Club/Group/Etc

[Mad Dog Jim]

Slowriders. Sounds awesome! You're right on the money. All about riding! Has to be!!! I did not and would not in the future join anything that had some other motive, like looking for a fight, or some ego maniac that just needs followers...

 

[deucedog]

Years ago I rode with a large club. Not a 1% type, but about 100 members with two chapters. The funny thing was that a number of them thought they were in the 1% category, or at least tried to look and act like it. It actually caused a few problems with a couple of the 'real deal' clubs. We did have colors, but not with the rockers. This usually kept everything cool. Trouble was that the goof balls who acted up got caught out by themselves a couple of times and got the snot beat out of them, had their colors stolen, and received rather clear warnings to not wear them again.

I learned then that I didn't really like riding with large groups. It was both restrictive and dangerous. I don't like stopping for gas, food, rest when someone else tells me to. The majority of bike only accidents that I've seen took place while riding in a large group. Our annual Rolling Thunder run is a perfect example. I've done this every year for the past 6 years and every year I've seen some knucklehead on a bike who was showing off way beyond his abilities take someone else out.

A couple of years ago a rode with a local group (not a club) of riders who just wanted to ride without all the club rules and restrictions. After about 6 rides I quietly faded away. Every ride had an accident, some with injury.None of them could be blamed on cagers.

Now I ride solo or with 2 or 3 good buddies. We've all ridden together for years and are very comfortable with each others skills, habits, idiosyncrasies, and styles. Plus, all the women get along. Can't beat that!

 

[ultra...good]

I've only been "back in the saddle" for 4 years now so not as much experience as other posters but I'll throw out my opinions anyway.

My first large group/charity ride (around 40 bikes) was a disaster. No police escort was arranged for so the pre-ride brief included the expected "we will obey all traffic laws, etc." Well, we pull out of the Wal-Mart parking lot, first traffic light turns yellow, me and one other guy stop, and about 20 more bikes roar through the light. We catch up as the group pulls onto the interstate for a 10 mile or so stretch. We're doing 80 or so and BARELY catching the group. Get off the interstate onto a nice two lane road and, again, having to do at least 15 over the posted speed limit to keep up. Then I get stuck behind a guy with the loudest pipes you've ever heard. End of the story is when, and this was through none of the riders' faults, there was a terrible accident and 2 guys were killed.

Sorry to ramble on about that but it's why I'm obviously not a big fan of large group rides, especially with no LEO escort. WAY too much depends on other people's skills, attitude, and leadership abilities to be able to relax and enjoy the ride.

I'm sure everyone here will admit that part of the attraction to owning a bike is to be able to get on, fire it up, and get away from everyone and everything else for awhile. I've had some absolutely great and memorable solo rides. Doesn't matter if it's 4 hours or 4 days.

Yet, it's still a blast to get together with a couple other people who ride the same as you and share the comraderie of the road! Other than solo, I've ridden with up to 2 other people. I guess a few more than that would be fine but no huge groups for me. Unless Biketoberfest counts as a 100,000 bike group ride!

Have to agree with Doc, small groups of people that you know, and that ride the same as you. Rode with about a dozen or so this past May after having not done so for many years. Half of the guys had pipes so loud, I could not hear or feel my ultra running. That was dangerous, and hard on the ears. When riding, there were three or so in the front that had 100+" motors and were running like no tomorrow. Well I was in the middle and we would go about 70 or so to catch up on a 55 road. No big deal til we come over a blind hill and they are all stopped at an intersection waiting for us. Again, not a big deal, except that one of the ladies in the back, the same one who needed her bike push started first thing in the morning, and who's clutch slipped, and bike was burning oil so she had to be in the back, goes flying up the middle of everyone because she didn't have any back brake, at all, and she knew about this before we left. So, after 6 stops at bars, (I don't drink) the lady without brakes husbands bike has a short in his wiring, so were on the side of the road for about an hour and a half waiting for him to fix it, because he's not going to have it towed, or call someone to bring a trailer, and by then it was dark and I had to ride with him "hiding" beside me, because I had the ultra with the rail lights on the bags. So, with all the garbage from that day, it is better to be alone then in bad company.
Through all of that I chalked it up to experience and was able to smile about the whole deal and just be thankful that I have it so good. But there is one thing that bothered me then, and still bothers me when I think about it; One of the guys with extremely loud pipes, who wasn't shy about making noise, was wearing ear plugs. I don't want to offend anyone here, but I just kept thinking "what a jerk, if your bike is too loud, put in some baffles"

 

[Mad Dog Jim]

Some great stories are coming out! I hope more riders jump in here and post their experiences or thoughts about it.

