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Decline of group rides (quantity) and how do you cope with it?
- Thread starter DemonPig
- Start date
I can think of at least 2 bikes that were written off and another 2 that should have been lol. we got good at picking bikes out of the hedge. faster then a nascar pit crew.
I got my first V-Strom in the summer of 2006 and joined Stromtrooper. The people there really are a good group of riders and it was from that connection that I went on my first group rides. After while I was the guy that was organzing the rides. One ride in particular (the Annual Spring V-Strom ride) grew to the point that we had 50+ riders show up. This was a ride that by tradition was limited to Stroms only. I led several of those rides and then later a good friend took over the lead and rode cleanup. Large rides are troublesome as there are always some that aren't ready, low on fuel, not equipped, and have different skill levels. You end up riding to the lowest common denominator. After doing it a number of times it loses its appeal and you start worrying abotu peopel crashes andthe liabilty that goes with it.
I arranged many Sunday rides where maybe 4 or 5 guys would go and do some longish rides..I think a few times we did over 800 or 900 km. There was no limitation of the type of bike and some of my friends moved to other bikes but still loved to ride with us. Some of us formed close bonds and did long rides.. 4,000 km rides to the Dragon and area. (If you have a similar group of riders having four or so riders doing week long rides works.)
If I organize anything nowadays it is a meet up somewhere, say in Bancroft.. no pressure on me to lead a ride, we all just agree to meet at a given time.
..Tom
N3WMAN
Well-known member
You couldn't pay me to go to a large ride. Been on two rides with 20+ bikes before. What a cluster **** they end up being.
Best rides are 4-6 riders who are all similar skill lever.
Roomie
Banned
I don't mind larger rides as I've had good luck with them so far but I agree with you on the 4-6. Usually better times
skip
Well-known member
I remember them. Think I went on one of their rides...still happy to tour/street ride solo. If I want to ride with a group of adrenaline junkies I will hit the track.
Here's how I coped today.
No work lined up (slow week) ... good weather. Turned the cell phone off. Hopped on my FZR400 street bike and started riding. No map, no plan, no schedule, no clock, no waiting for other riders.
Got to the 400 and aimed northward then stayed on 11 until I got sick of motorway. Turned north on a sideroad that I had never seen before, turned right at Old Barrie Road where the sideroad that I was on had a "no exit" sign on the other side. Stayed on that a little too long and ended up on 11 again, but that was okay, I grabbed a sandwich at Subway in Orillia then aimed north on Burnside Line. Right on Cambrian Road, stayed on that past where it turns into Canal Road, then jumped on 11 for a short hop over the river and went north on Southwood Road (which was in reasonably good shape - but there are a couple of sand-covered corners so it's best to take it easy). Left on 169, grabbed an ice cream in Bala.
Kept going on 169, short piece of 118, filled up with gas, then left on 7 which turns into 632 into Rosseau. Right on 141, took a break at the 141 Cafe (which is not like what I remember for some reason), then jumped on 11 southbound.
Steady mind-numbing (and finger-tingling) 7000 rpm in 6th gets old quickly. Just past the exit for Southwood, I took the Canal Road exit and backtracked along Cambrian Road. In my memory, this turned to gravel beyond Burnside Line, but in reality it was paved, so I kept going. At the next intersection ... gravel in every other direction. Oh well, I turned left (south) on the gravel road, which goes past an enormous gravel pit. Eventually it turned into pavement and wound its way south to join up with Division Street - turned right. This turns into Horseshoe Valley Road, which then ends at highway 26 - kept going, turned left at Stayner on Airport Road.
Did the full length of River Road, turned south at Hornings Mills and joined 124. Rather than following 10/89 where it turns left, I went straight. That was gravel beyond 30th Sideroad, but 30th Sideroad was paved - took that to the next road east, the town line.
At a certain point, at a stop sign, a beige Chevrolet Tahoe turned onto the street some distance ahead ... I followed at a discreet distance (this road has an absurd 70 km/h speed limit). Came over the crest of a hill ... Hmmm, that's a cop parked on the opposite-direction shoulder up ahead, on the other side of the next intersection (where the speed limit drops to an even more ridiculous 60 km/h). The Tahoe turned left at that intersection ... I slowed down and went straight ... the cop started moving and turned to follow the Tahoe. I did not stick around to find out if that driver got a ticket.
On this slow, enforced, boring, straight piece, I thought about upcoming winter projects, and what I want to do to the steed that I am riding to maintain and upgrade it for next year. Fork internals ... paint and powdercoat some stuff ... maybe replace the useless 35-watt headlights with something brighter than a candle ... definitely do the major scheduled maintenance on the engine.
Worked my way south through Alton (speedometer indicated: 60 km/h, actual: 56 km/h), then continued on Mississauga Road south and found my way home.
Total 542 km. It was a good ride. No group needed.
