Riding in groups- the pros and cons-

[BC1100S]

Group riding is simply a bad idea.

And if you want to peddle your book. Perhaps you should look into paid advertising on this website.... www.bmwmoa.org

 

[exgman]

Group riding is simply a bad idea.

And if you want to peddle your book. Perhaps you should look into paid advertising on this website.... www.bmwmoa.org

+1 for both of those ideas!

 

[fmdualexhaust]

I don't do group rides.
Problem solved.

 

[saddleman]

Group riding is simply a bad ideawww.bmwmoa.org

Explain why you think group riding is a bad idea. I've been doing it for 53 years now & most of the time I'm the ride leader. Some rides last a few hours & some rides go for days. Sometimes the group gets split up because of traffic or someone breaks down but it's never been a big deal. I've led Lunch, Museum, Rally, Picnic, High School Reunion, Toy Run, & many other rides over the years. If group riding isn't for you so be it.

 

[83014]

Well, since you asked. An issue for me is that drivers often don’t know how to interact with a motorcycle group ride. For example, one issue I faced when coming up behind a tour group on Harleys(could have been any brand), was that the group of 12 or so was stretched out just enough that a vehicle attempting to pass wouldn’t be able to get past the group. The group was at posted speed which, due to the inch worm effect, meant that at times, the tail end of the group was 10 mph below the speed limit. I was fortunate to be on a bike so could pass in intervals. A cage would be unable to do the same safely. Also, a group ride is restricted to the ability of the least proficient rider. I’ll stop now. I do have more, though.

Doug

 

[glenfiddich]

I never enjoyed close order drill in the service, and doing it on a bike - putting my trust in the least experienced, most tired, least hungover rider in the group - runs contrary to my view of freedom of the road.

Besides which your post is rather spamish.

 

[akbeemer]

I do not ride to be led or to lead. Most of my riding is with my wife on her bike and we are often more than a 1/2 mile apart. To me instructions about how to ride safely in a group is like reading a book on safe smoking.

 

[rich]

I don't normally do group rides, but the advice he gives is pretty sound. I do the same when driving a car, looking as far down the road beyond the traffic as possible. I hate getting stuck behind the taller vehicles where you can't see ahead.

To clarify, I will ride with a couple of friends with no issues, but I prefer to not ride in groups where I don't know the participants fairly well. In these parts, a group ride is normally a fairly large group of Harley riders participating in a poker run and getting their cards at small town bars spaced several miles apart. No thank you.

 

[brownie0486]

Group rides, my idea of that term is more than 4, that out of the way

I've been on rides where there were 5, near 10, one about 16 bikes. I've dropped out of those rides early on, and went my own way after the first stop for one reason or another.

I'll ride with my brother with confidence as we've ridden together over weeks on the summer tours. I've been in one 3 man group, that was a good day ride as well.

Once it gets to more than 4 going, unless I'm really inclined due to distance and destination, I usually pass. It's not my skills I'm concerned with, it's others. I think we've all ridden with people who weren't well versed in command of their motors.

 

[Visian]

At Bikeweek, since there were so many demo rides available, I spent nearly two days in group rides. The differences in riding skills amongst the general riding public is pretty significant… no sense in getting into all the details, but something I’ve always known is that my corner entry speed is significantly higher than many, so I adapt accordingly.

Group rides are not for me, but I would hope that we’d be a little more friendly and welcoming to new people coming to our club.

Yeah, the OP was a bit spammy, but that is not a reason to trash his ideas.

Ian

 

[Paul_F]

Most of my riding is with my wife on her bike and we are often more than a 1/2 mile apart.

So I’m not the only one!

I prefer to ride by myself but on the rare occasion that I am with someone, I always insist there be half a kilometre between us.

 

[ridecaptainmark]

WOW - some hostile posts here. I'm sorry to hear group-riding offends so many BMW riders - this is the first forum that has responded like this. Posting safety stuff shouldn't be offensive...why all the hate? Out of every forum I've been to so far (and I joined this because I also ride a BMW), you guys sound almost angry that anyone would be dumb enough to ride in a group, LOL.

Sounds to me like you tried out with the "wrong" groups... I ride with a group that is about 70% sport-touring bikes. We do pretty damn well riding around South Florida, or taming the Dragon in NC/TN. It is a ton of fun riding with a group that has similar skill levels, and we all ride with the same "rules" about group riding. It is not always "slow". It is ALWAYS FUN no matter where we ride. We end up at a restaurant "somewhere", and never ride in an straight line to get there. What is "so bad" about that?

I've been riding in groups for over 15 years. I wrote the book because nobody else did, and I believe that if everyone follows the same guidelines, it can be safe and fun. Believe it or not, most motorcyclists enjoy riding with other people. I wrote the book to create some general guidelines to make it safe and fun, as it should be.

Nobody should ever ride with people that they are not comfortable with. But like everything else lately (politics, for example), another polarizing forum with half the people "for" and half "against"... Maybe relax a bit more and have some fun. Open up to the possibliity... This isn't work, and nobody's judging you. Group Riding might actually be fun.

Ride Safe - and have fun. That's why we ride, right?

 

[brownie0486]

WOW - some hostile posts here. I'm sorry to hear group-riding offends so many BMW riders - this is the first forum that has responded like this. Posting safety stuff shouldn't be offensive...why all the hate? Out of every forum I've been to so far (and I joined this because I also ride a BMW), you guys sound almost angry that anyone would be dumb enough to ride in a group, LOL.

