MotorcycleHound.com : Safety : Riding in Groups
Riding In Groups
On any given Saturday or Sunday, you can bet there will be a handful of different group rides available to you. From poker runs, benefit rides, to dealership sponsored rides. Choose the ones that fit what you want to do and support. Some of these rides will have 20 riders and some will have 500, but they all have a set of riding rules that they follow. Or at least they should.
Here are a few of the rules and guidelines for riding in a group.
- Ride in a staggered formation:
- If you are the leader of the group, ride on the left hand side of the lane. The next in line will ride a little behind on the right side. (Usually a 3 to 4 second gap.) Stagger this formation through the rest of the group. This will give you and adequate space cushion for sudden stops and in case of emergency. Also, this is the best way to keep the group together.
- Go to a single file formation when turning and or entering the highway.
- Formation of the group
- Start with the leader, then put the inexperienced riders next so they can be watched after, then the more experienced riders and a tail gunner or goalie that keeps everyone in play. The last rider should set the pace. The leader has to remember that the last rider will probably at times be doing 10 mph faster than they are. So keep a steady pace so everyone stays together.
- Route Planning
- Make sure that everyone knows the route you are taking. If someone gets separated, you don’t have to worry about them getting lost. Have checkpoints along the way to stop and refresh and refuel. This will also give the ones who get separated to catch up.