South Wettern Chapter was founded during the fall of 1999. The official registration was finalized in January 3:rd, 2000. The activities are family oriented and protect fellowship and solidarity in our common interest riding a Harleyavidson motorcycle.
South Wettern Chapter has 104 members of whom 12 are Ladies of Harley. The age span goes from 18-70 years of age. During the 2000-season about 40 activities have been arranged by the Chapter. It goes from "Wednesday-rides" to BBQ-parties, domestic and international trips as well as our own H.O.G. -meeting "Visingsö Tour 2000". Our sponsoring dealer is Harley-Davidson, Jönköping.
South Wettern Chapter History.
1999
Magnus Starck and Janne Ekelund took the initiative to found a H.O.G. -Chapter in Jönköping when it was announced that a Harley-Davidson store should be opened in Jönköping. On August 21:st, an enquiry was made to H.O.G. Europe in England. The question was how to apply for founding a chapter in the least problematic and easiest way. A meeting with the then " In country Representative", Bosse Andersson enabled all formalities and application forms to be correct filled in. The Name "South Wettern Chapter", short SWC, was approved as it answered up to all criteria according to the H.O.G. norm, regarding place and location. On October 7:th a board was elected which primary consisted of: Janne Ekelund, director, Magnus Starck, assistant director, Bo Ingesson, treasurer and Cathrin Lenffer, secretary. A complete application was sent, October 8:th, to Bosse Andersson for approval and further distribution to H.O.G. Europe. As soon as October 18:th, our Chapter recieved their first H.O.G.-Chapter catalogues, containing special H.O.G. articles. A preleminary board meeting was held November 20:th at the Storck`s Harley-Davidson shop. Close to 60 people participated. The first arranged party was held at Rigner´s Pub in Jönköping where 40 people enjoyed a Christmas buffèt with beer, booze and Rock`n Roll. On New Years Eve a verbal message from H.O.G. Europe came, saying that everything was OK.
2000
On January 3:rd, SWC became the membership 9856 and the finnaly became the official registration January 12:th. The first real meeting in the H-D store was held January 15:th, when 51 members signed up, paid their membership fees and ordered H.O.G. and Chapter patches. 43 members did a joint trip to the motorcycle show in Stockholm, January 22:nd and 23:rd, combined with partying at Golden Hits in Stockholm. SWC`s registration was published in HOG Tales, February 12:th. The members could pick up their patches and SWC-stickers on March 4:th, in the H-D shop. As a home page was wanted, Svenne Holmgren and Janne Ekelund did their first experiments in order to achieve this in beginning of April. During the Easter holidays, April 20-24:th, did SWC participate together with Storck`s H-D, on the Elmia Custom Show in Jönköping. Not surprisingly they won the 1:st price for having the best booth. The first home page was on the net in the end of April. The first "Wednesday Tour" was carried through April 26:th and 14 bikes left in direction Nässjö. On May 13:th a meeting on Tabergstoppen was arranged. Pictures for HOG Tales weter taken outside the Harley shop followed by a 150-km trip to Bengt Pettersson´s afterparty in Bondstorp. By the annual motorcycle parade in Jönköping May 26:th, SWC participated with 20 members. The activities continued with a trip to the island Öland, along the souteast Swedish coast, Maj 27-28:th and on June 1:st it was time for a 300-km ride around the lake Sommen, followed and documented by the local newspaper. This trip included a visit to the Brittsjö Harley-Davidson Gadget Collection and following picnic with "oriental food plate" in grove by Tony Svensson`s summer house on Torpön. By the Swedish Bikemeet at High Chaparall, June 8-12:th. SWC was there with 44 members in the gazing sunshine. HDCS (Harley-Davidson Club Sweden) celebrated their 30:th anniversary durin their annual meeting "Internationella Träffen", August 11-13:th, and also here wsa SWC present, this time with 45 members despite the drizzling rain. In all, during 2000-season, SWC has arranged more then 40 activities.SWC has paricipated in small or large extent by numerous meetings, like Gränsö Bikemeet, H.O.G. Midsummer Run in Julita, H.O.G. Meet in Järvsö, "Hjulafton" in Lidköping, Hising Islands Vårmönstring, as well as international meetings like the 6:th Annual Olympic Rally in Lillehammer in Norway, European Bike Week in Austria, Träff På Toppen in Skagen, Denmark, Last Mile Praha in Czechia, H.O.G. Rally in Warsaw in Poland, Vienna H.O.G. Chapter Rally in Hinterglemm in Austria etc. etc. In excess of all this, SWC also arranged their first own H.O.G. Rally, the "Visingsö Tour 2000", August 25-27:th, which turned out to be a formidable success as H.O.G. members from Gothenburg Chapter, Stockholm Chapter, Bike Street Chapter and Sun City Chapter joined the SWC-members, having fun during fantastic weekend on Visingsö. SWC has backede up and helped our Chapter´s Sponsoring Dealer, Storck`s Harley-Davidson, by various PR-arrangements. Our first annual meeting was held on the 25:th of November when we first met in the H-D store for further transportation to Bondstorps Värdshus where the meeting took place. 71 members were there who later in the evening enjoyed a delicious Chrismas buffet with belonging fluids. In HOG Tales from December SWC was presented with a picture. SWC was during the short time of existence, established a lot of interesting and useful H.O.G. contacts in Sweden as well and in Europe, very much due to our home page and by participating in numerous activities.