You are so right on the money with the patch wearing group issue. Of course there is always an exeption to the rule, but for the most part patched groups/clubs/etc tend to atract those who like to flirt with disaster. You also can't expect other clubs to understand what you are all about. For instance; you can't put on boxing shorts and gloves and stand in the ring, then say "Oh, I'm not here to get hit. Its just a fashion statement."

 

[Admiral Nelson]

The local Chapter / Club had big problems with each other when the Chapter first started but they are learning to co-exist. I am a member of both and I have to say its difficult to know who to pledge allegiance to.

 

[Mad Dog Jim]

You said Pledge... (sorry in a goofball mood today)

I appreciate everyone taking the time to chime in on this. They say that time has a way of erasing the bad, leaving us with only the good memories. This has helped me remember some of the bad that I had forgotten. I am nearly 99% convinced that I will never "join" anything again. For the few times a year that I have the urge to run with the pack, there are way too many other times that I just have a ball being just the ol lady and me.

 

[R_W_B]

Really enjoying reading this thread. So it appears some of my suspicions about group rides are true. I guess what really makes it different than any other gathering of people is you are on 2 wheels and are vulnerable to your immediate co -riders experience and mental patterns.

About a week ago there was a big custom bike show downtown. When I left out to go home there were about 30 bikes pulling out on the same Hwy north at the same time. Everything from Bobs to Heritages and in between. So we all just rode together. I was respectful of not knowing how the others rode and would always drop back in spaced formation, did not stay abreast of anyone (most were 2 up). And from looking in my mirrors and looking ahead it looked like everyone else was also.

Course for all I knew I was the only stranger in the group, but when leaving it appeared to be all random riders. At red lights we all bunched up and tried to talk a bit, but with my V&H Big Shots (and plus I'm half deft) couldn't really hear good. It turned out to be a nice ride, no show offs, no hard accelerating, just cruising.

After about 8 miles the group started thin out as some turned off headed their own ways. Then about 14 miles out of town there was just 2 of us and I turned east towards home and he kept riding north. Guess it all depends on the mentality of who you are riding with.

 

[Mad Dog Jim]

A couple years back we ran up to the Oyster Run in Anacortes. Its a one day rally with a TON of bikes. Like over 20 thousand. the rally itself was no big whoop other than lots of bikes to look at. The point is that when we left, we rode the ferry to Pt Townsend. The ferry was full but only had two cars. The rest all bikes. When we unloaded it was instant impromptu rolling thunder down the streets of town. Stayed that way for several miles. Took about an hour before it was just us again. That was kinda cool. But I didnt feel the need to prospect with them all, vote on a President, get lectured by a Sgt at Arms, be told when to stop by a Road Capt, or get my mirror knocked off by a Sweeper trying to run ahead to block intersections.

Every year about this time when its been a long winter... I get to thinking too much. Ya, it would be cool to have some buds to roll with, but fact is that I live in the middle of almost nowhere. On the other hand, its nice that my nearest neighbor is over a mile away! Spring will come, I'll be back on the road. It will pass...

 

[R_W_B]

... ... ... I live in the middle of almost nowhere. On the other hand, its nice that my nearest neighbor is over a mile away! Spring will come, I'll be back on the road. It will pass...

Location: Columbia River Gorge, I think that is in Oregon correct ? Bet that is beautiful country up there. I have always wanted to go to the desert in Arizona and ride a dirt bike there. Don't know why, just seems like it would be relaxing.

It's gonna get up to 65 degrees today in Florida, probably gonna ride some. Yea I know you don't want to hear it. But we do have to put up with Hurricanes and high home owner insurance premiums down here.

 

[fatbryan]

Why do we ride, do we ride for freedom to do what we want, when we want. Cant do that in a MC unless everyone agrees to it. Why do we ride, is it to clear our minds, of every day pressures of life, cant do that when your so worried about the guys in front of you , in back of you, side of you. Why do we ride, BECAUSE WE LOVE IT. just a thought, this thread has really opened my mind. thanks bryan.