How to
Have a great Group Ride
By the Staff of Clutch and Chrome

Other than the lone wolf bikers, those who prefer to wander the asphalt trails by themselves, most riders enjoy the excitement and companionship of group riding.

There is nothing to compare to the roar of ten, twenty or even thirty engines as the pack of bikes make their way through the countryside. The spectacle of a multitude of motorcycles moving down the highway draws everyone’s attention.

In a rider’s mind, being so easily noticed by other traffic is an added benefit of being in a group and takes away one of the major focuses of riding, making sure everyone else on the road knows you’re there. The potentially dangerous flipside to this advantage is the proximity of the other motorcycles with the very nature of group riding collapsing an otherwise comfortable safety buffer zone.

Motorcycles wandering into safety zones can cause both riders to crash, which in turn can lead to a lethal domino effect among the rest of the group. While less concentration is required on being seen, so much more is needed on situational awareness, not only watching the rider in front, but also to either side as well as behind.

Since riding in a group requires everyone involved to adjust their own personal rhythms and riding habits to that of the overall flow, it’s easy to understand the initial feeling awkwardness when riding with others for the first few times.

Here are some hints that can be used by a biker riding in a group for the first time or a seasoned group rider to ensure everyone has a safe and enjoyable ride.

Before you arrive at the ride
All riders are responsible for making sure their own motorcycles are mechanically up to the task. Before you even meet up with the group, make sure you've got plenty of fuel in the tank, and you've taken care of all those maintenance issues. Not sure what to check? Use T-CLOCS.

Tires and wheels. Check the air-pressure, spokes and of course, tread.

Controls and Cables. Make sure cables and levers feel smooth and don’t bind. Check the brakes, making sure both the front and back work properly.

Lights. Seeing and being seen is the foundation to safe riding, not to mention using indicators is a must with group riding. Unless you want however many motorcycles are behind you on the ride getting to know your back wheel intimately, make sure the brake lights work as well.

Oil and fuel. Nothing will be more embarrassing and ruin a group ride more than running out of gas. Although most modern motorcycles come with fuel gauges there are many riders who swear by visually checking the gas level in the tank. The best way to make sure would be to fill up on the way to the starting point of the ride.

Chassis. A quick look over to make sure nothing came loose on the last ride or is about to on your next one. If your motorcycle is adjustable check that it’s set for today’s ride.

Sidestand and Centerstand. Visually check that nothing is cracked loose or bent. Sure they’ll be a bunch of bikers to help pick it up if the bike falls, but do you really want to make friends that way? This might be a good time to make sure you’ve packed whatever it is you use under the stand in the case of soft soil or sand.

Breaking the ice
Whether it’s the first time riding with a group or even a larger number of motorcycles than you’ve ridden with before, introduce yourself to the small circle of bikers organizing or leading the ride. Get an idea of how they like to ride, the route that’ll be taken (more about this later), and the overall plan for the day.

Well organized rides will have a pre-ride discussion to go over all of these items as well as introducing the group to the key people leading the ride. However it’s always better to let yourself be known as the new guy in the group, especially if the people in charge decide to skip over any pre-ride instructions thinking everyone’s ridden together before.

 

For the leaders of the group
When planning the route, take into account how many and where the stops will be made based on the stamina of the group, the experience of all the riders, and the limits of the motorcycles in the group.

A pre-ride discussion is crucial, even for the more seasoned group riders. Having everyone with the same understanding of your plans, preferences, and requirements helps avoid surprises. It may sound trivial but people enjoy the ride more when they have a rough idea of when the next bathroom break is coming up! Review the expected pace, signals, details like fuel stops and routes. Really well arranged rides have printed directions with important telephone numbers.


If you’re one of the ride leaders or organizers an effort should be made to see if there are any new bikers joining the ride. It’s as much of a benefit to the organizers to get an idea of the experience both in riding years as well as with group riding beforehand rather than during the ride.

For club-organized rides, make sure everyone understands any rules or procedures for various situations. Review the signals that’ll be used and be prepared to use them liberally to ensure the other riders are aware of your intentions and no one is caught by surprise.

