Do You Prefer Riding Alone Or In A Group?

[Rider]

I dunno about you guys, but I prefer to ride solo; no passenger and not in a gaggle of other bikes. Invariably, when I ride with other guys, somebody is maddeningly slow (or on some occasions, too fast for my tastes). You can only ride as fast as the slowest rider. Or you're trying to keep up with some guy who fancies himself as the next Valentino Rossi.
So what's your choice?

[Mellow]

There's only a couple long time friends I care to ride with on a trip. You know Trailace, well when he and I ride we almost think alike because we've riden together so long. I can anticipate his actions and likewise he knows my actions 99% of the time. I'm okay with a group of 3 riders... more than than and I'm not really comfortable. Just my preference...I like riding alone but I'm trying to not do it as much since there are times when, I wrecked, I might not be found for days...

You'll never see me in a toy or poker run that's for sure... I'll support the charity... but then I'll take the opposite direction home...

As far as the pillion is concerned.. I can ride longer and farther without one but it's usually nice to have one along.... LOL

[Diggers1300]

Ditto, Joe! Well said. I can and sometimes like to ride in a group with or without a pillion. However the poll asked what I PREFER. And to get the most enjoyment out of my ST, I like to ride alone. OK my pillion can come along so I don't start talking to myself! :rolleyes:

[STPilot]

Well, it depends....Can I have both?? There are times when I really enjoy the solitude and simplicity of riding by myself. 400 or 500 miles of going as fast as I want, slow as I want, stop for pix when I want etc.....However, I have met and ridden with some great folks. I'm really looking forward to getting a few groups of those folks together to do some riding. (WeSToc, YoSemiTe) I definitely see pros and cons to group rides. A little planning goes a long way.;) :D

[gstanfield]

I prefer riding alone as I tend to vary a lot on my riding when nobody is around, I may be blasting down the road at 130+ one minute and trolling at 50 the next. I do however ride with a group quite a bit, and it's not too bad, I am a CMA member and we have a ride once a week, plus other functions throughout the year. 99% of the time when I ride with them I am on my VTX though and it's not as bad as when I'm on the ST. I do have one friend, my neighbor who is also a CMA member and we usually ride to all our events together, just the two of us. I am used to his riding style, he is slow and I ride behind so if we get split up I can just blast my way back to him. Riding is good no matter, but when I want the best, relaxing, renewing ride I have to be by myself.

George

[GRN]

There's only a couple long time friends I care to ride with on a trip. You know Trailace, well when he and I ride we almost think alike because we've riden together so long. I can anticipate his actions and likewise he knows my actions 99% of the time. I'm okay with a group of 3 riders... more than than and I'm not really comfortable. Just my preference...I like riding alone but I'm trying to not do it as much since there are times when, I wrecked, I might not be found for days...

You'll never see me in a toy or poker run that's for sure... I'll support the charity... but then I'll take the opposite direction home...

As far as the pillion is concerned.. I can ride longer and farther without one but it's usually nice to have one along.... LOL

Ditto.............. :04biker:

[dannyk]

Riding alone is the best, that way your not tied to anyone else's schedule or riding style, stop when you want ride at your comfort level. Great if you have some that will all adjust to the comfort level of the group, normally doesn't happen that way though. I have 3 friends that I do ride with lots, 2 on wings and one harley. With the wings I can ride anywhere in the group from leader to last doesn't bother me, but when the hog is along we like to have him in the back then that obnoxios noise isn't as loud to the rest of the group.

[Austin city limits]

The more people added to a riding group,,, the closer to the average speed of 0 mph you acquire... :mad:

My estimate is,,, for every rider added your average speed is reduced by at LEAST,,, 1 mph per rider...

My motto is,,,

"Anyone stupid enough to follow me across country,,, I would not ride with" :D

[Rider]

I see we have a lot of loners here. Just my kind of people. :crackup

[stg1]

I like riding alone most of the time except when on a long trip. Having a couple of other riders to share the days ride and a beer with is priceless. Sometimes it's hard to explain the sites and smells assoicated with riding a motorcycle to someone that's been sitting in a cage all day.

