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Solo or group?

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:14 am
by Bubba
Been wondering how many folks would rather ride solo or with a group?

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:25 am
by Scoutmedic
I prefer group but, I'm ok going solo. Large groups are alright but, can get to be tedious.

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:34 am
by Big B
i do quite a bit of everything. with the patriot guard, sometimes i'm riding with anywhere from 5-40 bikes getting to the staging area, then after that it can be over 400 bikes. large groups are ok, but i feel stifled in them after a while, i like riding with two or three other riders at a time mostly as a "group ride", it's nice having someone else along, but not too many people to spoil the good time. of course, there are (many) days when i just go out by myself and do some exploring and try to get lost.

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:41 am
by Wrider
I like to ride with two or three other people, large groups usually ride too slow for me... I like to be able to keep the RPMs in a medium area, where I have enough speed to not bog the motor, but little enough that I am not screaming it... Although just going for a nice solo ride is great fun too, go your speed, have fun in the twisties, and don't worry about catching up to or waiting for anyone else...
Wrider

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 8:45 am
by jonnythan
I answered group, but I've never ridden with anyone else. Just looks like fun ;)

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:59 am
by ZooTech
Solo.

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:02 am
by Fathertork
All of the above. I prefer travelling with another on a long trip and ride with a small group ( 4-5 bikes) for dinner runs around town / short trips.

One or twice a year I ride with larger groups on a charity ride, but prefer alone or with a few others.

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:30 am
by Scoutmedic
Big B wrote:i do quite a bit of everything. with the patriot guard, sometimes i'm riding with anywhere from 5-40 bikes getting to the staging area, then after that it can be over 400 bikes. large groups are ok, but i feel stifled in them after a while, i like riding with two or three other riders at a time mostly as a "group ride", it's nice having someone else along, but not too many people to spoil the good time. of course, there are (many) days when i just go out by myself and do some exploring and try to get lost.
Exactly my sentiments. I enjoy the fellowship of the large group but, you can definitely develop some "claustrophobia" really quick. The group I ride with on a regular basis consists of 4 to 10 bikes. I get enough solo riding during my commute to work.

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:46 am
by DivideOverflow
I picked group, but it depends on the group. Generally, I prefer to go solo.... but it can be fun to ride with a couple friends.

I HATE large groups. They just annoy me. Too much coordination, waiting, clutteredness, differing skill levels, etc.

I prefer to ride with 1 or 2 other people of my choice. I don't like my space infringed on, I don't like having to chase down the main group, I also don't like being held back by 10+ slower riders. Mostly, I dislike the groups that excessively speed and break traffic laws. Unfortunately, some people in my big riding group tend to do that. They aren't squids, they are just a little more reckless on the road than I prefer to be... So I don't really ride with them anymore. Taking corners at 100+mph, riding too close together, etc... A couple of them have racing experience, and I really don't like that they ride that aggressively on the road.

Therefore, I choose to stick with people that I know well enough to smack upside the head. That way, if they are riding like morons, I can comfortably give them a whack and tell them to chill. I look forward most to riding with my brother. But since he is just learning to ride, I've been going solo lately.

Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 12:10 pm
by flynrider
I usually go solo, although I occasionally pick up a small group along the way.

Large groups are my least favorite. It's been my experience that if you get a large enough group of motorcyclists, it will include at least one doofus that you're going to have to scrape off the road at some point.

My buddy's shop used to organize large group rides (about 30 bikes) to some twisty mountain roads. There were always a couple of bikers that rode beyond their capabilities and bent metal. When I asked my pal why he bothered with such large groups, he said it was like having guaranteed parts and repair customers on Monday morning :laughing: