What is the allure of riding in groups?

[Neal]

I get it for people who ride cruisers who just want to chill out enjoy the scenery.


Just seems to me if you like sport riding you are either going too slow or too fast for the group so the ride wouldn't be that fun.

 

[Ssky0078]

I ride with a group in AZ called the BMW Rim Riders. It's a BMW group but a friend of mine introduced me so I'm on their meetup.com list. All of these guys I would say are more experienced riders than me. Most of them have done track time on various different bikes. Usually there are 2 or 3 of them running radar in the group. It's usually 8-15 riders.

They follow the rules of "the pace" and the only rule is ride your own ride. I have a blast doing my best to keep up with them. I'm usually in the back so I don't slow anyone down and I have picked up a number of hints from them about riding that I've incorporated to improve my skill.

The only down side I've heard about riding in a group is that a few friends of mine were riding in a group up Yarnell Hill. The lead rider got pulled over who was speeding so even the guys in the back going slow got pulled over and got a ticket. That's why the BMW Rim Riders rule is that if anyone gets pulled over you act like you don't know the other rider and just make your way to the next stop destination on your own.

 

[nivag]

If out with the right group of people and the person leading is a fastish rider then you should be able to accommodate all types of riders/speed.
Using a cornerman system so no one gets lost, then if you're quicker you just blast past the slower rider or get overtaken if you're within your comfort zone.
No one needs to ride beyond that, if they do they can ride on their own


The following lifted from londonbikers.com

The Cornerman system explained...
The cornerman system is way of taking different riders of all riding skills from novice to racers over large distances with one aim to, get everyone to the destination with the minimum amount of fuss and the maximum amount of saftey as know one needs push themselves more than they need to get to the destination its a simple way of making sure that every rider enjoys the day and the rideout in question.
The cornerman system is about two riders Rider A the lead rider, and Rider Z the tail gunner who are made known on the day. Everyone else is a potential cornerman, once the ride is underway the Rider A will point to a point on the road a roundabout, junction, cross roads anywhere he feels necessary to leave someone to show the way to the following riders. Once Rider A leaves you on that point of the road its your job to stay there to show every other rider behind you the right way to go, its crucial to the rideout that you stay in place until you see Rider Z,
Once you see the tail gunner (Rider Z) and everyone in front of him has past you then and only then you can leave your spot and head off at your own pace knowing
the route is fully marked by cornermen. At the early stages of the ride cornermen may only sit a point for half a minute or so but as the ride progress's you may sit there for fifteen or twenty minutes and not see anyone either way you must stay there because if you dont every rider behind you will just dissapear off in the wrong direction and every rider behind them will follow, if there are breaks in the groups of riders you can end up with several groups heading off in two or three different directions which in turn ruins the ride and day as it can take hours to find everyone and regroup which means lots of waiting round.
There is no race to be a cornerman and not everyone will be one, the slower riders will always stay in the middle or at the back
and the Lead rider (Rider A) should always maintain a steady pace to keep a regular supply of cornermen behind him. All rides are different built up areas can mean riders are stuck at traffic lights or busy junctions or some may just not feel confident to filter, out on open roads or twistys people will ride at different speeds and where they feel confident all this can affect your waiting time as a cornerman so just be patient.
At this point its also worth saying that if things go wrong behind because someone has left there post the lead man has no way of knowing so its its fair to say that the whole thing is down to trust and that all riders are looking after each other if you dont want to be a cornerman there is a simple solution, you dont ride behind Rider A, or you stay at home!

 

[PosterFZ6]

For me group rides are more of a social thing.

I don't have a lot of motorcycle riding friends. Being able to meet up with a bunch of motorcycle nutty people like me and talk about gear, motorcycles, their touring rides etc is great.

The best group riding you can do is in a small group (upto 3 the most) for sporty rides etc.

Large group meets are fun but a bit too disorganized for me.

 

[Motogiro]

There's the fun of being with people that don't feel like they're going to die because you ride a motorcycle. I enjoy the people I ride with. Especially people from this forum. No one gets bent out of shape ego wise and the faster riders stay up front. The faster riders will group and wait at each turn for the slower riders. We watch out for each other. More experienced rider might pass on suggestions to observed behavior that might be detrimental to a fellow rider or improve their skill. I really care about my friends. Sometimes we'll meet later at my place for coffee/beer or for some wrenching. I guess it's subjective to who you are, who you pick as friends, how you ride, where you live, what kind of roads you have access to...geez! Lots of thought on this.... I ride with lots of people from my neighborhood to FZ6 forum members. I like to at least ride with one other person for safety reasons. We do a lot of twisties in the mountains and desert. Good good stuff!

 

[PosterFZ6]

There's the fun of being with people that don't feel like they're going to die because you ride a motorcycle.
(...)
I like to at least ride with one other person for safety reasons. We do a lot of twisties in the mountains and desert. Good good stuff!

I completely agree.

I won't go for a ride in the mountains without somebody else. Last thing I need is getting stranded or riding off the road to be lying down in the ditch somewhere.

Besides it's more fun when you have a companion.

 

[Ssky0078]

I completely agree.

I won't go for a ride in the mountains without somebody else. Last thing I need is getting stranded or riding off the road to be lying down in the ditch somewhere.

Besides it's more fun when you have a companion.

I'm torn on this issue. I find I will act more like a hooligan if I have a fellow rider to help me pick up the bike and dust myself up (although after my two offs, I have calmed down a lot) If I'm on my own, I am a lot more conservative.

