Why I hate group riding sometimes.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 9,254
Likes: 283
From: Lake City, Florida (Native)
Not Often I read every thread that has this many replies and although many had good points.. Will leave it at if uncomfortable around someone get away from them .. I have enjoyed many group rides .. Are a few rules need to follow and can be actually safer than riding alone .. Unless have a Jerk fouling it up then just cut him from the herd.. The biggest problem with Group riding is some leave far too big a Gap thinking are making safer .. This can be just as bad as someone who can't follow the 2 second rule and follows too close .. If can't do the 2 second rule or feel uncomfortable with it then stay away from Group Rides as many sensible ones in here said they do..
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
I dont like group riding for most of the reasons already stated. The large group rides i have been on i have seen folk totally ignore the rules of the road and just keep up with the bike infront. I have seen some dodgy riding from so called IAM qualified folk and dont know how often they get out on a bike. Ride your own ride.
Banned
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,258
Likes: 2
From: AZ
I ride in a large group that welcomes all bikes. One ride we have a new rider, on a rocket. We brief. We will be doing country road riding, long stretches of road, about 200 miles. I'm riding safety on this one. No problems on ride to place. On the way back, Mr Rocket gets tired of riding with slow Harleys! He zips out of pack way ahead of us. We all reform from his missing position. There he is way up there waiting for us. He gets back in formation and we have to reposition again.
I'm thinking, OK, he wanted to show off, he did, I'll leave him alone and we will be home soon. Nope, he does it again!! I follow him. Get up beside him way in front of the pack and tell him to pull over.
He does, and I walk up and put my finger in his chest and calmly tell him of the dangers of what he is doing. Tell him that after the pack goes by he will get in front of me and if he makes one move before our next destination, I will run over his azz with my slow poke Harley. Or he can just leave now. He falls in with the pack - stays where he should. But he never rode with us again!!
Safety is FIRST FOREVER with group riding and I have NEVER had any qualms about busting someone that is not riding safe, ever. It's my life!!
So I don't mind riding group, but with lots of saftey in place. Riding alone or just with my husband really is the best.
I'm thinking, OK, he wanted to show off, he did, I'll leave him alone and we will be home soon. Nope, he does it again!! I follow him. Get up beside him way in front of the pack and tell him to pull over.
He does, and I walk up and put my finger in his chest and calmly tell him of the dangers of what he is doing. Tell him that after the pack goes by he will get in front of me and if he makes one move before our next destination, I will run over his azz with my slow poke Harley. Or he can just leave now. He falls in with the pack - stays where he should. But he never rode with us again!!
Safety is FIRST FOREVER with group riding and I have NEVER had any qualms about busting someone that is not riding safe, ever. It's my life!!
So I don't mind riding group, but with lots of saftey in place. Riding alone or just with my husband really is the best.
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 136
Likes: 0
From: Dayton, Ohio
I only ride with people I know. This eliminates the possibility for morons to f*ck up a good ride. On a side note, a friend of mine said the funniest thing the other day... We were talking about Goldwings and other rice bikes (m109r) when I mockingly said "but you meet the nicest people on a Honda" and laughed, without missing a beat he says "too bad they're all queer and almost none of them can ride worth a $hit". I seriously about pissed my pants laughing. I definitely spit the beer out that I had just taken a sip of. Just thought you'd enjoy that with the bad experience you had with the shitty rider you had to deal with.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 892
Likes: 0
From: San Diego (Poway), CA
I ride in a large group that welcomes all bikes. One ride we have a new rider, on a rocket. We brief. We will be doing country road riding, long stretches of road, about 200 miles. I'm riding safety on this one. No problems on ride to place. On the way back, Mr Rocket gets tired of riding with slow Harleys! He zips out of pack way ahead of us. We all reform from his missing position. There he is way up there waiting for us. He gets back in formation and we have to reposition again.
I'm thinking, OK, he wanted to show off, he did, I'll leave him alone and we will be home soon. Nope, he does it again!! I follow him. Get up beside him way in front of the pack and tell him to pull over.
He does, and I walk up and put my finger in his chest and calmly tell him of the dangers of what he is doing. Tell him that after the pack goes by he will get in front of me and if he makes one move before our next destination, I will run over his azz with my slow poke Harley. Or he can just leave now. He falls in with the pack - stays where he should. But he never rode with us again!!
Safety is FIRST FOREVER with group riding and I have NEVER had any qualms about busting someone that is not riding safe, ever. It's my life!!
So I don't mind riding group, but with lots of saftey in place. Riding alone or just with my husband really is the best.
I'm thinking, OK, he wanted to show off, he did, I'll leave him alone and we will be home soon. Nope, he does it again!! I follow him. Get up beside him way in front of the pack and tell him to pull over.
He does, and I walk up and put my finger in his chest and calmly tell him of the dangers of what he is doing. Tell him that after the pack goes by he will get in front of me and if he makes one move before our next destination, I will run over his azz with my slow poke Harley. Or he can just leave now. He falls in with the pack - stays where he should. But he never rode with us again!!
Safety is FIRST FOREVER with group riding and I have NEVER had any qualms about busting someone that is not riding safe, ever. It's my life!!
So I don't mind riding group, but with lots of saftey in place. Riding alone or just with my husband really is the best.
My first experience with group riding was side by side. It don't bother me anymore, in fact taught my son to ride that way.
I do group ride staggered (both large and small) and ride by myself.
Some people need to be lead/taught right.. Personally, the next time he decided to be Ponch, I would have 'wiggled" to let him know that I am an "in-experenced' rider and need the space.
But Twiggy has the right idea, if the sweep/safety didn't fix the problem, then you have the right to let this rider know about staggered formation.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 918
Likes: 3
From: England
I sometimes ride with a local club and we had a new guy turn up a couple of years ago who used to ride far too close to other people. He wouldn't stop doing it and he kept saying "I always ride like that because it looks cool". We had to stop him riding with us in the end. When riding in a group it's best to make sure everybody knows 'the rules' before you start off.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 928
Likes: 0
From: Redmond, WA
Our local HOG chapter runs very well organized group rides and the Road Captain and Sweeps will address any riders that cause problems on a ride. Also, we never let any group get too large on a ride; they split them up into smaller groups when necessary.
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 376
Likes: 27
From: Weeki Wachee, Florida
So im on a ride with a new group. We are riding some country single lane roads and Im in the back spaced staggered a couple seconds behing the guy in front of me. We are going about 60 mph and all of the sudden this freakn Herb on a Honda Shadow who is wearing harley pants, harley boots, and a Sleeveless Harley shirt starts ridn right next to me like he is starring in Chips. He is basically now only about 10 feet back from the rider in front of him going 60. This dude was clueless. And then every four way intersection we come to this poser brakes formation to speed to the middle of the intersection and come to a complete stop to stop traffic that does not even exist. I mean I thought maybee this dude saw a cow coming that I was not aware of. I tried to let poncharrelli have as much space as possible but he kept on waving me to ride in chippy style next to him. I could not waste anymore time on a beautiful Sunday riding next to this guy so I bailed from the group. I like to ride in groups but when posers have no concept of Motorcycle safety it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Has anyone ever seen a guy on a Harley wearing full Honda Shadow Gear. Man that would be disturbing? Why does honda rider not grasp that concept?
