View Full Version : riding in groups
i have been invited onto a small group ride over the next weekend.. i am a bit wary of going as i know two of the riders are absolute nutters who speed absolutely everywhere.. how do you avoid the 'red mist' when you go group riding... i don't want to be left behind but at the same time don't want to be pushed into mistakes by riding above my abilities
part of me is saying it's probably best to turn it down...
fizzwheel
28-04-06, 10:56 AM
i i don't want to be left behind but at the same time don't want to be pushed into mistakes by riding above my abilities
Simple dont ride above your abilities. If they are any sort of mate they'll respect that and they'll wait for you. Or if you know the route just arrange to meet up with them at certain points along the way.
Cloggsy
28-04-06, 10:58 AM
Simple... When riding in a group, ride for y'self. Just because the rider in front goes for gaps etc you don't have to :!:
If they leave you for dead make sure you know where they're going so you can meet them there :!:
Go steady :!:
timwilky
28-04-06, 11:11 AM
I have nutter mates. They take risks I wont. So what if I turn up somewhere a few minutes later than them. There are some roads that they simply leave me for dead on. An SV has no chance of staying with Blades/R1s on full chat. But they don't loose me on the twisties.
Ride for yourself. Remember when you are at the back, you have to be riding faster than them to catch them up. If they are slowing they have a reason at least you then have a greater advanced notice of a possible hazard ahead
Balky001
28-04-06, 11:12 AM
There are friends I go out with and we do go quickly, but if we have someone new we generally slow down until we're all comfortable.
If these 2 friends speed in built up areas then you might just want to let them go - catch them up (or they may wait for you) a couple of miles down the road. In National Speed limits you may well keep up with them but ride in a staggered line not behind each other, know when they may under or over take you by looking and listening and you ride how you want to (couteously of course!). riding in a group may push your abilities sometimes and that can be the fun of it - just don't compete. Riding with good riders can improve skills, lines, overtake and filtering. Just remembered the staggered line as this is your escape route if it goes wrong!
Just ride for yourself. If they are good friends then they will respect you. Would they rather you fell off than being a few minutes late to the next meet up point? Of course not.
Remember you are much more likely to have an accident if you are riding out of your skin just to keep up.
I dont know of one ride out that I have been on that I know I havent been the slowest.. to be honest it isnt about speed to me it's about constant improvement and building confidence levels up..
If you do go out with them and they hoon off .. then they will just have to wait for you to catch up otherwise why did they ask you to ride with them in the first place?
Agree totally with what has been said before, if my family go for a ride out together & my son & i feel like having a bit of a spurt we will wait for my other half in a layby or somewhere, we would never expect her to ride any faster than she was comfortable.
tigersaw
28-04-06, 11:44 AM
Ditto Ditto Ditto.
I was burnt off by a chav on a scooter going home from work last night, he was happy to put himself and oncoming traffic at risk, I wasn't.
Just get used to enjoying the ride at your own pace and within your own ability.
Arrange in advance where the meet up points are going to be, choose places that have roadside burger bars, the first one there places the order and pays.
It could end up being the slowest ride youve been on. :D
Ride at your own pace, if they're real mates they'll soon realise that you don't ride as fast as they do and slow down slightly, it's better to arrive at the destination after them than not at all if you bin it trying to keep up.
Daryl.
GSXR Carlos
28-04-06, 07:53 PM
i have no comments on the matter, others from the pennine massive will let you know what my riding buddies are like
i'll give you one thing though, don't look in your mirrors too much if your in front, you will miss a corner and make a bee-line for a field (stopped in time though phew :wink:)
northwind
28-04-06, 07:56 PM
I'm long past trying to keep up with a faster rider, but I do hate having someone experienced behind me... It makes me all selfconscious, and that stops me relaxing, and that makes me tense up, and then I make mistakes.
I've got no objection to having complete beginners behind me, who I can delude into thinking I an ride by hanging off a bit :)
Ditto Ditto Ditto.
I was burnt off by a chav on a scooter going home from work last night, he was happy to put himself and oncoming traffic at risk, I wasn't.
Just get used to enjoying the ride at your own pace and within your own ability.
same happened to me today, absolutely stupid!
your time, your pace. progression comes with time and experience. don't push it too soon mate :wink:
Went out for a rideout with a few of mates friends a few weeks back. They are far more experienced and therefore faster than I am I simply caught up with them in the villages.
Ride within your own limits and watch their lines, braking points. I must admit I learnt from the ride and although like you, I was aprehensive about going, Im glad I did.
Quiff Wichard
28-04-06, 09:46 PM
I have no problem with it-
I have no mates - :cry:
amarko5
28-04-06, 10:43 PM
ignore all the above and get yerself 2 inches off your mates numberplate, then maybe just maybe he will slipstream you :wink: then you can come on here and say you've done 130 in an inappropriate place :lol:
but it wasn't your doing it was there fault for slipstreaming you :P :lol: :lol: :lol:
Remember when you are at the back, you have to be riding faster than them to catch them up.
Normally that is true, but not on rideouts Pete and I run. We tell everyone to ride at their own pace, we have an experienced rider running as sweeper and we use drop-off riders at junctions and roundabouts to point the slower riders in the right direction.
We have everything from 'Busa's to 125's on our rideouts. The faster riders scoot off and have a play, the slower riders can ride at a speed they are happy with knowing they won't be abandoned or get lost. We stop at any major route change to allow all the riders to group together again, and we've found that even the 125's are never more than a couple of minutes behind the quick boys.
As for the red mist...............it does happen, but the stops to regroup tend to give that a chance to subside a bit and common sense to kick in :D
i have been invited onto a small group ride over the next weekend.. i am a bit wary of going as i know two of the riders are absolute nutters who speed absolutely everywhere.. how do you avoid the 'red mist' when you go group riding... i don't want to be left behind but at the same time don't want to be pushed into mistakes by riding above my abilities
part of me is saying it's probably best to turn it down...
Going by previous posts by yourself about speeding etc... I would have thought you would be the last person to get the "red mist". There's no need for it. You ride to your abilities end of story. If they wait for you, good. If they don't, turn around and go ride on your own cause they don't understand the concept of riding in a group.
thanks for the advice all, i think i will see how it is and like BigApe says if they are nobs then i can go my own way :)
Remember when you are at the back, you have to be riding faster than them to catch them up.
Normally that is true, but not on rideouts Pete and I run. We tell everyone to ride at their own pace, we have an experienced rider running as sweeper and we use drop-off riders at junctions and roundabouts to point the slower riders in the right direction.
We have everything from 'Busa's to 125's on our rideouts. The faster riders scoot off and have a play, the slower riders can ride at a speed they are happy with knowing they won't be abandoned or get lost. We stop at any major route change to allow all the riders to group together again, and we've found that even the 125's are never more than a couple of minutes behind the quick boys.
As for the red mist...............it does happen, but the stops to regroup tend to give that a chance to subside a bit and common sense to kick in :D
its a proven system lissa and it works. we do the same and everyone enjoys the run. its always good to get home knowing everyone is ok for the next run.
Going by previous posts by yourself about speeding etc... I would have thought you would be the last person to get the "red mist". There's no need for it. You ride to your abilities end of story. If they wait for you, good. If they don't, turn around and go ride on your own cause they don't understand the concept of riding in a group.
thanks for the advice all, i think i will see how it is and like BigApe says if they are nobs then i can go my own way
Don't recall saying the are nobs. :? :?
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