I do like being in a good group though that I can keep up with because then I can follow their lines and use them as spotters around blind corners and such (If their not on their brakes I can expect to keep going.)

 

[Erci]

Definitely all about the social aspect for me, when it comes to group riding. It's about hanging out with people who share my interests; it's about the stops; it's about the company.

 

[trepetti]

Definitely all about the social aspect for me, when it comes to group riding. It's about hanging out with people who share my interests; it's about the stops; it's about the company.

I never had much interest in group riding. I got my 1st bike last year (at 55 year's old) and was looking forward to immersing myself in improving my skills. And to that end I did a lot of solo riding last summer.

But I took a chance and joined a group ride late last spring and met a great bunch of people who were accepting, helpful and just fun. The 'community' of riding is now important to me. We are a group who does things that not everyone does. And whether it is a subtle waive when we pass or introducing ourselves at an event, we are more 'the same' then different.

So...I like them both.....group and solo. One does not replace the other.

 

[Se7enLC]

It's just like any other hobby - it's more fun with friends.

I could go skiing or hiking by myself, but I don't. I'd rather go a little slower than go alone.

That being said - riding with a group can definitely be more dangerous! Like others have suggested - ride your own bike. Take care of your own safety, keep a safe distance, and don't get distracted trying to keep with the group. For that reason, I *highly* recommend getting radios to communicate. They are useful even when driving in a car somewhere with multiple vehicles. No need to stop and pull over for each red light somebody gets caught at. If you need to pull over or stop you can just do it and radio your friends to tell them.

You can get an in-helmet headset for $25 and a blister-pack FRS radio for cheap. Sky's the limit from there, though.

 

[PurpleZJ]

It's a fun social thing. But at the same time I don't prefer to do it all the time. I like to haul off the line and reach a cruising speed well within the */- mph of the speed limit. But some of the guys I've met up with like going balls to the wall for the whole time including street racing. Not my kinda gig as I really don't enjoy getting speeding tickets.

 

[FIZZER6]

Riding is like sex. It's better with a partner. In a group it gets a little crazy!

 

[phranK2k11]

Riding is like sex. It's better with a partner. In a group it gets a little crazy!

And if you want you can do it by yourself. :BLAA:


I do a lot of commuting so I get plenty of solo ride time. When I'm out "joyriding" I prefer company. This could be riding 2up with my wife or in a group. My usual group size is 3-or-4. But a big group like a bike night event or the NJ/PA from last year is fun now n then too.

The "allure" might be participating in an activity with others that requires a specific skill set that not everyone has or is willing to learn. ???

 

[Goop]

For me it's a social and a learning experience when I ride with a group. I started riding in 2008 and went on my first group ride in 2009, with members from this forum. I found that observing the riding techniques of the experienced riders helped me immensely. Asking questions and getting advice is important too. I've done that for every group ride since then, whether it's just two of us or 14 of us.

But having fun, blowing off steam, eating good food and socializing is a big part as well!

 

[Botch]

Introvert here. The Hill AFB Riding Club does a group ride every Saturday for 8 months out of the year (they puss out during the winter; I don't :Flip. Every Friday I print out their itinerary, but every Saturday I end up doing something else or riding alone.
It's a personal thing I guess, not a motorcycle thing. :don'tknow:

 

[Jblk9695]

I did prefer to ride by my self until the purchase of the FZ6 and joining this forum and finding like riders that just enjoyed riding together regardless of how fast or not fast you ride so it made the rides a lot more enjoyable for me and I've made a lot of friends that I really look forward to riding with:thumbup:

Jerry

 

[yamihoe]

+1 on pretty much everything.

the first time I lead a group (2 "kids" on 250 ninjas) I had to pace them so they didnt kill themselves and one of them tried to pass me mid blind turn:spank:

the first and last time I rode in the mountains alone I ended up sitting in mud next to a not as beautiful FZ6 wondering what the hell happened....

like said,,,, groups offer safety, if not for there being other people but somebody to help pace you.

 

[Cloggy]

I prefer touring with with a small group (2 to 4 people) of able abilities, it's more fun having someone to chat to when we stop riding.

Having said this I help organise a local short (2hr) ride once a month (first Wednesday in the month). We've had up to 15 people in the past (when the weather was good). Admitedly the speed is slower than I normally ride but afterwards we always finish at a cafe nearby and half of the fun is chating with bike minded people :thumbup:.

I also Always try to go on a (long) weekend ride organised by my work, there are between 40 and 50 riders, but on the first day (Friday) you arrange your own group to ride to the bunk house/hostel, on the saturday there are generally 4 groups, one group for cruisers, one for the speed freaks and 2 groups of mixed bikes. The day is normally organised with a lunch stop at some attraction (like a fort or castle) , to give people a chance to stretch their legs. On the Saturday evening there is always a BBQ where you can have a few beers and talk bikes :thumbup: The route back (on Sunday) is once again in smaller groups.

With group rides it's important that everyone knows the rules, these can vary from ride to ride.

When I get an opportunity to ride alone I do so, having a family with kids these chances are few and far between so I take them when I can :rockon:

 

[motojoe122]

I think its fun to meet up with other and go ride, I usually ride by myself or one other person. Plus, the group rides let you see everyone's bike farkles! It still blows me away that one bike can bring so many people together:thumbup: