Only thing that I have gathered, out all of this, is to avoid PNW group rides all together. Common sense, when it comes to riding, has been replaced with pointless drivel.

This place used to be a lot smaller when I started out and back then it was a place for a few like minded people to meet for a ride, share some good roads and have a good time. There was no pre ride speech, no bullshit, just an unspoken understanding that riding at your own pace was expected from you; no one wants to be hanging around your broken body waiting for an ambulance, but riding. People waited for me at the stop signs or a turnoff and I was grateful. It gave me a piece of mind that if something happened at least there would be someone to call the ambulance, if I was not able to. I would have been personally embarrassed if I crashed and ruined everyone else’s day because of my carelessness. That kept me riding within my limits.

Now I show up to a ride and people are spewing safety, what and what no to do, passing out cards about this and that, but pulling some very outlandish shit on the bike after we get going. Few things get a reaction out of me, but when you keep preaching safety and than pull an asshole stunt like passing me on the right, or doing a burnout in front of me; I have a hard time not throwing your keys in to the bushes. As a group this whole PDX section has slowly drifted away from reality and just concentrates on living the biker image and where the next gathering is at.

Hearing about marshman's crash got me down, but that the whole group did not even know he was not there afterward just pissed me off; an epic fucking fail for everyone that was there. No excuses on that one. No one gets left behind, it's the cardinal rule of group riding, even if you have to retrace your steps and look through the ditches. The way this community is going, it's a lot safer to ride by yourself.

-Drazen

This place used to be a lot smaller when I started out and back then it was a place for a few like minded people to meet for a ride, share some good roads and have a good time. There was no pre ride speech, no bullshit, just an unspoken understanding that riding at your own pace was expected from you; no one wants to be hanging around your broken body waiting for an ambulance, but riding. People waited for me at the stop signs or a turnoff and I was grateful. It gave me a piece of mind that if something happened at least there would be someone to call the ambulance, if I was not able to. I would have been personally embarrassed if I crashed and ruined everyone else’s day because of my carelessness. That kept me riding within my limits.
-Drazen

what happened to the sweeper again? I thought thats what that guy was for....to stay behind and keep all the ducklings together. Maybe i missed something...

question:

After repeating (almost word for word) your first THREE sentences, multiple times, before we leave on a group ride - someone consistently blows those words off....

HOW DO YOU MAKE SOMEONE DO THAT?

seriously - how do you make someone remember that?

no - really...

HOW in the world do you get someone to ACTUALLY do something they either don't want to do or they honestly forget?



really - how?

Man, some people really like to talk.


Keep the shiny side up.

SO I just have "private" group rides when I want to lead, or I join someone else's group ride and tag along (and help if asked). I'm also very select in whose rides I'll join...

What SpeedGeek failed to mention was that the last psuedo private group ride he led had a MAJOR crash. No, it wasn't me. I crash just fine without a lead

.

What SpeedGeek failed to mention was that the last psuedo private group ride he led had a MAJOR crash. No, it wasn't me. I crash just fine without a lead

**Frankly, in the few years I've been riding...nothing's changed with group rides except the increase of posted think-tanks. Crash frequencies are the same as they ever were...pre-ride speech or no pre-ride speech. Although I'm out this season, I look forward to the PNW group rides. Ironically, it's really not for the ride, route, or pace itself but for the camaraderie.

Sorry man, I don't really care what people want to get together to discuss (or how you interpret it). I have already stated, in the now separate thread, ride leaders should lead a ride any way they want to. I have my way, I'm going to keep doing it that way because it works. If someone else does something another way and that works for them, I encourage them to keep doing it that way.

That's great. Do you think everyone should do it that way? I'm not going to go and tell you about the rides I led, how I do it, and why I think it works. That's not the point. Why don't you just show up for one of my rides instead? Probably because like Shrek, you think we're out there to race... that it's some kind of thrill for us to go out there and see how much space we can put between us and the guy/gal behind us. That ain't the case, that's what we go to the track for. (although in my case, it's usually the person in front of me creating all the space)

I can't really comment since I've never ridden a cruiser. But one thing is for certain... when I look at suspension, brakes, steering geometry, ground clearance etc. etc. of a cruiser, I don't think for one second that a cruiser can safely move at the pace I enjoy moving. And the pace I enjoy moving is only 50-60% of my ability (thank you track days, you rule!). There is a whole lot of safety margin available at the pace I ride on the street. I don't care how good a rider is, they won't be able to do it on a cruiser. The physical structure of the machine is the limiting factor, not the rider. (not talking about things like the V-Max or standards)

Yep, that was a week from "Hell" so to speak. But I had to keep telling myself:
I'm not the one that crashed
I didn't create the weather
I'm not the one that got a speeding ticket
I didn't get lost and/or I am not the one who lost his wife and left her behind so I could keep up with the guys.

Once we thinned it down to the riders that I chose to invite, we had no problems. Funny how that works out sometimes

the sweep has more responsibility and to a deeper level.
If you don't agree, then perhaps you need to go to a meeting and we can all hash things out.

Yep, that was a week from "Hell" so to speak. But I had to keep telling myself:
I'm not the one that crashed
I didn't create the weather
I'm not the one that got a speeding ticket
I didn't get lost and/or I am not the one who lost his wife and left her behind so I could keep up with the guys.

Once we thinned it down to the riders that I chose to invite, we had no problems. Funny how that works out sometimes

Do you realize that each on of these responses all say the same thing?

They all say, "I don't know, but I'm unwilling to learn through the experience of others."

Leads responsibility: Don't get EVERYONE LOST.

that guy is badass. Unbelievable.

Yeah I've seen it. It's impressive, but only impressive because it's on a Wing. If he was on a sport bike, that video would be *yawn*.

I'll see your Goldwing video, and raise you this video!

^^^Yes, we've pretty much beaten this horse into the dirt. Can't Sentor or someone else set up a date and time so we can be done with this thread?

(back on topic)

when is this going down?

^^^yes, we've pretty much beaten this horse into the dirt. Can't sentor or someone else set up a date and time so we can be done with this thread?

if im not working ill be there. Just say when and where matt.

Ride leaders are just people. Each one is different. I don't think we need to set up some kind of "protocol" for ride leaders to follow. No offense, but I'm going to do things my way, and if people don't like it, they don't have to come on my rides. Furthermore, I want every ride leader to be free to do things in whatever way they choose.

I think the only people that need attend this are the ones on that ride! Everyone of you left a guy in the ditch and then most of ya were havin a cold one in a bar.

Maybe you should post a list of all the riders from this ride so we all know?

Having never ridden a sport bike, you will never be able to understand the vast difference in sport riding skill one rider can have over another.