Group riding is an integral part of life for many motorcyclists. Every newly minted motorcycle rider will eventually have their first time on a group ride. How do you stay safe while riding with newcomers to two wheels?
They draw attention to themselves, eagerly show off their shiny machines and cruise every street with great aplomb. It is groups of motorcyclists who go together on shorter and longer trips. Every driver and passerby will pay attention to them, and a novice motorcyclist dreams that he or she can finally participate in a similar event too.
Especially novice motorcyclists want to show their best side and prove that they are worthy companions of common trips. In such situations, experienced motorcyclists should show calmness and caution, because riding in a group is not only fun, but also a great responsibility and a greater risk.
Every motorcyclist should remember what it was like when they started their adventure with a unicycle. What is a piece of cake for an experienced rider can be a big problem for a beginner. One should always adjust to the one who is having trouble riding and, as it were, protect him from dangerous maneuvers.
A young motorcyclist will always try to match, even when they have to take risks. That’s not what it’s all about, and at some point you may end up with at least a rollover.
Many people in a group want to show off and show who’s boss. They can often cause danger and spoil the fun of riding for the rest. It’s even worse when a young motorcyclist wants to match those who encourage dangerous maneuvers.
While everyone has their wits about them and can do what they want, it’s best not to affect the comfort of other riders. Try to avoid such people, and if it comes to riding with them, then do everything to keep the urge to prove your strength to a minimum.
Riding in a group means thinking about every upcoming manoeuvre. We have to think about how to enter corners, brake sensibly and keep our distance. We anticipate everything in advance so that everyone can react safely to what is happening on the road. The best place for any motorcyclist is at the very back of the pack, because then you can ride away without any stress, if you have any problems with the motorcycle, pull over to the side of the road, etc.
That is why a beginner learning to ride should be at the end, so that he or she can get out of trouble without stress and without causing danger to others. Additionally, he or she can be watched by an experienced motorcyclist who closes the gap.
Moreover, riding in a group should always be done overlapping, i.e. we do not ride one behind the other, but diagonally. It is best if the beginner rider is closer to the axis of the road, so that in case of an emergency he will still have a safe field of maneuver. There are manholes, curbs, posts or potholes on the right side, and this can have a huge impact on the comfort and safety of the novice motorcyclist.
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