Haven't really ridden in almost 20 years, so learning/refreshing with new 2007 Fatboy. I would say the number one thing to help me is the Ride like a Pro DVD - Totally awesome and easy to implement.

For practicing in the real world, I have found group riding is help take my skill set up to a whole new level very quickly. I would recommend joining a local "Meetup Group" and ride as much as you can. I have found the Palm Beach Cruisers to be a great group of people, the rides are fun and I'm learning a whole lot about proper bike safety and handling, very quickly as compared to if I was just on my own.

On the last two rides, I realized how important peripheral vision is to group riding. Nobody had mentioned this, but I find it to be critical. While group riding, I was tending to over/undershoot corners and lane changes, which I don't typically do riding by myself - because I'm appropriately looking far off into the distance at the end of the curve or turn, never directly in front of the bike.

As a newbie group rider, I had a tendency is to watch the two bikes in front of me to maintain the safe (keeps cars from splitting the group) 2sec/1sec staggered spacing, but this leads to really poor cornering and lane changing, as I was looking right in front of the bike. Even in a group you should be looking about 10 bikes out for smooth/accurate cornering and safety. Once you refocus to this relatively distant point, you watch your spacing using your peripheral vision and cornering smoothness increases dramatically.

Group riding also helps teach good speed control, to avoid being part of the "slinky" problem and it also significantly improves your steering and handling accuracy, as you must stay within your 1/2 lane despite wind, turning, traffic. It sharpens your decision making skills: the light has turned yellow mid-way through the group, do you go or do you make an abrupt stop?

I've also met a wonderful community of people! If you have a chance to check it out, you might be really be surprised how good it is for your skill set. Cheers, Kevin.ride with us !! Cheers, Kevin.

 

That's funny - I've learned more about safe riding in the dozen PGR group escorts by watching how many ways people can make mistakes. Not that I'm perfect, but many of the guys (and some ladies) I've seen scare me.

 

I disagree. Most people I see in group rides do not show any skills. They are always taking risks to keep up with the pack. I think some group rides are good, but most of the time I stay way

 

If you do group rides, remember that you are riding your own ride in a group.

 

I joined HOG because I thought I wanted to try group riding. Lately though, I really enjoy being by myself, doing my own thing. Maybe I'll try it at some point but I'm not feeling it now.

 

Every group is different, I'm sure, but this group uses that same quote I believe they mean it. We were in some fairly heavy traffic along the coast and got split three times.
1. I was the last before the sweeper; light turned yellow midway through group, ck of my mirrors - my butt clear and the sweeper was in the other half of the lane; there was a silver car creeping at the light to make a right-hand turn; It just didn't feel right, got on the binders and easily stopped just a little over the line. We talked about it later, but nobody gave me any ****.

2. Very busy intersection, light turns again mid group, several accelerate though; guy in front of me stops, no problem. We are sitting there talking and low and behold there is a cop car sitting at the intersection on the other side - nice call.

3. Group doing LH turn through big, but relatively empty intersection, I'm ready to follow through, woman in front of me to my left stops, I actually creep by her before I stop (no-no) and a car comes barreling through the intersection towards us at way faster speed than appropriate and I hadn't noticed - nice call Dawne.

Lots of good lessons and fun too. Cheers, Kevin.

 

Actually better off to hone your skills with a small group, 2 or 3 bikes. Some of those "meet up" groups are overloaded on inexperienced riders and people of different riding styles.

 

No disrespect intended here but one of the first PGR rides I went on I quickly picked out the vets from the newbies. I was near some of the scariest riders I'd seen in some time. I was on the outside of the lane (staggered line). The guy in front of me in the inside lane hit the guy in front of him as we were coming to a red light. He said his front brake failed (uh-huh). Then a few blocks later taking a right turn another guy ahead of me went straight on the sidewalk and rode it a few feet until he got back on the road. It almost looked like he did it on purpose. But I doubt it. We were a good bike length between each other.

 

My wife also says that group rides have been a big help to her with improving her skills.

Unfortunately, you will get a lot of negative responses on this forum. This being the internet, people here seem to be more afraid of everything than Harley riders you'll meet in real life. Among their top 10 greatest fears, from what I've seen on the forum, are:

1. Bikers
2. Group Rides
3. Guns
4. Rain
5. Gravel roads
6. Bikers
7. Group rides
8. Falling off
9. Bikers
10. Group Rides

 

I dislike group rides for the most part and I have learned a few things from them.

1. No two people ride the same.
2. Not everyone like to stop as much as I do.
3. New Riders will alsmost hit you and drop their bike at a intersection.
4. Someone's bike will break down and you will have to babysit them as there friend will ride in the front and not notice you are on the side of the road with there buddy that thinks a $500.00 bike is a good idea.
5. Someone will cut you off atleast twice in a ride.
6. You will be happy once the group ride is over and you are by yourself on the way home.
7. You will be very happy once you get home safe as you recap the day and all the dumb stuff everyone did on the ride.