Tips for Riding in Groups

Group Riding Etiquette
from our Roving Guest Blogger

Proper etiquette while group riding has as much to do with safety as it does with manners. Even if you were born to be wild, riding in a group may not be as easy as it looks until you learn the ways of the road. The first rule of thumb is to show up on time with a full tank of gas and top the tank every time you pull over, so you are never the one to cause an unplanned stop.

Make sure you have the proper motorcycle insurance to protect yourself, other riders and motorists on the road. Everyone in the group should know the itinerary including the route and stops and have an emergency plan in place. When you first start group riding, the others riders are going to watch you closely. After some time with the group, you should become predictable.

When each rider knows how the other riders react to circumstances, accidents decrease. However, in case you are wrong, never assume what another rider will do. Always leave enough space between each other to maintain the 2-second rule. A motorcycle-riding group has their own set of signals to communicate with each other. Learn them and use them as if your life depended on them, because there is a good chance it will at some point down the road.

If you are following, be careful not to look at the back of the rider ahead of you for too long, or you can become fixated. If that happens, you have no idea what is going on around you. Any rider that encounters debris on the road such as roadkill, oil, rocks or any other hazards will use signals to warn those behind them. The recommended formation for riding is a staggered configuration for better vision and a tighter formation on the open road.

When the riding group encounters a twisty or curvy road it is customary to drop into single file. Side-by-side formations may be appropriate in formal situations. Every rider should maintain the formation your group has chosen to ride in. If you do not want to be horse whipped, never pass a member of the group unless the rider ahead waves you by, and safety demands that you pass on the right and never on the left.

Group riding means that you not only keep track of the riders ahead of you, but those behind you as well. Self-discipline is crucial when riding in a group. You are no longer a lone wolf, but part of a pack that demands you maintain motorcycle insurance and follow the rules, less safety is compromised. Don't be intimidated by quotes and sharky insurance salesmen. MotorcycleInsurance.com cuts out the middle man and gives you the facts. Regardless of whether members are riding starter bikes or big Harley Davidsons, the rules of the road for motorcycles remain the same.