When you're out and other bikers join you....

[UnknownStuntm...]

... what's the etiquette?

I was out yesterday and a couple of times I was joined by bikes behind me. Now, I'm a newb, so I know I've got very low limits at the moment. When I have a bike behind me, I tend to want them to overtake, so I can follow and hopefully learn something. But no matter how I tried to make this obvious the guys following wouldn't pass me! After a few miles I thought sod them, they'll pass me if they want to and I carried on concentrating on the traffic in front. Nice A road, twisty and undulating but not many points I could see for overtaking cars so I didn't. I was still worried I might be impeding their progress though, by taking stupid lines through corners or generally being a goon? (maybe cos I wanted them to overtake I was taking the wrong lines? I dunno...)

So I wondered if there was a way I could get the point across without chickening out and pulling in to let them by?

[fourten]

i have a very similar attitude with bikers coming up behind me (partially because i'm on L-plates on a slow-a$$ CBR125). I generally slow down and stay behind a car, waiting for behind biker to overtake. A few times i have had bigger bikes not overtake for a long while, so then i carry on as usual, only to have them overtake when the traffic frees up.

Generally- if they want to overtake, they will... For those who don't overtake, i assume they are either new to biking or just want to stay behind for a while....

You can't really give a hand signal for them to overtake if they don't actually want to. Best thing i would say is to just ride on as usual, unless they are frantically revving it up or beeping you.
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www.artridertraining.co.uk

[Tricolor Fan]

Give them a wave with your right foot when it's clear ahead, if they want to overtake they will - unless they're a n00b and have no idea what that means!

I was taught that by my dad years ago, it works for me when I just want a quiet ride.
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Give me ambiguity or give me something else.

[st3v3]

I'd stay over to the left of my lane giving them the chance to make progress, maybe they were interested in your riding?

I love to try and keep up, but not outside my comfort zone. Once a 636 played with me around my local routes, I bit and it was fun. I'd rather bunch up with unknown bikes than be on my own, as there's no obligation to be part of that group/mix BUT they often make time/space for you and if anything goes wrong your with someone who knows how to help. Better than the average car driver following Imo.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[B_A_B]

[UnknownStuntm...]

Cheers chaps. I reckon I was coming to the same conclusion, just making sure I didn't know about some secret dance you could do to tell someone behind that you're not very confident. Now I've typed that I realise it's pretty divvy.

[Deckx]

maybe he was trying to "bait" you and get into a race

Most people go tend to go faster when they see a bike behind them.

[Harold_Shand]

Fuck 'em.

There's more cunts on bikes than there is in cars, pound for pound. Just keep your eye on them, that they aren't going to do something ridiculous. Just concentrate on your ride and stay safe.
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BCF's 6th favourite poster 2009-2010

Harold_Shand's theory might be the best explanation.

[colin1]

thats a good point

if possible, ride at the back of a pack at a safe distance so if they do fuck up, you arent going pile into them

i've had a few low speed spills, but the closest i ever came to a high speed one was an incident, riding with someone who rode like a twat a lot of the time.

I had indicated and was pulling out to do an overtake, when he was behind me and he decided he wanted to do the same overtake and get there first. Fortunately I did a shoulder check just in time and saw him and pulled back in before he went into me.

When we stopped later, I was pretty cross with him, but he just thought it was funny.

After that I always rode behind him and he killed himself a year or so later by riding carelessly fortunately I wasnt with him at the time.

At least with people you know, you know who rides like a dick and who doesnt, but riding with people you dont know can be a bit dodgy especially if it gets a bit competitive.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[tutton]

Sure it wasnt just the pedboys wanting a race?

Id be careful imo, i do my best to give space on the outside if there keeping close to my wheel. or i flick stop and tail on, either they brake or think im a prick for doing it and overtake but it makes me happy sumone isnt tailing me.
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Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

[pyx_e]

I "right footed" a bike past me yesterday. He gave me a wave on the way past.

I read on BCF that it means "I see you and you can pass if you want." It seemed to work.

P
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Shiney!
Kawasaki: ER5, Versys, VN900.

[Charlie]

I have found myself tagging on with other groups of riders before, just because I was bored. Followed a guy on a 1000's the other day who was a wee bit slow, but I gave him space as I couldn't overtake the whole group on this road, plus there would gun it on the straights which is where my 250 loses out.

Other time I followed some 600 sport bike riders, I managed to keep up most of the time, and even get annoyed when they took corners slower than I would. But the whole time I felt like I was intruding on their ride and was never sure if I should follow them at junctions...

So I guess people don't mind to much people like me tagging onto other bikers?
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Ariel Badger]

If there is a layby pull in and let them pass.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[kitty kat]

If I see a bike behind me I tend to pull into the left to let them past.

