Some Group Riding Tips.....

[bustedwing]

Thanx John, that is a nice refresher and should be brought up before every ride. If more people followed this then I believe there would be less accidents and public opinions would improve.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Here's one for the books..

What does this mean when you are riding in a group?

Since you are responsible for the headlight behind you and he the headlight behind him and so on... you look not at the bike but the headlight too. What does it mean when someone turns OFF their AUX lights behind you?

 

[Papa Zook]

Like it or not, anyone who has ever ridden the Tail Of The Dragon or any other similar "must ride" destination has often found themselves in the middle of a group. Unfortunately 90% of riders don't have the slightest clue or care for learning group ride safety procedures. I prefer to ride with the 10% who do. If everyone who read this thread would embrace and apply these principles I'm certain there would be fewer accidents.

 

[skuuter]

Glad to see this Thread re-surfacing just in time for most Folks Riding Season to start.....ThumbUp...some of us "idiots" don't have a Riding Season, 8 degrees to 108 degrees, it's on.......:laugh:

 

[GARYD]

Ben, I don't ride in a group ALL the time just as I don't ride by myself ALL the time. I don't mind riding in a large group as some do. I think it makes you a better rider to have a general knowledge on all types of riding. If I ran across a group leader that was "out of it" I'd just pull off from the group and head out on my own. Nothing is making anyone do what they don't feel right with.
Our HOG chapter always have a riders meeting before each ride.

If I had to choose one way of riding all the time, I think I would pick riding with 4 or 5 friends and that's it. ThumbUp

scutter, ThumbUp I ride all winter also as long as the roads are dry. Sometimes I prefer to ride in 30* temps instead of 90* temps.

Mr Wizard, it all depends. If the bike behind you turns off his aux lights it would mean whatever was discussed before the ride. A lot of bikes don't have aux lights. I have them but never have them on.

Back before CB's we use to flash the headlights to let the leader know someone needed a rest stop.

 

[skuuter]

skuuter, ThumbUp I ride all winter also as long as the roads are dry. Sometimes I prefer to ride in 30* temps instead of 90* temps.

WELCOME to "THE CLUB"........... ThumbUp

 

[Lucky]

Like it or not, anyone who has ever ridden the Tail Of The Dragon or any other similar "must ride" destination has often found themselves in the middle of a group. Unfortunately 90% of riders don't have the slightest clue or care for learning group ride safety procedures. I prefer to ride with the 10% who do. If everyone who read this thread would embrace and apply these principles I'm certain there would be fewer accidents.

Still amazing to me ZOOK that we rode THE DRAGON on THE RALLY ride last year without any probs.Don't know how many we had.I rode in back and the only time I saw Skuuter(THE LEADER) was when we stopped.GREAT RIDE

 

[GARYD]

skutter, I even had a patch made up for any rider that rode with me on Jan 1st. I call it the "Freeze Your Azz Off" ride.

It's a picture of a rider standing sideways with a chunk of his azz halfway to the ground. Then I have yearly rockers for repeat customers. pepper

I don't have anything for the weekly rides though. Just their picture in the newsletter.

 

[ben721364]

I like this thread. My one pet peeve is how to change lanes.

Her is what JohnC posted and I agree: When traveling on highways and the leader wants to change lanes or pass a slower moving vehicle traveling in the same direction, the best method is to use the following sequence: The leader signals the tail/sweep of the lane change by either using the radio to communicate or directional or hand signals for those in the group without radios. Each rider in turn makes the same signal and waits for the sweep to secure the new lane. This prevents other traffic from passing him and creates the space for the rest of the group to move over. When the sweep has secured the new land, he signals the leader and the land change is initiated by either of two methods. One, riders move one at a time from the rear to the front of the new land. This is the best method, since it allows each of the riders to make the change by themselves. Or two, on command by the leader, all bikes move together. This looks very sharp, but takes a lot of practice. This is a precision exercise and takes more time and space to execute. The first method can take place in less time since the whole group doesn't have to wait until there's enough space for the whole group to move as one.
I believe "land" should be "lane".

