I bet he hates the thought of an unthinking azzwipe zipping around him..... just sayin'....

of course, you were never a newby.....

all of the groups I ever rode with, a couple different HOG chapters, American Legion Riders and the PGR... always put the new guy up front and we all rode his ride. if, after an hour or so, the road captain decided he couldn't keep up, the co-captain would take him by himself.

 

i organized 5 day road trip into the states NY/VT...w/ some of my good ride buddies..one of them at the last minute says can he bring along a new guy...well ok...

guy shows on hertiage springer with something off every page of the moco catalogue bolted to this brand new ride.....he had these fish tails on that scraped the ground when he pulled in the parking lot ....

but when i noticed his brand new chaps were on backwards i knew we had to cut this dude loose asap..he rode a the back and was would slow up on every curve pretty soon he was so far back...cudn't see him...so i had to slow the pack down over and over to let him catch up....anyhow stuck with him a day...next he and the guy that brung him split from the group a few days later i get a call and the good rider tells me the noob rear ended him ..and down both of them went..

everybody had to learn yes and i have taken lots of chances with noobs.....but not at somebody elses expense..

 

If everyone hates riding with new riders so much, how are they supposed to learn. I am a fairly new rider, and I have never been in a group ride. I would like to eventually, but if everybody and their brother doesn't want to ride with someone who has never been in a group before, how in the ***** am I supposed to learn how to ride in a group?

 

Most groups are looking for new riders to join them. The Legion Riders usually have a safety briefing before organized sanctioned rides. You should be able to hang with them. Just get in the back. The ride co-captain usualy brings up the rear, so less experience riders don't completely get left behind. I think HOG runs like that.

 

I ride alone. The only time I ride in a group is at Sturgis, and then only because I have no choice. Riding with a club is alright but I outgrew that a long time ago.

 

Riding in a group shouldn't require a college degree. Most groups will ride a staggered formation so you just have to use common sense. Don't lag behind, don't crowd the rider in front of you and don't do stupid stuff like weaving back and forth or speeding up and slowing down. If you feel the group is riding above your skill or comfort level drop back and let someone know that you're slowing down. If you're a new guy let them know and ask to ride in the back till you get the hang of their riding habits and style. It shouldn't take long till you'll be a trusted member of the group. Above all, don't get sucked into riding above your skill/comfort level or you could endanger yourself and possibly the other riders.

 

That basically sums it up. I have zero problems riding with newbies provided that they are safe and not doing anything stupid. As long as you pay attention you will find more offers to ride than not. The problems that you hear about are from people that are new that are #1 trying to prove something rather than enjoying the ride or #2 riding over their ability.

 

I've never rode with a group, there's a womens ride coming up the end of the month, hopefully I will do alright, I love riding alone though, nobody to worry about but myself, well except for all the idiots on the road!

 

I don't mind riding with a new rider at all. I just do not want to do it in a big group ride situation. I, and the new rider, and MAYBE one more are a big crowd if I'm out on the road with a "new guy". I find things work out MUCH better that way.

 

Gota learn some how.....Was on a Zoo run back in the early 90's(about 150-200 riders)and a guy in the middle turned(we dont know why)and took out 4 bikes and 7 people(we were going into a small town).I allways ride in the back or in the 1st 10 bikes if possible but now I dont do big runs,stay with the smaller ones now..........4 yrs ago I meet up with about 27 PGR members for a ride,we all agreed to meet at a perkins being they were from Northeast Mn,got there and they ask who was ranger and said yep thats me...Ended up leading them 48 miles thru 5 towns and never had the pac break up at lights,kept us all together,they were all long term riders and were impressed with my leading them to the Funeral with out a glitch,we all pulled into Fargo as a group....

Years of riding payed off.........



i hate my old lap top...