Group Ride Frustration
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,808
Likes: 285
From: Green Country Oklahoma
Group rides are never easy our local HOG has few rides every month and members skill level is all over the chart.I used to take few rides with them but it got old, but most of my rider friends wives also ride which isn't easy but most of the time me and wife meet em at next stop or let them take off early and catch up with em down the road.Only rider I enjoy riding with is my wife she also like to haul *** like me but it took lot practice and patience to get there but she does get tired quicker and I've to keep rides under 500 miles.
You are to be commended for exercising so much patience with a group of newbies.
No one should venture out on a group ride until they have acquired the experience and skills to feel reasonably comfortable riding on, and up to freeway speeds.
Newbs should be encouraged to practice in a parking lot, and on low traffic, low speed neighborhood streets. When they are comfortable at 25mph, then move up to 35mph and so on.
Lastly, if a Newbie hasn't taken a Rider training course such as the MSF Basic Rider Course I, they are doing themselves a huge disservice. Nothing makes a rider safer than learning and practicing good solid safety habits and techniques from the very beginning.
No one should venture out on a group ride until they have acquired the experience and skills to feel reasonably comfortable riding on, and up to freeway speeds.
Newbs should be encouraged to practice in a parking lot, and on low traffic, low speed neighborhood streets. When they are comfortable at 25mph, then move up to 35mph and so on.
Lastly, if a Newbie hasn't taken a Rider training course such as the MSF Basic Rider Course I, they are doing themselves a huge disservice. Nothing makes a rider safer than learning and practicing good solid safety habits and techniques from the very beginning.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 306
Likes: 2
Leading a group ride is easy. You just tell 'em how many inches apart you want, and then reach over and push 'em away or pull 'em closer:
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Harris
Denver, CO
www.youtube.com/conedown
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
The riders in the front set the speed and hopefully it's at least the speed limit. If you can't keep up, drop out. I've ridden with the clown that takes off like shot out a cannon to show off and everyone else ties to keep up riding like idiots. It's not a ride, it's a race. It can be a dangerous one as well. Space apart, tuck in, not up to each ones back wheel but not 25 car lengths apart. After 46 years on a bike and miles under me, I don't ride with guy's who can't ride in a pack. I seen a lot and rode with every kind of rider you can imagine. If you get a group who can really ride it's enjoyable. Have fun!
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Valencia,CA
According to the book, "The Goal", the slow pokes are called "Herbies" named after the slowest Cub Scout when it came to hikes and nature walks. As strange as it may seem, you always put the Herbies at the front, not the back. This way the group stays together.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,803
Likes: 11
From: El Paso, Texas
Ok so today we take a ride with a group of friends. All levels of experience. So as always I was given the task of planning the destination and the route. Had a great route picked out and avoided all "Busy" roads as the group likes. (they do not like riding on any busy roads at all) So we get to my buddies house and we see his wife's bike out front, then a few other bikes pull up and off get three more women. They immediately start complaining that we should not go to far beacause there is a 30% chance of thunderstorms. I just told them where we live there is a chance of a thunderstorm everyday... So we eventually get on the bikes and leave I am leading, one of my buddies and his wife 2up are right behind me followed by two other strong riders riding two up, then the rest of the group. So we start hitting some nice back roads and thr four of us are losing the other 7 bikes with every turn. At each intersection we wait for the rest. We make our way to a "busy" road as we need to take this road about 5 miles to the next set of back roads and we are going 50 the four of us and the rest of the group keeps falling farther and farther back....
We make a stop at a gas station and my buddy jumps on me tellibg me we are going too fast and this is only 2nd time his wife has ever taken her bike out. Two of the other woman said they had enough and they wanted to go home. So after the stop we hit the road speed limit 55 I set my cruise to 45 and we did not get 2 miles down the road and the 7 bikes were out of site again. We sloweed down for them to catch up, I set my cruise to 35 and down the road they were out of site again... I don't care how slow we go they fall so far behind we only see them in the distance.
