Group Riding Guidelines

[RC1]

well said shaun RESPECT

[Toaster]

Good thread thanks! helpful reading

[James Deuce]

You definitely got the wrong end of the stick Shaun. 90% of my riding is commuting. The other 10% is split up between going for a ride with maybe 2 other mates and one or two tours a year. I've organised two big rides and I've publicly said I'm not doing any more.

[Toaster]

I have a question... I'm still a learner, never riden in a group ride before, and was thinking of doing the 'wairarapa toy run' next weekend. Should I attempt this? Do I sit at the back.... being a slowpoke?

I always feel better coming from behind. I hate the pressure of faster riders behind me (yeah i ride fairly sedately as the potential in my bike exceeds my skill level.).

[Blairos]

I have a question... I'm still a learner, never riden in a group ride before, and was thinking of doing the 'wairarapa toy run' next weekend. Should I attempt this? Do I sit at the back.... being a slowpoke?

The key is to ride your own ride, at a pace that you are comfortable - if this means you are at the back, then it doesnt matter

My 1st Coro Loop ride on my former VTR250 - remember it well (had about 2000K total bike time), we had about 35 bikes, and I always arrived about 7-8 mins behind the rest of the faster, more experienced riders - they always waited for me, which was great!

The way it usually turned out was I would start off each leg in the middle of the pack, and let the faster ones past me at a time that was safe for all...

Ride report here... http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...t=26822&page=6

[Shaun]

You definitely got the wrong end of the stick Shaun. 90% of my riding is commuting. The other 10% is split up between going for a ride with maybe 2 other mates and one or two tours a year. I've organised two big rides and I've publicly said I'm not doing any more.

Hi Mate,

NO, I used and abused this thread ( Sorry ) Because I really trythfully believe that our mates would still be here today with out these fuckin things going on

I have aggonised all week long about how to start a thread on this very subject, and then there was the title I needed to hijack because I did not have the balls to stand up and say what I really wanted to on my own! and most of you do not even know me ( The real me)

And I applaud your decision to not organise any more of them, and I really hope a lot more people start pressuring others to stop them.

[Ixion]

What Shaun said.

You're all wonderful people 'n' we luffs y'all, and you're all very good riders , far faster and better than me, but riding with you is just too dangerous.

(How odd that the Ultimate Nana and a racer should reach the same conclusion. Is that significant?)

[Shaun]

What Shaun said.

You're all wonderful people 'n' we luffs y'all, and you're all very good riders , far faster and better than me, but riding with you is just too dangerous.

(How odd that the Ultimate Nana and a racer should reach the same conclusion. Is that significant?)

Thank you RCTL and IXON, I have really been shitting myself about making such a post, and to know that a couple of others agree, makes me very comfortable with coming out with it

[Hellraiser]

Quote from above post


Mental flexibility is very important in group riding. Way too many people go on group rides and get vastly out of their depth, trying to keep up with mates who are comfortable at a different pace. You have to be able to look at yourself, your riding, how stressed you are feeling and try and find a niche to fit in. If you are riding at more than 5/10ths on a group ride, you're pushing too hard. If you get it wrong you are going to hurt some people around you.

I know it does not happen every time BUT


Why Not just stop organising these bloody things, if you and a mate want to go on a ride together just go on a dam ride, why is it so important to ride around in big groups, you can all meet some where if that is what it is all about and all be well and healthy

To many people are crashing on them, to many people are getting hurt on them

To many riders are pissing off the Cages that you hate you any way

Maybe it has nothing to do with me as I do not come on these rides, but ever since I joined this board, I keep reading about this and that crash on a group ride, they are fuckin dangerous because

Kiwi males ( In Paticullar) are not going to let there mate beet them! It is a part of being a kiwi male

It is just like finding a fire and taking a bottle of petrol to it

Sorry to be a boring wanker but, Responsibility! Some one starts a thread on a group ride, Great, all kinds of people turn up, Great, a lot of theses riders are un known to each other and a lot of them want to be the MAN! Is it not easier to just Stop organising them and then you can all sleep well at night knowing that you have helped keep your brother or sister safe and unhurt and alive?

I am sure you can all have as much fun riding without 30 other bikes around you, or is it really that important to have these rides, and that the high average % will all but guarantee more crashes and injury and possible more loss of life, based on the last 12 months of things I have read?

Sorry- I cannot show you links and facts and statistics to back this up

Sorry- Maybe some times I should my mouth

Sorry- I have just seen 2 guys leave us because of this exact kind of organised thing

Sorry- for being a boring old wanker

Sorry- for caring about riders lives

PS- I know all of you respect each other as bikers, I also know all of you would do nothing intentually to hurt another- but perhaps what I have just said may keep some one alive and unhurt, Perhaps

Ride hard, but ride safe People

All though i do not disagree with all your points but i do believe that Group riding has its place.

A perfect example of this is the 250 rides that Mav & McJim organise they are not always with out incident but i have heard many a comment from people who have said if it wasn't for a group ride like this they'd still be stressing about riding at open road speeds.

