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. By 1985, 49 local chapters had sprouted around the country, with a total membership of 60,000.
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. Worldwide membership numbered 151,600, with 685 local chapters.
As the '90s continued, H.O.G. hysteria spread into Asia, including new chapters in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. By 1999, worldwide membership had hit the half-million mark, and the number of local chapters totaled 1,157. Today, more than 650,000 members make H.O.G. the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in the world, and it shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.