[SToler]

I dunno about you guys, but I prefer to ride solo; no passenger and not in a gaggle of other bikes. Invariably, when I ride with other guys, somebody is maddeningly slow (or on some occasions, too fast for my tastes). You can only ride as fast as the slowest rider. Or you're trying to keep up with some guy who fancies himself as the next Valentino Rossi.
So what's your choice?

As some others have said, I have a select few that I really feel comfortable riding with. Also, don't really like riding in big groups.

I have ridden along side my dad on dirt and street bikes for about 15 years and we seem to know what each other are going to do at just about any time; it is very strange(in a good way). We can ride side by side at any speed with handlebars within inches; not that we do that alot, but we can.

Needless to say, we are very comfotable riding together. I can't say I feel that way riding with anyone else.
:03biker:
EDIT: forgot to talk about pace. Our pace is pretty even, but I am faster in the twisty's, and that has nothing to do with bike color. :)
He is pretty damn fast for an old man though!

[Ken]

For me there is no better way to relieve stress than to kill a tank of gas on the ST by myself.

That said, I absolutely love taking the kids out for a ride. Just to ride. And chat. And stop for an ice cream cone. Chat some more. Head home. This bike and those rides will be forever burned in their memory banks. That much I am sure of...

[Nick Cross]

It seems to me that the ST handles so much better solo. That said, if I'm on vacation I want my wife with me. When I ride with my local club, I take my cruiser. It fits better with the pace of the ride.
NIck C.

[The Highwayman]

Different rides for different moods...

If I want to cover real estate quick, or get the "day to day crap" cleared out of my head, there is nothing better than the solitute of a lone wolf ride.

But a great ride is so much better when it is shared as well. I enjoy having my son along on as my co-rider to enjoy the adventure most of the time.

And a couple of well chosen riding buddies can make what would have been a great ride into a memorable social experience that we'll laugh and talk about for years.

I'm not big on riding with strangers or in big groups at all. I hate riding with people (often cruisers) that think two abreast CHiPs style is cool - give me some room, it is way too stressful to always be worried about the other guy and where he is...

I don't mind the poker runs where it is "ride at your own pace and pick your own route see you at the next checkpoint", but I don't like the big train of bikes nose to tail for miles.

[Carl_T]

I can't vote. :o4: I have too many preferences to vote. :eek:

I truly prefer the kind of riding I do alone, until it's time to really prefer taking my honey for a two up which is a different but just as preferred activity at the time then. I also am normally not that hot on group rides with any more than 2 or maybe 3 other bikes at all, but I really preferred the larger group that got together at Cobleskill enough to be showing up at CONSTOC and NHfcSTOC also. That’s because I find that I do prefer the great fun we were able to create with that group. So when those events come around I won’t be preferring my original preference of riding alone at that time at all. I’ll be preferring a two up ride with a larger group, and I truly will prefer it at the time.

How to vote, how to vote? I canna’ do it Cap’n, all these choices fit in the #1 slot at various frequencies in certain circumstances. :D

So I abstain with the following qualifiers.

1) I prefer to ride alone on my 49 to 150 mile frequent local blow the cobwebs out outings. I do prefer doing this at the time to all other riding, feeling the easy response of the bike and enjoying the brisk free flow of the ride, unless I want to stop and take a picture, or sit and soak up the scenery, or do whatever might come into this fickle pea brain of mine at the time with no need to consider others wants and needs. It’s a good and special kind of riding, so it’s number one and done most frequently. However…

2) I prefer to have my wife along on most longer trips involving overnight stuff. I also prefer the road and scenery explores, two up picnics, odd shopping stops, coffee runs, eating, and movie jaunts that we do whenever we can get together and do them two up. I do indeed prefer them then to all other riding at the time for sure. These are indeed good and special times that I would not want to give up at all.


3) I currently haven’t but would prefer to come across one or two local friends that would enjoy my own eccentric type of local ride to go a few hundred + miles with once or twice a month without pillion. My eccentricity is riding not so very far above speed limits on the straights, but moving enjoyably brisk through the turns [when safe] on the local winding narrow-ways. My roads fit this type of ride well. A lot of riders appear to be used to either all slow ruding, or high speed strafing.

