Be careful who you ride with!!!

[Catcha23]

Just came back on a run to Iron Pony. While headed up there on the freeway, I came to a section of the freeway that merged two freeways into one and on the other freeway lanes merging dead center to me was a riding group of sport bikes riding 20 strong!! It was a perfect merge right into the middle of their group!! I just got over to the fast lane and let them re-group and then I fell in line just about three bike lenths behind the last rider. After a few miles of this, all I saw was bike brake lights..... as I looked up 20 + bikes to see what was going on, these guys are ridin wheelies and doin all kinds of stunts while the group is now spread across three lanes and have slowed down to block the freeway of cagers from passing, so their buddies can do whatever stunt they want without being scared of getting clipped by a cager!!

The tricks were pretty sweet and it was a nice show for the 60 seconds it took me to slow down and creep into the slow lane away from these younger guys. I'm still kinda new to this whole biking experience and didn't want to experience the whole running over another bike or a body with my bike!! One of the guys bikes locked up and it started handling crazy and his bike shut off mid-stunt, so he casually drifted over four lanes of traffic to the emergency lane nearly getting killed in the process!!

So, while riding on the freeway or where ever, be cautious of who you join up with because you don't know a strangers riding habbits! They coud be all about stunts, speed, weaving in and out of traffic, etc. Be safe and hook up with a buddy or team whose riding habbits you know or your team has rules or something. Just thought I'd share a little lesson I learned today!!

[redrider]

I did a pocker run for a stage 4 cancer harley rider, It was different, I wore a white bandana to signify neutrality as a gixer and met some cool riders. the harley women all wore thesr chapps that quit right at their crotch and their little cap ,some were dolls with big *** boy friends they were checking me out but i didnt want to have to kill their man as they looked like they wanted to play. any way i wont ride with them as a gixer any more as there were to many vibes and hormones flowing

[JBLUE]

thats why I ride alone

[Zepp]

It is not a matter of if they will crash and burn, but when. One day, every one of them will crash at some point, it doesn't matter how good they are. Stunting is fine but take it off the streets; give yourself a chance to live. Telephone poles, street signs and other cars will win the battle every time.

[squiggy]

thats why I ride alone

[tdrcomm]

Unless I ride with folks I know I never do group rides. Did it twice and didn't enjoy either of them. The last one was a Busa ride from another forum. Needless to say the egos were out of control. 170+ in the straights, 30 in the curves. Two guys went down because their stretched, lowered, nitros-breathing beasts couldn't turn. I never road sweeper so far back in my life.

You learned a valuable lesson. Plus, if the stunting swarm gets the attention of the local PD they're going to try and pull over any bike in the vicinity. Even if they bail and you pull over, the LEO's are going to be ticked off and pumped that they caught at least one bike that night. They won't be looking to cut any slack or give the benefit of the doubt. Hate to say it: Guilt by association. Better off just letting them go their own way.

[s14kouki]

Obviously riding with someone else, comfort and skill levels are always going to be different. But why is riding alone a better choice for some? In these rides, if you're smart, you ride where you're comfortable and meet up at predetermined places. Essentially, you're riding alone regardless. I would think the extra bikes would help to increase visibility and safety (again, if you can keep your ego in check). I am pretty new to solo riding (I've ridden mostly for fun in group rides) and generally prefer having other riders around me. I don't have issues with solo riding, I just would like to have another rider to help establish some riding space on the highways.

That being said, I'd have distanced myself from that group as soon as the option presented itself. I'd rather "show off" by being able to drag my knee in the twisties instead of riding a wheelie. Guilty by association is a real pain but a fact of life.

[Wheel]

what's funny is when you see this post listed as a link in the forum, it says "be careful who you ride..."

I'd have to give a big +1 to that lol...

[sassyduck]

what's funny is when you see this post listed as a link in the forum, it says "be careful who you ride..."

I'd have to give a big +1 to that lol...

I saw that too, and laughed my arse off! I just thought that was a given...

[GSXF]

We are KAT Riders! Most of us are not into stunt, loud HD, or anything crazy. Just want to enjoy the ride with liked mind people.

Else I ride alone at a pace I am comfortable with.

[rexazz2]

Not a fan of riding in groups of people I dont know
When I have got close to the Port Dover friday the 13th events you seem to have one our two people that are always trying to work the way threw your pack to get ahead of you
When riding with friends I prefer to ride at the back of the pack , I can have more control on my distance from the others there!
I have been hung out in on coming traffic passing cars with a group that I know and @ the back it is real easy to fall back in