5 Safety Tips for Motorcycle Group Riding

Riding in a group is quite different compared to riding alone as you meet riders with a lot of different styles. Here’s what you should be doing to make the most of it.

Riding with your friends in a group is fun but there are some basic rules or guidelines you need to have in place, to make sure that a group ride is a fun and safe affair. So whenever you are riding with your friends or a new bunch of riders, keep these five things in mind to have a safe and fun-filled ride.

1. Be on time

Being five minutes late when you are going a ride by yourself is a whole different scenario compared to being five minutes late for a group ride. On your own, you will be able to make up that time at the next rest stop or fuel station. However, when you are riding in a group, making up that five minutes is a lot more difficult as there are a lot more people who have to fill up their bikes, or get a bite to eat or just answer nature's call. Essentially, if you are not punctual on a group ride, you will end up covering a lesser distance, which over a long road trip can turn a five-day ride into a week-long exercise.

2. Be ready to go

You might show up on time but if you haven’t checked your motorcycle’s tyre pressure the previous night, or filled up fuel, that is all time you will end up wasting. And it will not be just you who is waiting, but everyone who is riding with you. If you are leaving on a long road trip, make sure you pack and load up the previous night. This way, the only thing you have to wait for in the morning before setting off is your engine getting warm.

3. Keep a safe distance

Riding in a group doesn’t mean that you have to ride on your fellow rider’s tail all the time. Keep a safe distance from the rider in front of you and make sure the rider behind you does the same as well. This is instrumental in avoiding a mishap. The rider in front of you might be too close to an obstacle that appeared suddenly on the road. If you maintain a safe distance, you will be able to avoid it easily and in turn, help out the person who was too close to avoid it.

4. Ride at your pace

All riding groups have people who ride at different speeds. The point of riding together isn’t riding at the same speed as the person in front of you, which might be out of your comfort zone. Ideally the fastest person, or the person who knows the route should be riding at the front, and he or she should stop occasionally to make sure that all the rider’s are being able to follow them. There should be a dedicated person at the end who makes sure that no rider is left behind.

5. Be responsible

The point of riding in a group is that you are all responsible for one another. If a fellow rider were to have a mishap, it shall be your responsibility to help them out and if you were to have a mishap, it is the responsibility of your group to help you. Thus it is always a good idea to know beforehand the people you are riding with and to ride with those whom you are comfortable with.

5 Things To Keep in Mind During a Group Ride