Ridng Alone
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 1,320
From: Good roads, cold beer
OP- you sound like a good spirit, I am sorry for your loss. If only each of us had a friend like you in our lives.
Have seen a few threads on this forum IRT riding alone and its interesting how many of us here do. It seems to be the rule vs the exception.
Give it some time....
Have seen a few threads on this forum IRT riding alone and its interesting how many of us here do. It seems to be the rule vs the exception.
Give it some time....
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,764
Likes: 50
From: Gilbert, AZ
Sorry for your loss. I actually prefer riding alone and take at least one long trip 2,000+ miles every year solo. I have friends that ride, but something always comes up at the last minute, or they can't go because their kid has soccer or something. I can ride at my own pace, stop when/where I want to, and just enjoy the solitude of the road.
Road Master
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 1,045
Likes: 188
From: West Chester, Ohio
Like someone else mentioned, join the local HOG chapter to meet some like minded people. You may want to hang around for a meeting night before joining especially if you have multiple dealers close by, Not all chapters are created equal but you will find that a lot of them have some really great people that love to ride in them.
The whole group that I ride with all met as a result of the HOG chapter that we no longer belong to. We found a great group of friends who like to ride and enjoy doing the same things that we do.
Sorry about your friend passing, time will help the healing process but the great memories last forever... You can be sure he would want you to continue riding and enjoying your time left on this earth.
The whole group that I ride with all met as a result of the HOG chapter that we no longer belong to. We found a great group of friends who like to ride and enjoy doing the same things that we do.
Sorry about your friend passing, time will help the healing process but the great memories last forever... You can be sure he would want you to continue riding and enjoying your time left on this earth.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,286
Likes: 3,431
From: Idaho Panhandle
I'm not a posting person that often.
I have been trying to deal with my friends death the best I can.
I guess that is my question. Do you still enjoy these long rides being by yourself? Is it still safe not having others with you? Can the experiences still be as great and fun. Is Sturgis still going to be the party you have fun at every year? I don't know. I just wanted to hear from those who ride alone. When you ride, even in groups, you are alone I guess. It's not like being in a car. You have the bike, the road and your thoughts. It's only been a few days since his death but I hope as the weather gets warm in the Spring I still will have the excitement of wanting to get out on the road for a long ride.
I have been trying to deal with my friends death the best I can.
I guess that is my question. Do you still enjoy these long rides being by yourself? Is it still safe not having others with you? Can the experiences still be as great and fun. Is Sturgis still going to be the party you have fun at every year? I don't know. I just wanted to hear from those who ride alone. When you ride, even in groups, you are alone I guess. It's not like being in a car. You have the bike, the road and your thoughts. It's only been a few days since his death but I hope as the weather gets warm in the Spring I still will have the excitement of wanting to get out on the road for a long ride.
I have always felt that the toughest decisions we make in life are, wife, riding partner, hunting partner. All of these require you depend on that person beyond what we call friendship.
I rode alone for years, meeting up with other riders on the road. Then my hunting partner bought a Harley about 7 years ago. He rode a Kawi 1000 back in the day and is a good rider. If something were to happen to him, I would ride alone. I would occasionally meet up with others, until riding styles, awareness of how they handle emergencies would perhaps bring us together.
You need to ride alone for a while, to find your own style and to prevent comparisons, "oh we used to go or do this!". Don't be in a hurry to replace your friend. It is fine to join HOG to do a few rides, but your new partner is probably not there if they are a regular.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 5,474
Likes: 6,345
From: pacific northwest
sorry of the loss of your good friend.
back in the 1980's when in my 20's, most of those I rode with were 25 plus years senior to me, all gone now. have many fond memories of riding with them, with that said have ridden many a solo enjoyable miles and since getting married in 2000, enjoy them more with my wife on back. another note even when going solo or with the wife, you will still meet other riders on the way.
back in the 1980's when in my 20's, most of those I rode with were 25 plus years senior to me, all gone now. have many fond memories of riding with them, with that said have ridden many a solo enjoyable miles and since getting married in 2000, enjoy them more with my wife on back. another note even when going solo or with the wife, you will still meet other riders on the way.
Last edited by MRFREEZE57; Dec 28, 2018 at 04:52 PM.
Banned
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 21,413
Likes: 18,031
I cannot add much to what has already been said.
Im 75. I ride only with my sons and SIL. They know my skills and limitations. I insist on following the rules of the road. Safety first. Pleasure second.
I ride alone on day trips. Take my usual 170 mile loops stopping at points where I know there will be other riders. Enjoy talking to other riders Ive never met. You will find the riders you meet all have a common bond.
Get out there and ride. You will meet new friends, or you can ride alone when you feel like it. Solitude has its merits also.
Im 75. I ride only with my sons and SIL. They know my skills and limitations. I insist on following the rules of the road. Safety first. Pleasure second.
I ride alone on day trips. Take my usual 170 mile loops stopping at points where I know there will be other riders. Enjoy talking to other riders Ive never met. You will find the riders you meet all have a common bond.
Get out there and ride. You will meet new friends, or you can ride alone when you feel like it. Solitude has its merits also.
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 562
Likes: 135
From: Lake of the Ozarks
Sorry for your loss but life goes on and he would not want you to give up your passion.
I have three friend I ride with on one or two trips a year but my best rides are the ones I do myself.