No work lined up (slow week) ... good weather. Turned the cell phone off. Hopped on my FZR400 street bike and started riding. No map, no plan, no schedule, no clock, no waiting for other riders.
Got to the 400 and aimed northward then stayed on 11 until I got sick of motorway. Turned north on a sideroad that I had never seen before, turned right at Old Barrie Road where the sideroad that I was on had a "no exit" sign on the other side. Stayed on that a little too long and ended up on 11 again, but that was okay, I grabbed a sandwich at Subway in Orillia then aimed north on Burnside Line. Right on Cambrian Road, stayed on that past where it turns into Canal Road, then jumped on 11 for a short hop over the river and went north on Southwood Road (which was in reasonably good shape - but there are a couple of sand-covered corners so it's best to take it easy). Left on 169, grabbed an ice cream in Bala.
Kept going on 169, short piece of 118, filled up with gas, then left on 7 which turns into 632 into Rosseau. Right on 141, took a break at the 141 Cafe (which is not like what I remember for some reason), then jumped on 11 southbound.
Steady mind-numbing (and finger-tingling) 7000 rpm in 6th gets old quickly. Just past the exit for Southwood, I took the Canal Road exit and backtracked along Cambrian Road. In my memory, this turned to gravel beyond Burnside Line, but in reality it was paved, so I kept going. At the next intersection ... gravel in every other direction. Oh well, I turned left (south) on the gravel road, which goes past an enormous gravel pit. Eventually it turned into pavement and wound its way south to join up with Division Street - turned right. This turns into Horseshoe Valley Road, which then ends at highway 26 - kept going, turned left at Stayner on Airport Road.
Did the full length of River Road, turned south at Hornings Mills and joined 124. Rather than following 10/89 where it turns left, I went straight. That was gravel beyond 30th Sideroad, but 30th Sideroad was paved - took that to the next road east, the town line.
At a certain point, at a stop sign, a beige Chevrolet Tahoe turned onto the street some distance ahead ... I followed at a discreet distance (this road has an absurd 70 km/h speed limit). Came over the crest of a hill ... Hmmm, that's a cop parked on the opposite-direction shoulder up ahead, on the other side of the next intersection (where the speed limit drops to an even more ridiculous 60 km/h). The Tahoe turned left at that intersection ... I slowed down and went straight ... the cop started moving and turned to follow the Tahoe. I did not stick around to find out if that driver got a ticket.
On this slow, enforced, boring, straight piece, I thought about upcoming winter projects, and what I want to do to the steed that I am riding to maintain and upgrade it for next year. Fork internals ... paint and powdercoat some stuff ... maybe replace the useless 35-watt headlights with something brighter than a candle ... definitely do the major scheduled maintenance on the engine.
Worked my way south through Alton (speedometer indicated: 60 km/h, actual: 56 km/h), then continued on Mississauga Road south and found my way home.
Total 542 km. It was a good ride. No group needed.
djez
Well-known member
I still miss the group rides but not the rides in the mind from the people replying in this thread.
I miss the 15 bikes doing overnight ride to PA.
The bandit unites ride doing at least 300-400km before heading to L&L.
Or the big group ride to algonquin or Killarney by LRB.
All relax ride where at the end of the day you go home, crash on your bed and have a good sleep and won't even know who you've ridden with.
I guess my experience with group ride was not bad since i only saw one incident from all the rides Ive been via GTAm.
I miss the 15 bikes doing overnight ride to PA.
The bandit unites ride doing at least 300-400km before heading to L&L.
Or the big group ride to algonquin or Killarney by LRB.
All relax ride where at the end of the day you go home, crash on your bed and have a good sleep and won't even know who you've ridden with.
I guess my experience with group ride was not bad since i only saw one incident from all the rides Ive been via GTAm.
Sounds like some one has lost his spirit. Does that happen with age.
djez
Well-known member
It happen with experience and maturity.
NOTHING more boring than caught behind a Sunday Harley parade......
On PA 144!!!!!!
Fortunately we got our jollies earlier down near Renovo with the fresh pavement.
We finally gave up playing "wait for the Harley's" and took a break while they meandered on.
Two or 3 is max for me.... enjoyed a couple of days with the Duc rider as he makes his way to the East Coast
On PA 144!!!!!!
Fortunately we got our jollies earlier down near Renovo with the fresh pavement.
We finally gave up playing "wait for the Harley's" and took a break while they meandered on.
Two or 3 is max for me.... enjoyed a couple of days with the Duc rider as he makes his way to the East Coast
PhoenixFZ
Well-known member
Wow.
Dude--you have no clue.
Brian P. is THE motorcycle enthusiast.
You've been on this forum since 2005---have you learned nothing?
A group ride with 20 unknown riders is not for me however I do understand the appeal of riding with other riders when you are getting into the sport. But with the advent of google maps and nav syatems it is pretty easy now. One filter I used for years when attending or posting a ride was to have it start at 7 or 8 am. That usually eliminated many of the people I preferred not to ride with.
