| Motorcycle rides and riders in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, British Columbia | |||||||
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11-08-2008, 09:35 AM
| #1 |
| Moderator  Joined: Jul 2007 From: Portland I Ride: '07 R1, '08 WR250X | HOW WE RIDE: What to expect on PNW group rides. Please Read! Welcome to PNW Riders! One exciting aspect of being a part of the PNW Riders community is joining group rides. Group riding gives you an opportunity to meet new people, learn new roads, practice your skills, get feedback and coaching, and in general, have lots of fun! If you are new to group riding, this thread will help give you an idea of what to expect. RULE #1 Ride your own ride! Simply put, do not ride beyond your comfort level. Group rides are not races, and nobody is concerned about who reaches the destination first or last. As long as everyone makes it home in one piece, everyone wins. Trust your instincts, if you feel uncomfortable with your speed, SLOW DOWN! Quick Tips from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation: Arrive prepared. Arrive on time with a full gas tank. Hold a riders’ meeting. Discuss things like the route, rest and fuel stops, and hand signals. Assign a lead and sweep (tail) rider. Both should be experienced riders who are well-versed in group riding procedures. The leader should assess everyone’s riding skills and the group’s riding style. Keep the group to a manageable size, ideally five to seven riders. If necessary, break the group into smaller sub-groups, each with a lead and sweep rider. Ride prepared. At least one rider in each group should pack a cell phone, first-aid kit, and full tool kit, so the group is prepared for any problem that they might encounter. Ride in formation. The staggered riding formation allows a proper space cushion between motorcycles so that each rider has enough time and space to maneuver and to react to hazards. The leader rides in the left third of the lane, while the next rider stays at least one second behind in the right third of the lane; the rest of the group follows the same pattern. A single-file formation is preferred on a curvy road, under conditions of poor visibility or poor road surfaces, entering/leaving highways, or other situations where an increased space cushion or maneuvering room is needed. Periodically check the riders following in your rear view mirror. If you see a rider falling behind, slow down so they may catch up. If all the riders in the group use this technique, the group should be able to maintain a fairly steady speed without pressure to ride too fast to catch up. If you’re separated from the group, don’t panic. Your group should have a pre-planned procedure in place to regroup. Don’t break the law or ride beyond your skills to catch up. What to expect on PNW group rides: Gear Many PNW riders wear as much protective gear as possible. It’s not uncommon to see riders in a leather jacket and pants, armored boots, armored gauntlet gloves, a back/chest protector, and a full face helmet. While most encourage wearing protective gear, we realize ultimately it is a personal choice, and you make the final decision about protective gear you use. Cell Phones It’s a good idea to have an ICE phone number in your phone book. I.C.E. stands for “In Case of Emergency”. In the event of an accident on a group ride, this makes it easier for your fellow riders to contact your loved ones in the event you are incapacitated. While it is certainly the hope that nobody will have to make that call, a little extra preparation never hurts. It is also a good idea for group riders to exchange phone numbers. At the least, the leader and sweep should have each others’ numbers. If you’re new to group rides, we understand that sometimes it’s difficult to remember names of people you just met. A good idea for storing phone numbers is to note the make or model of the person’s motorcycle, followed by their name, i.e. “Red FZ6 Joe”. Other tips: Leaders take a head count at the beginning to make it easier to account for all riders later on down the road. Get to know the experience and skill level of fellow riders before leaving. Years riding, mileage, dirt and track experience are easy topics to discuss amongst riders, so with a little tact, it’s not too hard to get a rough idea of skill levels. Asking newbs to raise their hand is NOT a good strategy. It is particularly important for leaders to inquire about others riding ability, and adjust the pace/route accordingly. Take responsibility for other riders. Keep an eye on the rider in front of you and behind you. If you see someone making poor judgment calls, behaving reckless, endangering themselves or others, speak up. You don’t necessarily have to confront that person, but speak to the leader or another rider you feel comfortable approaching. Take care of the rider behind you. Don’t make the next turn until the rider behind you knows where to turn. Point out hazards, even if they seem obvious, the rider behind you may not see it. Hand Signals:           Last edited by mfrankpdx; 11-08-2008 at 09:43 AM.. |
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11-08-2008, 11:44 AM
| #4 |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Nov 2007 From: Vancouver, WA I Ride: 04 SV650 | Just to get it out of the way cause someone has to say it - "oh Mark, you meant 'single file' when you were waving your finger in the air at me the last time we rode, I feel better" ok return to your business.... |
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11-19-2008, 03:09 PM
| #7 | |
| Endorsed Joined: Sep 2008 From: Hillsboro I Ride: '07 SV650n | 
 -DON'T CRASH! -Be prepared, know what you're getting into, and DON'T CRASH! -Ride in formation so you have adequate room, so you DON'T CRASH! -Keep tabs on the rider behind you, if you don't see them THEY CRASHED! -Wear the best gear you can afford, because you MIGHT CRASH! -Make sure your cell phone has contact info in case of emergency (i.e. in case YOU CRASHED!) -If you see other riders that might be riding beyond their skill or being overly squidly, talk to either them or the ride leader, as they're ABOUT TO CRASH! If you don't know hand signals, just mimic what the person in front of you does for the person behind you. (you'll learn them soon enough)  (In all seriousness, great thread, good tips. Thanks Mark!) | |
