HOW To Set Up A Long Distant (LD) Group Ride: HELP!
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 69,901
Likes: 18,590
From: South Florida
I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone who responded. All posts were read and a special thanks to those who wrote in detali due to the time and effort that takes.I will keep monitoring this thread. It was very educational and helpful.
Now I can tell all my friends to go F themselves.
Just kidding! 
Thank you again,
BuzzCap7
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 72
Likes: 2
From: North Carolina
Smaller groups work better, obviously.
I always lay out the plan, via googlemap, and send it to them.
stops are planned every 100-150 miles. This works well for bio and butt breaks.
And, there are people to avoid.
We ride to enjoy and re-create ourselves - not to babysit.
I always lay out the plan, via googlemap, and send it to them.
stops are planned every 100-150 miles. This works well for bio and butt breaks.
And, there are people to avoid.
We ride to enjoy and re-create ourselves - not to babysit.
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 738
Likes: 0
From: Toronto
Even with rules....
You will always be waiting for someone.
riders need different breaks during the day.
people want to see different things and take different roads.
people eat at different times.
riders have different ways they ride.
people ride different bikes with different comfort levels...people on deckers don't want to be stopping every 100 miles.
For our own peace of mind and to enjoy our rides the wife and I will ride solo from now on....the last thing we need is to not enjoy the ride and have regrets....
You will always be waiting for someone.
riders need different breaks during the day.
people want to see different things and take different roads.
people eat at different times.
riders have different ways they ride.
people ride different bikes with different comfort levels...people on deckers don't want to be stopping every 100 miles.
For our own peace of mind and to enjoy our rides the wife and I will ride solo from now on....the last thing we need is to not enjoy the ride and have regrets....
Thread Starter
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Club Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 69,901
Likes: 18,590
From: South Florida
Thank you for all of the really good resposnes guys. It did help to confirm what happens in LD group rides and in all honesty, it is not worth the headaches. I am going back to riding solo.
Only once did I ride in a group where we all got along pretty much and were all on the same page. But when 1 person was added which really did not belong, it was either very funny to see how many ppl got pissed off over an incident or a PIA if u r the one getting pissed off.
So......solo it is.
Thank you all for your valud in put. I will be monitoring this thread for further comments.
BuzzCap7
Only once did I ride in a group where we all got along pretty much and were all on the same page. But when 1 person was added which really did not belong, it was either very funny to see how many ppl got pissed off over an incident or a PIA if u r the one getting pissed off.
So......solo it is.
Thank you all for your valud in put. I will be monitoring this thread for further comments.
BuzzCap7
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,556
Likes: 1,846
From: Albuquerque, NM
Thank you for all of the really good resposnes guys. It did help to confirm what happens in LD group rides and in all honesty, it is not worth the headaches. I am going back to riding solo.
Only once did I ride in a group where we all got along pretty much and were all on the same page. But when 1 person was added which really did not belong, it was either very funny to see how many ppl got pissed off over an incident or a PIA if u r the one getting pissed off.
So......solo it is.
Thank you all for your valud in put. I will be monitoring this thread for further comments.
BuzzCap7
Only once did I ride in a group where we all got along pretty much and were all on the same page. But when 1 person was added which really did not belong, it was either very funny to see how many ppl got pissed off over an incident or a PIA if u r the one getting pissed off.
So......solo it is.
Thank you all for your valud in put. I will be monitoring this thread for further comments.
BuzzCap7
When someone new joins in, it's pretty apparent to them that it's up to them to keep up. They either end up thinking that we have a great group and they come back year after year, or we never see them again. Either way it's for the best. I think the idea that every one needs to be catered to is a misguided one.
Crazy
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 930
Likes: 0
From: Northwest WI
Depending on the size of your group, you may want to break into smaller groups and let the groups travel at their pace. Heading to Sturgis this year we did that from Sioux Falls to Sturgis and it worked well. Prior to the trip we ensured we all had each others phone numbers. We set fuel and lunch stops in the morning and then headed out. At the end of the day we all ended up in the same place and everybody had a great ride. I feel much safer in smaller groups because when riding in the large group traffic tends to cut into your line and causes riders to slow to increase their following distances. When riding 3 or 4 in a group folks can pass easier and nobody cuts you off. Last year we tried sticking in a group of 12 and it was aggravating because some folks like to stop and shop and others want to get there.
Talking with a local rancher out on the flats in South Dakota, riding in smaller groups is preferred by the locals because it allows them to pass if they want/need to. Leaving a break in a large group is also appreciated so the locals don't get trapped trying to get onto the road.
Talking with a local rancher out on the flats in South Dakota, riding in smaller groups is preferred by the locals because it allows them to pass if they want/need to. Leaving a break in a large group is also appreciated so the locals don't get trapped trying to get onto the road.
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 335
Likes: 14
From: Baltimore
I've led several rides of 2-7 days. I let them know in detail what town I plan to spend each night in, I give them the motel I will stay at and the phone numbers for several in that area. They make their own reservations. We stop for fuel when ever the one with the smallest tank needs it and I tell them fuel stops are just that, 15 mnutes, otherwise you spend an hour talking to everyone who rides a bike and pulls into that gas station. Most of the rides I plan we ride 250-400 miles on the first and last days so we can just ride 150-200 in the area we want to sightsee and spend the most time. Had a stranger, a guy I have only spoken with via email, do a two day ride in early June with me. I should have spoken up when he first arrived and told him how I ride even though I told him in an email. He had an older non-Harley brand of bike. Stated when he arrived at the starting point he almost didn't make the ride as his bike was not running very good. I'm thinking why did you show up when you knew we would cover 300 miles each day? On the second day he broke down every 4-5 miles. About 200 miles from home he told me he wanted to travel on a different route as it was shorter to go home that way. I said fine but that's not the way I will be going. Finally one of the group spared the rest of us and agreed to follow him home so we could travel without stopping every 4-5 miles.
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 68
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From: laurel mississippi
I will not ride with anyone who thanks I need to take a sh it
when they thank I need it. or stop for 15 minutes when they feel like stopping. Screw a cell phone to keep in touch. If I want to ride 80 on the slab or 30 on a road that's my choice. If I want to stop and lay down under a big shade tree on side of the road I lay there until I am rested. There are some lead dogs that has a tad of arrogance and over step there position. So like I said its me and my thoughts and no body calling me and no schedules to meet no worrying if I am making the Gang happy ! To each his own! Ride On!!!!! Lonwuf
when they thank I need it. or stop for 15 minutes when they feel like stopping. Screw a cell phone to keep in touch. If I want to ride 80 on the slab or 30 on a road that's my choice. If I want to stop and lay down under a big shade tree on side of the road I lay there until I am rested. There are some lead dogs that has a tad of arrogance and over step there position. So like I said its me and my thoughts and no body calling me and no schedules to meet no worrying if I am making the Gang happy ! To each his own! Ride On!!!!! Lonwuf
