Don't play catch-up...

[map]

...but ride at your own pace.

Post prompted by an incident the other day. Taking the car with missus and kids. Going along and slight curve in the road with oncoming lorry. Two bikes over took lorry, no worries says I, plenty of room. Then as I was approaching another bike appeared on my side from behind said lorry. Me, immediately braked and moved as left as I could. In hindsight bike probably had room however, left those in the car with a WTF! moment.

Obvious to me bike was playing catch-up with the 2 in front. Because they'd done the move probably assumed room for the third. Not nice, should have checked first, especially as said on slight bend.

So just like to say really if riding in a group just do it sensibly and those in front set the pace or be prepared to park up and wait for those behind (or have pre-arranged meeting points).

Worth remembering too that causing another vehicle to brake or change course is an immediate fail on the test.


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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[sagalout]

Good post. We went out for a 190 mile ride to Robin Hoods bay then did the Yorkshire TT and there was some shocking riding on display, mostly risky overtakes around blind bends and double white lines from bikes in groups try to catch up.

I've noticed it on a couple of the BCF rides we had last year too - its as if the bikes are tied together with rope and because one bike goes for an overtake all the others must follow! Just ride your own ride and arrange to meet somewhere for a stop and catchup

[Kris]

Riders playing catch-up outside of their comfort / skill level is probably the worst thing that a rider could do on the roads. This is the reason I'd probably not ride another internet based rideout with the associated 'lottery' of varying skills, bikes and tostesterone.

Recipe for disaster I tells thee. Much better tohave a regular, trusted 'wingman'.
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NSR125RR - ZXR750H1 - ZX9R E1 - GSF600S - GSF600SK3 - VFR400-NC30 - SV1000N - ST1100-R - CBR900RR-R - GSF1200SK5 - GSF600SK1 - VFR1200FA - GSXR1000K2 - ZZR1400 D8F
www.prisonplanet.com

[MarJay]

[stinkwheel]

Following the rider in front leads to you both going through the same hole in the hedge.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Skudd]

I ride with two other lads, I'm the quickest so I ride at the back with the slowest at the front. We often get split up due to traffic, lights, junctions etc. The first guy hangs back a bit until we all catch up at a safe pace. If two ouf us gets past a vehicle and the third is held behind it then there are no worries, just take our time to re group. It does help that we all have autocom fitted and know where each other are at all times. It helps that the guy in the front can also let you know when the next stretch of road is clear ready for a blast. It is good to set up basic rules for if you are split up or held behind other vehicles. The guy at the front must also realise that the guy at the back has to go faster than he does so needs to slow down. I know that when I lead I leave the other two well behind, even coming out of a junction they could be half a mile behind me in seconds, so I am very aware of my mirrors and to talk over the radios.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[JonB]

Group riding is probably the most dangerous as if riding with faster riders you will always find yourself out of your comfort zone. Generally if I am out on a ride, the consensus is to ride at the slowest paced rider.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[stinkwheel]

I've said it before. The "leader-follower" system is best. The first person needs to know where they are going. The last person needs to know they are last (this can change, as long as you know when you're last).

Simple rule. If you turn off the road you're on, you wait at the junction for the next person unless you're the last.

If everyone knows this is happening, there is no pressure to keep up.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[FreshAL]

[Blau Zedong]

I would say ALL of my "oh shit I'm going to die" moments have occured riding in groups outside my comfort zone. Then I wised up and stopped riding in groups at all barring the ACRD rideout once a year. Much better.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[Shaun]

I stopped doing BCF rideouts for this reason aftr a shocking ride out to wales.

I saw very dodgy over takes, got tail gated, someone had an off and got caught speeding, when 1 person out of like 8 gets caught speeding you know something is wrong.

I now only ride with riders I trust, it spoils my ride when you round a corner to find someone pulling their bike out od a hedge or look in your mirror to see your buddy has gone missing suddenly.

One moment that stands out was overtaking a car as I approached a bend, I knew I had enough time to pass, dab the brakes whilst getting back on m sideof the road then go through the corner at a moderate pace. Imagine my surprise when I'm along side the car and look in my mirror to see someone has followed me. So instead of smoothly passing and flowing through the corner I went tearing through the corner a lot quicker than I wanted to.

Next stop and I get "wow, you're quick for someone on a 400", turns out this rider had got the 'I'm on a 600 so can do anything he does' mentality, not the type of person you want following you.

