There are people you can trust with your life, and know how to ride with you, and people who "think" they can ride. I don't follow anyone or ride close to anyone I don't know. I give them plenty of room.

 

My experience with the local HOG chapter & a similar riding club has been very positive. Good organization, great safety (thanks to the road captains), friendly atmosphere, all in all a great ride. I like to ride alone too, but enjoy company sometimes as well.

The huge, anyone-is-welcome benefits are much harder to organize and do include everyone. Keep your distance, pay attention, look ahead, etc.

It's good to broaden your experience and do things differently once in awhile, but do what you want.

 

I'm OK with group rides. Seems we apparently have a group of experienced riders, that are aware of things going on around them. And they are hog members!

 

You have to be fully aware on a group ride just like you have to be fully aware riding solo. I like group rides simply becaise I get tired of either always riding alone or riding with the same guys week after week. With groups you go to different places and ride with different people. make new friends, etc. etc. etc. For me it gets really boring riding with the same people.

On the other hand I also enjoy riding with my close friends sometimes and riding solo. Probably going to do a three thousand mile solo ride this June. You need variety to keep things interesting IMO.

 

I ride solo 99% of the time. Screw group riding, ESPECIALLY HOG. Wouldn't wanna be seen with them. No desire to ride with rules, restrictions, set course, etc.

 

So I found out today that the guy on the first bike down has had several crashes. Damn sure don't want to ride around him anymore!

 

+1 on that. I don't ride alone much, but it's usually just 2 bikes, and sometimes up to 5. All with dudes I've been riding with for a while. We almost always get lost (especially when I lead), and that's part of the fun. If there's a specific destination we want to get to, we just get a general idea and figure it out from there. Otherwise we'll just point in a direction aimlessly ride to wherever.

The only time I'll have a set course is if I want to be somewhere in a certain amount of time. That's when I'll map out the best and quickest route, and stick to it.

 

3 bikes down at 70 mph and no one seriously hurt....they should be buying lotto tickets

 

I've never enjoyed group rides. Seems like if you get a group of 3 or more strangers together for a ride, at least one will be a ahole that thinks he can ride but really can't. Anyway, that's my theory and I stick to it. The only people I actually enjoy riding with are just a couple of my friends and only one of my relatives.

 

Down here in Jamaica group rides are fairly common and done mostly by groups accostomed to riding together. I have only been on a few and with no more than 10 riders and its real fun and the lime down here on the island is great. what i have learned its if you are not comfortable with a riders riding habits(such as constantly closing up on you) say it early and ask them to change or move out of their path. When i ride in a group i give space and i want mine, nothing pisses me off more than slowing for something and then seeing someone suddenly next to me, leaving no room to manoveure should the need arise. A group of 5 is fine and if the pace is too fast for me i meet then further on.