Group Motorcycle Riding
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Land O' Lakes
That's VERY true, and I do understand your position, however one more thread on the popular subject probably ain't gonna ruin the forum.
***** Group ridin' after all, is IMHO one of the most dangerous parts of riding a motorcycle.
So much so, that I just don't do it at all anymore!
***** Group ridin' after all, is IMHO one of the most dangerous parts of riding a motorcycle. So much so, that I just don't do it at all anymore!The wife rides with me (2-up) or I ride solo 80% of the time; every once in a while I ride with one or two other guys (one a Super Senior that rides a 650 Bergman
)...I did a couple of "Escorted Charity Rides" not bad but still zero control (which for Control Types like me is uncomfortable at best.
I guess I can see a "Pack" if it's Girls (not wanting to ride alone) for the safety issue when you stop. I however don't get nervous riding alone; I am not thinking anyone wants to bother a "Nasty Faced Almost Old Man"... If I'm wrong I have the S & W J-frame with five Hollow Points in the cylinder (that is enough protection for me).
To each his own.
After looking at my OP again, noticed that I didn't ask the question that
I was most interested in. Brain fart on my part.
Okay, let me try again .... if you're participating in a group ride consisting
of 12 motorcycles, would you:
1) prefer that all 12 motorcycles ride together
2) or divide the 12 motorcycles into 3 subgroups of 4 motorcycles each
with a 4-6 car cushion between each subgroup
I'd pick #2.
for lack of a better description, a passive rider than an assertive one?
We've those who enjoy taking it easy aka flower sniffing, and then we have
those like myself who focus on riding smoothly at a good clip using little or no
braking out on the winding backroads.
The former mentality is perfect for group rides. The latter, not so much unless
it's a 3-piece patch club.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
One of the things I objected to in teaching MSF, was the "accepted" staggered riding guidelines for group riding, which are, "Keep a two second distance between the rider in front of you and back of you." But in the other half of the lane the riders are doing the same, only "staggered" with your lane. In truth, there is only ONE SECOND between riders, which, at 60 mph, is 88 feet. If any rider has to swerve to avoid an obstacle in the road, an encroaching car from a side street, a lunging dog, an oncoming car crowding or going over the center line......well, there just isn't any room for error. Add in the fact that most people take half a second to even react to an emergency situation, that uses up half the available space.
Here is a great excercise to test your reaction time. As you are prepared to react, you should be able to do this with an average of .25 seconds or less.
http://getyourwebsitehere.com/jswb/rttest01.html
Here is a great excercise to test your reaction time. As you are prepared to react, you should be able to do this with an average of .25 seconds or less.
http://getyourwebsitehere.com/jswb/rttest01.html
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 66,128
Likes: 51,461
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
One of the things I objected to in teaching MSF, was the "accepted" staggered riding guidelines for group riding, which are, "Keep a two second distance between the rider in front of you and back of you." But in the other half of the lane the riders are doing the same, only "staggered" with your lane. In truth, there is only ONE SECOND between riders, which, at 60 mph, is 88 feet. If any rider has to swerve to avoid an obstacle in the road, an encroaching car from a side street, a lunging dog, an oncoming car crowding or going over the center line......well, there just isn't any room for error. Add in the fact that most people take half a second to even react to an emergency situation, that uses up half the available space.
Here is a great excercise to test your reaction time. As you are prepared to react, you should be able to do this with an average of .25 seconds or less.
http://getyourwebsitehere.com/jswb/rttest01.html
Here is a great excercise to test your reaction time. As you are prepared to react, you should be able to do this with an average of .25 seconds or less.
http://getyourwebsitehere.com/jswb/rttest01.html
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 409
Likes: 0
From: Tucson,Arizona
Well, I think that all people who enter this endeavor of riding have to go thru a lot of phases due to various reasons....and group riding is part of that I think....but again I am an old geezer, and I rode with other old geezers for the past few years...and they were safe and all that...but ...guess what.....recently some of them have been running into each other.....so now ...I only ride with my son....and maybe at times one other rider.....I don't do the group thingie...anymore.....
