One, Two, a Few, or Many
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 7,681
Likes: 8,413
From: Utah
My wife and I ride together on the majority of our rides but we've also had a lot of fun with smaller 10-15 bikes. The best way to get along with other riders is to agree at the start that each can ride at their own pace and the end-point of each day is the destination and how fast/when you get there is up to you. That way others can go straight through, some can spend all the time they want sightseeing, etc. Works well when the discussion is had at the start of the ride rather than let frustration fester until it blows up one evening.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 9,007
Likes: 5,532
From: Wilkes Co.- N.C.
The wife and I have done some long rides, and will do some more.....my thoughts are, the more decisions there are to be made, the less people I want involved in making them......
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 342
Likes: 44
From: Granville, IL
I have never taken long rides with more than 3 bikes, 6 people so I cannot speak to any groups larger than that.
On local day rides I prefer to be just my wife and I. Occasionally we will ride with one or two other couples but any more than that and it just does not fit our style.
As for the long rides we have taken, usually 8 - 10 days we have done just the wife and I and we have done 2 other couples. None of these have been a problem because I plan all the trips including where we are staying each night and how far we are riding. I will gather input from the others as I plan the trip. I tell them what area we will be in and if they want to stop and see something they let me know ahead of time and we plan it into the trip.
Myself I prefer to be riding than stopping for this trinket or that or shopping. We ride to eat and eat to ride! I enjoy the scenery the most and the best way to see the most scenery is to keep moving.
On local day rides I prefer to be just my wife and I. Occasionally we will ride with one or two other couples but any more than that and it just does not fit our style.
As for the long rides we have taken, usually 8 - 10 days we have done just the wife and I and we have done 2 other couples. None of these have been a problem because I plan all the trips including where we are staying each night and how far we are riding. I will gather input from the others as I plan the trip. I tell them what area we will be in and if they want to stop and see something they let me know ahead of time and we plan it into the trip.
Myself I prefer to be riding than stopping for this trinket or that or shopping. We ride to eat and eat to ride! I enjoy the scenery the most and the best way to see the most scenery is to keep moving.
Banned
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20,823
Likes: 1,506
From: Nowhere
I prefer touring by myself, but I have, on rare occasions, traveled in a group of 4 and it wasn't too bad. It's a lot like golf though: you don't want someone in the group that rides much differently than everyone else, or else no one is going to have fun.
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 916
Likes: 12
From: NoVA
I've done from solo to 12 persons tours. The worst was the scheduled 12 person 9 bike endurance ride to Sturgis. 600 mile days with even the gas stops pre-planned. It sucked.
The best was me and a close riding buddy whose styles were the same. We planned when we would leave and when we would get back. And hopefully make it to the Pacific. That was about it. What road or sight we would see would depend on weather or whim. We ran from the snow in Colorado and never hit rain. We would lay out a route around the campfire at night and sometimes even make our destination the next day.
Many times it would change on the ride because we found a interesting museum or neat place to camp. Two times we only rode 30 miles and twice it was 350, the rest, somewhere in between. We did make it to the Pacific.
I've been riding 50 years and only once found someone that worked out so well. I still ride with a couple of other guys but not quite so perfect.
Last summer it was a couples tour. Four of us, 2 bikes and we're still friends. The wives worked out better than I thought. We both pulled Bushtec trailers filled with clothes, shoes and wine. The ladies drank a lot of wine.
The best was me and a close riding buddy whose styles were the same. We planned when we would leave and when we would get back. And hopefully make it to the Pacific. That was about it. What road or sight we would see would depend on weather or whim. We ran from the snow in Colorado and never hit rain. We would lay out a route around the campfire at night and sometimes even make our destination the next day.
Many times it would change on the ride because we found a interesting museum or neat place to camp. Two times we only rode 30 miles and twice it was 350, the rest, somewhere in between. We did make it to the Pacific.
I've been riding 50 years and only once found someone that worked out so well. I still ride with a couple of other guys but not quite so perfect.
Last summer it was a couples tour. Four of us, 2 bikes and we're still friends. The wives worked out better than I thought. We both pulled Bushtec trailers filled with clothes, shoes and wine. The ladies drank a lot of wine.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 9,982
Likes: 5,220
From: Michigan
I've been riding since late '69 and I've rode in several huge groups, with smaller groups, with my wife, with a friend, and just by myself.
Bottom line is everyone just about everyone wants to ride at their "own" speed, and that's fine. That means that they ride alone or agree to ride at a reasonable pace with the group.
I like to ride "5 over" on the freeway, and my wife wants to go "10, or more" over so we compromise at a bout "7 over", weather and traffic permitting.
The other main issues with most folks, seems to be distance between stops, total daily distance and how late to ride each day.
Let's face it, we can all go much, much farther and much, much more quickly riding either solo or with a compatible riding partner.
I've gotten to the age, and perhaps have gotten a tad smarter, where I like to stop at about ever hour and a half, or about 125 miles if fuel or food is readily available.
Again, weather and traffic permitting, I prefer to have breakfast and to be "on the road" by no later than 8:00AM and I like to be in a motel by 5:00PM, which is in time for a shower, dinner and a few "cold ones".
Total distance for that amount of ride time will be determined by speed and the number of stops, but I like to go 400-500 miles total per day but this can vary between freeway riding or two-lane scenic rides.
Bottom line is everyone just about everyone wants to ride at their "own" speed, and that's fine. That means that they ride alone or agree to ride at a reasonable pace with the group.
I like to ride "5 over" on the freeway, and my wife wants to go "10, or more" over so we compromise at a bout "7 over", weather and traffic permitting.
The other main issues with most folks, seems to be distance between stops, total daily distance and how late to ride each day.
Let's face it, we can all go much, much farther and much, much more quickly riding either solo or with a compatible riding partner.
I've gotten to the age, and perhaps have gotten a tad smarter, where I like to stop at about ever hour and a half, or about 125 miles if fuel or food is readily available.
Again, weather and traffic permitting, I prefer to have breakfast and to be "on the road" by no later than 8:00AM and I like to be in a motel by 5:00PM, which is in time for a shower, dinner and a few "cold ones".
Total distance for that amount of ride time will be determined by speed and the number of stops, but I like to go 400-500 miles total per day but this can vary between freeway riding or two-lane scenic rides.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 8,196
Likes: 2,432
From: San Francisco
Most of the time when I am out riding with my friends, I am in the lead so I get to choose the speed and route.
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Cruiser
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 195
Likes: 21
From: Upstate New York
I enjoy riding solo. I rode 9000+ miles across county in 2014. No one complaining or telling me what to do. I can ride hard and not worry about anyone else. Take a detour on a whim without consultation. I like that.
Cheers,
Doc V
Cheers,
Doc V