McGee's k5 GSXR 600
For The Win
| Group Riding Tips
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. McGee |
Just Some Pictures for Now:
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