Anyone got input on the recommended positioning when riding with other bikes? I've never like sharing a lane and generally do a staggered position with other riders, but want to know what the accepted protocol is.
Well bottom line is everybody is responsible for themselves and thier own bikes, so ride your own ride. If you dont like another rider being too close then wave them on by or pull off.
Usually staggered on strait roads is fine for group riding while cruising at slower speeds cause it gives you a chance to stay closer and yet still have a visible line ahead. When the twisty parts come up or the speed wickes up, you should add more space between bikes, enough for you to either brake or swerve to get out of the way if their should be a mishap. All the group rides I have been on, when the speed wicks up a bit, the positioning ends up being single file and with a lot more space. Some riders are really comfortable with each other and ride closer but thats somthing you develop after riding a lot together and well thats not the safest thing for a big group with riders who are not familiar with each other.
When passing use your signals and give a wide bearth, some guys I have seen passed way over on the opposite side of the road on the opposite shoulder practically just as not to upset the riders they are passing. But every once in a while some doof who is not even riding with our group will get on some ego trip and pass in my lane, or worse on my right just as I am moving over to get out of the way. So for this I always say pass on the left and with lots of room, signal before hand.
Some groups dont want you to pass the riders in front of you and inevitably a newer rider ends up hold up a bunch of more experienced riders that way, and of course he doesnt wave them on by. So the experienced guy will go way over to the opposite lane on the very left to give the new guy some room just in case it freaks him out.
Passing cages should be done on straits and with lots of open road you can see down the line in, but on those tight roads sometimes you have to get by where you can, so one at a time and dont try to stuff your bike in with the guy in front of you and risk everybody! Dont get into that "I gotta stay with the group mentality" if you have to wait a while to get a safe pass then just wait. Passing is always hardest for the guys in back, sometimes the driver getting passed gets offensive and actively speeds up to hold off the rest of the motorcycles behind him, freaking cagers get egos too, so just use good judgement and dont risk your life trying to make a dangerous pass.
If the leaders dont slow down to let the group gather then just let them go.. everybody in the group should have an idea where the next stop is and gather up again there. Lets face it some riders are just too slow so you just let them know where the next stop is and regroup there.
If you havent read "The Pace" read it!!
Whenever the speed gets faster, the road gets more hazdarous, the weather gets worse, or the visibilty gets dimmer add more space between your self and the riders around you.
Staggering in a lane is definitely preferred. Sometimes it is better to be to the shoulder on the freeway, so a stagger is not possible. When this happens, I just fall back a bit. In the twisties, I am usually right on the tail of the guy in front of me (within 20 feet). If he slams on his brakes, that is my fault for following too closely. When I get closer, it usually means I am preparing for a pass. I always try to pass on the opposite of the road and give the guy/gal plenty of roon. I'm usually content not to pass until the guy in front of me brakes way early and catches me off guard. Then it's on. Don't follow my lead though, sometimes I can be a :squid: . No comments from the hurricane belt.
But mainly it comes from hanging out here for the last, what is it? 3-4 years? :blink: How long has it been since we moved from the Delphi forum? :beer:
hondachic, Feb 14 2005, 06:37 PMThanks for the info. Thats pretty much what I've practiced in the past.� Is "The Pace" a book?
I can't believe hondachic's question hasn't been answered yet.
And the answer is "no".
:lol:
The pace is an article (plus a follow-up) from motojournalist Nick Ienatsch. Here's a link for the first one (1991) and another for the second (1993), both originally published in Motorcyclist.
If you like his style of writing -- it's very clear -- pick up his book, Sport Riding Techniques. Here's the amazon.com reference.
***
That's how I hope to get to 4,000 posts :P
Edited because I had "Sport Rider" instead of Motorcyclist...
ULEWZ, Feb 14 2005, 09:28 PMStaggering in a lane is definitely preferred. Sometimes it is better to be to the shoulder on the freeway, so a stagger is not possible.
