Those of you with a regular riding group

[tached1000rr]

Where do you normally ride position-wise with your regular pack of riders?

Where do you prefer to ride position-wise with your pack?

Upfront, middle, in back?

[Apoc]

Dont care. I kinda prefer the back as long as the leader is keeping the pace up a little. Noone to worry about if your last.

[smileyman]

Big group we stay sane and it really doesnt matter. I like to be ahead of the cruiser bikes and anyone with more than a half in of 'strip' on their rear tire.

Small groups we know each other well and they either let me lead or wave me around at some point. There are only 4-5 guys i know that can lead me thru the Ozarks safely.

[Dave]

i tend to stick in the middle or the back

[was92v]

Depends on how I feel. Usually 2 or 3, but I don't mind other places, even at the tail. I really don't like to lead on a street ride.

[CrazyKell]

It depends which group I'm riding with and how I feel that night.

Most groups I'm more comfortable at the back because I don't always trust everyone. But if I'm feeling frisky....2nd or 3rd.

[Cutty72]

Front or back, I hate being in the middle.

[Gas Man]

I've rode with so many groups I don't care either way.

[MikeSP1]

It's pretty much my own little rule to ride dead last. When I would take the VTX out it was the slowest, biggest and loudest of the group (and the pipes have saved me from getting run over) so I would always ride at the back. I'm pretty much the safety chase of the group. Plus it's always nice to be at the back, especially when the girls decide to take it easy, Rae:dribble: I have no need to be at the front and really do enjoy the rear of the group.

[karl_1052]

I am never in a rush, so I ride in the back of big groups(seen too many bikes get rear ended by other bikes).

[jermey]

It depends on what group I'm riding with. Most times I end up leading the ride, unless it's one that I didn't organize. The other times I'll either stay close to the front 2 or 3, or I'll ride last and be the sweeper.

[Mr Lefty]

I don't ride regularly with a group... but when I do it depends on what we're doing. at the rally if we were just going from point a-b I liked being in the back... enjoying the scenery... if it was point a-b by way of good roads... I like to be towards the front. not leading, as I'm not fast, and hate holding people up... but not at the rear as I don't want to be held up either.

I like to watch others lines, as I'm still slow.

if it's super slab... doesn't matter... I prefer to ride behind as I like to let them set the pace as I know I can ride all day... and I can help make sure the groups together...

[MikeSP1]

It depends on what group I'm riding with. Most times I end up leading the ride, unless it's one that I didn't organize. The other times I'll either stay close to the front 2 or 3, or I'll ride last and be the sweeper.

Can I say again how I much I enjoy being the caboose?

[Antwanny]

back back and back

[Yamerhaw]

99.9% the lead bike, we ride a pretty quick pace, one of my buddies is always right on me though, looking to make a pass, couple of the other quick guys said they like to try to follow my lines, if we're just putting around, i like to ride in the back, but even then, i cant hardly even wave anybody around me, just kinda always been the "leader" of our little group so i guess they think that if im doing 25mph,then they should to

[101lifts2]

Switch...1st or 2nd usually...unless we put up other riders, then I stay back to see how they ride and on what corners I can pass them up.

[101lifts2]

99.9% the lead bike, we ride a pretty quick pace, one of my buddies is always right on me though, looking to make a pass, couple of the other quick guys said they like to try to follow my lines, if we're just putting around, i like to ride in the back, but even then, i cant hardly even wave anybody around me, just kinda always been the "leader" of our little group so i guess they think that if im doing 25mph,then they should to

Monkey see, monkey do. lol

[Tmall]

When I ride with my fellow bueller, I lead.

When I ride with a few of my fast buddies, I play "wait for me at the turn".

When I ride with the fast guys, I have no desire to keep up. They're balling up their tires on the street.

[jalaan1]

i pretty much only ride with 2 other guys.
so i like to be the 2nd in the pack because the lead guy is very experienced
and i'm always learning his lines.

[marko138]

I'm not much of a 'group' guy. But on occasion I've been known to show up in Baltimore with OTB's Sunday crew. I generally like the back if it's guys I dont know. Other wise I dont really care. I found myself toward the front with the Balto guys.

[azoomm]

It used to depend on the group... but either lead or sweep, not ever in the middle. The middle is icky. :panic:

[Sean]

Back when I had a usual riding group I always liked to be second. I'm always faster if I have a rider in front of me to follow. I watch his body language and where he's looking and it's like I can see around the mountain and know when a corner is coming up. And it gives me reassurance that there's nothing major in the road in front of me. Of course when I'm riding with a group of racers I can't always keep up that pace...

[neebelung]

Where do you normally ride position-wise with your regular pack of riders?

Where do you prefer to ride position-wise with your pack?

Upfront, middle, in back?

I used to automatically take the back spot; when I started out and knew I was the slowest, I didn't want to hold anyone up, and I wanted to be able to watch other rider's lines. By over time, I've kinda migrated to mid pack. I'm not fadt, but I'm no longer the slowest.

[CrazyKell]

Back when I had a usual riding group I always liked to be second. I'm always faster if I have a rider in front of me to follow. ...

