Formation riding?
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Phoenix, Arizona
Formation riding?
On Saturday on our way to Tucson, we picked up another rider behind us on I-10 just before leaving the city of Chandler. I was in the left side of the lane and he was following in the same lane on the right about a car length back. So we rode like this for a while, changing lanes, amintaining speed, etc... after a while we are well away from the city and he pulls along side of me, in the same lane, just to the right. (Sukzi cafe racer type bike. I never did get a good look at it to tell the model)
As I have never ridden in this type of formation before I wasn't sure what to do, so I just stayed on my side and kept going. It was interesting to change lanes like that. I would check the left lane and verify we could safely pass a vehicle or vehciles and move over, he would follow suit after I was setup and we would dot eh reverse to get back in the other lane after the pass.
Eventually I indicated to him that I had to pull off at a off ramp and he peeled off and rode on. When we stopped at our half way point I realized how stiff and sore my legs and arms were. I'm sure it was from formation riding we had done and I was tense all the way through it. And I had one heck of a buzz in my right ear from listening to his engine.
Was this the right thing to do in allowing him to come along side?
BTW; I had my wife completly fooled. She thought I knew exactly what I was doing.
As I have never ridden in this type of formation before I wasn't sure what to do, so I just stayed on my side and kept going. It was interesting to change lanes like that. I would check the left lane and verify we could safely pass a vehicle or vehciles and move over, he would follow suit after I was setup and we would dot eh reverse to get back in the other lane after the pass.
Eventually I indicated to him that I had to pull off at a off ramp and he peeled off and rode on. When we stopped at our half way point I realized how stiff and sore my legs and arms were. I'm sure it was from formation riding we had done and I was tense all the way through it. And I had one heck of a buzz in my right ear from listening to his engine.
Was this the right thing to do in allowing him to come along side?
BTW; I had my wife completly fooled. She thought I knew exactly what I was doing.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2005
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From:
RE: Formation riding?
everything I've read and experienced indicates side by side riding is dangerous. In both MSF classes and the "surviving the mean streets" dvd, they explicitly warn against it. If you have to do an evasive maneuver, you're screwed.
Wally
Wally
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Alaska
RE: Formation riding?
I have occasionally ridden like that.
But (and this is a big one!) Only with riders that I know well, have ridden several thousand miles and hours with, and when we discuss the matter beforehand.
Most places it is illegal to ride like that unless you are going slow as in a parade.
Each rider in the situation you describe must know what the other is going to do in an emergency. However, if you think about it, neither of you had any room to manuver.
At highway speeds the staggered formation will be your best bet.
And if a stranger does pull up along side, I will drop back to get them out of my lane.
But (and this is a big one!) Only with riders that I know well, have ridden several thousand miles and hours with, and when we discuss the matter beforehand.
Most places it is illegal to ride like that unless you are going slow as in a parade.
Each rider in the situation you describe must know what the other is going to do in an emergency. However, if you think about it, neither of you had any room to manuver.
At highway speeds the staggered formation will be your best bet.
And if a stranger does pull up along side, I will drop back to get them out of my lane.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Midland, TX
RE: Formation riding?
It's OK to ride either way. The guys that make the Run for the Wall each year have a group that rides side by side and a group that rides staggered. For me, I wouldn't ride side by side as it doesn't allow enough room for evasive action.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 278
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From: Lafayette, LA
RE: Formation riding?
AFAIK, its pretty much illegal everywhere (except California) to share a lane, which is what you where doing. Even in California, you are only to use it to move faster than slowed/stopped traffic.
When I took my rider's edge course, they had a little ditty on group riding, and you are supposed to ride staggered, 2 secs in front of a rider in front, and 1 sec from a rider to your side. This gives you room to manouver to the side should you need too. By coming alongside that rider cut off your potential escape routes and its just plain dangerous. I mean had there been a huge pothole in your lane and a car next to you, where would you have swerved to?
I ride regularly with a HOG group in formation, and I've ridden out with friends and we always maintain staggered spacing. One time a we rode with a friend who did not, and I was fixing to blow a gasket over it, and I won't ride with him any more because it makes me so nervous, and he flat out refused to ride in formation.
When I took my rider's edge course, they had a little ditty on group riding, and you are supposed to ride staggered, 2 secs in front of a rider in front, and 1 sec from a rider to your side. This gives you room to manouver to the side should you need too. By coming alongside that rider cut off your potential escape routes and its just plain dangerous. I mean had there been a huge pothole in your lane and a car next to you, where would you have swerved to?
I ride regularly with a HOG group in formation, and I've ridden out with friends and we always maintain staggered spacing. One time a we rode with a friend who did not, and I was fixing to blow a gasket over it, and I won't ride with him any more because it makes me so nervous, and he flat out refused to ride in formation.
Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
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From: Phoenix, Arizona
RE: Formation riding?
Whew! Ok that was the kind of answers I was expecting. As I wasn't sure at the time I didn't want to seem like a d!ck4ead and drop back real quick when he pulled up. I didn't realize it at the time, but my legs were clamped on the sides of the tank and I must have had a deaths grip on the grips.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Southeast Wisconsin
RE: Formation riding?
I wouldn't have been comfortable with the side-by-side thing going on. Whenever I ride with friends, we stagger ourselves quite a bit...you just have to have space all around for an evasive move cushion.
Just my $.02.
Just my $.02.
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Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
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From:
RE: Formation riding?
Run for the Wall rides side by side formation and very, very tight front to back...kinda has to be like that to keep a pack of 350 to 650 scoots together.
I ride side by side a lot...as long as you hold your line(s) and ride safe, I'm fine with it.
I ride side by side a lot...as long as you hold your line(s) and ride safe, I'm fine with it.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Charlotte Area
RE: Formation riding?
For what it's worth, I don't ride in any manner I am not comfortable riding in. And it sure seems you weren't comfortable riding side by side. If I think the folks riding around me are riding in a manner I think threatens my safety, I'll either pull off or wave them on by. After all, as someone else said, if then pothole was in your lane, it doesn't affect him, you are the one that's screwed. The indication that you were so tense from gripping the tank and grips, tells me you should have let him go by.
Bubba
Bubba
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 441
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From: Reading Pa
RE: Formation riding?
When my buddy and I are rolling through a small town at about 20-25mph we will be side by side just going through the gears, nodding to each other to look over at the chicks and stuff. Talking some, indicating sites. But that is slow rolling, almost parade style. Out on the highway or at speed we will be staggered and will pass each other to swap the lead once in awhile but thats it. Gotta have your space, that lane can get real skinny real fast when the on coming car takes the curve too wide.