There have been a lot of forum threads about riding with groups but when you ride with one other person who has less experience or is slower than you how do you ride? Do you zoom off and then play hurry up and wait, or do you ride at their pace? Do you take time to explain where they might have handled a situation better? What if the slower or less experienced person is your other half or best pal or, somebody you haven't ridden with yet? Do you prefer them to ride in front or follow you? Do you stay with them no matter what?

Conversely, when you are less experienced or slower do you try real hard to keep up, perhaps riding out of your comfort zone or do you stick to your pace and say it was too fast when you reach your destination. Do you discuss speeds before you set off or who is going to lead?

sorry for lots of questions.

 

I don't know what the 'experts' say but if I'm riding with someone who is new I will always ride behind them. I'll admit it, this is for my safety first. Sure don't want to be rear ended by another bike. Also, I can observe his riding and offer advice/tips/etc. It makes it much easier to stay together in traffic if I can watch him ahead of me, rather than in my mirrors.

If you are the less experienced rider than the ONLY smart thing to do is ride within your own comfort zone. Trying to keep up with other riders will do nothing to make you more comfortable and is a quick way to an accident. Discussing the upcoming ride is a good way to alleviate problems ahead of time. Why try to figure it out at 50 mph, in traffic, on a curve, with a herd of cars on your butt.

 

Riding with someone new I will stay back and let them set the pace so I can see what thier riding habits are.

 

I'm a new rider and I prefer to follow someone. I try to keep up with speed but if I have to slow down for a curve I can catch up to the other person.

I would ask what the newer rider wants to do. And it is good to discuss speeds ahead of time. One of the groups I ride with NEVER EXCEEDS the speed limit because our group leader is a retired motor cop. So we all know ahead of time we will be going slooooww.

 

As a new rider the 2 guys I ride with one a friend from work that is fairly new rider and his dad been riding for a long time. His dad normally rides in back and has one of us newbies lead so we can ride at our comfort level and when we stop for a break he lets us know what things he noticed we should have done differently.

 

Motorcycle safety experts say you are suppose to ride behind them at a safe distance. That way they don't feel pressure to ride faster than their ability.

 

Yep, I prefer riding in back not too close and try to stay in their mirror. I let them know to relax, go however they are comfortable and I was new to this once too.

 

I'll follow and observe. Let them set the pace.

 

Mama Duck rides in front and her baby ducks try to keep up and learn from behind. Why try to change mother nature.

 

I don't like to ride with newbies... and If I did I'd want them in front of me... I want to see where they are...

Yes if I had to ride with some new guy, I would for sure go over how and what to do while riding..

Bout the only other person I ride with is my son, so we know he's in front most of the time.

Other than that I usually just go with the wife and I... alone by ourselfs..


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