If it's going to be a large group, consider establishing a buddy system among the riders, or even divide the group into smaller packs of five or even riders. This system can save having 25 motorcycles sitting on the side of a busy highway wondering what happened to the riders in the back of the pack. Also, smaller groups can more easily navigate through city streets.
 

It may seem like overkill but as an organizer of the ride, taking an inventory of who has any first aid kits, tire repair kits, tools and other emergency items could save time if they’re needed during the ride.

Everyone saddle up!
There are many different terms for the people who lead the rides as well as the formation of riding. The person at the front setting the pace and making sure the ride stays on course is known as the group leader, ride captain or just captain. The person at the rear of the group is called a tail-gunner, sweep or drag and they not only watch the group but the traffic coming up from behind as well.

The formations used for group riding are fairly well known to most riders and come in two basic flavors; staggered or single file. Between the group leader and sweep using hand signals, the formation will change depending on road and traffic conditions.

Staggered formation starts with the lead rider to the left of the lane, the second rider to the right and a few lengths back. The third rider is a similar distance behind the second, and so on. This staggered formation leaves room for each bike to swerve to the side and provides reaction time to brake.

It’s important to note that riding staggered safely comes not just from the positioning of the motorcycles, but also the correct distances between the riders, as shown in the diagram below.

Staggered riding formation - Courtesy of Motorcycle Safety Foundation

If you feel that the ride behind you is riding to close or any others aren’t following the formation safely, feel free to move to another position when leaving the next stop. Can't wait until the next stop? Move to the right and slow down, wave them forward, and let the following rider pass.

Expect for the staggered to change to single formation when the road gets twisty or narrow or if the leader wants to allow some traffic to safely pass. Just as with riding with your buddies when you come to a stop the motorcycles line up two abreast. As the light turns green, or when traffic opens up, the bike on the left proceeds through first. Regardless that the group is traveling together, it's against the law to block an intersection.

The decision of where to place inexperienced riders varies from group to group. Some feel it’s best to have them right behind the leader who can not only keep a watchful eye on them, but adjust the ride accordingly. Others prefer to have the inexperienced riders at the back of the formations with the sweep keeping an eye on them and where they’re less likely to affect the rest of the group.

The group's leader should signal early and slow gradually. Ideally he knows the route intimately and has a plan to get everyone safely along it without disrupting other traffic. But whether it’s the leaders first time on the route or a simple mistake, he may have to make a quick decision such as whether to turn abruptly or miss the turn and try to find a way to get everyone turned around safely on down the road.

Here are the most commonly used hand signals to look for.

Stop Arm extended straight down	Single File Arm and finger extended up	Refreshment Stop Fingers closed, thumb to mouth
Slow Down Arm extended straight out	Double file Arm and two fingers extended up	Comfort Stop Forearm extended, fist clenched with short up and down motion
Speed Up Arm extended straight out	Follow Me Arm extended up from shoulder	Hazard in Roadway When on left point with hand
Pull Off Arm positioned as if for right turn, forearm swung forward toward shoulder	Fuel Stop Arm out to side, pointing to tank	Hazard in Roadway When on right point with foot Graphics courtesy of Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Just because you’re riding with a group doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your feeling of comfort or safety. Ride your own ride, and don't go any faster than you feel comfortable going.

Remember when the motorcycle safety class taught you not to look at the corner, but where you were going? The same principle applies with riding in a group and not fixating on the motorcycle in front of you, but where you want to go. Also awareness of both the road and how the group ahead is riding it is invaluable.

When you stop for a bathroom or gas break make sure to do whichever needs to be done as soon as possible. No matter where you stop an instant line will form for the restrooms and who needs the embarrassment of the making the group wait.

There will be a variety of stops along your ride and it’s always amazing how much room a few motorcycles can take up. When parking, leaders should try to get the group off the roadway as quickly as possible. Planning the route’s stops to have pull-through parking at is ideal, but ensuring there’s ample parking for your size group is vital.

These are just rough guidelines for a successful group ride. Every group has their own objective, style, and personality. Take these ideas and adapt them to make them work for you.

But most of all, have fun!

Resources for this article
Motorcycle Safety Foundation
Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center