[blowboat]

So, a couple of months ago I bought my Shadow 600 and 3 of the college students I work with at the church also bought bikes around the same time. We have had some great fun together.

This evening three of us took off after dinner and rode on the parkway...and it was a blast. Ended up in Boone where we sat back and enjoyed a nice milk shake. Shaping up to be a great evening! But on the trip back home, I realized that maybe I need to limit my riding time with these young whipper-snappers!

Now, before starting out a rest stop, we usually set an order...nothing too formal but sort of agree on who's leading and who's bringing up the rear. Since the other two were riding two-up with the girlfriends, I chose to bring up the rear all night. Cruising up the last steep climb at about 60 the mph, the kid on the middle bike--a Bandit--swings out and goes flying by the lead rider who is on a cruiser as well. Before long, they are well out of sight. When we near the top of the hill a mile or so later, they have slowed down to wait on us...so the bike that was leading to begin with just zips right by him.

Now, I suppose I tend to get a little up tight about some things, but I just didn't care for either move. I always encourage them that if we are gonna ride together, then let's ride together. I finally settled back into the speed limit and let them slowly pull away as I enjoyed my ride home.

Not a big deal, but perhaps I just need to go ride like I wanna ride and stop trying to be a kid. Anyway, it was a great night for a ride and all in all it was a real blast!

 

[Lantesh]

You should always ride within your comfort zone. I'm not saying that you shouldn't ride with these guys, but if they do something that yo don't want to do then simply hang back. It is probably best for you to always take the rear position. Let them do what they want with the understanding that they will have to slow down, and wait for you up ahead each time.

 

[We trudge on]

Riding with others is OK, but you may find riding alone to be preferable. No body else to keep up with, baby sit, or account for; and no having to be wary of others' unsafe maneuvers.

We trudge on.

 

[tflaim]

I have the same issue when riding with my nephew. At first I tried keeping up, but wasn't comfortable. Now I always bring up the rear, and he always comments how I'm so slow. I respond that he should stay with the group and he won't have to wait all the time. As you see all the time here, ride your own ride.

 

[Christopher]

I rode once with a younger guy. It was disastrous. His speed was not my speed. So I started riding with older guys my age and found it to be much more relaxing. He used to take off like a rocket and I would let him go. He would be down the road sitting on the shoulder waiting on me. Didn't help much that he was riding a missile ( crotch rocket ).

The great thing about getting old is you appreciate taking your time, enjoy the scenery and not being in a hurry to get anywhere. Your speed days are behind you.

Consider riding on your own more but also maybe hook up with some older guys to ride with.

BTW, McAdoo's is my favorite place in Boone.

Chris

 

[dieseljuice]

I'm Retired, No Place to be, and not in a hurry to get there. Enjoy the ride.

 

[-AJ]

i personally like ridin' by myself.

when i ride with my twin brother i pass him sometimes, and he passes me sometimes for the fun of it. it's always in passin' zones and we don't get crazy about it. this rarely ever happens though. all in all... i enjoy ridin' by myself the most.

 

[blowboat]

I suppose I'm partly still figuring out how I like to ride. I'm 45 and find that most of my riding--recreational riding as opposed to my commuting--is either with these young guys, whom I really enjoy being with, or with a group of retired guys in in the community. Both are fun. It's not so much a speed thing as I enjoy the thrill of laying on the throttle--though I suppose I do enjoy keeping it basically within the limit. But I guess it's the group thing...I enjoy those who enjoy riding within the group, or a group that things in similar ways. It's really not a huge issue, but perhaps more revealing than anything.

 

[Chopped 02 Shadow]

I like riding in groups, thats how i find new places to ride.. but i am no leader... i prefer to hang back and take the photos. I love riding alone, because i don't have to worry about someone else's agenda.

Ride like you want, and let others do the same. I LOVE the feeling of opening the throttle up all the way from a stop sign... but i do the speed limit on the freeway unless i don't have a choice (yeah, sometimes people are stupid)... i love speed on twisties and hills, but i also make sure i am being safe.

Just make sure you are comfortable when you ride... mistakes get made when we get out of our comfort zone.

 

[squidchief]

Blowboat, sounds like a regular ride to me. That kind of stuff happens, what is a major positive is that they slowed down and waited for you to catch back up. I'm willing to bet they were grinning fron ear to ear too! Folks are going to do what makes them happy more often than not. If they sniveled or made barbed remarks about "having" to wait for you, then I would scratch them off my list of people to ride with, but sounds like they were just having fun their way, as you were having fun your way. They waited for you to catch up, and you finished your ride together. Things don't get much better than that. Enjoy riding!

