Depends on the group...

For the mot part, I'm with you. My nephew asked me to go out riding one afternoon. He showed up two hours late, broke down 20 minutes into the ride because he was low on coolant. We spent the next hour finding coolant and figuring out how to add it to his amazing awesome super advanced Honda engine (rolls eyes). Had I gone alone, I would have had a way more enjoyable ride.

As I grow older, my tolerance for bullshit is rapidly waning...and rides with a lot of other folks come with a lot of bullshit.

 

I’ve rode with the same 3 buddies for 35 years, I lead on long overnight rides 100% of the time. They know how to ride and they know me. They “sense” when I’m going to make a move and respond, they know all my hands signals. The only time we invite others is a one day ride and then the newbie must keep up and shut up. The only time I’m not in the lead is long stretches on the same route # ......

 

I feel your pain, I swore I wouldn't do anymore group rides.
A few weeks ago I had a relapse and did a 4 bike ride.
4 bikes
I was cleanup, Point guy was doing 60+ on back road 2 lanes consistently
and would not allow for everyone to get out at stop signs.
Not my idea of enjoying the ride.
Again 4 bikes What's so hard on waiting for clear road so everyone can get out?
Just reaffirmed my dislike for group rides.

 

The only one I’ll hit the road with for any distance anymore is my dad, and he’s not really down for that much these days. I’d like to have 2-3 close friends that I could ride with mainly because if it’s done right, on the interstates anyway, it’s safer. All my other friends have different hobbies and that’s fine. I guess I’ll keep pounding out miles alone

 

I am a selfish rider and therefore don't do well with groups. It's common for me to get a 100-200 miles in before my teenager rolls out of bed, so I like to hit the road early. My buddies don't. I like to ride aggressively in the turns, keeping the cruise on set-and-forget. My buddies don't. I don't like stopping at every bar we pass. My buddies do.

I'm better off riding alone on my own terms.

 

yea , we get it ...
but we've been on trips with "so called " experienced lead riders who do a lot of bone head maneuvers too , like instead of waiting, pulling out in traffic without enough room for the whole group ...pulling into a parking lot without enough room for everyone to park together , making a pass w/o enough time for the whole group... In other words , riding like he is by himself...(this is what happens when these lone wolfs get lonely and want to ride with other people sometimes)...everyone must trust the one leading not to steer them wrong also !!!...it's not always "Their fault " it could be what the leader is doing too !!!

 

This was one of my largest group rides..

 

Understood. I'm always the leader & organizer because I'm an outside sales rep, and everybody thinks I know the roads better than everybody else! My gripes are ---- I don't want big gaps between bikes, and I don't want cars to be able to get in between bikes. When I pass somebody on the interstate, I want EVERYBODY to be able to pass at the same time, and I step on it while going around trucks so nobody has to ride beside them. When I hit a parking lot, I like to look around to see where EVERYBODY can park all together. If there's a dead skunk layin' in the middle of the road stinkin' to high heaven, I want people to be able to see me stickin' my foot out when I get to it. Just stuff like that. I hate left turns at a stop sign onto a busy street or highway, with a big group.

 

Too much testosterone in group rides. Someone usually needs to show the participants how fast his bagger is. Hang back then give her hell is a recipe for disaster and I've seen it done too many times.

 

These are the same kind of people that flip me off and get pissed when I cut in and out of their group, passing one or two at a time as conditions allow.

It’s obvious that a lot of them have no business being on a bike at all.