1.
Always show up on time – or early! If the group has set a leave time of
10am – arriving at 9:45am will give time to chat and say hello. Getting
there at 10:15am, just as the group has finished their pre-ride hellos
and route discussion, has donned helmets, and has fired up engines,
will make you unlikely to win the Best Riding Friend award.
2.
Always show up with a full tank of fuel. Although almost everyone
likes to spend time standing around talking about bikes, there are
limits. The rider who needs to stop in the first 20 miles to fill a
tank will not see the faces being pulled behind the helmets – unless he
has x-ray vision.
3.
Always bring cash and plastic. Some of the "eating establishments"
motorcyclists favor for lunch breaks – small, out of the way, casual,
and interesting – may not accept credit cards. Having to borrow money
from friends you may have just met is always a bad idea.
Be prepared. This is the UK. You’ll always need a warmer layer if
your ride is in the later months. You’ll always need some sort of rain
protection. You should always have a first aid kit with you. A spare
pair of gloves would be a good idea. Easy to get carried away here, and
for sure some modern sport bikes are luggage-capacity challenged, but
ending a ride early because John is going to get the sniffles, or
worse, is lame.
4.
Clean your bike and make sure its 'safe'. This may Piss off the
lazy people out there, When you ride as a member of a group, Many
people take a lot of pride in the appearance of their bikes – and
rightfully so. Some people like there bike to be spotless but this is
my viewpoint and that of a few others its not my place to tell you to
clean it just a clean bike looks nice. It’s unlikely anyone will make a
rude remark about your bike showing up for a ride caked with last
week’s road grime. Also a non-road legal bike might upset the members
of the group. At least this is how i see it. Not every one needs a
perfect bike but remember that a unsafe bike is not only putting you at
risk.
5.
Be willing to compromise. Everyone has a different choice of pace.
Every motorcycle has a slightly different "sweet spot" for a given gear
and speed. In addition, all OEM motorcycle speedometers are inaccurate
(intentionally) on the high side by about 10%. Put it all together and
you will have differing "correct" speeds among members of the group. As
long as the leader’s pace is somewhere within reason, just go with it
and adjust. If the leader is riding at a pace that you feel is
dangerously fast for the circumstances, then actions such as slowing
down and dropping behind, may be required.
On the other hand, you may meet a passive-aggressive person who
insists on riding at his or her pace usaly a bit to fast, no matter
what anyone else is doing. Such people are attempting to control the
pace of others from the back, and such is not the way.
A good tip is to put the slower less confident riders up near the
front but still have some people that know the route that way no one is
left behind and the ride should go well. Riding "over your head" in an
attempt to keep up with someone who is braver, more experienced or more
foolish than you are. This is a sure route to a disaster.
6.
Avoid riding about 5 feet behind the bike in front. I have done
this, and can be fun. The coordinated piloting of the two bikes, but
the knowledge of where your friend wants to be in a given corner or
situation is not the easiest things to predict, it can be a extremely
bad situation for you. With people you do not know well it is
incredibly dangerous, and irritating to the person in front. Also dont
ride in a single file line, if there is room ride slightly to the left
or right of the rider ahead. Gives you better vision ahead and less
chance of hitting the rider in front if they have to brake quickly.
7.
At an intersection, do not leave until the person behind you can
see you clearly. On country roads bikes can get quite spread out – and
intentionally so if you combine sport bikes and the dictates of #6
above. It’s your duty to look out for the people behind and make sure
the group stays, if not together, at least on course.
8.
Thou shalt not abandon a member of the group (or any rider) when
things go wrong. Sooner or later, someone will have a problem. Perhaps
a mechanical problem or a flat tire. Perhaps a speeding ticket. Or,
rarely one hopes, some sort of a crash. If you’re willing to abandon
the day’s ride to assist, you’ll be a hero for life. You may only need
to use a mobile phone and wait for a tow. Perhaps you can assist with
getting the bike operable again. In the worst of situations, someone
being carted off for medical attention will remember your sacrifice in
staying behind to see to the bike and them. There are always more days
for rides, but friends you can rely on are rare and precious.
9.
Volunteer to lead once in awhile if you know the route. Being the
"leader of the pack" is not all that glorious, and is arguably the
least fun position in the group. The leader has to consider the needs
of everyone in the group. A good leader will perhaps delay a pass until
the group has all caught up. When making the pass, the leader should
accelerate long enough to make room in front of the vehicle being
passed to allow for others.
As experienced riders know, it’s much easier to be a bit back in
the group. You no longer have to worry about the directions, for one
thing. For another, the brake lights of those in front give you
additional information about the corner ahead. And best, because you
will get left behind at intersections and in some passing
circumstances, you actually get to ride faster. So, if you’ve been
enjoying yourself all day, know the route, and think the leader would
like a rest, volunteer to help!
10.
Have Fun! If your upset people will pick up on this and may not
take kindly to it so just enjoy yourself. Its all fun at the end of the
day.
