No, you're trying to ride within your ability.
Side by side is for cops and pros, not me.
Staggered only!

 

Side by side is for cops and pros, not me.
Staggered only

Ditto, I don't like someone even pulling up beside me at a light never mind riding beside me....Mike

 

No way. The only time I want to see my buddy next to me is at a traffic light. Most of the time he leads and I wait till he is clear before taking off. Otherwise I am to his right inside and about 10 - 20 ft. behind him. I trust this guy whole heartedly and he is a great rider, but still will not run side by side.

The main reason why I refuse to ride side by side because if one has to swerve for an animal, road debris, car, whatever, one can very easily collect the other and both are going down.

Call me selfish but I want the whole lane to myself.

Chris

 

No way. The only time I want to see my buddy next to me is at a traffic light. Most of the time he leads and I wait till he is clear before taking off. Otherwise I am to his right inside and about 10 - 20 ft. behind him. I trust this guy whole heartedly and he is a great rider, but still will not run side by side.

The main reason why I refuse to ride side by side because if one has to swerve for an animal, road debris, car, whatever, one can very easily collect the other and both are going down.

Call me selfish but I want the whole lane to myself.

Chris

Ditto! Can't say it better myself.

 

I agree with cristopher

 

They call side by side a "parade formation" for a reason.

Parades go 5mph or less.

I have no need to ever go side by side for the reasons others have already noted.

 

It is also against the law in a majority of places.

Joe

 

I have a friend that thinks that we should ride practice riding side by side. I said that it was a bad idea. Am I being a wuss?

No. It's a flat out stupid idea.

$.02

 

I have a friend that thinks that we should ride practice riding side by side. I said that it was a bad idea. Am I being a wuss?

No. It's a flat out stupid idea.

$.02

There you go with those less than elegant words again. You really need to work on your vocabulary Chris...

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

I have a friend that thinks that we should ride practice riding side by side. I said that it was a bad idea. Am I being a wuss?

No. It's a flat out stupid idea.

$.02

There you go with those less than elegant words again. You really need to work on your vocabulary Chris...

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Every time I speak beyond the 5th grade level, people misinterpret, misunderstand, or just scratch their heads.

 

I have a friend that thinks that we should ride practice riding side by side. I said that it was a bad idea. Am I being a wuss?

No. It's a flat out stupid idea.

$.02

There you go with those less than elegant words again. You really need to work on your vocabulary Chris...

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Every time I speak beyond the 5th grade level, people misinterpret, misunderstand, or just scratch their heads.

5th Grade level?????

:twisted: :lol: :twisted:

 

Semi wuss. If you are a n00b or your friend is then dont do it. Also, when it comes to twisty roads only ride staggered. However its a good skill to have incase you need to ride in a large group that is riding in parade formation or are in traffic where you and your friend need to stay together (going down to the beach on a friday in the summer around here). In my state MA it is ok to ride two up other states its not. I don't ride this way all the time but when I need to I'm glad I have the skill and confidence to do so.

 

Side by side . Actually gives you less space if you need to make
an evassive manuver !
I believe its against the law too .
If it aint , It should be .
Thanks CHIPS :lol:
( Back in its day , I never missed that show ) ( And i am not gay )
( Even though theres nothing wrong with it ) :lol:

Jack

 

I agree w/ the majority of posts. You should not practice side by side unless you are ready to. I do ride side by side with many folks, but as previously stated, should an incident arise, it limits my area of reaction. For the most part we ride staggered.

They call side by side a "parade formation" for a reason.

Parades go 5mph or less.

At 5mph or less I would think it would be even harder to ride that formation. That's why them shriners have a lot of skill and practice behind them!

 

I tend to ride side by side with a few people that I have ridden with for years. I avoid doing it on rides were I don't know everybody. Because they see you doing it when your next to your buddy. Then when the group shifts they roll up on you like they belong there.