4) Even though new to me, I indeed prefer getting together with the larger number Cobelskill group (and the new friends that will be joining us) again. Certainly I miss riding with them and no doubt I would prefer to get that type of ride in at least a few times a year. They are good friends who ride well, and know how to be laid back enough to create a good time out of the days twists and U turns.

Now I prefer to do that larger group overnight thing two up, as it adds to my enjoyment, but I could certainly see the possibility of preferring to do it with just my own backside on the seat maybe once in awhile. However, there are so many positives to having her along though (and so many opportunities to ride by myself at other times), that so long as there is any way she can make it, I prefer two up with a larger group more. Our sharing good friend time, is higher on my preference list in the end.

So, as you can see the poll list really doesn’t fit my own preference at all. I wouldn’t want to give up any of them, even if I do them at different rates of frequency. They are all part of riding to me, all a part of the ride... which I find poorer if any parts are lacking.

[beatlejuice]

:04biker: i ride alone even in a group. that didnt sound right did it! what i mean is i ride my own ride. if im fast that day ill be toward the front if i want to meander ill take a rear position (waiting up the road for slower riders on a group ride does not bother me) i really dont like to ride with more than about 4 bikes and i would rather ride with non smokers cause even if ya stop to wipe a visor the smokers light up and your sitting 5 or 6 more minutes.
2 bikes with riders that have ridden together before is best by a long shot.
big bike events with large groups of riders are not safe or fun imo. :04biker:

[Putt]

Generally alone, but if I am going on "vacation" I prefer to have
Judy riding pillion.. I just enjoy riding with her. She has
probably close to 100k miles riding behind me. Most of the
time, I forget she is even there. She knows how to ride
and she is my best friend...(that helps) :) Not real big
on group rides... Unless you ride with the same people
all the time, sometimes it gets to be a guessing game..

Putt..

[maxib]

Just like Carl I cannot vote! The truth of the matter is the fact that I AM the next Valentino Rossi so I am constantly riding alone!


Okay, enough of that. I used to ride with a passenger all the time. My twelve year old son went on long distance rides with me to see the races at Brainerd. (Well, 4 hours to a twelve year old is long distance!) Years ago I stopped taking a pillion because I was unable to accept that something I might do, or might not avoid, or might not have paid attention, or might have made the wrong choice, or might not have anticipated, could possibly harm someone on my bike. We all understand the risks involved with this sport we love, but...I am unwilling to take the chance that a passenger could be hurt. That's only my personal feelings and I do not suggest anyone else change what they do because of my decision, nor do I cast judgement on anyone other than myself.

My wife wants to drive her own SilverWing anyway, and since she told me I cannot take a girlfriend pillion, I have only ridden alone for years.

I also don't like to ride with a group, but I love to meet with a group during a ride for coffee or ice cream. I get really nervous if I am riding with more than one other rider. Even then, it's scary! My wife and I did an overnight roadtrip last weekend that scared the crap out of both of us. The first when I made a legal turn in the city (only if you were an authorized vehicle...? But I didn't see that sign) so she didn't follow. Took an hour to find each other again! The second was when she blew by the highway on-ramp when she had seen me take it moments before. Due to topography I couldn't see her, but she didn't show up, so I thought she blew the exit into the weeds and didn't know what to do.

Rest of story next week.......












That's not nice of me, so I'll finish now. I pulled over and got my cell phone out and called her. She realised she missed the exit and did the next cloverleaf ballet thingy, but she stopped on the side of the highway because she couldn't see me and still wasn't certain she took the correct exit!

I got a lot older, grayer and lost more hair last weekend than ever before...that's why I like to ride alone.

Oh, and for the wiseguys who might suggest bike to bike communicators...
If I wanted to listen to somebody talking all the time, I could have stayed at home!

Oh, and I know I still haven't gotten a pic of my ST, but it looks exactly like the one in Rider's avatar without a yellow helmet, OK?

[Rider]

Oh, and I know I still haven't gotten a pic of my ST, but it looks exactly like the one in Rider's avatar without a yellow helmet, OK?
Then it's a very, very handsome motorcycle. :biker:

[John-DownUnder]

I'm in the minority: I like having my S.O. with me (Catherine and I all wired up) and together we like runs with a small group of friends, especially other couples. Some of these friends we've had as riding mates since 1975. Our ST is set up for it and it does it very well thankyou ;-)

[Mongo]

[QUOTE=Ken]For me there is no better way to relieve stress than to kill a tank of gas on the ST by myself.