This is how I have always done it. After researching it on the internet I found that about 85% of groups do it this way. My HOG chapter does it the opposite way = The sweep will secure the lane-tell the leader he has it- then the leader will wait until the last car reaches him and then he will move over with each bike behind him moving over one at a time from front to rear. That takes a lot of time as JohnC's post suggests.

Let's hear from all you riders on how you do a lane change with a large group. This should be very interesting. I would really like to hear from everyone.

I still have trouble remembering to do it per my Chapters rules - it's hard to break decades of conditioning.

In my small "click of 6 or 7 of us", we do the move in one shot(we all have CB's). on the count of 3 we all move over at the same time - and it is impressive.

You pointed out both a problem for those riding in packs and a point of contention with other motorists. "... for the sweep to secure the new lane. This prevents other traffic from passing him..."

 

[GARYD]

All I'm asking is how other groups move from one lane to another.
Once the sweep secures the lane, does the rest move over from back to front or front to back? I was agreeing with JohnC on how he does it.

 

[jfingalls]

Good job done here my friends. I have learned a lot about group riding which will help when riding with as few as one other trike. I do agree with oahe, I/we usually enjoy riding alone or with one other family menber. GREAT JOB!!

 

[kam582]

Boy I am glad you guys put this thread up. I have no group riding experience whatsoever and am going to try and make the rally in June. We have been planning on going but we sold our home of 30 years and bought a new one. We will be moving the first part of June, but will hopefully still make it to Arkansas. I want to do a couple of group rides and this info definitely helps. Still really nervous though. Thanks for the thread.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Turning off your AUX lights means "I need to stop soon".

Although I thought this was common, I find a lot of people that don't know about it.

 

[GARYD]

I didn't know and I've been riding for over 50 years. :vxtyaq: Until I got a Harley I didn't know anyone who had AUX lights. We would always say if you have to make a pit stop or need gas, turn your HEADLIGHT on and off.
Right now almost no one in my chapter rides with their AUX lights on to begin with. I think every ride leader should bring that up at the riders meeting before the ride. ThumbUp

Another thing that most riders don't know about is a helmet on the ground or a dew rag or other piece of cloth tied to the handlebar means "I Need Help".

Save the wave :wave4:

 

[ben721364]

I didn't know and I've been riding for over 50 years. :vxtyaq: Until I got a Harley I didn't know anyone who had AUX lights. We would always say if you have to make a pit stop or need gas, turn your HEADLIGHT on and off.
Right now almost no one in my chapter rides with their AUX lights on to begin with. I think every ride leader should bring that up at the riders meeting before the ride. ThumbUp

Another thing that most riders don't know about is a helmet on the ground or a dew rag or other piece of cloth tied to the handlebar means "I Need Help".

Save the wave :wave4:

"Another thing that most riders don't know about is a helmet on the ground or a dew rag or other piece of cloth tied to the handlebar means "I Need Help"." If most don't know what the signal means, how much good does it do? <grin> If I need help beside the road, I would try to flag down a motorist...

 

[Mr.Wizard]

Another thing that most riders don't know about is a helmet on the ground or a dew rag or other piece of cloth tied to the handlebar means "I Need Help".

...and here I thought the only way you could get someone to stop and help was to lay on the ground in a Fetal position in the center of the road. :Coffee:



From time to time I see bikers on the side of the road. If I see them look up as I approach I give them a ThumbUp. If I get a ThumbUp back or a I carry one. If I get a :Shrug: or a :gah: or a :wave4: from the Wifey I stop to lend a hand.

 

[GARYD]

Ben, I said most riders not all riders. It's better then not doing anything.
Besides you might just get one of the ones that do know what it means.

And as word of mouth and ads(in some bike magazines) more and more riders will learn of it. ThumbUp