It's easy to feel pressured into riding outside your ability when you're with people who you don't really know and when you don't have the confidence to "own" your limits. New riders often take upon themselves huge pressures to "do like everyone else is" either unaware that they lack the skills to do so, or acutely aware of this but afraid to highlight their inexperience.
While I'm not suggesting we all have thetouchy feelies in every non-solo ride we do, there needs to be some degree or level of understanding between ride participants whereby "riding our own ride" is not looked down on. Either make it clear that the ride is for more experienced riders and that less experienced riders might want to give it a miss this time round, or be prepared to ride alongside that newbie and allow them the extra time/space required by them. (Or where there is a distinct range of hp between participating vehicles and those on the gruntier bikes just take off, oblivious to not-so-powerful steeds, which simply struggle to stay within cooee.)
I would definitely recommend that newer riders either do mostly solo riding OR rides with very small groups of trusted friends who will look out for their best riding interests. Pushing the limits is part of progress, but some take longer than others to advance their skills and shouldn't be made to feel that they're somehow less worthy of being on the road. It's easy for riders who have been doing it for many many years (reactions and reflexes are second nature) to come across as quite intimidating - especially some of the posts to be read in various threads around here. As long as there are posts like Mom's and other members here who champion the cause of individuality there is at least some balance.
Originally Posted by Katman
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