Why I hate group riding sometimes.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 2,250
Likes: 0
From: St. Cloud Minnesota
Regardless of the type of bike that someone rides. , they need to know the traffic laws. You can not stop traffic if they have the right of way. You are itching for a ticket if you do. This has very little to do with riding in a Group, it is knowing the rules of the road. Unless you have the Sheriff's department stopping the traffic, if they have the right of way, you need to let them go. At the 4 way stop, all the riders should stop (Does not have to be a dead Stop) if you can not see any traffic coming your way. at the sign before proceeding through the intersection.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,739
Likes: 9,254
From: Snow Hill, NC
We usually have a pretty decent group...We have about 6 of us that ride together a lot...Like i said thei weekend we met up it another SCRC club from Raleigh and i guess what helped a lot is that we use all the same rules and having CB's help...Hand signals and common courtesy goes a long way though...We had a nice ride but it is harder to handle a large group. Most of the time there will be a Dumba$$ that want to show his *** or try to impress... Me i just ride...
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: georgia
I have only rode with a group a couple of times and 1 time had a mix of sport bikes with us, didn,t work to good, next time only knew 2 of the guys and some drank while they rode, me and 1 other split off from them and headed back.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 523
Likes: 4
From: New York
Recently I have been on a few "organized" runs and for the most part found them uncomfortable. I went on my clubs "Bikers for babies" run here and we had about 500 bikes. One guy, I guess, lost his concentration and ran into the back of another bike. He was medevaced to the local hospital. Luckily no one else went down. On my first club run my buddy and I (as new members) were riding at the rear of the group (trying to get the feel of the clubs riding style) when the rear road captain told me that I was leaving to much space from the rider in front of me and that I had to move up. She said I was endangering the ride. We were doing about 50 and I like to leave enough stopping distance in the event someone has to swerve or make a panick stop. The club wants everyone to ride tight so a car can't fit into the open spaces. Holy ****!! I told her I have been riding for over 30 years and wondered if she had ever seen what happens when a bike goes down with 5-10 more bikes following behind. She said she hadn't. I told her to ride her bike and I would ride mine. If she didn't like the way I rode she could have me removed from the ride. After telling me twice she broke off from the run. It was never mentioned to me again on the ride and several of the members I talked to after the run said it was fine. Actually they said fug her!
I'll ride my bike you ride yours, if either of us doesn't like how the other rides it's "hasta bye bye!"
I prefer smaller rides 3-5 max and only guys I know. Even poker runs it's only with my crew.
I'll ride my bike you ride yours, if either of us doesn't like how the other rides it's "hasta bye bye!"
I prefer smaller rides 3-5 max and only guys I know. Even poker runs it's only with my crew.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 6
From: Michigan
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 1
From: Lowell, NC
This reminds me of a couple weeks ago. We were sitting out front of a bar and this guy roars up on a Harley w/ woody wood pecker on his tank. Everybody cheers and claps and is glad to see him I guess he was a local? So to impress them he's holding his clutch in and reving his bike like full throttle. You could see the bike lurching forward just made me cringe. His bike actually let out a couple puffs of smoke at the end of his little show. You cant fix stupid!
So we end up grouping w/ about 20 other bikes to head over to another bar. We arrived w/ a 4 pak. Guess who filed in right behind me? You guessed it woody wood pecker. It didnt take long for him to start his ****. Reving and creeping up beside me reving and falling back,, reving and passing me ,, reving and falling back. Behind me reving. This guy was a complete idiot! Finally he got in front and stayed in front. He passed about 2 other bikes also. Lotta people were shaking theyre heads when we arrived at our destination.
This guy was about 60 years old I wonder what he was like when he was 20?
So we end up grouping w/ about 20 other bikes to head over to another bar. We arrived w/ a 4 pak. Guess who filed in right behind me? You guessed it woody wood pecker. It didnt take long for him to start his ****. Reving and creeping up beside me reving and falling back,, reving and passing me ,, reving and falling back. Behind me reving. This guy was a complete idiot! Finally he got in front and stayed in front. He passed about 2 other bikes also. Lotta people were shaking theyre heads when we arrived at our destination.
This guy was about 60 years old I wonder what he was like when he was 20?
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,575
Likes: 4
From: Norfolk, VA
Just to give some insight on what can happen during group riding, one of the local Police Depts is being sued over an incident that occured during an Motorcycle Police Escorted fundraiser....Do to this pending law-suit, there are NO MORE Police escorted fundraisers in the area....I'm not able to give out any details over the issue but it saddens me that it has come to THIS!!!
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,078
Likes: 6
From: Michigan
Recently I have been on a few "organized" runs and for the most part found them uncomfortable. I went on my clubs "Bikers for babies" run here and we had about 500 bikes. One guy, I guess, lost his concentration and ran into the back of another bike. He was medevaced to the local hospital. Luckily no one else went down. On my first club run my buddy and I (as new members) were riding at the rear of the group (trying to get the feel of the clubs riding style) when the rear road captain told me that I was leaving to much space from the rider in front of me and that I had to move up. She said I was endangering the ride. We were doing about 50 and I like to leave enough stopping distance in the event someone has to swerve or make a panick stop. The club wants everyone to ride tight so a car can't fit into the open spaces. Holy ****!! I told her I have been riding for over 30 years and wondered if she had ever seen what happens when a bike goes down with 5-10 more bikes following behind. She said she hadn't. I told her to ride her bike and I would ride mine. If she didn't like the way I rode she could have me removed from the ride. After telling me twice she broke off from the run. It was never mentioned to me again on the ride and several of the members I talked to after the run said it was fine. Actually they said fug her!
I'll ride my bike you ride yours, if either of us doesn't like how the other rides it's "hasta bye bye!"
I prefer smaller rides 3-5 max and only guys I know. Even poker runs it's only with my crew.
I'll ride my bike you ride yours, if either of us doesn't like how the other rides it's "hasta bye bye!"
I prefer smaller rides 3-5 max and only guys I know. Even poker runs it's only with my crew.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 738
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
In larger groups there is always a need for Road Captains. Before the ride, a quick and simple group riding lesson is needed. Hopefully if there is a problem the Road Captain should take care of it immediately......
Don't do large group riding anymore because even with the Lesson before hand there usually is that one rider that likes doing things his/her way.
The big problem is the time you discover an idiot and the opportunity to inform the Road Captain could be more than an hour....
The wife and I really enjoy the riding time we spend on our bike solo......much less to worry about and no compromise with any other riders......
Don't do large group riding anymore because even with the Lesson before hand there usually is that one rider that likes doing things his/her way.
The big problem is the time you discover an idiot and the opportunity to inform the Road Captain could be more than an hour....
The wife and I really enjoy the riding time we spend on our bike solo......much less to worry about and no compromise with any other riders......