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If you’ve decided to follow some of my suggestions by surrounding yourself with Humble and Smart riders, provided everyone with maps and cell phone numbers (for multi-day road trips), and ensure that everyone rides at their own pace, you’ve eliminated a great deal of the obstacles to having a fun and safe ride. I don’t have all the answers, but I have taken probably twenty or so multi-day road trips ranging from alone up to fourteen riders. Every time I ride in a group, I learn something new. Equally important as the good. is noting those things that didn’t work.

In a group ride, there are really only two options: Lead or Follow. It sounds simple I know, but don’t think its execution is easy, especially when you have a mixed crowd. Groups get completely FUBAR’d when people behind the leader stop following and start thinking. There is no reason for someone who is new to a set of roads to think about anything other than following with regard to where to go. Of course you have to think about the ride, but if you are following DON’T MAKE DECISIONS! Know where you are supposed to go and get there. If your group is any good whatsoever, they will be waiting together.

RULE #11: The leader of a section of the ride should be the one who both knows the area and is the fastest.

Its easy to imagine why you want the guy who knows the area to lead. Hopefully, he’ll let you in on the areas of caution (decreasing radius turns, surface condition, cops, etc.) Second, this person will probably have a good place in mind to take a break and gather up for the next section. And third, as mentioned in the past, its another unknown eliminated.

The group leader is the fastest guy in the best scenario, followed by the second fastest, and so on. In this case, the passing is reduced and no one gets pressured from behind. Of course, the guy in front has the longest to wait at the next stop, but that’s part of riding.

Often, the fastest guy is not the most familiar with the roads. If so, its best for the leader to explain the road to everyone and either get everyone to spread out accordingly, or prepare to wave someone by.

Sidebar: I realize that dicing it up with your buddies is a lot of fun. I do it too. I ride with guys who are all similar in speed (heh - or slightly faster) so I am fortunate that we are all usually within sight of each other. Its a great ‘Ha Ha’ feeling to show a buddy your front wheel in a turn. I am not saying that people must spread out…out of sight of each other…but it is the safest and I would recommend spreading out to newbs. End Sidebar

One of the few track rules that apply to the street is ‘the line’. Although there are no blue flags to tell you that you are about to be passed, your line is to be respected by any experienced rider. Again, its best to wave people by but that’s not always an immediate option. If you’re in an area of technical, tight twisties its best to keep your normal line and try to be predictable. The guy who is now on your rear tire will figure out a way to get around you. Smooth is vital for him to anticipate what line you will probably take. Erratic lines make it very difficult to pass and is no good for anyone.

If you are the one doing the passing, be cool. Yeah, if its a buddy you ride with a lot you can show him a wheel or maybe the middle finger, but otherwise wait for that short straightaway to overtake. If you pass someone in a turn and they didn’t know you were there, chances are you’re going to startle the guy as well as probably crowd his personal comfort bubble of space. That means you’re going to piss him off. I even wait to pass Harley’s until a straightaway (OK, my one HD dig;) ). An extra turn or two is not going to ruin your flow.

RULE #12: If you’re getting passed, be SMOOTH. If you’re doing the passing, be COOL. Either way you don’t want to ruin someone else’s pace, and you don’t want to be the cause of a fellow rider needing an underwear change!

The most common error I see with group rides involves passing on the double yellow. I can’t sit here and honestly say that I haven’t or don’t pass on the double yellow if I want to keep the ‘groove’ of the road going, but try and be as smooth as possible and moderate the right hand if you have an aftermarket exhaust. The problem is not passing on the double yellow, but having the first guy get by and wave the others on. While it seems helpful, it isn’t. Each rider should be 100% responsible for the decision to pass on the double yellow or at all. They know the risk level they are willing to take and capability best. I have seen countless times where the casual wave forward immediately turns into a panicked stop motion. That sucks. Get around the lapped traffic and move on. Let the others do the same without your ‘help’. If they get a ticket or worse, it was their decision.

RULE #13: Don’t wave people on to tell them its clear where they cannot see. As far as passing is concerned, it should be each rider’s decision whether or not to pass. If you get waved on, ignore it until you are comfortable in your mind to overtake.

Any group on a multi-day ride should briefly discuss and agree upon what I call a “Ticket Plan”. We are for the most part talking about sport bikes for this, but it can still apply to all groups. There are reasonable odds that a group of sport bikes will encounter the local revenue generating machine called the police. Have a plan for that. Yours truly (back in my younger days) got a ticket for “excessive speed” because we passed people on the double yellow. They had cell phones. The actual pass had nothing to do with the ticket, but it gave the cops a chance to set up in front of us and get us for speeding.

If you’re hauling butt, its usually not the first guy who is pulled over…because he’s GONE. The second or third are the vulnerable ones. Whether or not you decide to pull over as a group or “every man for himself / I don’t know any of those guys” (we use the latter), you should know the cop ‘rules’ before you leave. Sometimes you end up taking one for the team…its a numbers game I guess. Be sure to wait for the guy getting nailed at the next stop.

RULE #14: Have an agreement as to how to handle cops / tickets. Just do it.

Other helpful practices that only need mention are:

• Use hand and turn signals when appropriate, but use them.
• Stop at all major intersections that are not obvious as to where to go or have not been explained.
• Your range limit is only as far as the smallest gas tank. Know the bike with the smallest range and use that number for fuel stops.
• Check out your bike and others for…bad stuff (low tire pressure, loose chain, brake light not working, etc.) at the breaks.

As for the rest, it all falls under common sense and experience. Mistakes will happen, people will get split up, and delays will occur if you ride in groups long enough. Its all part of riding. All you can do is try to minimize the avoidable ones with good planning and smart riders.

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