 

[nuncles]

My experience is the same except with older riders. They have been riding since they were kids and are obviously more comfortable than I am in certain situations. I don't want to be the weak link in the group so I have started backing off of the group rides.

Like others have said, don't ride past your comfort zone.

 

[Susan07]

:shock: I'll be in Boone next Monday! :-D Me? Old. Ride alone. :-D

 

[binder56jd]

lots of good advice--i ride by myself, but never alone---that other guy is always along

me, myself & i

 

[Coolride]

My brother does that kind of stuff , he wants to go riding, but then wants to do 30 over the speed limit all the time. He hasn't changed, he's been 15yrs. old his whole life.

 

[Jessica]

My experience is the same except with older riders. They have been riding since they were kids and are obviously more comfortable than I am in certain situations. I don't want to be the weak link in the group so I have started backing off of the group rides.

Like others have said, don't ride past your comfort zone.

This has actually been my experience so far as well. I hope to be as comfortable some day, but for now I just go at my own riding level.

As long as the people up front either wait for you up ahead, or have given you specific stopping points (and no one says boo to you about driving slow) I don't really see an issue with going at your own pace. Everyone rides different. Yeah, it's nice to be actually with the group while you're on the road, but sometimes rides are just as much about the way points and destination as the actual driving is.

 

[Lakota]

Both of my sons, 30 years younger and 25 years younger, ride more conservatively than do I. (My oldest son put his then girlfriend on the back of his antique ironhead, along with all his worldly possessions, and rode to California from Kansas. Tough kid. Had to brag. He had been living with his mom. 'nuf said.) Anyhow, they'll both be alive for a long, long time. No such thing as "boring" on a bike. I think you've got it right. Just my 2 cents.

The "weak link" in any group is the person who is riding too fast for conditions or breaking the law.

As far as trying to match your riding style to that of the group: riding a motorcycle is as individual and unique as it gets. It can be enjoyable to ride with a group; but if it isn't, my attitude has always been that I ride for me. I have a lone wolf on the back of my vest--see avatar. Also on the Harley tank. It's there for a reason.

I'm taking off that ugly sissy bar this afternoon, got a short Cobra replacement coming thanks to a forum member. I figure give me another 6 months and this Spirit will be my spirit. (Hey, that came out pretty well.)

 

[93gc40]

Blowboat you are a normal cruiser rider. Keep riding with the groups. Nothing like the sound and feeling of a gaggle of bikes, rolling down road. Keep riding with the kids, but don't worry about keeping up. They'll wait for you to catch up.

Heres a fun thing to put those punks in there place. As they go by, reach out and hit their kill switch. They will be more respectfull about blasting you in the future.

I have been riding bikes for 10 years longer than I have been driving a car, I'm 45. I like to putt sometimes and sometimes I'm the idiot blasting by the pack. At my age I often find myself cruising at 5-10 MPH below the limit. But I also have 3 speeding tickets in the last 10 years, all for 20+ over the limit. On group rides I am rarely permitted to lead. Due to the pace I will set is fast for even the Rocket riders. But, I also am asked to take the tail to keep cages out of the line and the group together. Besides you think Rocketeers ride fast, try keeping up with a groups of Angles sometime.

 

[squidchief]

I seldom like riding with more than 3 or 4 other bikes, and those are guys I've logged hundreds of thousands of miles with, but every once in a while someone wants to ride with us, if they are new, we put them up front so they can set the pace. To me, that's just common courtesy, let the newer and more timid set the pace. I'll screw around in the back... falling way behind, then gunning it to catch up... swerving the broken yellow line... riding on the wrong side of the road etc. The bottom line is everyone kind of keeps an eye on each other and at the end of the day, everyone makes it back home in one piece. Why force conformity on someone just because you don't approve of their riding style?

 

[Eldorado]

I do group riding with the PGR and ALR, if I'm leading that's ok and I tell everyone what speeds we will be riding at and if a long ride where the pit stops are, if not leading I like to tail ride, if the rest go faster than what I like I just maintain my own speed and track along..........
I really perfer to ride solo, I can do as I **** well please....Solitude can be great.............and peaceful.......