Group riding and the Basics

By Ben Labs

This week for my blog, I decided to upload a video on YouTube to give you guys a first hand look into the ride out in the DMV and what it is like to ride with so many people.

Group ride can be incredibly fun with tons of people around you who all enjoy the same hobby, but with this fun also comes the dangers of riding with so many people and not knowing predictable driving habits. Group rides with over seven people is where the risks start to really pick up, because with so many people you will have multiple people sharing lanes and a lot next to each other. Also in group rides its a lot harder to communicate any issues whether its with the road or your Motorcycle so that is why hand signs are key when in a group.

Now I will explain some important steps you can use to make your group rides go smoother. Preparation is always key when planning a ride with a lot of people.
By Preparing before you leave your starting point it will allow the group to better understand how to get to the final destination or to take any stops along the way.  the main goal of the ride is getting there safely.

The next thing you should do is assign someone as a leader, the leader of the riding group should be one of the most experienced. They will be the first person to encounter other traffic going the same direction or oncoming. They should know how to respond to other drivers on the road and be prepared to guide the other riding members safely.

Next you should decide how many people your going to ride with and what you feel comfortable with. The number of riders should stay to a max of five to seven riders for safety. Larger groups can easily bunch up on the road and become an obstacle unto themselves. Five would be a good number if the group as a whole was less experienced and seven would be better if the group was more experienced.

Now that you are prepared and ready to hit the road you should next decide on your riding formation. the formation that is usually recommend is the staggered formation.

Wrapping this all up Group riding brings new adventures motorcycle riding and with safe and careful planning it can get better after each ride. Each ride as a group will be a different scenery and a change in pace with the addition or subtraction of riders joining in. Just remember to stay safe and follow the basics.