How Do I Tell 'Em?

[Old Guy]

You know....one of the oddest group rides I've been on was the one that worked the best. Went to the FZ1 rally in Arkansas a few years ago and had a blast. I opted to ride in the "Slow" group that was being led by Denise. You might have heard of her, 200,000+ miles on her 2001 FZ1.

Anyway, when she got us ready to go she admitted to how slow she was and said she'd lead the group from the back. I scratched my head but it really worked so well I'd say it's one of my best group rides yet. We all rode as hard as we wanted to...breaking up into pairs or trios, and when we came to a major intersection we'd all stop, joke and when Denise pulled up she'd point a direct and we'd all hop on our bikes and blast off that-a-way. It worked well, I had a blast, and ended up buying an FJR because of it. Ok...so it worked out so well it was my most expensive ride ever. More than the one with the speeding tickets.

OK. I can't stand it. Pardon the thread jack. But did this happen to be at one of the rallies where you shared the Swiss Holiday in Eureka Springs with a bunch of ZRX hooligans? If so, I was the grey-headed old f@rt the they referred to as "Special Ed."

We have people show up for those rallies from all over this part of the country, and have actually had people show up from as far away as Canada. I'll sometimes take a group for a ride down the Pig Trail and maybe up to Oark for lunch. We'll cut across Hwy 16 to Hwy 21 and come back up through Kingston and back to Eureka Springs. This is a couple of hundred miles of fun roads and about all some of those "flatlanders" want We don't try to stay together in a group formation. Basically, I ask every rider to accept some responsibility for the rider behind him. I ask someone I know to volunteer to be last, so when he shows up, I know our group is back together. During the day, he and I may even trade places so he can go have fun while I run last.

Riders are told that this will be a "spirited" pace, but please observe the following suggestions.

1. While it's not necessary to keep the rider behind you in sight in the fun, crooked sections, wait 'til you can see him on the straights before proceeding.
2. This is not a race.
3. Don't try to keep up if you can't do it comfortably. See suggestion #1. He'll wait.
4. Try to stay in your lane.
5. If you want to run the fun sections faster than the guy in front of you, pass him safely in the left lane.
6. If the guy behind you wants by, stay in your lane and let him go. See suggestion #2.
7. At turns and intersections, wait for the rider behind you before proceeding. If each rider, in turn, will wait, it's not necessary for everyone to congregate in one spot.

Every now and then, the lead rider will pull into a parking area or somewhere large enough to accommodate the group and wait until he sees the designated "tail end Charlie." We might even swap places at those locations. While I generally avoid large groups of people I don't know, I am a local, and I do like showing off the roads in Arkansas, and this has worked well, for the most part, over the years. I have had some riders fail to observe rule #2 or #3 over the years and have to be pulled out of ditches, but nobody in my rides has had more than a bruised ego and some bent up metal.

 

[gixxerjasen]

OK. I can't stand it. Pardon the thread jack. But did this happen to be at one of the rallies where you shared the Swiss Holiday in Eureka Springs with a bunch of ZRX hooligans? If so, I was the grey-headed old f@rt the they referred to as "Special Ed."

We were staying at the Candlewick Inn, but yea, there were a bunch of ZRX hooligans and a Triumph group too.

Sadly we did have one guy lifeflighted out of there with a broken back. That happened with one of the faster groups though and the day before I got there.

 

[Old Guy]

We were staying at the Candlewick Inn, but yea, there were a bunch of ZRX hooligans and a Triumph group too.

Sadly we did have one guy lifeflighted out of there with a broken back. That happened with one of the faster groups though and the day before I got there.

It's sad that it happens, but people get to these roads and some rides turn into races. In 14 years of twice-yearly rallies, we've had three instances that I can remember where people had life changing injuries. And this year, one rider was killed who was passing and hit an oncoming car head on.

 

[bluesdog]

... The club president announced that since this was an official group ride, that we were to ride two abreast, in the left lane, 7 to 10 over. His justification for the left lane was that most of this was divided four lane US highway, and he could see critters better and have more reaction time from the left lane. I decided that I would go to the back of the pack. Then Mr Prez announced that he would ride drag and keep any stragglers herded up. ...

That's just stupid. I've not seen ANY bikers riding like that on the highways around here. Ever.

