I went out riding last week with a friend, he put together a litle ride and invited along a few people he knew. Theirs a couple older guys and a few other people, including a women he met at a local shop and invited along.I usually ride alone or with girlfriend on back, I dont care for group riding but thought I'd go for the hell of it.

So we head up north and had a decent ride, I started getting uncomfortablewhen the guy leading would gun it through a yellow light he had ample time to stop for and everyone else would follow, I wanted to stop but the idiots were on my *** gunning it. Then we stop every 10-15 miles for someone to **** and smoke. Then the leader would pass every turn off then quickly try pull over to turn around and all the fools in tow would almost crash trying to follow. So I just hung back wanting to just ditch them.

So the worst part comes on the way back, we go through a mountain passs that is famous for people wrecking on bikes, I make the mistake of being 3rd in line with girl they picked up at the coffee shop. So we get to the really windy part, blind tight curves etc...

The leader is gunning it going way to fast and the girl is trying to keep up, then through an especially tight curve she just hits her brakes hard, right in the curve while she was leaning and going into my path, How the hell she didnt go down is a miracle. I the moron behind me riding up my *** and I didnt want to brake hard and go down myself so I had to swerve out into the oncoming lane through a blind curve to avoid running into her.

So we get to the next town, and stop and this women looks at her bike and says wow Ive put almost 250 miles on my bike now. I just got pissed, ran my mouth and took off. I doubt I will ever ride with anyone again after this.

 

You hung in there a lot longer than I would.

 

I know what you mean. I'm very picky about who I ride with. If in doubt I'll always ride in the back of the group giving them a healthy lead.

 

Sounds like you just found the wrong group. Sounds like you got hooked up with a few that wanted to show off and some that felt cooler trying to keep up. You definitely had more patience than I would have. If they're gonna ride like idiots I would have ducked out. I think you'll find that if you have the right group things are a lot different. If it's group riding and I don't know most of the people, I try to hang out in the back.

 

Wrong group is all.

Chuck

 

Yep, one of the downsides of riding with people you don't know. I have people in my HOG group that like to ride up to a couple of inches of your rear fender at lights. Even on hills. Doesn't seem to click with them that if the perspon rolls back a bit, you're going tohave todamaged bikes. [:@]

 

If riding in a group of 3 or more, i usually ride in groups with my riding buddies and I don't consider them riding buddies until we've put some decent miles on the road together.
Otherwise it's just me or me with my 7yr oldson riding 2up.

But, I don't stop myself from meeting new people and riding with them. Hell that's one of the things I like about motorcycling. I think it's cool meeting new riders. I'll ride with just about anyone to see if they like riding with me and I like riding with them.

If I meet someone and want to hook up for a ride with them, I'll usually do it without my son the first few times and just me and the new friend on bikes. Keepingit to only two of us until we get to know/accept each others riding ability is how I do it.

I've been on more than one ride with someone and then never ridden with them again. I can't handle riding with fools. The only exception to that is for charity rides and I don't find many riders acting like idiots at those things.

 

The only group riding I do is PGR missions and one charity ride a year (pediatric brain tumor foundation) and that's it. I much prefer riding alone and enjoying the solitude rather than spend my day trying to avoid other idiot moves that go on around me. No thanks.

 

2 to 4 bikes is about all I can take. Tried to ride with others a few times, and honestly felt like I was riding on a "bus" having to stop for this and that etc. etc., group riding not for me.

 

I have a friend that I used to ride with. Every time he wants to ride, he always has to have 6 or7 others with him. Last year we went to Gettysburg Bike Week with this guy and his friends, andthey were all doing the same stuff you are talking about, running red lights, swerving in and out of formation, riding too close and so on. I get sick of worrying about what some other bone head is going to do behind me or beside me. Its bad enough with all the jerks in cars.These days,I refuse to ride in a group of more than 4. Any more than that and im just not relaxed and comfortable. If I cant be comfortable, I would rather wait and ride alone or with a couple of close friends who I know can ride as well as I can.