Riding alone vs riding with someone-delimma.

[blues2cruise]

I found the same problem with group riding. They ride far too fast and do not bother to slow for the speed zone changes....
I mostly gave up riding with groups. Like the others, I value my clean license and having the best rates for insurance.

Not only that, but when you ride at your own pace (or with others who like relaxed riding) you will have a less stressful day. (and a safer day)

[madjak30]

++1



Later.

[gerjets]

The most important thing for you - in my opinion - is to ride within your comfort zone. "F" everything else. Remember, it's your safety you're talking about.

I typically ride by myself but often find myself riding with others, sometimes with people I've just met. I've been riding awhile so conservative or aggressive don't really bother me (unless a group is just a bunch of a-holes). I typically let them know upfront not to be surprised if I drop off for whatever reason. No harm/no foul.

Bottom line. Enjoy your riding experiences but above all, be safe.

[sapaul]

There is another side to this story, over the years I have organised a good few organised rides and then there are times when I just want to get out and ride my ride. The problem is that I ride briskly and if there are other people with me, despite me telling them to ride at their own pace, they want to prove that they are "brisk" too. This in itself is very dangerous as some of these riders will ride outside of their ability. For that reason, I also ride on my own sometimes.

[Drgnfly83]

Not to be a jerk or anything, but your buddy sounds like a bit of a squid...not a very good buddy if he can't calm himself down to ride with a friend...I just ride my own pace, if I'm riding with someone who wants to go faster...givver, I'll catch up at the next stop...and if there is too big of a gap, they are not my type of riders anyway...

Ride your own ride, it's up to you to make the ride enjoyable...

Later.

I would have to agree 100% with madjak. If your buddy can't cool his/her jets to ride with a friend that is new, then probably not the greatest friend for you! I was talked into a bike by 4 of my very good friends, 2 of which I work with, and the other two are roomies. Two ride cruisers and two ride sport bikes. All of us go out riding on a regular basis, two of us, myself and my roomies girlfriend are both new riders and the other three are long time riders. They are always willing to go riding with us and take it nice and slow. They never complain, they are just happy to be out enjoying themselves on their bikes. If you enjoy taking it easy, don't let your friend peer pressure you into "fast" riding. It isn't worth it to be uncomfortable and wreck your bike for the sake of making him happy.

Ride safe and be happy and just enjoy yourself. Thats what the bikes are for!!!

[ranger l]

Interesting that everyone has talked here about leading or following and by some actual distance - a decidedly safe and sensible practice I should say.
During my long hiatus I would encounter bike riders while driving in my "cage" (?), and most of the time when there were 2 or 4 riders they'd be riding 2 abreast with maybe one a half bike-length ahead of the other.
Before my 35 year hiatus, I HATED it when someone would try to pull into my space in the lane and would refuse to ride that way - yet from the present day "cage" driver's perspective, it seems to me that nearly all bikers now ride together that way, with the guy on the outside of the lane riding almost on the paint.
One day on a 2-lane highway, I was overtaking a bicycle, and in order to give him enough room on my right, I had to move out almost to the paint myself - only to be confronted with 2 bikers riding side-by-side. I nearly took his long super-fancy clutch-side mirror off as it extended over the paint into my lane.
Do these guys have a death wish, are they not watching the oncoming lane, or are they just dumb as posts?

[madjak30]

Well, we try not to judge other riders here...but some people are just trying to get a darwin award...who knows...some people are just oblivious to anyone else on the road, even though they will be the ones getting hurt...

But loud pipes save lives (they feel everyone else should be watching out for them...??)

Later.

[shane-o]

..Lost a friend/rider today.
I'm a newbie rider (3 months) but I've clocked over 2000 miles in those 3 months. I've ridden hills, twisties, city roads (normal speeds) and just recently- freeways (75-83 mph) -to keep up with a friend/ group.

My friend likes to ride fast. He just returned to riding after several years of non-riding. We were to ride together, take trips, etc. all on motorcycles. He even got a special grip for his tank so his wife could hold on to it instead of him while riding.

This past weekend we were riding with a group and there were some racers. He rode with them most of the time, he left me behind. He wound up having a slight accident and when I rode up he was trying to recover from it. He and the bike are ok.

We talked briefly at work today and it seems that neither one of us wants to compromise our preferred riding speeds for the other. (I don't want to ride too fast cause I'm too new and it's not safe) so it looks like we wont be riding buddies anymore because of this.

I've been finding it difficult to find other riders that want to take it slow and gradually build up speed and freeway riding. Most motorcyclsits I know and have talked to seem hesitant and usually wont ride with me cause I'm new. So looks like I'm back to riding solo.

Have others/ newbies found this to be true for you?

Mate if those whom you ride with dont have the brains to protect a new rider and enhance their experience by remaining as a group, then find some new friends or ride on your own.



.

[ranger l]

Tux is right.
We are lucky in Canada to have the same coffee shop on every 3rd corner and in every small town.
So even if you're riding alone, there are usually a few riders to meet and talk to without worrying about speed or riding two abreast. They will even talk to me if I arrive in my "cage", as long as I take the time - and don't just line up behind the soccer Moms and whip through the drive-through.
Even if some ride too fast or too close, most seem to want the overall trip at least to be relaxed and social. If they won't ride with you, you can at least intersect with them or meet different ones.
Better to ride safe alone and be able to talk about it with new friends than die keeping up with inconsiderate ones.