Example: A couple of weeks ago I came up behind a fairly large pack of 30 or so HD riders.

They were riding staggered formation, well-spaced, keeping the speed reasonably well, considering the amount of traffic.

As I came up closer, I could clearly see the 'Hells Angels' colors they were wearing.

I'd like to hear what they'd say to Mr. Poser Prez & his sycophants about group riding...

 

[ionbeam]

... The club president announced that since this was an official group ride, that we were to ride two abreast, in the left lane, 7 to 10 over. ...

That's just stupid. I've not seen ANY bikers riding like that on the highways...

You have had a sheltered life, we see this all the time. Well, not since last Sunday It's cultural. Just not *our* culture.

 

[Old Guy]

My wife and I were in our car headed for Florida a couple of years back, and a group passed us slowly on the Interstate. They were doing 75 mph or so, riding side by side, with very little distance between them. One of them rode right beside us for some distance so close I could have rolled the window down and touch him. I don't see it around here either, though. Maybe it's a regional thing.

 

[08FJR4ME]

I have seen It at funurals for veterens. (Patriot Guard missions) A group of marines all dressed in black leathers. If i recall it said leathernecks on the back of there jackets. I will have to admit these were disciplined riders and you can see they have practiced riding in tight formation side by side. This may be the only time I can see this being acceptable. As for group rides I would have bailed also.

Dave

 

[bluesdog]

... The club president announced that since this was an official group ride, that we were to ride two abreast, in the left lane, 7 to 10 over. ...

That's just stupid. I've not seen ANY bikers riding like that on the highways...

You have had a sheltered life, we see this all the time. Well, not since last Sunday

It's cultural. Just not *our* culture.

LOL!

Maybe. But I've been riding more than 40 years, and have only seen that kind of formation in the movies, or at extremely slow speeds in parades/processions -- never on the highway.

I have sometimes ridden side-by-side, very briefly, depending on road conditions -- and confidence in the other rider's skill set -- just to check out the other's motor/exhaust note. But never in a group situation, nor on two lane sections.

My driveway feeds right on to Highway 3A, in BC's Okanagan/Similkameen. This area is biker paradise in the summer, with small and large groups rolling by at all hours, every day, and I cannot recall ever seeing close formation side-by riding. Which isn't to say I don't notice some bikers following other vehicles stupidly close.

Next time I see a LEO, I'll ask if there are any regulations regarding formation riding, but afaik there are none. Perhaps the narrow, twisty highways here discourage the practice of side-by-side close formation, and therefore the habit never develops...

 

[SFCJCA]

I'm pretty sure some states have laws against lane sharing (not lane splitting). In AZ, you can share a lane (ride side by side) if the first occupant of the space agrees to it. A lot of MCs do it. The only person I trust riding that close to is me.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

As I pondered this a bit more... Perhaps it is all about TRUST.

Trusting the person or persons you are riding with counts for a great deal. Perhaps that is the idea behind this "club formation". A show of solidarity and trust among the members. I notice that the OP never said the name of the club.

There are a few folks I "Trust" to ride close to me. I enjoy following Hppants into a corner, I know exactly what he is going to do, he is fun to watch. But, I never crowd him. I know where he likes to apex, where he gets back on the throttle and how hard he accelerates on the exit. I cannot stay with his Gen 1 with my Honda ST but I can stay close up to a point. When he starts riding over my limit, he in turn trusts me to "ride my own ride". We don't crowd each other, he knows that I know he is the faster rider and I will not mess up our good day trying to be something I am not.

Pop knows what I am going to do in a curve, he trusts me to be consistent. We enter a curve with him several bike lengths back, we exit with his front wheel next to my saddle bag. Maybe it's dumb, but that is what he does. He trusts me.

For my answer to the OP's original question: Don't tell them anything else. If your "friend" needs a club like that he is probably beyond any help or advice you can offer. If you have already explained to him your feelings and he still wants to be a part of the "****** Harley Hand Holding Club", get new friends.

 

[Old Guy]

Mr. Hunter, excellent post. I have a short list of people I trust enough to ride close, and none of us ride side by side in the same lane -- ever. We won't even pass each other without moving to the other lane. We all agree that we want the entire lane to work with as needed.