When you group ride...

[Jayhawk]

...do you try and obey the typical group ride rules, or does your group just wing it?

The sport bike crowd I ride with generally just go, and a much looser group than the cruiser groups I have ridden with.

After doing both, I really prefer just focusing on staying safe, not about the group rule riding bible.

You?

 

[dannymax]

Staying safe is the main priority, of course. There are some good points in both styles that don't compromise safety.

I, personally, don't like running side by side with another bike. I want all the "avoidance room" my lane has to offer, but don't want to feel disconnected from the group either, so a staggered formation suits me better.

danny

 

[Jayhawk]

Actually, the group formation thing sort of reminds me of a funeral procession. :ummm:

 

[2stangs69-91]

usualy when I group ride with the sport bike bunch we kind of hang back and to the side of the guy's doing wheelis at the time. That way we can help spot all the pieces of his bike when it all goes bad lol. I do not like side by side riding in a large group either. It looks cool but i always have visions of dominos falling :confused2:

 

[QuarterHorse]

Generally ride staggered. Sometimes if it's me and another 1 or 2 guys I may ride side by side, but not for any distance.

 

[113s&s]

riding with guys who know how to ride I like no rules...dont do group rides not my style of riding it would be a waste of a day

 

[Thevmaxrider]

Up here in Ontario there are about 15-20 of us that regularly attend our get togethers. Each ride has a different flavour to it. Some of our rides we ride as a group because it is primarily a tour type of ride. Other times we have a "free for all" for the aggressive riders on a good twisty road (our 507 ride is a great example of this). The most important thing is that the riders have to agree upon what style of riding is going to be done in advance. I like a tour every now and again, but I primarily ride with one or two other like minded riders on a weekly basis and we just go for it. The only rule we have is to give each other plenty of space just in case.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

never ever side by side, staggered at 3-5 car lengths, but full acknowledment that the entire lane from shoulder to shoulder belongs to the bike, and the rider in front should not have to exercise any care of regards to the bike behind when it comes to lane placement unless you find that you are a slower rider in which case it's time to move back,

When we get iin the twisties the main rule is don't jump in front unless your good enough to stay there otherwise your just fucking up someone elses ride, other rule is unless you plan on passing stay the hell off someones ass, don't pass and slow down, other rule is again no staggering the entire road belongs to the rider from shoulder to shoulder

The only time a rider should really ever be passed is when the wave some one by when the realize they need to move back.......Except for the long straightaways when all the sportbikes that have been hanging back being amuased watching the vmaxes try to go around corners open it up and do their 170mph flybys in the oncoming lane

 

[COP RUNNER]

STAGGERED FAR APART ! NEVER SIDE BY SIDE ! AND EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF WHEN THE FLASHING LIGHTS COME ON !!!!!!!! " LATER-ON " unk:

 

[Redbone]

My brother and I will ride side by side a lot of the time, I normally ride on the left and him on the right. I normally dictate the pace until it comes to corners; normally he steps back 1-2 bike lengths or decides in advance that he wants to go faster through the corner. If he decides to go faster he goes before the corner and I just follow him. In faster group rides if we decide there is a leader (the pace setter) then we follow him and ride seperated by a few bike lengths. Otherwise it has been staggered riding, ie:slow poke cruiser/ parade style.

 

[maxcruiser]

The only time I ride side by side is in an organized ride - other than that - it's staggered - need all the road to be able to avoid all the potholes in my parts

Mike

 

[Jaoteay]

I never ride side by side.... Always staggered so that I can swerve if needed

 

[KJShover]

Generally the ppl I ride with run staggered until its stopping time, then the group tightens up as the speeds drop ie. pulling off the highway and cruising main street getting ready to park.

If I'm going to ride side by side I would have to have ridden with and have a ton of trust in that persons skills. There are only a few ppl I feel comfortable with to ride side by side, still thats not a regular occation. Normally if we are side by side its to talk, then its back to staggered.

 

[Redbone]

If I'm going to ride side by side I would have to have ridden with and have a ton of trust in that persons skills. There are only a few ppl I feel comfortable with to ride side by side, still thats not a regular occation. Normally if we are side by side its to talk, then its back to staggered.

I agree KJ, I only ride side by side with my brother. We have ridden together a lot of years and trust each others lane discipline. He even likes to reach over and flip my kill switch when I'm trying to act too cool in a low speed cruise area. It can be kinda embarassing when a bunch of hotties are checking out Redbone then he hits the switch and rides away laughing!:bang head: I guess he is just jealous of the rumble of the Vmax! His Dale Walker 4 into 1 does sound good when he's running at full song though.

 

[Jayhawk]

Kill switch? Not that's funny. I'll have to remember that next time I ride with my brother. I'll have to study up on the Venture to figure out where the thing is so I'll be ready. :rofl_200:

 

[QuarterHorse]

reach over and flip my kill switch

Common practice when we go riding, it's become a game.

 

[KJShover]

Common practice when we go riding, it's become a game.

I would, but your new moped is a lil quicker then mine at the moment:biglaugh: hmm, I could always pop a plug wire when you aint lookin

 

[lankeeyankee]

I only ride with 3 guys I know if I am going to do any distance. The 3 guys are guys that are very focused and we all have the same riding style. I have rode in a large group 50+ of sportbikes once! It was pretty crazy, it was 2 side by side in each lane total 4 wide running 100+ the slower bikes under 125 stayed to the right side of the lane and guys who were running 125+ were going up the left side of the lane.
You could be running 125MPH to the right of a lane and ya may have a LargeCC sport bike blow past you 155+ within a foot.

 

[QuarterHorse]

I would, but your new moped is a lil quicker then mine at the moment:biglaugh: hmm, I could always pop a plug wire when you aint lookin

They aren't that easy to get to, and they're coil on plug.

 

[lankeeyankee]

Kill switch? Not that's funny. I'll have to remember that next time I ride with my brother. I'll have to study up on the Venture to figure out where the thing is so I'll be ready. :rofl_200:

Yeah my buddy I ride with all the time does that shit, we will be riding side by side and he will reach over and hit the kill switch!:bang head: Its easy since I have a dead man cord attached to my kill switch.