I have three friend I ride with on one or two trips a year but my best rides are the ones I do myself.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 10,833
Likes: 6,485
From: Canada Flats
Sorry for your loss , I have a friend who is also like a father , brother and best friend . It will also be hard for me , when that day comes . I do ride alone just as much as I do with him . Sometimes I like to just roam free and do my own thing . I'll go for 2 or 3 days and not even know where I'll end up . Does the heart and mind some good ...
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 716
Likes: 154
From: Canada
Sorry for the loss of your friend. It does leave a hole in your life. I'm sure he wouldn't want you to give up riding it you really love it.
If you want to see if you could enjoy solo riding why not plan a memorial ride for him. Take along a favorite pic so he rides with you. It gives a purpose to your ride and you never know...you may surprise yourself and enjoy it. I ride solo most of the time unless one or both of my boys can come along and I find it ok.
All the best..
If you want to see if you could enjoy solo riding why not plan a memorial ride for him. Take along a favorite pic so he rides with you. It gives a purpose to your ride and you never know...you may surprise yourself and enjoy it. I ride solo most of the time unless one or both of my boys can come along and I find it ok.
All the best..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 6,536
Likes: 11,068
From: ohio
I'm not a posting person that often. I enjoy reading the posts and mechanical sections, but I wanted to get some opinions from those who might have been in the same place I'm currently at. A week before Christmas one of my best friends passed away. We have been riding together for 13 years. He was a friend, mentor and second father. He was a more experienced rider when we met, and I learned a lot about riding and how to ride from him. We started in a large group and it kept getting smaller and smaller, until it was just us left. I understand that others have family and time factors to consider. Me and my friend also ride! When I say ride I mean planning and being on the road for 5 to 7 days at a time. I am not retired, but have the luxury of being a senior person at my job and acquire large amounts of time off. I also have a supportive spouse who wants me to ride. Riding is not her thing.
I have been trying to deal with my friends death the best I can. I know I will always miss having him on the road with me and will look back on our rides together as great times. I now am at a place where I wonder if I will still enjoy riding and going on trips. I believe that I will not find someone in my circle of friends that will want to go out on the long trips I like. It's hard to believe that I will ride and not see my friend out in front of me, or back in my mirror. We knew each other and how we ride, what time to get up to be on the road and put up with each others dumb quirks. I keep wondering if this is the end of my long rides, or if my friend would want me to continue, even if it meant go alone.
I guess that is my question. Do you still enjoy these long rides being by yourself? Is it still safe not having others with you? Can the experiences still be as great and fun. Is Sturgis still going to be the party you have fun at every year? I don't know. I just wanted to hear from those who ride alone. When you ride, even in groups, you are alone I guess. It's not like being in a car. You have the bike, the road and your thoughts. It's only been a few days since his death but I hope as the weather gets warm in the Spring I still will have the excitement of wanting to get out on the road for a long ride.
I have been trying to deal with my friends death the best I can. I know I will always miss having him on the road with me and will look back on our rides together as great times. I now am at a place where I wonder if I will still enjoy riding and going on trips. I believe that I will not find someone in my circle of friends that will want to go out on the long trips I like. It's hard to believe that I will ride and not see my friend out in front of me, or back in my mirror. We knew each other and how we ride, what time to get up to be on the road and put up with each others dumb quirks. I keep wondering if this is the end of my long rides, or if my friend would want me to continue, even if it meant go alone.
I guess that is my question. Do you still enjoy these long rides being by yourself? Is it still safe not having others with you? Can the experiences still be as great and fun. Is Sturgis still going to be the party you have fun at every year? I don't know. I just wanted to hear from those who ride alone. When you ride, even in groups, you are alone I guess. It's not like being in a car. You have the bike, the road and your thoughts. It's only been a few days since his death but I hope as the weather gets warm in the Spring I still will have the excitement of wanting to get out on the road for a long ride.
After that I generally rode solo for decades, but not really going anywhere new or interesting like before, until I started riding with my brother. My older brother was the one who taught me to ride, on an off road Honda, and also loaned me a 350 Honda he no longer used when I turned 16, which I used 'till I bought my own bike. When I was a teenager he was an adult and building custom choppers for a living. Strangely though we never rode together at the time in our lives. He had also been riding solo for the same number of years, and one day we decided to take a ride together to a place he was going called the Boogie, a biker party. After that we continued to occasionally and regularly ride together for many years. We didn't just ride to biker parties either, sometimes just to go on fun rides in southern parts of Indiana, Kentucky, or Ohio. Even though it's been a few years now since he passed away, I still occasionally think about the times we rode together, particularly when I'm riding solo.
I can't tell you whether Sturgis would be the same or not for ya. I guess it depends on why you went to Sturgis in the first place. I know when I went to the Boogie I wouldn't have gone if I hadn't gone with my brother, not that much into loud partying and drinking at this stage of my life I guess. Some people are still into that even at my age. Although I've rode in the Sturgis area I've never been there during bike week. (yet)
As far as what you said "I hope as the weather gets warm in the Spring I still will have the excitement of wanting to get out on the road for a long ride." I sure hope so. I doubt your friend would want you to quit riding anymore than my brother would want me to quit riding either.
This is a pic of JC Hartsfield.....he was the brother I never had and I was the brother he never had....we didn't share the same blood but we shared the same spirit for playing music and for riding Harley Davidson motorcycles. He's been gone since July 2014 and was killed riding this Harley. When I hear a Harley coming down our road I still think of him and for a moment wait for it to slow down and drive in. He was a Vietnam Marine Sniper, great guitarist , and he is missed. So I know what you're feeling. Life is good and life goes on !! I still look in my mirrors !!