Well said, maybe a couple of tanks!

[irone10]

i ride alone most of the time.but i also enjoy taking my wife on overnighters. :04biker:

[sherob]

I prefer riding alone... find a Starbucks far away and burn a tank to get there and back on a Sunday :bow1: But the few times I've rode with others was a joy... packs of 3 to 5 of us. You get to the point were you can read the mind of your lead... it was fun :D The Hico trip was a case and point... the Centerville trip was as well going up... was all fun and twisties/sweepers coming back :D :D :p: :bow1:

[Rider]

It's a mixed bag for me.
My wife doesn't dig the bike thing so she never rides pillion. That's no problem for me at all ... I don't have to listen to her complain about the weather, heat, bugs, etc. :crackup
As I mentioned in my original post, most of the time I don't care to ride with others. Too fast, too slow, too sloppy, etc. I stop more frequently than some because I've got a bad back (and also like to take pics and, yes, have a ciggie), so that drives some people nuts. And riding with a slowpoke drives me to the edge of madness. :D
Having said that, I do have a couple of buddies I thoroughly enjoy riding with. Maybe not on cross-country trips, but on a long day. The company can be nice, the laughs endless after a good day in the saddle and a few beers and shots of Makers Mark.
It's good to be a motorcyclist, alone or with a group.

[sherob]

yes, have a ciggie

So it ain't just me then... LOL!!! I feel like I am the only one ever wippin out a Zippo... :rolleyes:

[Rider]

So it ain't just me then... LOL!!! I feel like I am the only one ever wippin out a Zippo... :rolleyes:
There are a few of us left. But I feel like a Commie in front of the McCarthy hearings anymore when I light up. :grin:

[John Anthony]

I'm aligned somewhat like Carl as well. There are times when I just enjoy the solitude of a nice, early morning ride out in the rural part of our county. 20 minutes and a couple of light years away from the city. But most of the time I prefer riding with my wife (particularly now that Maggie unload her V Rod and got a 1300 of her own). We had a great long weekend trip into British Columbia and it was awesome (until she got pissed at part of the route I chose to get us back home). Not real big on group rides, but a couple of other riders is nice from time to time. In a couple of weeks, four of us are going to take the North Cascades loop, one of Washington state's best tracks.

John

[Louie Louie]

I ride alone, mostly. Sometimes do not like riding w/ others because I like to stop a lot and take pictures. Also, group riding encourages some our members to show off, and prove they are great...This causes accidents. I like riding w Uncle Don and Norm because ther are mellow and I learn from them.

The only one I would like to ride with is a tall, blonde, Scandinavian Flight attendant that loves bikes as much as I do.Yes, I have an add on Match.Com. :attentio: :clap2: :usflag1: :shrug2:

[ST1300CAZ]

I would say I prefer riding alone... unless I can find a few guys with similar riding styles to ride with... dont mind a WeSToc now and then :) .

Many books on motorcycling point out the increased risks and dangers of group riding and I have read numerous articles from the Pros that say they will not ride in groups.

MY STORY of a "group ride" to Laguna Seca:

I was invited by a client to go to Laguna Seca in what was called a group ride of 3-4 riders. I had never been to laguna Seca and the GP Races so I saw it as a life time opportunity. I printed off some typical group riding info. and provided it to the organizer. I was told we would obey basic traffic laws, a little over the speed limit and so on... basic level headed mature riders.

Well, this is how the ride went:
Far from a group ride, it was more like ride as fast as you can and meet up at the next fuel spot or for food. No site seeing along the way, no time for photos. These guys exceeded 80+ mph regulary, passed on double lines and blind corners, raced around shear cliffs on Hwy 101 that pushed the envelope of safety. Basically I was on a solo ride because I obeyed the law and did not push my skill level.

