This is why I usually ride alone…..but what would you have done?

At least 90% of my riding is done solo. I mean I might have my lady on-board but usually I am solo bike.
So I met up with a buddy (whom I used to work with and now don’t see very often) this morning for a ride up into a local mountain resort. He rides pretty regularly with a mixed group of about a half dozen guys, aged from early twenties to fifty-somethings (of which I belong). They are all decent guys but with very different riding styles. All of the bikes in the group have aftermarket pipes and at least one, I believe, runs straight pipes. I have Rinehart slip-ons on my Ultra and they are loud when I crank on them, which I do on occasion and when I know they won’t be offensive. I am a believer that the right of aftermarket pipes is in serious jeopardy in no small part due to those who think that they need to shout “Here I am, aren’t I bitchin’ and I can wake the dead noise” every chance they get. I am a conservative rider in the sense that I do not try to draw attention to myself. I am perfectly happy just blending in with the crowd. I don’t need any extra attention. Some of this group however are not of the same mindset. For example, when running through a tunnel, these guys can’t resist cranking the throttle up to the max…..as I exit the tunnel I look around fearing a LEO will be sitting there just waiting to see what comes out. But even if there is no LEO, I think WTF, why do these guys have to draw this kind of attention? Riding through a small town there is always at least one who just feels the need to announce the group. It makes we want to hide in the bushes. I am embarrassed to be riding with these guys. But I don’t see my buddy much anymore and if this is the group he likes to ride with then I have to join up and shut up or go without riding with him.

So we meet up with the group and head up the mountain. Not too far up the hill we start to see a few campgrounds, and pretty soon the lead rider pulls into one of them. I’m thinking WTF, I thought we were up here to ride, have some lunch in town and then head back down the mountain. So as they head into this campground I think, No way I’m going in there on a Sunday morning making a big Spectacle, 8 big v-twins with loud pipes going through a campground, where people go to get away for a few hours out of their bullshit week, to get some peace and quiet and here come a big f’n group of bad *** bikers to break the silence of their last weekend morning? I am so………No f’n way I’m doin’ this.

SO………I sit at the entrance and figure they will just make the loop, annoy a lot of campers and come back and we’ll continue on our way. But after about 10 minutes, as I am sitting at the entrance waiting for the group, one of the guys rides up to me and says, “Hey, come on back, we’re taking a break down in the back and some guy just gave us some beers and were gonna’ chill for awhile”. I assume he meant a camper gave them beer and that is real cool, but I bet there were many more campers there who didn’t appreciate having their Sunday interrupted by a group of loud, bad *** bikers. So I told the guy, “No thanks, I’m ridin’, see ya’ later” and off I went up the mountain.

Later, when I got down the mountain I saw my buddy had texted me to join them at a particular spot for lunch. I was already down the hill, but I felt bad to have left the group, but the ride home, solo, was so much more pleasant.

I guess I just don’t like to follow.

So my question, and I’m sure many of you have been is a similar situation. What would you have done? Join in or continue on your way SOLO?

 

I would have done the same. I don't need the attention either, that's the reason I ride mostly solo or with my riding buddy.

 

SInce you already know how thay are, ya shouldn't have rode with them in the first place. If you really want to ride with your buddy, talk to him, and ride just the two of you, and leave the jerks out of the ride.

 

I would have done exactly what you did, except I probably wouldn't have gone with them in the first place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYKQ3fwNb0c
from my favorite show Then Came Bronson.


I always say "Ride your own ride". Every time I break that rule I am sorry.





slhanks4 made this poster and sent me a copy. I love it.

 

I would of had more of a problem with the "Hey come on back, a guy gave us some beers and we are going to chill for a while" part. Sounds like a nice riding group though, drinking and being obnoxious at the same time.

 

"To each, his own"

It's possible to ride any pipe so that it's not blaring out. It's called a funeral roll, like when you pass a cemetary where people are gathered for a funeral. Gear up, throttle down.

But I love crackin the pipes in a tunnel. Always have, always will. Love it even more when there is a group all doing it at once. It's called having fun.

I heard an expresion once. "People don't notice you near as much as you think they notice you."

If your not comfortable in a group, any group, for any reason, you have the right to head on down the road. You make your choices, they make theirs.

 

Unless you're one of those riders that's under the impression that your bike can't sustain itself at idle so you have to blip the throttle every three seconds when you're at a stop sign or light or one of those that has to rev their engine to red line and hold it there long enough so everyone knows you're there when you pull up to a place. They get noticed and they're really ****ing annoying.

 

Nice Ron750
very nice

 

Most campers are up early. I would not have made the loop just to be doing something but stopping for a beer with an invitation would have me riding in. My last Shovel had 40'' drag pipes w/o baffles. Never had complaints from anyone. The secret is in the right hand. On the other hand if I chose to, Helen Keller might jump.......

 

If I wanted to enjoy some peace and quiet the last place I'd head to would be a public camp ground. Kids all over the place making kid noise, generators, televisions, loud radios and the ever present drunks having a loud party. Peace and quiet to me would be a tent, a sleeping bag and a hike into a wilderness area. That said, I also am embarrassed by riders pulling into places and showing off their pipes. I probably would have done what you did.