Riding with Others: Finding your “Pace”

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!

The most common error I see with group rides involves passing on the double yellow. I can’t sit here and honestly say that I haven’t or don’t pass on the double yellow if I want to keep the ‘groove’ of the road going, but try and be as smooth as possible and moderate the right hand if you have an aftermarket exhaust. The problem is not passing on the double yellow, but having the first guy get by and wave the others on. While it seems helpful, it isn’t. Each rider should be 100% responsible for the decision to pass on the double yellow or at all. They know the risk level they are willing to take and capability best. I have seen countless times where the casual wave forward immediately turns into a panicked stop motion. That sucks. Get around the lapped traffic and move on. Let the others do the same without your ‘help’. If they get a ticket or worse, it was their decision.

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.

Any group on a multi-day ride should briefly discuss and agree upon what I call a “Ticket Plan”. We are for the most part talking about sport bikes for this, but it can still apply to all groups. There are reasonable odds that a group of sport bikes will encounter the local revenue-generating machine called the police. Have a plan for that. Yours truly (back in my younger days) got a ticket for “excessive speed” because we passed people on the double yellow. They had cell phones. The actual pass had nothing to do with the ticket, but it gave the cops a chance to set up in front of us and get us for speeding.

If you’re hauling butt, its usually not the first guy who is pulled over…because he’s GONE. The second or third are the vulnerable ones. Whether or not you decide to pull over as a group or “every man for himself / I don’t know any of those guys” (we use the latter), you should know the cop ‘rules’ before you leave. Sometimes you end up taking one for the team…its a numbers game I guess. Be sure to wait for the guy getting nailed at the next stop.

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

Other helpful practices that only need mention are:

• Use hand and turn signals when appropriate, but use them.
• Stop at all major intersections that are not obvious as to where to go or have not been explained.
• Your range limit is only as far as the smallest gas tank. Know the bike with the smallest range and use that number for fuel stops.
• Check out your bike and others for…bad stuff (low tire pressure, loose chain, brake light not working, etc.) at the breaks.

As for the rest, it all falls under common sense and experience. Mistakes will happen, people will get split up, and delays will occur if you ride in groups long enough. It’s all part of riding. All you can do is try to minimize the avoidable ones with good planning and smart riders.