Sometimes on motorways I will catch a bike up and tag on behind, no one has ever objected to me being behind them yet and sometimes I will slow down to allow a bike to ride with me if they wish to. Makes motorways a bit less boring if you are with another bike.
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Enjoy everyday, tell those you love everyday you love them
Life is too short to fall out with people

[Steve-D]

If I want them to overtake, I will usually just one hand off and sort of wave them past, move over the left and slow down.
But if I'm out for a blast I like it when people join me. Riding with someone I find is always more fun than on your own. Although I have followed people then got lost for like an hour.
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www.southwestbikers.com
Tristan The said 'Dunno what my pace will be like, fastish slow puncture on the rear and if I go too fast I risk my 'keys' falling out'

[The Tot]

If i see a bike up my arse (which I very rarely do), then i think to myself that they're just too fast to be safe - discounting city riders who filter.

The only ever time i let bikes past is if i'm on a motorway or on an a-road. The two left lanes are full of traffic doing 70mph and i want to be happy "making progress" at 85-90 odd, and i see in the mirrors that there's some dude filtering or aggressively laneswapping, i save him the bother and pull to my right to let him filter past me - he's probably doing 110-120mph. I wave my left arm and often they're pretty reluctant, but i'd prefer them to blast past especially if the lane ahead is clear.

Now if i'm doing the leicestershire circuit/runabout from ashby -> lufbra -> melton in the summer days, you DO get thou's and frantic supersports riders who think that their skill is surmountable to value of their bikes and often they're pretty dangerous. But we all happen to know the local roads well enough and if i'm sure that guy behind me would LIKE to do 130 down the lane, i'll let him pass when it's straight and appropriate. This is on the melton road from lufbra to 6 hills. More often than not, there's a copper with a speed gun on the other side.

In most cases, it's right arm "noob" wave (i say noob because most noobs use their right arm completely forgetting that it's supposed to be on the throttle! and i wait about 10 seconds to see them pass me, before which i check my mirrors and do a shoulder check to see where they are. I notice i tend to do a lot more of the observations when i can hear or see a bike behind me. You can't always tell whether they're a seasoned rider or just passed their test think that they're billy big balls riding fast and beyond their ability - either way, give them plenty of room because there's a likelihood of them collecting you. If you're not happy with how they're riding, when you pull beside them, express your feelings as politely as possible without using the words "Fuck, Cunt, Arse or Wanker" which i later found to have a hugely adverse effect on the other party's riding style, become more erratic and unpredictable.
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The Tot 2019 Z1000SX - 2007 R1
Never argue with autism

[iooi]

Just carry on as normal with your own riding.

Only concession i make is to double check when going for a overtake, just to make sure that they arn't trying to go for the same gap.

I really hate it when you are having to wait for a safe overtake and some twat from the back of the Q decides they are going.....
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Visitor Q]

Jesus you buggers are dense.

Bikers don't overtake bikers.

Two reasons;

It's rude

It's dangerous

That is, you don't overtake without a signal. And thats a clear mofucking signal.

LEFT RUDDY INDICATOR

Although im still wary if they are behind a car, never know if the idiot can tell left from right.

But yes, don't slow down and fanny about. Just put on the left indicator and move a little to the left of the lane (when theres no junction). Universal sign for, 'i really don't fancy a race, so go for it if you like, if not please potter on behind me'.
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China traffic/travel bike vid - When I make a sweeping statement, please add the word 'statistically' in to the sentence before you bitch...
From September 2014 to January/February 2015 I will not be using any English, nor reading any. As such, I won't be on here. PM at will, but I won't be checking/posting unless in emergencies. Certainly not for the first couple of months. Please berate me savagely if I break that rule...

[Visitor Q]

[ram_doom]

Strange, I never get bikers catching up with me unless I've crashed of course...

I do like to make progress, so when I come up behind somebody taking it easy, I try to make sure they get the message. Riding in their mirrors usually gets you a glance of acknowledgement from the other rider, I've even beeped somebody just to make sure they know I'm there then given them a polite wave of the leg.
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TL1000s, KDX200

[killa]

My usual etiquette is, you better have some good tyres.

I managed to outride a Busa with two up the other day on the GSR600 i was borrowing, that was good fun.

Riding with other bikers was more fun on my VFR400R, it was more of a challenge.
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[hmmmnz]

[NSR Mick]

I have no issues passing other bikes. I just make sure I do it safely and they know I'm going to do it.
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If you dont like the way that I ride.......Stop trying to keep up!!!

[garth]

Generally I will ride behind them and take note of all the silly things they do.

Like the two people I was following on brand new R1's new leathers etc etc

Up to 120ish on the straights, see a corner, panic, knee out, bike at approx 2 degree angle, body opposite way to knee, wobble round, and repeat.

Makes me laugh anyway.

Most people on bikes are d1cks in my experience.
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You ain't a has been if you never was

[killa]

This makes me wanna get blue lights on the front of my bike and see how good riders really are!

WOO WOOOO!
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history