Group rides bug me. It seems like somebody is either getting hurt or bored out of their minds. I always go solo. Other people like the camaraderie of the group above all. It depends on the individual.

 

solo

i find rideing with other people is dangerous as you have to allways be keeping an eye on where they are and anticipate what they are going to do . also when im on a trip i tend to decide which way im going when i get to the fork in the road . pluss i hate waiting for people to get there ass in gear and get going . i can get out of my sleeping bag and be on the road in 30 minites or less .

 

Its nice to have company when you stop for scenery, or lunch, but its nice to travel as you wish, without having to appease the group. Ride when you want to ride, stop when you want to stop. No need to have things work out for everyone.

I did a month solo trip last summer and it was spectacular. Only thing was there wasn't anyone to share some of the amazing stuff with. I did a trip this summer, with 3 friends and it was a different experience. Much more camaraderie but more discussions about the logistics of day to day.

I guess it really depends on your personal preferences.

 

Short trips (< 500 miles), done on a long weekend, I prefer a small group ride.

For anything longer in terms of miles/days, a female passenger is great. Group ride, not so much. Having to worry about other people skills and logistics preferences/complaints, gets old, quick.

Pure solo can get awkward after a few days. But it depends on everybody's personality/trip/reason for the trip.

 

I'm basically a solo rider also. Round trip to Alaska by myself. It's not that I don't enjoy riding with my friends, poker runs, rally's, dinner runs, etc., I do, but on a long trip it's nice to go when you want to, stop when you want, and eat when and where you want to. A riding companion or two does give you some peace about breakdowns and such but with the modern motorcycles nowadays that's not too much of a problem. I did join up with some great guys on my Alaska trip and we did the Dempster together but then we went our seperate ways. I always meet new people amd make new friends along the way. Large group rides for short distances are "OK" but not for long trips. Basically I guess it's up to you and what you feel comfortable with. just my .02
:mod2_scooter:

 

Solo. If I had a small group I would meet in prearranged locations for spending the night, then get there however you want.

I did a solo ride this Summer. Had a great time, really paid extra close attention to my riding when I was away from civilization (Anywhere in Montana and Wyoming!) and always checked in with my family when I got to my destination for the night. I would also give them my destination for the next night so at least they would know where to begin looking for me if something happened.

The only problem with solo riding is I got lonesome. I enjoy visiting with people. If you camp it usually is not a problem finding someone to knock back a few beers or bottles of wine with. You meet some interesting folks that way.

 

Solo here also, was ridding to work last night and joined a couple of guys along the way (didn't know them). When we got to town we rode in behind another pair of bikes and all 5 of us were cruising through town. One of the guys on a crotch rocket just had to show off and poped a wheelie, almost hit the bike in front of him! That's why I ride solo, we turned off to the interstate and mister crotch rocket (old Yamaha 500) found out a V Strom can move on if it wants to!!! Cheers-BB

 

I do solo trips but am more conservative in the places I ride (off pavement) and I do trips with a couple of buddies that I trust and have similar riding styles/abilities and interests and move at similar paces (on and off the bikes). The rides with a small group (2 or 3) of trusted friends are the most fun for me.

 

Me, myself, and I have a great time on group rides

 

For me, it depends on what you consider a group. I enjoy traveling with one or two other bikes, but when the group gets larger than three bikes, I want out. There are very few people who I can ride with who I know are safe and have some decent riding ability. After years of teaching MSF classes, the teacher/nanny in my kicks in when I'm around novice or just plain bad riders. I don't enjoy riding with people who I feel like I have to constantly watch out for them. I like to ride with people who are either at least equal to me in riding ability, or who have the common sense to know they are not equal and will not push it to try to keep up. I don't mind waiting at the text turn if I can be reasonably sure that you will actually make it out of the twisties in one piece. However, after a couple of times of having to turn around and go back for a rider who pushed it too hard and ended up crashing, I really would rather not have to do that again. When the group gets too large, there is just too great a possibility of a rider trying to exceed his ability to keep up with the front runners. Having a group member crash pretty much ruins the whole ride for everyone.

 

Im with you on this one:iagree: I like 1 or 2 riders with me. No more than 2 though. The riders that I go with are almost always people I ride with on a regular bassis, so we know each others riding styles.

 

The Interglalactic Pacific Coast Owners Club, Pacific Coast Highway Ride will be getting underway Monday in Eureka California. This ride is the perfect way to organize a group ride so that everybody gets to have fun.

The secret is "Ride your own Ride". Coasters are supplied with maps and schedules for such things as photo ops and food gatherings. Other than that, it's "Ride your own Ride". You are encouraged to take things at a comfortable pace. Ride with a couple of buddies, or ride on your own. Or try to keep up with Leland (ride leader). Then gather at the designated feeding stations for chow and conversation.

It's sorta like herding cats. They go where they want to until you rattle the food dish.

Revill

 

It depends. Almost all of my miles are solo miles, and it's usually the best way to make time, but there are folks out there who match your style.

I just did the Cabot Trail with 8 other bikes (beemers). I didn't think I'd enjoy it with that many in the group and was prepared to split off, but we were all well matched except for one guy. He tried to stay out of the way and did a good job at not slowing us down.

