Riding with others

[schoeney]

No poll needed but just curious how some of you feel about the group size when riding (lets say 100+ miles ) with others.

I love riding period... but I find my comfort zone is riding with less than 4 others. Any more than that it seems to drag out the stops, harder to keep track (especially if you are leading the pack) and not as relaxed. It seems like more work.

I have only ridden in a really large group once...like 100 bikes. I did not find that fun unless you are just going on a 1/2 mile parade.

I recently took a nice ride with 9 bikes..and I still felt it was too large of group for my comfort zone. I was leading so I felt a responsibility to keep the pack together and made sure we didn't lose anyone but I was amazed how much slower we were in/out of stops and just getting going. I think it cost us about an hour of saddle time just for a half day ride.

Everyone rode the formation and knew what they were doing (except me but no one noticed ).

I enjoy looking around, ride a little slower (60-65 or so) taking in the sites/scenery and I didn't seem to enjoy that part as much with 9 bikes. Is that normal? Or do I just need to do it more and it gets more relaxing?

Don't get me wrong, I can see the occasional National or Regional Rally being a hoot to meet up and hang out but riding in groups more than 4/5 on a regular basis doesn't have a big appeal to me.

The exception would be the Patriot Guard Riders, Green Knights, Blue Knighhts, Red Knights, etc. I would think the honor and emotion would overcome the issue.

[cactusjack]

I belong to a couple of riding clubs in the Phoenix area. One of them is quite large and I've been on rides with them where we've had over 50 bikes. Most rides are around 20 bikes. I find the larger the group, the less enjoyable the ride. In large groups my attention is on the riders around me and trying to anticipate their moves and constantly trying to dodge them. It takes a lot of time to fuel 50 bikes, to park 50 bikes and for everyone to eat and get mounted up again. I think groups of 10 bikes or less is much better.

[Todd]

With the exception of the KawaNOW rallies.............I prefer riding just 1 or 2 bikes most of the time.

Smaller groups, say under 6, can be pretty fun and managable. After that it's still fun but I find it less enjoyable.

[Netnorske]

3-5 is about right. Easy to keep track of everyone that way and it don't take all day for fuel/food etc. I have every bit as much fun doing a 200 miler by myself... . For sure...the larger the group...the less relaxing and enjoyable.

[darthvulcan]

Much the same here, although we prefer solo trips. I enjoy the freedom to do or go wherever the road leads, and stop whenever we want.

When we do a group ride, and it's really not that often, it's usually just us and another couple, or two. I find a group of 3 to 4 bikes is easy to manage provided you all know each others' level of skill and confidence.

Dealership demo rides are by far the worst in my opinion. Some have been down-right scary. You quickly realize that many on the ride have no idea how to properly and safely ride in a group.

[bosko]

I usually ride solo 99% of the time. Never have ridden with more than 2 others.

Been in groups of 5-10 when out on dirtbikes. Very entertaining more riders= more crashes.

My mom says I don't play well with others.

[waterman]

The largest group I have riden with is about 60 bikes. Way to many. More preferable is an extra 1 to 3 bikes. As long as everyone is somewhat familiar with each other we have done rides with up to 10 bikes and it was ok. The most important part with larger groups is good communication and the lead and rear drivers knowing what they need to do with groups.

[chainsaw]

I totally agree with you all. More is not marrier.

[watchman]

We rode with a group of 113 bikes once at the VROC Boscobel rally in Wisconsin. We had Hwy Patrol, Sheriff deputies and local police running interference for us. Before the ride we took 30 minutes to go over group riding techniques, we kept the speed down to 50 mph max and had a trail escort with a mechinic and trailer. It was a very well planned ride and it was great.

But personally I don't like riding with more than 6 to 8 bikes in a group. You get strung out to far and it is hard to get through lights, etc. Just like the last Patroit Guard ride the undertaker wanted us to follow the herse from Macon to the Cemetary in Jacksonville, a total of 14 miles. I was leading and spaced myself 2 seconds back from the herse and kept pace with it. By the time we got to Jacksonville the procession was strung out for more than a half a mile. Mostly do to the other bikes not grouping together.

I really believe that very few riders know how to ride in a group! Or feel uncomfortable riding that close to other bikes.

[dabull]

I've only ridden with a group of 5-8. The group of 5 was even more pleasurable than the 8...not to say that the 8 of us didn't have a good time, because we did. I would think that with a larger group, if you could break it into smailler groups (of 5?), all ride ruffly same time to same place all would be good, taking the heat off the lead dawg to be responsible for all sniffin his tail (pipes that is;)

Aloha

Derry

I normally ride with 4 to 6 (and for some reason they keep putting me in the lead). Any more than that and I don't enjoy it much at all.

Leading is too much work with larger numbers.

Michael K

[watchman]

You can find some good info on about group riding at http://www.ama-cycle.org/roadride/groupRide.asp Remember that when they speak of the 2 second interval they are riding in stagard formation and the 2 seconds is the bike directly in front of you, not the one off to your left or right. You should have 1 second between you and the stagard bikes to your front and rear.

[kawgirl]

The largest group I have ridden in was about 500 bikes through NYC on the Concrete Canyon Run. That has to be the best organized and orchestrated ride I have ever ridden!! I would do it again.

On a regular basis, I ride with a group. We usually have 5 to 6 bikes but have had up to 16 or more. It's true, the more bikes you have, the less cohesive the group tends to get when you have riders with mixed skills.

[VulcanE]

Other than commuting back and forth to work, most of my rides are 2-up and only us. We do get together with others, normally 1 to 3 others, and that size is the most fun. We usually go about twice each summer with a group of 20, and really have a good time. The largest group I've ridden with was about 150. We had police escort, didn't have to stop at any lights or stop signs, just kept riding. We hit a stretch of about 30 miles on an inter-state, and with the cop escort, we were rolling along at 100 MPH . That was really a blast. My favorite size group is 2-4 bikes. I feel most comfortable when I'm familiar with the riding skills of all involved. Most of the time, I am the lead bike, (except when riding with DK, because he knows where we're going ). I prefer to be a trailing bike, but I'm happy riding in any position.

[skeeter]

2-6 anywhere. More than that in town gets to be a pain. Been with 10-20 some good some bad. Depends on where your riding, skill levels, communication, and courtesy. I've had fun riding with 10+ bikes haulin butt. Familiarity with fellow riders played a part. People not getting offended and finding their niche played a part. Good leadership.... Other than that I say large groups are for parades or funerals. Low and slow...