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11-19-2008, 03:24 PM
| #8 | |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Aug 2008 From: Seattle, Wa I Ride: All over the country |
  Are there flash cards also? | |
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11-21-2008, 10:13 AM
| #10 | |
| dirttrack44m  |
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03-28-2009, 08:31 AM
| #15 |
| Streetfighter Joined: Apr 2006 From: Hermiston, Or I Ride: Ducati 900ss/sp Ducati 1000s DS Multistrada | Rider Safety Info Sheet I would also encourage everyone to fill out and carry one of these rider info sheets. Rider Safety Info Sheet RIDER SAFETY INFORMATION Full Name Home Address E-mail Address Home Phone Number Cell Phone Number Motorcycle Year, Model License Plate Number Emergency Contact #1 Relation Contact Phone Number Emergency Contact #2 Relation Contact Phone Number Medical Insurance Carrier Policy Number Group Number Vehicle Insurance Carrier Policy Number Towing Service Policy Number Special Instructions Tow Bike with Valuables Secure and Leave at Location Other Medical Conditions Blood Type, (if known) Allergies Diabetes HIV Other Medications- Ride safe, Scott. Last edited by 96ssportsp; 04-05-2009 at 12:19 PM.. |
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03-28-2009, 09:15 AM
| #16 |
| Superbiker Joined: Aug 2008 From: Spokane, WA I Ride: 07 500R Ninja | this is great new rider info needed for sure I did not know this info but the EastSide group was great to go over the basics before I went on my first group ride with them on a bike night!! |
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04-03-2009, 07:08 PM
| #19 |
| Streetfighter Joined: Sep 2008 From: Kirkland via Dallas I Ride: VTR1000 SuperChicken | What to expect on a PNW ride? -Expect someone to dump it. -Expect at least one rider who has no endorsement, no gear, an oversized helmet, and riding a liter bike. -Expect people to be unappreciative about the work you put in organizing the ride, expect people to bitch on the boards after the fact that it was too fast/slow.. |
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04-03-2009, 07:23 PM
| #20 | |
| MotoGP Contender Joined: Jul 2008 From: Hillsboro, Oregon I Ride: like the wind bullseye |
I haven't ran into one of these situations of a single group ride. | |
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04-06-2009, 09:34 PM
| #25 |
| Moderator Joined: Jul 2007 From: Portland I Ride: '07 R1, '08 WR250X | Here is my take on it; Someone dumping it shouldn't be treated like an inconvenience. Everyone will have a spill at one point in their riding lifetime, and it's a much more pleasant experience if you dump it with a group of friendly, understanding individuals. If you're going to act like it's a huge burden on your riding day when someone else has a mishap, then yes, don't bother showing up for a group ride. I look at it as an opportunity to make sure someone doesn't get discouraged, and continues to ride. It's also an opportunity to encourage people to get an endorsement, proper fitting helmet, ride safer etc. depending on whatever other group ride imperfections happen to reveal themselves. As far as people bitching, it doesn't bother me. You can't please everyone all the time. This doesn't mean I don't like getting together with 3 or 4 of my riding buddies that are all familiar with each others' skill and style and go rip up the twisties too. I like both.  |
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04-07-2009, 01:51 PM
| #26 | |
| Streetfighter Joined: Sep 2008 From: Kirkland via Dallas I Ride: VTR1000 SuperChicken | I'm not saying that we shouldn't help less experienced riders, and yes, people fall off. I just don't enjoy riding with people who endanger me through their own foolishness.
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04-07-2009, 02:39 PM
| #27 | |
| MotoGP Champion |
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04-07-2009, 02:48 PM
| #28 |
| Streetfighter Joined: Jul 2008 From: Oregon City, Oregon I Ride: 1999 CB750 | Nice post. Went on one group ride my kid dumped his bike right in front of my wife on her bike. She stopped and was yelling at him for riding so stupidly. ANother rider came up and said you should not yell at someone who just wrecked. She looked at him and snapped I am hi mother. The rider put his hands up and said sorry to interupt go ahead mom. It was a funny story I did not see it I was up ahead, my son was trying to catch me he learned the lesson ride your own ride. |
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04-07-2009, 02:49 PM
| #29 | |
| Superbiker Joined: Jun 2007 From: Portland, Oregon I Ride: naked |
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04-11-2009, 04:06 PM
| #31 |
| WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Jul 2008 From: Milwaukie I Ride: In The Zone | What about my record? I crashed my first group ride lead by Mark! Then next ride with Mark he crashed the r6. Then the next day with marks r6 carcas in my truck I highsided the gixxer fawkin around in a parking lot  |
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05-22-2009, 08:56 AM
| #32 |
| Moderator Joined: Aug 2007 From: Portland, OR I Ride: Monster 750 | In light of some recent mishaps, I'd like to add another pointer here. I still remember it from the very first BRT class at PCC, when I got my endorsment: When riding in traffic on a highway, always have at least one escape route, preferably two. Please guys, reread this thread and take at least some of this advice seriously, and not just new riders, but some of you who have been riding for a few years, where the confidence level is way up and you feel almost invincible. It applies to all of us, sooner or later, even if it's just a close call, we all have them. |
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Ride you're own ride and be safe! |
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