I don't feel the amount of rider's has fallen off. I would say that the amount of riders who care to be part of a large group has however. We have so many demands on our time that when we have time to ride and relax, that the last thing we wish to contend with is others issues. This one doesn't want to go here or doesn't want to eat there. The ride is to long or the ride is to short. To hilly, to many turns, to fast, to slow. I have grown to prefer to ride by myself or only a few others. HOG rides and Star Touring finished me on the group bullshit. I'll ride where and how I wish or with one or two others rather than a group.

 

Apparently folks who used to ride in groups, but now can't find a riding partner, have missed the point. After a large bean burrito and a pint of stout, I ride sweep.

 

So many comments got it right for me. I used to ride with about 6-7 regulars. They arrived gassed up ready to go. Then it grew to 10-12 and all of a sudden people arrived and needed gas. When we stopped, people had too many different agendas. Some needed a smoke break, some needed a coke, some needed to pee. Seemed like we were stopping every 20 minutes. Then the group grew to 17-20. It was at this point I stopped riding with them. The few that had previously had a beer (or two), now had drinking buddies and it seemed like we started going from tavern to tavern. We'd plan lunch somewhere up in the mountains and we not get there until 4 or later. To make up for this, especially the beer drinkers would start riding 15-20 over the speed limit. It turned into a testosterone drinking ride. Several times I told them to go on themselves, I'll follow later only to pass them down the road pulled over by a trooper. Guns all laid out on the troopers hood. I just don't need that.

So I am back to 2 to five riders. We like to ride and 5 mph over is good enough for everyone. Knocking off 400 miles does not seem to be an issue.

So if you group is down, it is probably because it was no longer fun for everyone. That is not bad, we each have different ideas and reasons to ride. I have a dear friend, I just only ride with him in the winter, because in the summer he feels if 15 over is good, 20 over must be better. He has a hand full of tickets. I quit at 3!

Only rules we have are to show up gassed up and ready to ride.

In life one is tasked with finding good partners. In a few areas it is critical. For me they are: Marriage/girl friend, hunting partner, fishing partner and motorcycle buddies. Must other stuff I can put up with your bullshit.

So, if your riding style is tavern to tavern and you need two or three beers at every stop and you start rehashing the same stories that you did all week, I probably would not show up on your next ride and there are a few others who would do an alternate ride with us.

So, if your style is to be so important that you arrive late and need gas, have to stop another time to get some lip balm or jock itch, need a smoke every twenty, or are otherwise focused on only your comfort and ride, I probably would not show up the next ride and there are a few others who would do an alternate ride with us.

So, if you feel that your manhood is threatened unless you race to the front of everyone and set a minimum speed of 15 mph over the rest of the riders and you brought your friends who are equally dripping with testosterone and fell they need to be in front of you, I probably would not show up the next ride and there are a few others who would do an alternate ride with us.

So, if you review the ride rules for everyone and then proceed to break them because you know better or changed your freak'in mind, then you may just be too special to ride with us. I am happy your friends love you, because that does not sit well with me. You lead, you act like a leader, not someone who happened to turn into the group at an intersection and wants to pass through. Blockers excepted.

So, if everyone is ready to leave, then when you buddy takes off you stall it, forgot your gloves, earplugs, helmet strap, whatever and can't wait until the next stop to be next to your best buddy. Therefore, as cars allow, racing up and cutting it, making everyone behind you shift lanes, positions, ect, I probably would not show up the next ride and there are a few others who would do an alternate ride with us.

Now I join some big rides and for the most part everyone on a big ride respects the rules until the first stop. Then they mostly respect the rules until the next stop. By the third stop they give the ride rules lip service. Then, after that they pretty much don't care. So, if the ride has more than 30 people and has more than 4 stops before the poker hands are called, it is usually a cluster f@ck by the end. I have a lot of riders tell me they will not join that ride again. I understand.