And then there was the group ride I did with 4 cruisers. NEVER AGAIN!

 

Solo vs. group



Just out of curiosity, what is the demographic of those riders you know who enjoy group rides? Most of the group rider types I have met tend to also be part of the cruiser crowd. They seem to be the guys who go looking for the long stretches of quiet secondary highway without many technically challenging roads in their routes. I believe that style of riding to be a little more conducive to keeping a group together. I realize that I'm making a broad generalization, but my point is that some styles of riding are good for groups, and some are not.

Somewhat related--I actually know one guy who told me that he hated twisty roads. When I asked him his favorite local route, he named a road that goes for miles through farmland without a single turn. I still can't get my mind around that concept, but if that's how he enjoys his ride, then I'm for it. I'll just go ride on my own.

 

I'm a soloist. Group (day) rides (not tours) are ok for the experience and socialization. But for going overnight or longer, I prefer my own company. I'm an introvert, heck I don't even listen to muzic when I ride. I think motorcycling is an individualistic experience by the nature of the seating capacity. So you tend to get a lot of individualists riding, that is, we each like to do our own thing. Sometimes it fits nicely with a very small, trusted group. If 1 large pizza can't feed the group, then the group is too big.
Pizzaology beats psychology

 

If 1 large pizza can't feed the group, then the group is too big.

And if it takes a large pizza to feed the rider, then the rider is too big!

I prefer to ride by myself most of the time. I'll take a short ride, less than 1/2 day with my son or a few select others, but I don't look at those as rides as much as I look at them as social events that you ride to.

I've found riding alone a great way to meet new folks, many of them non-riders. You'll more likely have a conversation with someone along the way if you aren't with your buddies.

 

Solo or a very small group (2, maybe up to 4 bikes if everyone is very compatible).

 

Solo: I leave when I want, stop when I want, go where I want, return when I want.

Good topic for a poll, it seems.

 

I used to be solo all the time, but now with the wife on her Strom I'm 99% a group of 2. I think the ride is significantly more enjoyable when she's with me than when I'm solo.

 

Solo for me, mostly because I'm retired & my friends who ride are all still doin' the "work thing". I did have an experience with a large group of Valkyrie riders in the U.P. of Michigan. Around 100 bikes going from Marquette to Copper Harbor. I felt like I was in the middle of a "Slinky". I bailed on that ride at a gas stop vowing never to get involved in anything like that again.

 

I have ridden alone so far and I would never even consider riding in a large group. :weapons_30:

Maybe only with another rider or two if I trusted them.

 

I am mostly Solo, probably 95% or more. Small groups are fine, provided I know who I am riding with. I've done a few long[ish] group rides and they didn't suck.

Tomorrow or possibly Sunday, I'm going out with my cousins & extended family, this will be an experience, they ride Harleys and other cruisers. I'm going to show up on my 'Strom, ATGATT with bright colors. I expect to have some comments, but they know me, and understand its about the ride. I am actually quite pysched about going out with them. My wife wanted to go too, but she's in the Air National Guard and this weekend is Guard Duty.

 

Give me a solo ride most days. 250 mile "jaunts" with no particular destination help clear the cobwebs after a long week. 400 to 500 miles treks let me see new parts of Texas just begging to be explored! Meet and greets over lunch are a great way to get together with like minded riders, drool over bikes and generally reinforce my two-wheeled habit.

 

After numerous trips, both solo, double, and more, I've come up with what's best for me and advice I've given newer riders. Short trips are a great way to gauge riding/travelling compatibility. This way there is no guilt and martyrdom on a long trip. If you find you and your buddy are similar after that, you've got a low stress trip. Another style that I have found works great is just meet your fellow companion(s) at a destination. You get to ride at your own pace, your own route, etc. The destination doesn't have to be a daily one either. On a long trip, you can meet up every couple of days.
All that being said, my favorite rides have been the solo rides. No compromises, plus best of all, you meet more people which is half the reason I travel.

 

5 or less

I prefer a pack of 5 or less. As I have said in a previous post I liken Humans to canines in this respect. If you have five dogs they will behave pretty well in a group. If you add one more dog to the group, the collective intelligence is decreased exponentially.
If there are 5 people in the pack, the 6th rider,( we will call him Bubba)
will say, "Hey Y'all watch this." Beer is not necessary as 5 folks are watching after all. So Bubba nearly eats it. Then Wormey pipes up, "That ain't nothin Bubba watch this." and so it goes until someone needs to be patched up.
My answer is 5 or less, more than that and I'm bringing the first aid kit.

 

However you get there, what if you wind up where everyone else is?

Like this --> http://www.thehotspringsrally.com/

That rally, made up of only the low and slow converting gasoline into noise in the most inefficient way, has been going on since yesterday and continues through Sunday. I can go out on my patio right now and feel the thunder. Last year, even with Hurricane Ike-induced weather, there were 1600 visiting cruisers, I heard. This year -- ohmygod, heretheycomeagain!

 

Group rides can be fun, but they demand a lot of attention. You're driving for everyone else too.

Personally, I like riding with my partner, Princess Barbie©. We ride together tons, and have developed our own riding style. We also have communicators, so we don't miss the sights anymore ("Hey, look at the blonde to your left!").

Much more relaxing than a group ride...