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Author Topic: Riding in groups  (Read 2906 times)

CROSSBOLT

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Riding in groups
« on: July 30, 2017, 08:23:58 PM »
Went for two rides this week: 140 miles round trip to get a haircut. 195 miles round trip to deliver used Walmart plastic bags to a trift store near Reelfoot Lake. 140 miles was in heat that would melt steel. The second trip was absolutely PERFECT! On the way back during the second trip I caught up with eight riders in a tight group. I fell in behind for a while and noticed several things: Ride discipline in the leader was disturbing as his speed varied a great deal from 65 to 48 and back without rhyme or reason. All riders were grouped side-by-side and generally 2 to four bike-lengths as the "formation" slinkied back and forth due to the changing speed. All were wearing helmets but that was it! No armored skid suits and few gloves. Bare arms and shorts. I finally got bored and went on during one of the slow segments. Waved to everyone and went my way. All Harleys. All that money spent. Very little safety gear and practically no sense!

Karl
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Karl

Three motorcycles 1960-1977 (restored a 1955 BSA)
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Stig / Major Tom

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2017, 09:07:30 PM »
Quote from: CROSSBOLT on July 30, 2017, 08:23:58 PM
Went for two rides this week: 140 miles round trip to get a haircut. 195 miles round trip to deliver used Walmart plastic bags to a trift store near Reelfoot Lake. 140 miles was in heat that would melt steel. The second trip was absolutely PERFECT! On the way back during the second trip I caught up with eight riders in a tight group. I fell in behind for a while and noticed several things: Ride discipline in the leader was disturbing as his speed varied a great deal from 65 to 48 and back without rhyme or reason. All riders were grouped side-by-side and generally 2 to four bike-lengths as the "formation" slinkied back and forth due to the changing speed. All were wearing helmets but that was it! No armored skid suits and few gloves. Bare arms and shorts. I finally got bored and went on during one of the slow segments. Waved to everyone and went my way. All Harleys. All that money spent. Very little safety gear and practically no sense!

Karl

Karl !!
70 miles to the barber!?
95 miles to deliver used plastic bags.?!

Shee-oot, now I don't feel dumb going 30 miles for a cup of joe!

Dadgum, no accountin' for scooter riders!
I read about a big ball of string that's only 1200 miles away! (or maybe it was foil. Even better!)

As my granny used to say - "That man's a caution!"

Stig
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Mr. Paul

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2017, 09:39:39 PM »
That group sounds like an accident waiting to happen Karl! Wish I could have been there buddy. We could have ridden at a smooth constant pace in a staggered formation. That inconsistent stuff drives me crazy. 
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GLV55

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2017, 10:08:07 PM »
Quote from: Mr. Paul on July 30, 2017, 09:39:39 PM
That group sounds like an accident waiting to happen Karl! Wish I could have been there buddy. We could have ridden at a smooth constant pace in a staggered formation. That inconsistent stuff drives me crazy.
I will second that, Mr. Paul. $15K to $25K on an HD with no safety gear and riding in a formation that guarantees a bowling alley spare should someone flinch....drives me crazy too.
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h2ou8n4

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2017, 10:54:54 PM »
Never been a fan of group riding. Group meetup from various starting points, sure. 3 bikes or more starts to mess with the energy and freedom of bike riding and it becomes that little train at the park.
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CROSSBOLT

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2017, 12:29:56 AM »
Yah! 70 miles to the barber! 97.5 miles for an errand! Just shows ANY excuse to ride is valid! Any formation leader should know that steady and predictable makes for a good formation.

Karl
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Karl

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jeeves

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #6 on: July 31, 2017, 04:24:38 AM »
Quote from: CROSSBOLT on July 31, 2017, 12:29:56 AM
Yah! 70 miles to the barber! 97.5 miles for an errand! Just shows ANY excuse to ride is valid! Any formation leader should know that steady and predictable makes for a good formation.

Karl
So a 30 mile ride to take a leak is the norm?!

Ah...America...[emoji1] [emoji106]

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CROSSBOLT

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #7 on: July 31, 2017, 01:09:06 PM »
No, Jeeves! That is not justified. I would not make it! Old guys are like $50 Cadillacs trying to pass a gas station!

Karl
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Karl

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Scooter Dan

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #8 on: July 31, 2017, 01:11:35 PM »
My days of group rides seems to shrink as I prefer solo riding now myself. Last time I was attending a motorcycle meet and greet, 2 Goldwings pulling trailers, collided in the campground parking lot knocking a rider off his trike and landed in the hospital and 2 bikes and trailers that had  to be hauled a long distance  back home. Too many accidents waiting to happen.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2017, 01:16:02 PM by Scooter Dan »
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h2ou8n4

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #9 on: July 31, 2017, 01:31:26 PM »
I live out in the country so no trip is trivial. It's 22 miles r/t just to go to the gas station. I live on a 20 acre hilltop and sometimes I'll ride wifey's scooter or my CT90 the 1/4 mile to the mailbox because I don't wanna hoof it back up the hill.
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When you're feeling mighty low
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jeeves

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #10 on: July 31, 2017, 03:13:11 PM »
Quote from: h2ou8n4 on July 31, 2017, 01:31:26 PM
I live out in the country so no trip is trivial. It's 22 miles r/t just to go to the gas station. I live on a 20 acre hilltop and sometimes I'll ride wifey's scooter or my CT90 the 1/4 mile to the mailbox because I don't wanna hoof it back up the hill.
No neighbours nearby?
I envy you....[emoji106]

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ScooterWolf

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #11 on: July 31, 2017, 03:17:51 PM »
It's funny how someone will pay double digit K for a bike, nothing for safety gear, then triple digit K for medial cost, or maybe a funeral. Maybe it's a matter of peer pressure overruling intelligence. Or no intelligence.

Karl, if you can do 200 miles for an Errand, you need to consider doing an Ironbutt run.

- Wolf
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CROSSBOLT

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #12 on: July 31, 2017, 04:47:35 PM »
Does Ironbutt tolerate stops every 50 miles to drain the sumps?

Karl
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Karl

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Mr. Paul

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2017, 12:28:30 AM »
Quote from: CROSSBOLT on July 31, 2017, 04:47:35 PM
Does Ironbutt tolerate stops every 50 miles to drain the sumps?

Karl




« Last Edit: August 01, 2017, 12:30:55 AM by Mr. Paul »
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CROSSBOLT

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Re: Riding in groups
« Reply #14 on: August 01, 2017, 02:46:14 AM »
Har, har!

Karl
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Karl

Three motorcycles 1960-1977 (restored a 1955 BSA)
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Yager 200i
Downtown 300i
Navy tech, Ships Engineer, pilot and aircraft mechanic

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