Oh, one other ride I went on that I did not go back. A buddy and I joined a HOG ride. Several riders told us it was a really cool group. Good overview of the trip, waited until everyone was ready. Then proceeded to lead a 350 mile ride over the mountains at 5 under the speed limit. It is a good thing we all had our lights on because I could tell all the passing cars and motorcycles were sad for the loss we were celebrating. There was no funeral but I was beginning to feel like I was in one. My friend and I were just about crazy with laughter the whole trip. Somehow we begged off at lunch which was in a place with NO PARKING. People got lost, parked illegally, or just gave up. At least I told the ride leader we where going back over the mountains via a different route.

Up to 7 can be a lot of fun. Unless I am riding for a cause, I do not do mass rides anymore.

Flame away, I am protected by the internet and when I was a kid, one of my parents told me, standing up on the seat of my Hodaka can break my bones, but internet bravado cannot hurt you.

I admire Gary, up to 1000 riders. Though at Sturgis, I was in a line with at least 1000 riders. But that was light to light. Interesting and no rules so it works pretty well.

 

It's too bad you anti group riders let others dictate how your group ride is run. Our rides have basic guides lines (if you are against guide lines then don't go) if the guides are to your liking - fine ride with us - if not we don't want you - go have fun by yourself. We have fun and enjoyable routes - no issues, no attitudes, no drunks, just a bunch of like minded individuals having a great time. Riding with a large group has its advantages and disadvantages.

The number of riders don't bother me in the least. I'll ride with 2 or 1000 riders - it doesn't matter to me - I have enough confidence in my riding abilities not to worry on how other riders ride.

Sometimes I also like riding solo - on very long vacations. I can get more miles under my belt that way.

However you decide to ride - just be on your toes and don't daydream.

 

In Stigler Oklahoma the same thing has happened, there were several that would get together for a ride. Now its actually dropped down to just one that rides anymore.

 

Tons of riders here in Colorado. I've never been one to ride with groups though. I'm not gonna blast anyone for their choices, but riding solo dolo or riding with 1 or 2 friends is enough for me!!!!

 

I don't go out of my way to ride with others, I don't go out of my way to Not ride with others. I do ride year round. So there are months where there are very few other riders on the road.

However, when the weather is good, I see more and more groups of riders every year...got no statistics, but I'm pretty sure there are well over twice as many riders, riding in groups, here in the mid-south as there was 10 years ago.

 

Son of hounds covered it pretty well. The good thing about riding is you can choose do ride or not ride with any type of group. If you find the group you are riding with is not to your liking, all you have to do is peel off at any time. The only thing I don't like about doing that is you don't have a chance to let the leader know WHY you're leaving. It might make a difference on how he leads the next time - or maybe not.

Bottom line is you have to be comfortable in whatever you do or it's not fun anymore. I don't remember ever being so uncomfortable that I left a group ride.

There was an old group ride years ago in Chicago called JP Chicago by Midnight Tour. It started out OK, but then the rice rockets started doing wheelies and other crap. So most of the Harley riders I knew said that's it they were done with it. I liked the ride and told my friends let them be stupid, I'll just stay in the right hand lane and ride my own ride listening to my tunes and have a good ride - I didn't let some morons ruin a good ride. Eventually the older guys that ran it got tired and wanted to pass the job on to the younger members, but they weren't interested - too much work (the poor darlings) so the ride was disbanded.
It seems like that's the way all rides go - they start out good, but end up too big and unruly.

 

H-D US sales were off by 1.6 % for 2014 vs 2013 but their sales were up mostly due to Asian market. I think total motorcycle sales peaked around 2005 then fell way off till 2012 would have to blame economy for that. Now how many of those buyers actually ride them? That's another story I see an awful lot of 2 and 3 year old bikes for sale with under 5k on them.

 

Up here in the Northern Panhandle of W.Va, we have the same amount of riders, maybe more, but since we are getting older, most of them wont ride below 60 degrees.. 40 is my limit, unless it will be a lot warmer after I get off work.. I have a 25-30 mile section of twisties that start 3 blocks from my house, so if it gets up to 40, I'll take a quick ride...