Motorcycle Training Forum

[Rjhmt]

Group Riding and Run Etiquette
Having ridden many miles in this country and abroad I thought i would offer a few pointers on organising and participating in a club motorcycle run which will make the experience safe, enjoyable and a rewarding experience for everybody concerned.
Too often groups of bikers set out with no real forward planning and the ride ends up in a free for all with dangerous manoeuvres to keep up or “impress” your mates, people riding beyond their own ability and the bikes capability, riders getting lost and the whole experience becomes a nerve jangling headlong dash to oblivion.
Here are a few simple and basic rules which we have used over the years which have stood us in good stead in all over England, Wales, Ireland and France.
1 A ‘Run Manager’ plans a route well in advance which is issued a few days prior to the proposed run.
2 A copy of the route (as simple as possible) is given out and briefly discussed at the meeting point or issued prior to the run.
3 The time, meeting point and departure time is always the same
4 A run leader is appointed who knows the rout off by heart and can make snap decisions and alterations if conditions and circumstances demand.
5 Ride in a group of a maximum of six bikes. If there are more try and split into two groups.
6 Assess the riders and bikes capability- try and match a group as evenly as possible
7 Always ride at a pace you are comfortable with - don’t get sucked in to trying to keep up with a quicker/bike rider.
8 Inexperienced riders are far better being second in a group where they can follow and gain experience from the group leader. If you ride as ‘tail end charlie’, even if the pace is steady, you will find that on occasions you will have to do far higher speeds just to keep up due to the concertina effect of passing moving traffic and obstacles.
9 Use the ‘second rider system’. If the route makes a deviation at a cross roads/roundabout etc. the second rider in the group stops in a safe and clearly visible position ( usually at the beginning of the new road) so that following riders know where they need to turn. He/she allows the group to pass and tags onto the end. The advantage of this is that the ride ‘flows’ without the need to keep stopping and you don’t end up sitting behind the same rider all day long.
10 If you have a coffee break after an hour or so’s riding- discuss the trip so far. If you think the pace is too fast/slow then say so. Be prepared to alter the route if circumstances change and make sure everybody is aware of the changes.
All the above sounds a bit pedantic but essentially they are quite simple basic rules which I guarantee makes riding in a group the enjoyable experience it should be.
Also remember that while you are out you are effectively representing RJH Training (albeit informally) and you should be promoting safe and competent motorcycling and extolling the virtues of biking to the great unwashed out there. It would be great publicity for RJH if Rob had comments back like “ we met a great bunch of people out really enjoying their biking the other day ” rather than “did you see that bunch of prats from Congleton blasting round Wales and scaring the locals”.

Supplied with thanks from Max Hammond