Of course we get to lunch and the 7 are all pissed. while we were trying to keep the group together one of the stronger riders dropped all the way to the back and tried to push them along and he ended up coming back to the front beacuse they would not move.
I have been a road captain for the club I belong to and have led large group rides (a lot larger than 11 bikes...) I am thinking this group is not going to get it. My wife got a bike about 2 months ago and I am working with her and know she was not ready to ride her own in a group and probably will not be for quite a while. What would make someone think that someone should take out their bike for the 2nd time ever in a group situation then get pissed at others because they can't keep up?
Out of those 7 bikes two guys have been riding for a few years but are not very strong riders and they usually fall far behind when we ride and the other 5 have a year or less in the saddle.
We make a stop at a gas station and my buddy jumps on me tellibg me we are going too fast and this is only 2nd time his wife has ever taken her bike out. Two of the other woman said they had enough and they wanted to go home. So after the stop we hit the road speed limit 55 I set my cruise to 45 and we did not get 2 miles down the road and the 7 bikes were out of site again. We sloweed down for them to catch up, I set my cruise to 35 and down the road they were out of site again... I don't care how slow we go they fall so far behind we only see them in the distance.
Of course we get to lunch and the 7 are all pissed. while we were trying to keep the group together one of the stronger riders dropped all the way to the back and tried to push them along and he ended up coming back to the front beacuse they would not move.
I have been a road captain for the club I belong to and have led large group rides (a lot larger than 11 bikes...) I am thinking this group is not going to get it. My wife got a bike about 2 months ago and I am working with her and know she was not ready to ride her own in a group and probably will not be for quite a while. What would make someone think that someone should take out their bike for the 2nd time ever in a group situation then get pissed at others because they can't keep up?
Out of those 7 bikes two guys have been riding for a few years but are not very strong riders and they usually fall far behind when we ride and the other 5 have a year or less in the saddle.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 59
From: Chicagoland
Well.... pretty much everything I had to say, has already been said. But I have a compelling need to sum it up in a couple sentences. So here goes:
- Inexperienced, new riders need more time practicing in parking lots, if the fastest they're comfortable going, is 20+ miles an hour under the speed limit. Going that damn slow will get someone killed.
- If a rider (or her husband) is not smart enough to realize that... then someone needs to knock him off his high-horse about it.
- Absolutely nothing wrong with being a new rider. We all were at one time or another. The only thing more fun than learning how to ride, is being there when a friend or loved one is learning how to ride with you.
Riding motorcycles is a hobby to many of us (or a way of life, whatever you want to call it). So is golf. The difference in our hobby and golf, is that this can (and will) get you killed if you remain a dumbass about doing it. Buying a set of golf clubs, and some spiffy new golf shoes does not make you Arnold Palmer.
- Inexperienced, new riders need more time practicing in parking lots, if the fastest they're comfortable going, is 20+ miles an hour under the speed limit. Going that damn slow will get someone killed.
- If a rider (or her husband) is not smart enough to realize that... then someone needs to knock him off his high-horse about it.
- Absolutely nothing wrong with being a new rider. We all were at one time or another. The only thing more fun than learning how to ride, is being there when a friend or loved one is learning how to ride with you.
Riding motorcycles is a hobby to many of us (or a way of life, whatever you want to call it). So is golf. The difference in our hobby and golf, is that this can (and will) get you killed if you remain a dumbass about doing it. Buying a set of golf clubs, and some spiffy new golf shoes does not make you Arnold Palmer.
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I didn't read every post, but OP, you're a good man. Personally I would let some if the slower people know until they are more experienced, I wouldn't be riding with them, riding that slow is a hazzard. I think they need to take a coarse, and practice a lot. Not everyone is meant to ride, I'll bet half the people in your group won't even be riding 2 years from now.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 6,336
Likes: 67
From: SW Minnesota
I think there are two truisms that always apply to a group ride:
1) The speed is set by the slowest rider
2) Your safety is determined by the most inexperienced rider
Neither one is good.
1) The speed is set by the slowest rider
2) Your safety is determined by the most inexperienced rider
Neither one is good.