Then at the races, I went into heart failure and was transported by ambulance to the hospital and my ST was abandoned out at the track. My wife back in Oregon had to take care of all kinds of issues and logisitic problems including how to recover my bike. She contacted one of my non-group riding mates and asked if one of them would ride my bike to the Hospital (security was going to store it) or to a local Honda dealer for storage. They did not help in any way and said they had to get on their way home (the next day). They flagrantly violated the law and left a downed rider behind. One of the guys at a break complained that he was in another group ride and some of them refused to ever ride with him again and told him he was dangerous to ride with (I know why :mad: )

SO.... it is my opinion that if you are going to ride in a group you need to: have a formal meeting and go over over various rules-do's and do nots, you need to agree to take care of each other, ride with people of similar morals and similar riding style. Otherwise..... ride by yourself because you then atleast have one person you can count on.

99 % solo riding from now on unless I can get with some of my local ST buddies !

Craig
Oregon :03biker:

[Louie Louie]

There you go Craig ! I agree w/that for sure!
:banr1: :4is:

[sokay]

Solo. The essence of it all for me is "being in the ride." I do not care for anything that distracts from that state. This would also include: (1) being in a hurry for some purpose; (2) looking for a store or location as I ride along; (3) having anything at all out of order with the bike; (4) listening to music. Whenever I have ridden in the company of another rider, my mind has been distinctly split between my own ride and his. Not safe, not fun, not for me. :03biker:

[ALANT]

My preference is to ride solo but I don't mind riding in a small group now and then. I just feel more at ease and find I can enjoy the ride more when I don't have to worry about what others in a group might do or what I might do. I've been riding off and on since I was 17 and there have only been two or three riders I really felt comfortable riding with. I'll be riding to the Golden Aspen Rally in NM next month in a group of 15 or so bikes (some with pillion, some w/o) , my largest group ride for sure. We'll just have to wait and see if this changes my opinion.
There are exceptions of course and riding with my son (SToler) is one of them. As he mentioned in his post we have been riding together a long time and I can't imagine ever riding with another with the same level of trust and confidence.

PS: Forgot to talk about pace. Thanks for the compliment son! But what kind of Dad would I be if I didn't let you think you were fastest? Just think of your mental trauma, living your life knowing all of your friends were faster than their dads! I just couldn't bear to hang that on you. ;)

Quote from SToler's post:
EDIT: forgot to talk about pace. Our pace is pretty even, but I am faster in the twisty's, and that has nothing to do with bike color.
He is pretty damn fast for an old man though!

[SToler]

My preference is to ride solo but I don't mind riding in a small group now and then. I just feel more at ease and find I can enjoy the ride more when I don't have to worry about what others in a group might do or what I might do. I've been riding off and on since I was 17 and there have only been two or three riders I really felt comfortable riding with. I'll be riding to the Golden Aspen Rally in NM next month in a group of 15 or so bikes (some with pillion, some w/o) , my largest group ride for sure. We'll just have to wait and see if this changes my opinion.
There are exceptions of course and riding with my son (SToler) is one of them. As he mentioned in his post we have been riding together a long time and I can't imagine ever riding with another with the same level of trust and confidence.

PS: Forgot to talk about pace. Thanks for the compliment son! But what kind of Dad would I be if I didn't let you think you were fastest? Just think of your mental trauma, living your life knowing all of your friends were faster than their dads! I just couldn't bear to hang that on you. ;)

Quote from SToler's post:
EDIT: forgot to talk about pace. Our pace is pretty even, but I am faster in the twisty's, and that has nothing to do with bike color.
He is pretty damn fast for an old man though!

Oh man, you've just been letting me think I was faster. Dang!! :(

[GRN]

I really enjoy riding with my wife... still lets me do 90% of the saner portion of what I do alone, and she is a fantastic pillion technically, knows my habits and what I'm gonna do when :shtf1: , she's actually so good in corners I probably hold smoother lines at higher speeds than I do alone. Since being blessed w/ parenthood, she's very reluctant to ride faced with the potential for doom to both of us... I totally understand, and am just glad she allows me to be so selfish. I do look forward to the day when we spend more time on the bike together again...

[JoeC]

For me there is no better way to relieve stress than to kill a tank of gas on the ST by myself.

I ride alone most of the time. Occassionally, my wife will come along and on rarer occassions I'll ride with a group. My bike is my stress release. Some people jog, some have quiet time...I like to ride with the wind blowing around me, the feeling of freedom of the open highway. It helps me clear my mind and unwind.