To be honest I think it is alot safer for newbies to ride in a CONTROLED group than it would be to ride alone, safety in numbers. Like the Guidlines in the first post say ......... drivers may not see a single rider but they usually notice a group.

[beyond]

Well, from what many call an oldy on this site, that's me

I do love the group rides. You meet some awesome people and have a lot of fun. I meet heaps of riders from all backgrounds and experience levels.

When I meet the younger ones or the ones I know have just started riding, you have all heard me say: Ride your own ride, your are not out to prove anything so go at the pace that is comfortable for you. I always say as well: it takes at least 5000kms to get to know your bike well but more like 10,000kms to get to know it inside out, so go easy till you do.


However, the fact remains and that is mainly with males (birds seem to be real carefull mostly) that your average Kiwi bloke does not like being overtaken, tries not to be overtaken, speeds up when overtaken and so it goes on. Guys are guys. I'm a couple of months off fifty and the real hoon in me got a good hiding from accidents when I was a young fellow, so I've pulled my head in a lot compared to what I used to be like.

BUT, when on a group ride, no matter how hard you try and how many resolutions you make, the facts are that we ride harder than we should for most conditions. I think if we are all honest, we generally would have to admit that.

I have seen people speed up when overtaken and know full well they haven't got the skills yet to maintain the sort of pace they end up going. Their lines go to pieces, there rear end starts fishtailing into corners and it's a matter of time.

Also, it is common to sse that when you tuck in behind someone and are happy with the pace, the person in front thinks they are moving too slow and then start to speed up, pushing themselves more than they should.

I'm recounting what I have observed. The risk element is increased greatly on large group rides.

On the last ride where I binned, I wasn't pushing as hard as I normally ride because of Gary's off a few months back. I still have no idea why the back end of my bike let go where it did but I believe that may still have happened if I had been riding with just one or two bikes. Glad the missus wasn't on the back.

So, in short, group rides have a much larger element of risk for sure. Perhaps many of the incidents that have happened over the years, would not have happened if two or three like minded individuals who know each others skills well were just riding together at their normal pace.

Just being totally and brutally honest here. I love the group rides but if lives can be saved by keeping numbers down to real small amounts, then we need to reconsider and maybe meet at a designated point for lunch, a chat and then split into smaller groups again riding at comfortable paces.

Not stirring, just calling the shots as I've seen them.

[notme]

Thank you RCTL and IXON, I have really been shitting myself about making such a post, and to know that a couple of others agree, makes me very comfortable with coming out with it

More than a couple of people agree mate, thanks for your thoughts.

[pritch]

Sorry- I cannot show you links and facts and statistics to back this up

The Brit bike mags have reported serious concern at an increase in fatalities and other serious accidents on group rides, a relatively new phenomenon in the UK.

Funny enough the increase is attributed to people who meet on Internet Bike groups and who may never have ridden together previously. Probably only one guy in the group is really comfortable the rest are bored or frightened to a lesser or greater degree.

BIKE magazine posed a question such as, "How confortable could you be doing 160kph maybe a dozen feet from a guy you don't know and who may have been watching kiddie porn an hour ago?"

Sorry but there are people who have posted to this thread that I wouldn't be going anywhere with...

[Hellraiser]

Just being totally and brutally honest here. I love the group rides but if lives can be saved by keeping numbers down to real small amounts, then we need to reconsider and maybe meet at a designated point for lunch, a chat and then split into smaller groups again riding at comfortable paces.

Not stirring, just calling the shots as I've seen them.

Again i agree with everything said bar your last paragraph, I think its more a matter of organising & controlling them better, if you looked at the stats i think you will find more people are seriously hurt or killed commuting than in group rides. The Qk's have a well organised ride which seems to go without any serious incidents and same with the 250 rides.

I do not believe there is a magical answer out there .........

But i do believe that if you want to ride fast ........ take it to the track and leave the roads to those of us that want to enjoy the scenery.

[madmal64]

I do agree with Shauns sentiments in regards to group rides and Im always alot more apprehensive while Im on one. In fact some orgainised group rides I will never go on again, like the the Coast to Coast that is on this weekend. Far too risky for me but its my choice wheither to ride it or not. Call me a pussy I dont mind.
The link in the post I made earlier in this thread may seem rather nana ish but IF there is a group ride is going to happening its all good stuff.
Group rides are going to happen and I think if we endevour make them as safe as possible even if it does seem like its a nana ride then so be it. To me the point of a group ride is to meet new fellow bikers, and enjoy the company of the group as a whole. Lets face it its great when the kids are standing at the side of the road waving and smiling as a large group goes past them.

[Waylander]

I have a question... I'm still a learner, never riden in a group ride before, and was thinking of doing the 'wairarapa toy run' next weekend. Should I attempt this? Do I sit at the back.... being a slowpoke?

A toy run you should be ok with. I've never been on one where the speed got much higher than 70kmh. All you really have to do is relax and pay attention to the bikes around you that you don't get too close to them. THey'll keep thier distance aswell but if one gets a little to close just politely wave them away a little bit.