Sounds to me like you tried out with the "wrong" groups... I ride with a group that is about 70% sport-touring bikes. We do pretty damn well riding around South Florida, or taming the Dragon in NC/TN. It is a ton of fun riding with a group that has similar skill levels, and we all ride with the same "rules" about group riding. It is not always "slow". It is ALWAYS FUN no matter where we ride. We end up at a restaurant "somewhere", and never ride in an straight line to get there. What is "so bad" about that?

I've been riding in groups for over 15 years. I wrote the book because nobody else did, and I believe that if everyone follows the same guidelines, it can be safe and fun. Believe it or not, most motorcyclists enjoy riding with other people. I wrote the book to create some general guidelines to make it safe and fun, as it should be.

Nobody should ever ride with people that they are not comfortable with. But like everything else lately (politics, for example), another polarizing forum with half the people "for" and half "against"... Maybe relax a bit more and have some fun. Open up to the possibliity... This isn't work, and nobody's judging you. Group Riding might actually be fun.

Ride Safe - and have fun. That's why we ride, right?

I tried to relax and enjoy the group rides, didn't work out very well in several of the group rides. Based on replies, it's not much fun after all.

 

[PGlaves]

I hate group riding, and to me a group is anything more than two. BUT, every now and then I feel compelled to join a group ride. A comrade's funeral or even a toy ride come to mind. Sometimes, even nearing the main gate at a BMW MOA Rally can resemble an ad hoc group ride. So having some understanding of that group dynamic is a good thing - not a bad thing as far as I am concerned.

Whether a person is "too good" a rider to be in a group, or "too bad" a rider to keep up, some understanding of how to stay safe in a group could be helpful.

 

[classicvw]

WOW - some hostile posts here.
It is a ton of fun riding with a group that has similar skill levels,

Hostile, really?

It's fine if you always ride with the same group with people who have similar skills which it seems you do.
But if you don't or have no control over who attends the ride on a given day, then you're actually riding at the level of the poorest skills rider and that I want no part of. Yes, I can adjust and remain vigilant, but I still can't control the unexpected choices some yahoo makes.
And I do have the skill and ability to ride in a group, I've ridden very close quarters in my LEO career.

 

[ridecaptainmark]

I tried to relax and enjoy the group rides, didn't work out very well in several of the group rides. Based on replies, it's not much fun after all.

Sounds like you found the wrong groups...

Maybe check out Southern Cruisers Riding Club in your area, or MSTA (Sport Touring Assoc.). They ride fantastic in a group, and my book is based on how these international groups ride. Great people, safe rides, lots of fun. If you're looking for "performance riding", don't mix it with "group riding", because then it does get dangerous. I KNOW I can jump on any SCRC ride, anywhere on the planet, and I'll fit right in - because we all ride by the same set of rules - same hand signals, same group-riding philosophy based on safety.

I have dropped out of groups in the past as well. If you don't feel good about who you're riding with, or how they ride, I'm the first one to say "good choice" for dropping out too. Like I said, it is supposed to be fun. Like sex. If it doesn't feel good, don't do it...

 

[88bmwjeff]

I've had a lot of good group ride experiences. I think there are two types of group rides (maybe more). There's riding with a group of your friends that you enjoy riding with and there's group rides that are open to a larger group of people. IMO, each requires a different mindset. Riding in a larger group requires a different mindset. I usually remind myself to be more relaxed, since we can go at a slower pace than I prefer at times. But, I enjoy the company at the stops (e.g. lunch). I do like to go out on my own at times and just go at my pace, but I find that a lonely at times. It's nice to go out rides with others. I just know that the rides are different and good each in their own way.

 

[kbasa]

I've ridden alone a lot, I've ridden with a couple close friends and I've ridden in big groups. I think it's all fun.

IMHO, decent group rides aren't a parade, but have typically been a big group that kind of breaks up into little groups of 3 to 5 bikes riding together.

I think it's fun when you roll up somewhere and 3 or 4 dozen bikes arrive over 5 or 10 minutes to hang out. And then, 15 minutes later, they start leaving in little groups for the next spot.

I've learned a ton by following people that are skilled and competent. Line choices when I've followed someone faster than me. How to ride super slowly by riding with motor cop friends. At the same time, we've often gone two up and in that case, I've learned from other highly competent riding teams.

Be how you like, but I don't get the whole "nobody rides on the back of my bike and I don't ride with anyone" thing. I'm pretty introverted, but even I like riding with my buddies.

*jacked up link removed*

Me and some friends heading south on California Highway 1, just south of Tomales, California. The bakery is a regular weekend hang point, so sometimes we all wind up heading back about the same time.

 

[lee]

If you all want, I can create a thread on “The pros and cons of group riding”. Probably more fair to the OP.

OM

I think a new thread on the pros and cons would be a good idea.

 

[Visian]

[video]https://videos.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Videos/GoPro-Videos/i-N3RmMHX/0/SMIL/N3RmMHX.smil/master.m3u8[/video]
Me and some friends heading south on California Highway 1, just south of Tomales, California.

kbasa - your link is not downloading your video.

(I didn't know you could post videos on SmugMug... do you pay extra for that?)