Riding Position...

[braddahmarv]

Okay, just a simple question here, and I did do a search first to see if it wasn't asked before. If it was, then am sorry for being a 'repeat'...

If you've ever ridden with a group, what's your best position... side by side, or staggered (2 seconds in front or behind another rider)?

For me, when riding in a group, I don't like to ride side by side mainly because of the 'safety' factor (as was taught in my class). I like having my 'space', in case something happens as we're cruising on down the highway.

[SoCalCruisin]

Depends on the group, but staggered is almost always best in my opinion.

I'll ride two abreast with either one of my brothers, but we've been riding together for years. In some slow moving processions with the PGR, we ride two abreast, but it's usually staggered then also. And most organized group rides will say staggered during the pre-ride brief.

It is pretty impressive seeing motorcycle officers riding two abreast. They do everything in sync. I ride with my younger brother the most, and sometimes we get it like that too.

[braddahmarv]

I did try riding two abreast at one time, never felt so uncomfortable or insecure in my life on my bike. Ever since then have always rode staggered in a group.

Oahu (Honolulu) is the only island that I know that uses motorcycle patrolmen, and they usually ride two abreast. Sharp looking indeed...

[Rickster]

Bottom line is, if your not comfortable riding two abreast, don't.

Never, and I repeat Never ever let someone else talk you into doing something that your not comfortable with. And that goes double, when the something your doing, involves the possibility of hurting innocent by standers.

[rathr-b-cruisin]

Staggered for me. I like my full lane in case something comes up like a pot hole or something i have to swerve around.

[Uncle B]

I will second rathr-b-crisin on this subject.

Originally Posted by rathr-b-cruisin

Staggered for me.
I like my full lane in case something comes up like a pot hole or something i have to swerve around.

[Blade]

It really depends on who I am riding with and where I am riding. If it is someone I know and trust and we are not in the mountains, I do not have a problem riding side by side. When I ride in the twisties, I never ride side by side with the exception of maybe a long straight away.

[Clint]

I don't ride two-abreast. It's asking for disaster, IMO. Just think of all the accident reports we've had here, and how they'd have been worse had half your lane been plugged up by another rider. Not good.

I do tend to run staggered in close formation, though, but only with a rider I know very well. Everyone else gets the interval of a complete stranger.

[SNAFU]

I ride staggered.

If I pull up and try to ride beside my brother he threatens to kick me. J/K.

[omegajim]

staggered. Expecially between bars. I mean pubs, I mean, oh crap there's no way out of this one.

[Rockhead]

Staggered, but once in a while at lower speeds we'll go side-by-side.

[Tooltech]

Always ride staggered.

My question is, when in formation, should not the first rider ride cover (inside) and the next rider in the slot (outside) position? I seem to see a lot of groups where the leader is on the outside of the lane. That would seem to be an awkward place to react to changing conditions, no?

[ChicsterMG]

Originally Posted by braddahmarv

For me, when riding in a group, I don't like to ride side by side mainly because of the 'safety' factor (as was taught in my class). I like having my 'space', in case something happens as we're cruising on down the highway.

This already answered your question.

Ride within your limits. If you not comfortable or you have to think about it, it probably isn't right for you.


Personally, I ride staggered in a group. I do have a friend that we react to each other well when riding, when going slow (below 30 MPH) we will sometime ride side by side, but once we are moving agian, the lane sharing stops and we stagger again.

[kay]

In Japan, group rides usually ride staggered. When there are only a couple of bikes, we don't care as much but never side-by-side.

In twisties, though, we don't even go staggered and it will be one after another, keeping a good distance between eachother. In this case, a slower bike will usually give way when he/she sees a faster one approaching from behind.

Japan, being a mountenous country, our twisties are quite tight with lots of blind corners, so it's way too dangerous to even ride staggered once we enter these areas.

At traffic signals we stop side-by-side, but we start moving, we start at intervals so that we go back to the staggered formation again.

[braddahmarv]

Originally Posted by Tooltech

Always ride staggered.

My question is, when in formation, should not the first rider ride cover (inside) and the next rider in the slot (outside) position? I seem to see a lot of groups where the leader is on the outside of the lane. That would seem to be an awkward place to react to changing conditions, no?

From what I've learned while reading the "manual" when I was studying for my license, is that the leader of the pack should always ride on the inside of the lane (near the center line), so that he can warn others behind him of any imminent road hazards that may be forthcoming. I myself ride near the center line of the lane, the only time I move towards the outside is when a semi-trailer is fast approaching me, because of all the small debris that the tires kicks up when passing.

I've ridden with a pack where the leader was riding on the outside of the lane, and there have been times that I had to warn him of road hazards ahead because he couldn't see from his vantage point. Many close calls for him if it weren't for me riding behind him.

When I'm riding solo (which is all the time), I use the entire lane, meaning that I'm usually moving back and forth within my lane to get a smooth ride. Roads here in Hawaii are not in the best shape because of those little earthquakes that keep shaking the island, and the little potholes. I'm sure that car drivers who are following me must wonder if I'm riding drunk because of my constant moving (or swerving) within the lane. All I can say is if they've never riding a motorcycle, they would never understand why...

[wookie]

It depends on the number of riders, the type of the road, traffic condition, etc.

This is normally how I do it. People will do it differently.

In twisties, no matter how many riders, single file all the time. Where road conditions permit, stick to the right side of the lane to avoid opposing traffic going over the DYL.

For street or freeway ridings, mostly stagger formation in single lane. If the traffic condition is light (very rare - only happens when we ride long distances way the hell out of LA-proper), then we will stagger over two lanes. I usually ride sweeper slot because for some weird reason, I feel threatened whenever someone is following me (I've a lousy habit of constantly checking my six whenever I ride streets/freeways, not so much in the canyons)....

[LCA_koolaid37]

My personal favorite is reverse cowgirl.

[LCA_koolaid37]

Wait...

[rathr-b-cruisin]

Originally Posted by LCA_koolaid37

My personal favorite is reverse cowgirl.

[Clint]

Originally Posted by LCA_koolaid37

My personal favorite is reverse cowgirl.

Need pics of you in boots and a tasseled skirt.

Wait. Scratch that.