Getting stuck behind a Harleytrain

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Brian P said:
Staggered formation is suitable for roads of the boring straight variety. It is unsuitable for roads with twists and turns. Attempting to maintain such a formation through corners forces everyone onto incorrect (i.e. SLOW - and potentially dangerous) lines through the corners.

The issue at hand isn't really staggered formation or not ... it's riding in such a manner as to infuriate people behind (by being too slow) and simultaneously not facilitate overtaking.
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I'm planning on driving to downtown Toronto this morning. Remember the above, pull over, and wave people by instead of infuriating us!!! Why do you allow someone else driving the speed limit in a proper manner to infuriate and control you? Ride your own ride, keep your cool, you control you, not them.

RedDogDarren said:
I thought collision and theft coverage was the biggest chunk of a new Hog's insurance?
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Again, someone confusing SS bikes, with cruisers.

Anybody see the video of the SS boaty mcboatface convoy where the dog got hit?
 
There is nothing wrong with riding slow IMO as long as you move dfak out of the way when someone comes up behind you.

problem is that SOME harleytrains must think its emasculating to have another rider pass them so they hang on to that position for dear life and put all their effort into not letting you pass. god forbid someone interrupts their parade
 

metrohog.com/images/GroupRidePolicies.doc

Itis the responsibility of each rider to pay close attention, observe trafficlaws. And to be courteous to fellow riders and all vehicles sharing theroad. Automobiles from time to time willmerge into and break our group. Do notresist this. No motorcycle has ever wonthat battle. Most autos will not becomfortable remaining amidst a group of motorcycles and will move outmomentarily. It may not always bepossible or wise to try and ride in a group formation while riding in cities,towns or in highly congested areas. During traversing of these areas breaking up into smaller groups of 2 to4 bikes may be the only alternative. Thegroup can reorganize upon exiting these areas. Do not force the issues of lane changes and the crossing ofintersections! Always let safety, courtesy and patience be our principlevirtues.


The rules are clear. The train riders that get butt-hurt probably do the same when they are on four wheels, i.e. blocking the left lane, etc.

I suspect the root cause is a lack of blowjobs...
 
Harleytrains, cruisertrains and sstrains that are inconsiderate to other road users, blocking, not letting pass, etc... I will treat them like the individual vehicles they are and pick my way through their formation...
 
One thing I've learnt is that the inconsiderate or dangerous rider on a motorcycle - whatever type - will ride the same way they usually drive. They don't all of a sudden become friendly and courteous on the bike. Once a doosh.. Always a doosh.

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How about turning the tables and picture yourself riding alone in a busy Muskoka town, slowed down to a crawl and doing a mild weave to keep upright instead of hanging a foot only to find a hardley has inched up beside you, uninvited, cutting off your space to maneuver? I figured he just wanted to grab the opportunity to make a left we were beside while oncoming cars were stopped. Hey, go for it.

Nope, he hung off my blind spot and then his little "train" of buddies snugged up behind us. Never gave me a nod. Not comfortable for me and very ****** like behaviour. They kept this up for over a mile and then kept speeding up to stay with me outside the town limits. Unbelievable. Dude, I'm not your mother hen. F#ck off. Cracked it and left them for dead.

Since then I've had them do the same thing at lights in bigger places like Kitchener. Use up my lane to come up beside me, no acknowledgement and make their turn. When I see a pattern of bad behaviour from the same kind of riders, sorry, I develop an opinion. I have to know a HD rider really well as a friend first before I'll ride anywhere near them. Even my Goldwing buddies don't associate with them on a ride - how bad is that?
 
Charlie-brm said:
How about turning the tables and picture yourself riding alone in a busy Muskoka town, slowed down to a crawl and doing a mild weave to keep upright instead of hanging a foot only to find a hardley has inched up beside you, uninvited, cutting off your space to maneuver? I figured he just wanted to grab the opportunity to make a left we were beside while oncoming cars were stopped. Hey, go for it.

Nope, he hung off my blind spot and then his little "train" of buddies snugged up behind us. Never gave me a nod. Not comfortable for me and very ****** like behaviour. They kept this up for over a mile and then kept speeding up to stay with me outside the town limits. Unbelievable. Dude, I'm not your mother hen. F#ck off. Cracked it and left them for dead.

Since then I've had them do the same thing at lights in bigger places like Kitchener. Use up my lane to come up beside me, no acknowledgement and make their turn. When I see a pattern of bad behaviour from the same kind of riders, sorry, I develop an opinion. I have to know a HD rider really well as a friend first before I'll ride anywhere near them. Even my Goldwing buddies don't associate with them on a ride - how bad is that?
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If they crawl up your *** just move over and wave them by. There's simple solutions to these problems

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Benny! said:
If they crawl up your *** just move over and wave them by. There's simple solutions to these problems

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Amazingly enough, that works for me too, but it makes for way better online/Timmies discussion fodder if you get all butthurt over it instead.
 