 

I have a riding buddy and we only go side by side at stop lights, as most have said it cuts down your options when you need them the most at speed. 8)

 

I don't care to and definitely not with someone I don't know. I'd be cool with a skilled group, but I hate it when strangers pull up beside me. I like to have the full lane to myself.

 

To ride side by side safely in one lane, you need to maintain an extremely narrow line. Unfortunately, even on a straightaway, some people just don't have the ability to maintain their line. So right out of the gates, strangers are out.

If you are familiar with the other rider, and you are 100% sure neither of you will break your line ever, even by like, a foot, then theoretically, it could be safe.

Certain riders can perfectly maintain their line for a while on a straightaway, maybe some loping curves, but when things get a little twisty, not only is it harder to hit the exact line you want, many people, even of similar skill level, naturally choose different lines/apexes through a turn, drastically dropping the chances that you will not at least bump or get bumped by the guy next you. Different bikes handle turns in very different ways. Lines change. The curvier the road, the greater the certitude that at least one of you is going down. Keep an eye out for obstacles - is there a pothole or rock in your line? That means you are going to have to adjust your line. How close is the guy next to you?

Is riding side by side in one lane fllat out stupid? Clearly, under no circumstances is side by side riding a good idea. Staying side by side without either of you losing your line just a foot or so, or both of you half a foot at the same time, is extremely unlikely. (These numbers are subjective - road size and bike width may vary).

If you must ride side by side, make sure you know under what riding circumstances you must give each other some space, (which is pretty much all of them). Even professional racers miss an apex on occasion. Want to hit a turn side by side with someone you just met? Or a guy you haven't shared at least 15,000-20,000 miles of road with? (That's a lot of miles...)

And no matter how well you know your fellow rider and their ride, you cannot control road conditions. If you see some gravel, oily puddle, pothole, or even a rock, give each other some space quick. If a car changes into your lane, where are you going to go? To the other side of the lane? Uh, occupado. Again, even driving extremely awarely, just NOT a good idea.

That being said, there's a guy I've been buddies with since kindergarten that I will occasionally drive next to on long empty straightaways. But only in the day or on a very well lit road, and never for more than a few moments. It's a bad idea and I chastise myself whenever it happens.

Now the main question in this thread -

"I have a friend that thinks that we should ride practice riding side by side. I said that it was a bad idea. Am I being a wuss?"

Practice what, keeping your line? In varying driving conditions on municipally maintained roads? No, you are being intelligent. If you have even the slightest doubt that you or your friend can ride without, essentially ever, breaking your line in the lane, you would be crazy to ride side by side. Even under the safest circumstances, i.e. on a track with a pro - it's still a bad idea. That means you are not a wuss.

That's my $.02

 

I have a friend that thinks that we should ride practice riding side by side. I said that it was a bad idea. Am I being a wuss?

No.

Besides all the excellent posts above, note that you can practice riding in half a lane WITHOUT another rider alongside you. You can do that anytime, anywhere, under any conditions. And you probably should practice it to improve your ability to hold a line in stressful situations.

 

Don't do it.

 

Did it, done it, will do it again. All depends on who I'm riding out there with.

 

Alright, something Rendell can agree with most everyone on... Rising side by side is a very bad idea. If one of the two riders loses control there is no "out" for either bike. When riding staggered (or in line) it reduces the amount of risks, and increases the ability to see whats going on around you, and the number of objects you need to focus on. That is to say that your real focus while ridding staggered (or in line) should be the guy ahead of you, yourself, while paying attention to the guy behind you but not really needing as much focus. This is because the rider behind you should be focusing on you, and their self, and so on to the end.. Also if one person is not doing so you can weed them out of the group you ride with... or give them a tough love beating so that they learn.
Anyway, that's the way the folks I ride with do it. It works out pretty good. I don't remember any serious accidents while riding in groups.. Like anyones group there are the minor stuff, but I can count them on one hand, over the 6 years I've been back riding.