Thetwincitieshog.com/Wp-content/Uploads/2020/03/April_2020_HOGPEN.pdfSat. June 27 10:00 AM Hayward Musky Festival John Ewer ( Over 4 hours ) July Thurs. Jul 2 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

TWIN CITIES HOG© #3918

The H.O.G. PEN April 2020

Volume 3 Issue 2

Meet the new Editor - Jennifer Stangret Hi everyone! Thank you all for the warm welcome to the Chapter! I am a graduate of MN State University, Mankato, where I studied Computer Science and Business. Upon graduation, I began my career in Target’s Information Technology department, where I’ve held a variety of roles such as System Developer, Business Analyst, and Process Analyst. I’m still with Target 27 years later! (I’ll let you do the math… of course, I started when I was just 5 years old! 😉)

Twin Cities H.O.G. North®

Chapter #3918

Board of Directors

Proudly serving you:

I was born and raised in Spring Lake Park, married after college and raised my family in Andover. I am now single and reside in Ramsey. My son just graduated with a degree in Hospitality and Tourism from North Dakota State University, Fargo. My daughter is a college sophomore at St. Mary’s University, Winona and is studying pre-physical therapy. They kept me active as they were growing up as I chased them around the ball fields, to cross country and Nordic ski races, and many adventures with the Boy and Girl Scout programs. I was my daughter’s troop leader for 12 years and traveled with the girls from coast to coast! I have always enjoyed outdoor activities including swimming, snorkeling, fishing, boating, Nordic skiing, bon fires, etc. As a teen, I enjoyed riding a dirt bike at my parents cabin. We had two Honda SL 70s that my sister and I would ride with other friends in the area. Now with lots of time on my hands, it was time to find a new hobby. In 2018 I picked up my first road bike – a 2018 883 Super Low. I did a lot of riding with my friend (Clydia!) and her son and got used to being on a bike again. After some tough day trips last year, I traded in and got a bigger ride - a 2019 Ultra Limited. While I still have skills that I continue to build, I’m excited to see that something is better each and every time I get the bike out! While I truly appreciate the support from the group, I am most appreciative of how friendly and welcoming you all are, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you all. Godspeed - Jennifer Stangret

Mike Shifflett -----

Gary Bimsom -----

Dave West --------

Jennifer Stangret-

Craig Rutlen ------

Mark Ellers --------

Bruce Haroldson-

Clydia Bennett ---

Wayne Sather ----

Billy Sjobeck ------

Bruce Lee ---------

Sylvia Haroldson-

Director

Asst. Director

Webmaster

Activities

Editor

Finance

Head Road

Captain

Historian

Hospitality

Membership

Photographer

Safety Officer

Secretary

TWIN CITIES HOG© #3918

Clayton McClaine, Service

Manager, TCHD North

Service Department Procedures

As Bruce and Clayton talked shop, Bruce learned more about the service department procedures:

● While appointments are always preferred, drop offs are welcome too. Having an appointment will make things run smoother for the shop and the customer, and may save you some wait time.

● Feel free to pull right into the shop, shut the bike off, put the kickstand down, and stop by the service consultants’ desk.

● The dealership offers pick-up and delivery service all year round and it is a great way to get work done during the winter months. Whether pick up and delivery service is free or not depends on your proximity to the dealership. The best way to find out is to give them a call.

Thank you Bruce Haroldson for sharing your conversation and insights about Clayton, our Service Manager! Learn more about about him here: ● Native to Minnesota, Clayton grew

up in North St. Paul ● He trained to be a motorcycle

mechanic at the Universal Technical Institute – Motorcycle Mechanics Institute Division (MMI)

● Clayton was promoted to Service Manager TCHD North after working his way up from line tech and master tech

● He and his wife have 2 boys, ages 9 and 11

● Clayton owns 3 bikes and doesn’t ride as often as he’d like: ○ Road King - that has some

engine work in progress ○ Modified Heritage ○ Hard Tail Chopper - which he

claims is his wife’s bike...

Engine Modifications and Your Warranty

There has been a significant amount of mixed information lately about engine modifications and the warranty on your bike. Bruce learned it does get quite complicated and depends on what year bike you have and what you plan to do to it. One thing that Clayton did point out is, contrary to what you may have heard, is it is not up to the dealer to decide whether the warranty is to be voided or not, it is flagged by Harley-Davidson corporation. Bruce suggests you talk to Clayton before doing any engine modifications if you are concerned about keeping your full warranty in effect.

Trained Technician and Service Manager

Bruce and Clayton discussed the benefits to customers of having someone as service manager that is also a trained technician. This special skill set enables Clayton to better understand the customers problems and translate that to the technicians working on the bikes. Clayton said this background enables him to be a “good translator”, and it also helps him “educate the customer”, which is something that he strongly believes in.

Thank you Clayton for taking the time to visit with

Bruce to share with us your background and helpful

information!

“In closing, I’d like to say that talking with Clayton was not only very informative but it was also very enjoyable. I found him to be a very caring person, caring about his family, his customers and the people he employs.

He’s very knowledgeable about motorcycles and compassionate about what he does. If you have questions about your bike’s performance, I recommend talking with Clayton about it. You’ll find he’s very open and easy to talk with,” said Bruce Haroldson.

Brrrr…. On February 6, 2020 Kevin Cooper was the first member to ride to a Chapter meeting!

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TWIN CITIES HOG© #3918 

Riding Season Fast Approaching - Cause of Crashes With our riding season finally approaching, the article below from the AMA magazine American Cyclist March

2020 issue was not only timely, it was also very interesting, and points out the real reasons most motorcycle

crashes happen. When a crash happens, we are quick to blame everyone else around us but statistics show

that the real problem lies mainly with the rider. - Bruce Haroldson

WHAT CAUSES MOTORCYCLE CRASHES

The Role Of The Rider By Donald L. Green

When asking a motorcyclist why so many motorcycles are involved in crashes, we hear the generalized excuse that other drivers or “cagers” do not see motorcycles and distracted drivers are the primary cause.

