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As I mentioned earlier, I don’t have all the answers. In fact, I haven’t followed a lot of my own suggestions because it takes a little time planning up front. I assure you that simply making copies of maps and cell phone numbers takes a lot less time then trying to find a person split from the group…ask me how I know!

Advice is always tough to author up because it tends to come across as preachy. That is not my style or the intent. I’ve listed all the rules below so that they can be easily read together. Please understand that the term “rule” is a figure of speech. There are no ‘rules’, outside of the legal ones, for motorcycles. That said, there is wisdom and lessons learned to be passed on from experienced riders.

Here they are:

RULE #1: There is always someone faster than you. If they pass you at speed, let them go. If they push you from behind, let them by. Do this and everyone involved will have a better, safer ride.

RULE #2: Leave the trash talking and self-promoting to the NBA. Even though all of us are world champions in our own mind, take that to the grave. Creating false impressions / expectations is a sure way to ride over your head and crash. Just think how cool you will look the next morning manning the tents as the rest of us leave.

Rule #3: Leave the “riding faster” advice alone. Try and stick to the non-mechanical side of riding: vision, comfort, etc. If you really want to give performance advice, preach baby steps and emphasize their personal comfort zone. There is nothing worse then having a buddy crash because he was not ready to ride as fast as you both thought.

RULE #4: Each person has to figure out what a SMART rider is (at least include the above definition of humble) and surround yourself by them. Your group will have high quality, trouble free rides and trips likely without any surprises.

RULE #5: Group size is a numbers game. There is always a chance, no matter how good the rider, that something will go wrong. Whether its mechanical or someone meets Mr. Asphalt, the chance is there. The larger the group size, the larger the chance of misfortune…its cumulative.

Rule #6: Get everyone maps and cell phone numbers. This info is vital to the success of the ride if people get split up. It takes a little work, but pays off ten-fold if needed.

Rule #7: Don’t experiment with more than one new rider on a multi-day road trip. Too may unknowns that can piss a lot of people off if the person doesn’t play well with others. If so, its ultimately your fault.

RULE #8: MY PACE is simply about the single rider and the road. Its the mindset of not riding beyond your capability. Since other riders’ paces do not matter, it will be easier to let guys go and let guys by. MY PACE is about MY comfort zone along with MY riding style.

RULE #9: MY PACE requires some humility especially if you are at the back of the pack. Ideally, everyone in the group is at a similar level. Inevitably, this is rarely the case, and MY PACE will be different for each rider. In a functional group though, everyone’s pace is acceptable and their should be no reason to hurry.

RULE #10: MY PACE is also having the common sense to go faster at your own comfort level and increments. Focus on things like proper vision, smoothness, and comfort before the bolt-on performance goodies that we all crave. All the horsepower in the world will not help a rider who lacks the body’s mental and physical fundamentals of riding.

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

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!

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.

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

The common thread here is being Smart & Humble and surrounding youself by others who are. A little planning goes a long way when riding in a gorup. Be cool. Not Fonzy cool, but a little reserved. Ride your own ride and let others do the same if they come up on you to pass. If you are doing the passing (especially passing a cage) leave a little room. Cage drivers can and will call the cops if you’re an idiot.

In closing, don’t be an idiot.

If you would like to leave a comment or add to the content, click here and do so at the bottom. This is now a permanent single article in the Pages section (right hand side panel). I would like to keep all the comments together for the ease of reading. Thanks.