A while ago we received an article submitted
by a regular reader of MotorbikesToday. We looked at this article
and decided to print it in it's unedited form as we thought it
covered all the points of group riding in good detail. There are
some suggestions which are new to us and I strongly recommend
that all readers take a long look at this article, maybe we can
all learn something from it?
AP
Riding
in groups
Ride in a zigzag pattern.
The first rider sticks to his side, and the second rider goes
to the other side of the lane. The third rider stays behind the
first rider, but with good distance. In other words, keep left-right-left-right
within the lane. This allows the riders to see further and thus
prepare for the unexpected. Don't change sides UNLESS you want
to inform someone behind you of what's going on up ahead. A good
example is when a car is turning in front of you and you want
to move over to show the riders behind you the indicator of the
car.
If one stops, everybody stops
If one bike needs petrol, all bikes need petrol. If one rider
needs the loo, all riders needs the loo, etc, etc. This is to
prevent that uneven riding - when we're going, we're going. We
don't want to stop when every bike is running out of petrol. We
don't want to be in a situation where one person is having a burger,
then another one 30mins later, etc.
Pointing is good!
There are three general hand gestures that work on a bike. They
are:
Don't race, unless it's racing time. If
a rider comes up from behind in high speeds, it probably
means that he needs to inform you about something, don't
race away from him. It might be that he's been sent by the
last rider in the group, who's just about to run out of
petrol, to inform the rest of the pack. |
Always indicate
The first rider should always indicate, not only to inform the
other riders to indicate, but also where we're going so that appropriate
actions can be taken, for example moving to the correct lane.
Ride up next to the first rider in junctions
In junctions and such, always ride up to the junction as far
as you can. Ride up next to the riders if possible. This gives
you the same view as the first rider and thus you can pull away
when the first rider does so, safely. Do notice that you wait
for the first rider to pull away, never overtake in such situations.
The Zigzag pattern should aid this positioning too.
Make an effort to stay together, BUT
When traveling in groups, it's often important that the group
stays together, as a first rider your priority should be steady
pace, don't make the riders behind you "caterpillar"
like an accordion. If you're riding behind, make an effort to
pull out of junctions at the same time as the the riders in front
of you. If you lag behind, make an effort to catch up. BUT, again,
steady pace does it. If riding on a steady road, don't accelerate
and brake, try to keep the same speed, even if there is a 4 car
gap in front of you.
Ride relaxed
The worst enemy on longer bike journeys is yourself. If you don't
ride relaxed you will be draining yourself of energy and you will
become an accident waiting to happen. There are several ways of
ensuring that you're not riding stiff. One tip is to put your
tongue between your teeth - if you tense up you'll bite yourself.
Another one is to shift riding positions, ride with one hand,
etc etc. The most important is that you learn to notice when you
are stiff, and then you can take actions. If you're unaware of
you being tense, then you can't do anything.
Your bike is serviced, but are you?
When you stop for petrol, you often check over your bike, add
a bit of chain-lube, check the luggage, but have you checked yourself?
Drink a bit of water, even if it's just a few mouthfuls, have
a candy-bar to top up your sugar levels. A good option is to keep
a bottle of water handy; under your seat, in your luggage, wherever.
And when you stop, you automatically have a drink. If you are
riding and you feel you need a stop - DO REQUEST one, don't let
yourself or anyone else ride when tired, hungry or dehydrated
Watch out for your mates. When you are
riding along, especially with luggage and such. Do keep
an eye on your friends bike. Check the luggage, that it's
not coming loose, check that the wheels are not wobbling,
check that the tyres are not flat. Check that your friend
is not riding tense or otherwise having a bad time. |
Rain is good, for plants.
Every trip has got rain. Be prepared for it. There's no substitute
for proper gear. When it's raining, make sure your gloves are
inside of your jacket. Make sure your jacket is buttoned up. If
you're riding in
leathers, STOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and put on your waterproof
overall. Once you are wet, you'll never get dry. When buying your
gear; think of the usage - Leathers and posh boots are seldom
needed; only trackdays and serious fast riding require maximum
protection. Day-to-day riding requires good protection from accidents,
but extremely good protection from the elements. Gore-tex jacket/trousers
and waterproof boots will keep you going wherever you are whenever
you are.
A rider that's aware and prepared with the above can easily ride
(any bike) for a very long time and distance - 20hr rides and
near 1000mile distances are possible. If you get tired, it's probably
you that's to blame, not the bike. Riding is supposed to be fun,
let's all make it that.