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Baggsy;2401556 Personally said:
This was a problem with my gs500/ex500 sometimes. I'd be stuck behind a 600-1000cc SS and they'd pig it in the corners (considering i'm not a skilled/fast rider, it makes it even worse), and I wouldn't be able to pass them on the straight. If I slingshotted out of a corner and managed to pass them, or went in front of them after a break; they'd just pass me on the next straight. I distinctly remember one group ride out towards Algonquin that kept happening.
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Charlie-brm said:
How about turning the tables and picture yourself riding alone in a busy Muskoka town, slowed down to a crawl and doing a mild weave to keep upright instead of hanging a foot only to find a hardley has inched up beside you, uninvited, cutting off your space to maneuver? I figured he just wanted to grab the opportunity to make a left we were beside while oncoming cars were stopped. Hey, go for it.

Nope, he hung off my blind spot and then his little "train" of buddies snugged up behind us. Never gave me a nod. Not comfortable for me and very ****** like behaviour. They kept this up for over a mile and then kept speeding up to stay with me outside the town limits. Unbelievable. Dude, I'm not your mother hen. F#ck off. Cracked it and left them for dead.

Since then I've had them do the same thing at lights in bigger places like Kitchener. Use up my lane to come up beside me, no acknowledgement and make their turn. When I see a pattern of bad behaviour from the same kind of riders, sorry, I develop an opinion. I have to know a HD rider really well as a friend first before I'll ride anywhere near them. Even my Goldwing buddies don't associate with them on a ride - how bad is that?
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Total agreement, what a bunch of cowboys. Need Yoantisemite Sam BACK OFF! mud flaps.
 
Sabex said:
This was a problem with my gs500/ex500 sometimes. I'd be stuck behind a 600-1000cc SS and they'd pig it in the corners (considering i'm not a skilled/fast rider, it makes it even worse), and I wouldn't be able to pass them on the straight. If I slingshotted out of a corner and managed to pass them, or went in front of them after a break; they'd just pass me on the next straight. I distinctly remember one group ride out towards Algonquin that kept happening.
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Try that on a CBR250RA where you had to maintain speed just to have fun in the corners. Typically I'd have to give up sometimes and wait until the lunch stop, then try to position myself accordingly. Still didn't stop the odd one from then blowing past me at 200 in the straight only to slow to 40-50 when entering a corner. Wasn't a huge problem though, as 90% of the people were faster than me anyways...but did crop up a lot when the group would get compressed and need to spread out.

Also have video of me cutting through a pack of Harleys a few years back on the 250...I think I had to do it in 3-4 maneuvers. Some of them even had RAM mounted cup holders. lol
 
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catzo said:
Do harleys even have killswitches? I don't think theyre that advanced yet.
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I always thought they just died on their own.

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^^haha that they do. That they do.

I forgot about this, but I got stuck behind a police bike train once. Now THAT was the worst. Like 20 police bikes and 1 police van on the 401, all going 110 for like a full hour in both lanes. I cant believe I forgot about that. I couldnt pass and I couldnt stop and wait, I needed to be somewhere.
 
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PrivatePilot said:
Any properly and well organized group riding I've ever seen or been part of is based on the standard staggered formation. NEVER side by side. Not sure what you've been seeing, but it doesn't sound like a typical organized group of riders, but a bunch of inexperienced or disorganized riders. Those come in all sorts, cruisers, tourers, and sport, as evidence by several of the recent responses.

The key to staggered formation is that you have the whole road to yourself - nobody else should be in the lane beside you in case you need it for obstacle avoidance, sand/gravel on the road...whatever.

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So how many "organized group rides" with cruisers have you done since October. You really have alot of experience with everything bike related for a guy who has had his bike one WINTER and a 25 year absence from riding prior to that.

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My first time along the lake I got stuck behind a cruiser-train. I can't quite identify harley's like I can identify cars yet. I waited patiently behind them as they were dong 30-35 in a 40 zone. There were 4 of them I think, after about 10 minutes they turned off to another road and I got to enjoy the rest of my ride. On the way home the exact same thing happened, I just passed them all on a straight and didn't waste my time.
 
Iceman said:
25 year absence from riding prior to that.
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You forgot all the years I rode before my absence. Go ahead and discount that if you want, but I was riding motorcycles before a lot of the younger crowd on this forum were even born.

Had kids, a career, a mortgage, other commitments. Riding was low priority. Adulting sucks.

So yeah, I've done my share of group riding, thanks. Back in the 90's we used to organize them via BBS's for those who remember that era. It wasn't always positive amongst the sportbike crowd because there always seemed to be that "one guy"...but I'm guessing nothing much has changed. Personally I'm finding the cruiser crowd much more enjoyable - it's all about the enjoyment, not the shenanigans.
 
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One way to avoid the "Harley train" is to get up early and do most of your "get out of town" riding before noon. Most of the cruiser crowd seem to be late risers and by the time they've had their breakfast, coffee, gassed up the bike, everyone's found their keys in one of 20 pockets and all the snaps and zippers on their leathers are done up and they are ready to ride it's almost time for lunch....... By this time you're at your destination and heading home against this type of traffic.

On the 507 I do about 20 - 30 over as this is an effortless pace and slow enough to keep the LEO's at bay. 2 Harley riders blasted by and I sped up to follow them for a while. They were well into seizure territory and kept this speed up for miles through turns and on the straights, never saw a brake light. So there are fast and skilled Harley riders out there as well, but I think they are in the minority.
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