventures. Meet at the QT at 20/81 at 9:00 AM. Approx. 45minute to 1 hour backroad ride to Lake Jackson. Bring a Sack Lunch in Plastic as we will pull off for lunch on the water. Ride #2- Forrest Restaurant & Bar Chapter Party Meet at location. Checking out KISER Band. May hire them for the Chapter Christmas Party on Sat. December 5th 2015. Check them out on Facebook, You will be impressed and think you went to a $200 per seat concert. Plenty of parking, food and good times. (And Yes to the Fight Followers, The Ronda Rowsey fight will be on later that night on the screens) Full Day Of Fun. The Band is preforming for the door so there is a small cover charge per person (estimated $5). It will be well worth it!!! Meet at 7:00 Till?? Band will start around 8 PM. Forrest Rest. & Bar -4938 N Henry Blvd Stockbridge GA 30281 **************************************** IMPORTANT POLICY NOTICE The management at Thunder Tower West HD has asked that only employees be permitted behind the parts counter and in the parts room. Please respect this request and do not use the parts room as a short cut to the chapter room. - August 5th - Dinner ride- O'Charley's 1842 Jonesboro Road, McDonough, GA 30253 August 9th - ride- Tim Lee Ride meet at Martin's on Jonesboro at 9am for breakfast biscuit, KSU 09:50. swing by Qt at 50 Willow Lane, McDonough, at 10:20 to pick up rest then, Arrive at Church at 10:30 to 11:45. After church if weather permits ride to lunch too. So two locations to meet up August 12th - Dinner ride- The Bridge Grill and Oyster Bar, 1481 Hudson Bridge Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281 August 19th - Dinner ride- Mellow Mushroom, 1410 Hudson Bridge Road, Stockbridge, GA 30281 August 26th - Dinner ride- Sticky Cactus Mexican Grill, McDonough Ga September 19th - ride- Kids Tab Ride Details as they come September 26th - ride- Tab Ride Details as they come *************************** VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 8
LAW BIKE VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 9
Chapter Historian Let s talk money. There are many ways to raise money for our chapter. We can host a poker run, a yard sale (or should I say HD Garage sale), a cookout or bike wash or a combination of any of them. The money raised can be used for our favorite charities, fund a chapter picnic, food for our monthly meetings or for our annual Christmas party. To raise money it takes planning, work, volunteers, and a positive outlook. At these fund raising events our chapter comes together to help and we have fun doing it. We have a Christmas party every year that many of us look forward to going. We eat good food, dance, play games, and have fun with friends. We need to put our thoughts together and plan our next fund raiser. The funds raised help lower the member s individual cost. In 2008 our chapter and our Harley dealership planned a bike wash together. The dealership helped advertise the event, and donate drinks for us to sell. We provided the food for sell, buckets, rags, and volunteers to wash customer s bikes. It was a successful event and we raised money to help with our Christmas party. Below are some of the pictures from that event. The Historian, Deanne Glaze VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 10
Tim Lee Ride Chuck Ruffino will be road captain for this event on Sunday August 9th. I wish to have two locations for KSU, one at Martin's Restaurant near Harley Dealership (for those of you who care to meet for breakfast) and one at QT at 20/81 and so we can ride to Henry Baptist Church as one group. Since TTWHD is closed at that time, I want to meet at Martin's Restaurant 7200 Jonesboro Rd Morrow, GA (1.7mi, 5min from TTWHD) at 9am for breakfast biscuits, KSU 09:50. Will then ride to QT 20/81 at 50 Willow Lane, McDonough, at 10:20 KSU to pick up any additional riders. Arrive at Church 10:30. After church, if weather permits, we may ride to lunch too. VOLUME 15, ISSUE 7 PAGE 11
August 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1Ride to Ocmulgee Adventures 2 3 4 5Dinner Ride O'Charley's, 1842 Jonesboro Road, McDonough, GA 6 7 8Monthly Meeting, 6pm doors open at 5:00pm 9 Tim Lee Ride 10 11 12Dinner Ride The Bridge Grill and Oyster Bar, 1481 Hudson Bridge Road, 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Dinner Ride, Mellow Mushroom, 1410 Hudson Bridge Road, Stockbridge, GA 23 24 25 26 Dinner Ride Sticky Cactus Mexican Grill. McDonough, GA 20 21 22 27 28 29 will Be Steve Sullivan, Please e:mail him at spsfreebird@aol.com if you plan on attending. VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 12
Thunder Riders West Harley Owner s Group #3573 1385 Southlake Parkway Morrow, Georgia 30260 Proudly sponsored by: Thunder Tower West Harley-Davidson Business Hours Monday thru Friday 10:00 am 6:00 pm Saturday 9:00 am 6:00 pm Sunday: 12:00 pm 6:00 pm VOLUME 15, ISSUE 8 PAGE 13