No comments from the hurricane belt.
i'm sorry but i can't help it with an opening like this! :lol:
personally staggering, wether in lane, or in a bar or public location will get you in more trouble than following to closely. most likely you will get a field sobriety test and a pair of shiny wrist bracelets! :D
Back to the post, because I never sway off topic ! :blink: I don't like anyone near me at all unless I know them and trust them ! We do the highway stagger, but don't always like other's idea of safe space. Once riding with guys I've ridden with many time's and on a trip, I almost had to eat a rear bumper. I was leading and in the left side of the lane, but when a car in front of us decided to make a left at the last second I slowed and was moving to the right side of the lane to slip by on the right. Just to be sure my ridding buddies weren't crazy I checked on to make sure there was room and the both of them decided to go by me and the car on the right ! :squid: Taking my exscape lane away, if I would have assumed they wouldn't be so STUPID, I would have taken out all three of us. I did my best impression of a stoppie having no place to go with my Clown buddies going by me at 40 MPH ! You know who you are :squid: :squid: and my trust in these guy's is gone ! <_<
The other problem with following someone to close(could be 2ft- 100ft) is that if the guy in front has to do a panic maneuver/stop and you don't have the reaction time or space to stop, you take him out too ! Be careful who you ride with ! :unsure: Enjoy ! :beer: ps what Miguel said !
Corbeau, Feb 14 2005, 08:27 PMI can't believe hondachic's question hasn't been answered yet.
And the answer is "no". :lol:
The pace is an article (plus a follow-up) from motojournalist Nick Ienatsch. Here's a link for the first one (1991) and another for the second (1993), both originally published in Motorcyclist.
If you like his style of writing -- it's very clear -- pick up his book, Sport Riding Techniques. Here's the amazon.com reference.
***
That's how I hope to get to 4,000 posts :P
Edited because I had "Sport Rider" instead of Motorcyclist...
Thank's I'll have to check both out as soon as i can stay off the bike long enough to focus on anything else.
Timely column in the current Cycle World regarding this very issue. Australian practice is quite different.
Briefly:
Keep a 3 second space between you and the rider in front.
Don't ride the stagger.
On a straight, clear road with no oncoming traffic, ride the lane nearest the center. Gives a little more reaction time for wallabies, possums, deer, Hummers, etc, entering from the side.
When traffic approaches from ahead, move to the outside lane, giving yourself a little room.
There's more, but this makes extremely good sense to me, in fact, it's what I usually do. You move around a lot more on the road than if you're just cruising along in a stagger. I don't see that as a negative.
If you think 3 seconds is a long space, consider that riding in the stagger, the recommendation is one second behind the person in front of you...but since they're off to your side, in actuality you're riding two seconds behind the guy you're more likely to hit.
Vato Viejo, Feb 16 2005, 05:19 PMThere's more, but this makes extremely good sense to me, in fact, it's what I usually do. You move around a lot more on the road than if you're just cruising along in a stagger. I don't see that as a negative.
Interesting points and as with most things, there's often more than "one" right way to do something.
Just for clarification though.....the concept behind riding in a staggered formation for basic street, fwy, interstate travel does not preclude you from having the entire lane to move around in. Just the opposite...that's part of the purpose as well as giving a rider an unobstructed view directly in front of them.
Personally I prefer to have the clear view directly in front of me when in those situations.
The one second rule that you mentioned is not necessarily the final word on spacing either. It's used by some groups, but others go for two seconds behind the person directly in front of you staggered......visibility is better thereby giving you more time to react to road conditions etc........How many times have you been unable to avoid let's say a "pothole" or something because you didn't see it in time because there was a rider directly in fornt of you reducing your view????
Ideally, you should have the visibility and the distance between riders...this gives you the best advantages on the road.
End of thread · 21 posts recoveredWayback Machine snapshot 1 May 2005