[neatbik]

I have been out on few BCF rides but i have been lucky i guess as the people i've ridden with (you know who youare! ) have always been sensible.
I sometimes go out with my brother and another mate - they are quicker than me, but i dont care. I go at my own pace, catch up if i feel confident to do so, otherwise we all meet a few miles down the road

[LeeR]

I agree with Nick, well I would as he was one of the guys I met on a BCF rideout. I think all the guys I met were alright, sure some of the younger chaps could've ridden a little more steadily, and I think there were a couple of occasions were we split up as a group. But I never felt the compulsion to ride outside of my abilities and I was the guy at the back most of the time. It's probably a question of mentality and we all appeared to be in possession of the same attitude which made it a great day out. It helped that super sensible Colin had planned the route and we all knew where to meet up for lunch.
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My claim to fame: Austin Vince nicked my pen...

[neatbik]

I'll second that Lee, and i propose another rideout in the not too distant future!

[stinkwheel]

I've been on one BCF rideout.

Started badly when within 100 yards of the meet up point, someones hand slipped off their clutch and shunted both himself and the bike in front of him through a junction and onto a roundabout. Both bikes down.

Later on in the run someone jumped off the back of his CBR600R because he didn't think he'd make it round the next corner (despite having just seen someone on a ZX9R take said corner considerably faster). He slid about 100 yards and into a fence, lift home in an ambulance.

I do not ever want to see someone randomly jump off their bike in front of me again. That sort of shit freaks me out.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[virus]

3rded nick

I'm usually the slow one on the CG at the back and i used to make stupid mistakes to keep up, but to be honest i ride at my own pace now be it on the CG or the RS, I tend to ride like a tit most of the time. I can keep up a lot easier on the 250 thankfully, managed to keep up with nick when we went to Gloucester.

make that rideout after I get back eh nick? im going to wales after R+S so ill need to wake the 250 up again after 2 weeks doing nothing


Cheers
John
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[Danny]

Are you sure you weren't in some sort of motorbike carry on film Stinkwheel.

My rideouts with bcf people have thankfully been less eventful, only witnessed two crashes, one of them lead me to me to have this custom title.

[.....]

[stinkwheel]

[Kris]

[The Tot]

The single most unpredictable variable in a group rideout was inevitably me. I was renown for my suicide moves "around the outside" on multiple occasions, very often in the damp conditions, because i had every reason to prove that my ZXR250 was better than their bikes and it all depended on the rider (i was riding with a intermediate track day rider on his ZX7R, guy on a SV thou who rode slow and a DAS graduate on an XJ600). Having mismatched bikes and a variety of riding experience was not a very good combination since I was always trying to head the pack with the ZX7R lad. Obviously I had a substantial lack of power - something to the tune of 60-70bhp deficit with the ZX7R, but i was keeping up with him in the bends and losing out to the SV lad.

Nowadays, to keep me in check on a group rideout - i offer to bring a pillion. It keeps me more aware that there's somebody else's life in your hands and that I have to ride with 100% concentration on the road ahead, trying my best to reduce any risks by predicting and reacting to hazards before they happen. I'll try to pootle at the back in which case, but there's ALWAYS somebody slower than me that tries to get past but finding the wrong places to do so - it becomes tiresome at the end of the day and wish that it could be done another way.

I guess the best way for a group ride out is to stagger the departure - arrival time. Pre-arrange waypoints and let the fast buggers razz off and end up at their destination first, wait about, have a fag, get some grub etc, then have the intermediates who would otherwise get goaded into riding beyond their abilities in order to catch up with the fast lads and finally, the amblers. At the end of the pack, i.e. leaving up to 10 mins later than the fast pack is the sweeper who picks up any person lost along the way (could be a fast rider, but ideally one who knows the route). We did this a few times and it worked a lot better, with more consideration for traffic and other road users and therefore less risk to yourself.

Or you could be young and silly again and not learn from your mistakes - I've had a lot of pant shitting moments riding in groups, but i've remembered quite a few of them, especially when there's a few lunatics around you.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[Kris]

[stinkwheel]

[Matthie]

[Pete.]

Guy at work following behind two bikes in his car last bank holiday, the woman on the front bike (rg125) went around a car on a long left bend, wheel skipping over the catseyes. She hit the front offside of an oncoming mpv, lost an arm and a leg.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good