Although both are somewhat true and supported by frequent national safe-driving campaigns, rarely mentioned are the more overlooked and primary causes of motorcycle crashes. Using the latest information from 2017, as analyzed and published in June 2019 by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, I found that the most significant cause of motorcycle crashes seems to be the riding habits and behavior of the motorcyclist.

The crash information is further supported by ongoing research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation 100 Motorcyclists Naturalistic Study and has been since 2013 (Oliver, 2016). Consider the following evidence: 76 percent of two-vehicle crashes involving motorcycles had impacts on the front of the motorcycle. Only 7 percent of the crash impacts came from the rear.

If we can agree that rear impacts might be the fault of the other following vehicles, then we also must admit to the documented 34 percent of front-end crashes that may very well be the consequence of less than reasonable riding skills instead of other vehicles turning in front of or into motorcycles (documented as 42 percent).

To dive deeper into the information, motorcyclists continually demonstrate that they did not have enough control or space to either slow, stop, see or avoid dangerous everyday traffic situations. Add this statistical information to the additional 23 percent of motorcycle crashes caused by motorcyclists crashing into fixed objects, and it again spotlights rider control issues.

Motorcyclists must admit to responsibility for the more significant portion of motorcycle crashes (65 percent calculated with NHTSA statistics) occurring away from intersections, emphasizing the need to reexamine why motorcycle crashes happen. VTTI research correlates the numbers, also reflecting that 65 percent of crashes are related to reasons within the motorcycle operator’s control.

Motorcycling requires good judgment and the ability for a rider to control direction, following distance, speed, braking capabilities and avoidance of hazards. To decrease crash trends among motorcycles, we can either correct our collective riding behaviors by increasing skill and judgment or wait for restrictive laws enacted to take away riding freedoms. Rider education courses, like those provided by your state motorcycle program and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, are a great way to gain skill, get to know other riders and increase practical methods to survive the ride.

The MISSION of the Twin Cities Chapter of the Harley Owners Group® (HOG®) is to promote safe and responsible activities related to motorcycling for HOG® members; encouraging participation in all HOG®-related events. Our goal is to create an increased level of interest for the sport of motorcycling and riding Harley Davidson motorcycles, while representing the Chapter positively on a local, state and

national level. At its most basic level, our mission is to “Ride Safely and Have Fun!”  

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TWIN CITIES HOG© #3918 

Contact Us Twin Cities HOG® Chapter #3918 Web: www.twincitieshog.com Email: [email protected] Twitter: https://twitter.com/@TCHOG3918 Facebook ● Twin Cities HOG Blaine ● Twin Cities Chapter - Harley Owners Group

Twin Cities North Dealership 1355 - 98th Ave NE Blaine, MN (763) 786-9079 Facebook ● Twin Cities Harley-Davidson Blaine

April ● Sat. April 25 10:00 AM Director’s Ride to Grand Casino Mike Shifflett

● Wed. April 29 6:00 PM Board Meeting

May ● Wed. May 06 6:00 PM Dinner Ride to Back to the SRO Gary Bimson

● Thurs. May 07 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

● Sat. May 16 10:00 AM Pickle Factory Mark Ellers ( Over 4 hours )

● Wed. May 20 6:00 PM Dinner Ride Bruce Haroldson

● Wed. May 27 6:00 PM Board Meeting

● Sat. May 30 10:00 AM Bucknuckles Wayne Sather / Mike Swafford

June ● Wed. June 04 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

● Sun. June 07 10:00 AM Blessing of the Bikes /Nativity Lutheran Frank Hibbard (Ride TBD)

● Wed. June 10 6:00 PM Dinner Ride to Jumpin’ Jacks Mike Shifflet / Jeff Johnson

● Wed. June 24 6:00 PM Dinner Ride to Pizza Ranch Bruce Lee

● Wed. June 24 6:00 PM Board Meeting

● Sat. June 27 10:00 AM Hayward Musky Festival John Ewer ( Over 4 hours )

July ● Thurs. Jul 2 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

● Wed. July 08 6:00 PM Dinner Ride Mark Ellers

● July 9-12 TBD 4 Day Weekend Ride to North Shore Craig Rutlen

● Sat. July 18 9:00 AM Soldier’s Walk Memorial Park Gary Bimson ( Over 4 hours )

● Wed. July 22 6:00 PM Dinner Ride to Mad Jack’s John Ewer

● Wed. July 29 6:00 PM Board Meeting

August ● Thurs. Aug 06 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

● Aug 07 - 16 80th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

● Wed. Aug 26 6:00 PM Board Meeting

● Sat. Aug. 29 10:00 AM Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park Dave West ( Over 3 hours )

September ● Thurs. Sept. 03 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

● Wed. Sept. 09 6:00PM Dinner Ride Wayne Sather

● Sat. Sept 12 10:00 AM Defeat of Jessie James Frank Hibbard

● Sun. Sept. 13 11:00 AM Chapter Picnic - Ham Lake Park

● Wed. Sept. 23 6:00 PM Board Meeting

● Wed. Sept.23 6:00PM Dinner Ride Craig Rutlen

● Sat. Sept. 26 10:00 AM McBees on the Lake Billy Sjobeck / Clydia Bennett

October ● Wed. Oct. 1 7:00 PM Chapter Meeting

  ● Sat. Oct. 10 10:00AM Fall Color Ride Mark Ellers ( Over 4 hours )

  ● Thurs. Oct. 28 6:00 PM Board Meeting

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