Riding Motorcycles in a Group

While riding your motorcycle by yourself can be perfectly fun and enjoyable, it’s also nice to have company. If you’ve got a group of motorcyclist friends or you’ve just joined a biker club, you may be looking forward to the opportunity to ride together as a group.

However, riding in a group requires some planning and coordination in advance to make sure that the journey goes smoothly for everyone involved. Here are some helpful tips to take the stress out of planning your next group motorbike ride.

Pack With Care

The group will need to be sure to have sufficient supplies for the journey, including emergency gear in case of an accident or other problem. All riders should, of course, have their phones charged up, their riding gear on, and their personal effects. At least one rider should carry a first-aid kit and someone else should have a repair kit. For overnight adventures, camping gear and toiletries and extra clothes will be important. Everyone also needs to have some water and snacks to keep them fueled on the ride.

Maintain Those Motorbikes

Everyone should make sure that their motorcycle is in good working condition before the ride. You don’t want to be the rider whose bike has a flat because you thought you could get away with riding on bad tires! Performing regular maintenance tasks at home is a good way to keep your bike in good shape. If you or any fellow riders need professional help, you can always contact the Desperado Harley-Davidson® service department to schedule an appointment with us.

Plot Your Route

Discuss the route you want to take as a group, with everyone contributing to the process of choosing where to stop and when. You’ll want to establish some hand signals that the leader can use to indicate that they’re going to take the next exit or change course. If your ride has regular stops along the way, then anyone who does fall behind can easily catch up and find the group again.

Select a Riding Formation

Choosing a formation will help everyone stay aligned and avoid having a rider fall behind. A staggered double line is nice because riders will follow a leader (typically the most experienced rider in the group) with a second or two of following distance and several feet of lane between them. So one rider will be towards the right of the lane, then the next will follow two seconds behind more towards the left, then the next on the right, and so forth. Another experienced rider should follow behind to help catch anyone else up or address any problems if someone has to pull over.

Looking for some riding lessons? Get in touch with Desperado Harley-Davidson® to talk about our motorcycle courses that can help you master your bike. Looking to buy instead? Visit us at our location in McAllen, TX, today to view our selection of new and used motorcycles for sale. We can even assist you with financing options on your motorbike purchase, including price quotes and trade-in values. Desperado Harley-Davidson® serves Edinburg, TX.