Me too! The difference is huge for me and I now prefer to follow someone I know well. On my own I hardly push it and am slow....put me behind someone and I'm right with them. It's a confidence thing for me. :idk:

I used to automatically take the back spot; when I started out and knew I was the slowest, I didn't want to hold anyone up, and I wanted to be able to watch other rider's lines. By over time, I've kinda migrated to mid pack. I'm not fadt, but I'm no longer the slowest.

I'm not at the back because I'm the slowest. ;)

[t-homo]

I'm not much of a 'group' guy.

Coulda fooled me.



I typically ride 3-4 from the front. Our group rides don't really stay together, but we stop every 15 or so miles for everyone to catch up. Fastest guys in the front and progressively slower so that nobody holds anyone else up, other than one of the most experienced riders always takes sweep. The fast guys in our group are normally balling up the tires on the street, and I'm certainly not that fast.

Back when I had a usual riding group I always liked to be second. I'm always faster if I have a rider in front of me to follow. I watch his body language and where he's looking and it's like I can see around the mountain and know when a corner is coming up. And it gives me reassurance that there's nothing major in the road in front of me. Of course when I'm riding with a group of racers I can't always keep up that pace...

You need to be careful when you are basically riding your buddy's bike and not your own. If something were to happen to him, you would run off directly where he did.

[Rider]

Usually up front and always on the right side. The left side makes me nervous.

[t-homo]

Are we talking about super slab or twisties? A local cruiser guy got mad at us for not riding staggered formation and for getting split up when riding through the twisties. We are pretty sure its because he was butt hurt that he couldn't keep up with the two new riders that were out the day before.

[wildchild]

i usually ride with older/slower/or new riders so I almost always take the back. I have a tendency to ride away otherwise. Not that I'm incredibly fast I just tend to be faster then those I ride with.

[No Worries]

To me, a group is two riders. Any more than that is hard to stay together when passing cars. And my riding partner is a Total Control instructor, so if I ride ahead of him I feel like I'm being critiqued.

I'll ride second going uphill as I like being behind his much-faster bike. Plus, it drives him nuts when he sees me in his mirrors. But I prefer riding lead going downhill. I brake early and often, and trail-brake through the curves. Seeing my brake light flash like a strobe light prevents him from seeing my crummy form.

[racedoll]

It is typically just Erik and I, so I follow him.

When we ride in a group, I'm usually right behind him. I like to follow him so I can gage how I can take the corner, etc. I used to watch his body positioning and stuff, but now that I've been riding for a while I don't pay as close attention.

The only group ride I was on this year I ended up in the back. I had no idea of the roads and the surface of the roads were not to my liking so I slowed way down. However, there were a couple guys that I did NOT like following because they braked in every stinking corner which totally threw me off. So I would like to have been in front of them.

[LeeNetworX]

The only group I ride with is the guys in my neighborhood. They all have Harleys, unfortunately, but one of the guys is quite nimble on his. I'm usually up front, especially at certain points of the ride...sometimes with Mr. Nimble, and I will stop at a designated place where the rest of the guys will meet up once they get there. lol

Only other person I ride with is Lisa. Otherwise, I'm flying solo.

[smileyman]

How many of you stay put during rides? I mean I start 4th I will stay there unless someone waives me by or we reshuffle at a fuel stop. I rarely pass others in my group, not even trusted friends I have raced on track before...

[marko138]

How many of you stay put during rides? I mean I start 4th I will stay there unless someone waives me by or we reshuffle at a fuel stop. I rarely pass others in my group, not even trusted friends I have raced on track before...
Good question. I like to start at the back if it's an unfamiliar group. Sorta get a feel for who's doing what and how they ride. If I'm feeling comfortable with the group I might migrate toward the front...if and when it's safe to pass and when I'm waved by.

[MissHell]

The my group - I prefer to ride #1 #2 or #3.

Groups I am not familiar with I ride in the back. However last time I did that, everyone in the middle wasn't used to group riding and it was driving me crazy, was wishing I had gone up front. :whistle:

[zer0t]

My first choice is to be on top......oh, wrong question :sorry:. I never like the front because once I leave my driveway I am completely lost. This ain't so bad if we aren't going any place particular, but if we are.....then following me is most likely not going to get you there. I just like a good pace and then I can ride anywhere.

[Tsunami]

I can't remember the last time I was in a group ride...but usually I would like to be 2nd to last. I don't like riding sweep because if I fall and go boom I don't know how long it would take for someone to notice! I'm not fast enough to lead a group.

Out here though i usually ride solo or with one other person. I rather follow but more than half the time they want me to ride in the front.

[Scot]

usually lead bike. I usually pick the route. last weekend I was 3rd in a group of 5. I might ride that spot more often. I was way less stressed with making sure everyone is having a good time. Though we went an old route we've ridden several times before, I actually enjoyed it more. I think I worry about everyone having fun when in fact, they are enjoying not being lead bike haha.

[Mrs. Colleen]

I like the be in the back if it is more than just my husband and I. I like that they can all ride ahead and I can be sort of alone to go at my own speed. When there is someone right in front or right behind me I feel like I spend too much energy worrying about them. When I am in the back everyone waits for me periodically so I have that comfort of not feeling completely alone. :beers: